Top News:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Pirates to name Coonelly as CEO — FOXSports.com, Updated 53 minutes ago — LIKE THIS STORY? — The Pirates' firing of GM Dave Littlefield was a precursor to their next move — the hiring of Frank Coonelly as their new CEO, according to major-league sources.
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MLB.com, Bucco Blog, Bucs Dugout, Catbird in the Nosebleed Seats, Bugs & Cranks, Pittsburgh Lumber Co. and Associated Press
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Paul Meyer / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates close to naming new president — FOX television reported today that Frank Coonelly, Major League Baseball's chief labor lawyer, will be the Pirates' new president. — Bob Nutting, the Pirates' chairman of the board, confirmed he'd talked with Coonelly.
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Notes: Gagne gives himself the OK sign — Red Sox reliever may return to pitch on Monday against Rays — BALTIMORE — The sweat hadn't even finished dripping off Eric Gagne's forehead following his side session on Saturday, when the right-handed reliever declared himself ready to return.
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Victory dance — Sox step away with win after nearly choosing partners in a dust-up — BALTIMORE - Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp considers Daniel Cabrera "a cool acquaintance." — "We're not best boys," Crisp said, "but we've hung out a couple of times."
Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
Shouting O's shut out — Daniel Cabrera, the Orioles' 6-foot-9 right-hander with a high-90s fastball and hit-the-mascot lack of control, knows his reputation around the league: He's not afraid to pitch inside, or, for that matter, plunk someone. — So when one of his heat-seeking missiles buzzed behind …
Conor Nicholl / MLB.com:
A-Rod hits historic homers Nos. 50, 51 — No. 49 of season as third baseman sets Major League record — KANSAS CITY — It's taken four years for Alex Rodriguez to feel comfortable playing for the Yankees. Now, he is producing one of the greatest seasons in club history.
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Associated Press:
Alex Rodriguez connects for 50th and 51st homers — KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Alex Rodriguez reached 50 home runs for the first time in five seasons, and promptly added to his total. — A-Rod homered in consecutive at-bats against rookie Brian Bannister to set a single-season record for a third baseman …
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates' 5-1 loss comes right out of left field — Bay aggravates knee injury as Cubs capitalize on misfortune — PNC Park's left field was plenty unkind to the Pirates in their 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs last night. — That started in the first inning, when Jason Bay aggravated …
Marc Lancaster / TBO.com:
Maddon Staying At Helm — ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays are expected to announce today that they have picked up Manager Joe Maddon's contract options for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. — The move isn't a surprise, as principal owner Stuart Sternberg voiced his support for Maddon last week while the Rays were in New York.
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Giuliani takes swings with Rangers — Presidential hopeful holds fundraiser, throws out first pitch — ARLINGTON — Tom Hicks and Rudolph Giuliani were once on opposite sides of the field. And Giuliani was winning. — That was back in the late 1990's when Hicks was just starting …
Rick Braun / JSOnline:
Itch leads to scratch — Mosquito prompts errant sign, setting tone for stinging loss — Cincinnati - A lot of bad and strange things have happened to the Milwaukee Brewers on the road this season. Friday night might have topped them all. — A mosquito bite that Brewers manager Ned Yost got earlier …
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Diamondbacks edge Cardinals — The Diamondbacks are still hopeful because, really, what else can they be with their leader sitting on the bench in the dugout, watching Friday night's rousing 4-2 win from the seat adjacent to his manager? — But if they are cautiously optimistic about the health …
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Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Analysis: Littlefield's low-risk style netted low rewards — When Bob Nutting spoke of creating a "culture of success" for the Pirates on the day he fired Dave Littlefield, it might have struck some as laughable. — The Pirates a success? — After 15 years of failure?
Associated Press:
Glaus: No comment on steroid accusations — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Blue Jays third baseman Troy Glaus declined to address accusations that he received performance-enhancing drugs from a Florida pharmacy under investigation for illegally distributing prescription medications.
