Top News:
Newsday:
Rickey Henderson hired as Mets hitting coach — Newsday has learned that Rick Down has been relieved of his duties and that the future Hall of Famer will take over immediately. — The Mets will begin the season's second half with a dramatic change in their coaching staff, Newsday has learned.
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Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets shake it up — Rick Down has been fired as Mets hitting coach, with Rickey Henderson set to join the staff. — Down is the first coach dismissed from the staff assembled for Willie Randolph when he became the Mets' 18th manager in 2005. — While Henderson gets ready to climb aboard …
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
The best of Rickey being Rickey — From the Newsday archives, we give you Rickey's greatest hits — Rickey Henderson is back in uniform and on a major-league roster, albeit in the coaches section. But we all know being the Mets hitting coach is not his first choice of an occupation.
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Henderson joins Mets coaching staff — Exact role, including work with hitters, still to be revealed — NEW YORK — The impatience — and relative lack of productivity — of Mets hitters seemingly led to impatience with hitting coach Rick Down. New York has dismissed Down and added Rickey Henderson …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
New York Times:
Mets Fire Coach and Add Henderson — The Mets, seeking to inject some life into a struggling offense, have fired their hitting coach, Rick Down, and have added Rickey Henderson to the coaching staff. — Henderson will most likely replace Down, but according to a club official …
Steve Buckley / Boston Herald:
Simple truth: Big Papi's mortality showing — Say the words "David Ortiz [stats]" and "knee surgery," and it's enough to make you feel about as robust and October-optimistic as a Tampa Bay Devil Rays fan. — Say those words and you are suddenly filled with dread, worried that this long …
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ESPN:
Boras says A-Rod assured to reach $30M annually — After the New York Yankees on Wednesday indicated they would break from tradition and negotiate during the season with Alex Rodriguez on a contract extension, his agent moved in quickly to define what it would take to keep the superstar third baseman playing in New York.
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Murray Chass / New York Times:
For Rodriguez, Yanks Will Break Rules — For most players, 30 home runs and 86 runs batted in would constitute a good season. For Alex Rodriguez this year, 30 home runs and 86 R.B.I. make up a little more than half a season, and that production has grabbed the Yankees' attention.
Jose De Jesus Ortiz / Houston Chronicle:
Club's course of action generates plenty of interest — A number of the top team officials in the major leagues convening for the All-Star festivities in San Francisco privately wondered whether the Astros would make any changes at the All-Star break or heading into the July 31 trading deadline.
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Some starry pieces — SAN FRANCISCO — Picked-up pieces from All-Star week in the postcard-perfect Bay Area: — If we can agree that Fenway is the best old ballpark, can we make a case for AT&T Park as the best of the newbies? The setting is spectacular. It's an easy walk from anywhere downtown.
Discussion:
Dan Shaughnessy Watch
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Mark Haleby Maxine Shen / New York Post:
MILLEDGE IS SLATED FOR MAJOR RETURN — Lastings Milledge is expected to be promoted today and return to the Mets for the first time in three months. — Milledge, who had three at-bats with the Mets in April before being demoted, has been playing minor-league
D.J. Short / MetsBlog.com:
Blogger Beat: Moises and Pedro — On this special midseason edition of Blogger Beat, I rounded up a veritable All-Star team of Mets bloggers to discuss how the second half may shake out, and what this team needs to get back to October. — D.J. Short of MetsBlog writes:
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Angels quietly dominating AL West — Despite potential weaknesses, Halos manage to click — Major League Baseball, like life, is defined by checks and balances and decisions to live with. Teams are forever juggling strengths and deficiencies, especially in this big-ticket era.
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Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Tribe, Hafner agree to four-year extension — 'Pronk' to remain in Cleveland through 2012 season — CLEVELAND — It appears Pronk is here to stay. — On Thursday the Indians are expected to announce their second long-term agreement with a core player this season, designated hitter Travis Hafner …
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Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
2007 ALL-STAR GAME — GIANTS: Magowan wants Sabean to stay — Contrary to rumors that the Giants are preparing to fire Brian Sabean, ownership has decided it wants Sabean back next year for a 12th season as general manager, and the two sides have begun discussions about a contract extension, The Chronicle has learned.
George King / New York Post:
PHIL IN THE BLANK — YANKS HAVE 'TIMELINE' FOR HUGHES' RETURN — Brian Cashman has an idea when Phil Hughes will be ready to provide the Yankees with a much-needed boost it the back of their rotation, but the GM isn't ready to make it public. — "We have a timeline, but we aren't going to announce it," Cashman said yesterday.
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
