Top News:
Steve Springer / Los Angeles Times:
Angels complete sweep of Red Sox — Casey Kotchman's double breaks a tie in the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez gets his 40th save. — Knuckleballs or fastballs. — Small ball or big blasts. — Soar ahead or come from behind. — Good teams or bad.
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Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com:
K-Rod becomes fastest to 40 saves — Closer reaches tally in just 98 games; Smoltz second with 108 — ANAHEIM — By striking out the side to preserve the Angels' 5-3 win over the Red Sox on Sunday, closer Francisco Rodriguez became the fastest pitcher to tally 40 saves in Major League history.
Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Garza, Navarro squabble on Sunday — Pitcher, catcher have argument on mound, incident in dugout — ARLINGTON — Sunday's Rays loss featured a highly visible squabble between starting pitcher Matt Garza and catcher Dioner Navarro. — In the fourth inning things boiled over between …
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score
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Joe Smith / St. Petersburg Times:Rays' Maddon miffed over plunking of Navarro
Discussion:
Rays Index
Wallace Matthews / Newsday:
Great, but was it clean? — Taken at face value, this should be a heartwarming story, a tale of twin redemptions for Andy Pettitte and Jason Giambi. One suffered through an offseason of embarrassment, the other muddled through an April of abasement. Both came through in a big …
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Wood, DL about to meet for the 12th time — Marmol would be put on the spot as closer — HOUSTON - The blister on Kerry Wood's right index finger is likely to send him to the disabled list for the 12th time in his career. — “We're coming to the point where we're going to have to come …
Scott Merkin / MLB.com:
White Sox honor Baines with statue — Former Chicago great joins a select few in South Siders history — CHICAGO — He was known as a stoic competitor, one of the great clutch hitters in the history of the game. — His words often were few and far between, becoming …
Discussion:
ShysterBall
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Wagner to have left shoulder examined — Veteran closer experiences discomfort during save on Sunday — CINCINNATI — The Mets' off-day Monday may become a day for the organization to cross its fingers and hold its breath. On the eve of the team's three-game series against the Phillies …
Discussion:
Mets Fever
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers near deal for Giants' Durham — GM Melvin unavailable for comment; trade may set up platoon — SAN FRANCISCO — The Brewers and Giants were poised Sunday morning to complete a trade that would send second baseman Ray Durham to Milwaukee. — The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported …
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Buster Olney / ESPN.com:Brewers add a bat, deal for Giants 2B Durham
Discussion:
The MLB Source, ShysterBall, Bucs Dugout, The Transaction Guy, MLB Rumors, MLB FanHouse and Associated Press
Krysten Oliphant / MLB.com:
Astros place Oswalt on 15-day DL — Right-hander still recovering from hip abductor strain — HOUSTON — Roy Oswalt underwent an MRI on Saturday morning that confirmed the right-hander is still recovering from a left hip abductor strain he suffered on June 30.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Not in command — SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — If the Cardinals merely hoped recovering ace Chris Carpenter would begin his long-awaited minor-league rehab assignment without physical complications, Sunday night's four-inning start for Class AA Springfield could be called a success.
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers stun D-backs in ninth — Five-run rally off closer Lyon creates tie in NL West standings — PHOENIX — “Just get to their bullpen.” — In so many words, there wasn't a Dodgers player after Sunday's stunning 6-5 comeback win who didn't reveal the most obvious of game plans …
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Charles Odum / Associated Press:
Harris drives in 5, Nats rip Braves 15-6 — ATLANTA (AP)—The Washington Nationals, again led by former Braves outfielder Willie Harris, made Atlanta look like a former contender. — Harris drove in five runs and reached base five times, Jesus Flores had four hits and Austin Kearns hit …
Associated Press:
Mets solve Reds in 10, move into NL East tie with Phillies — CINCINNATI (AP) — Ready for an encore, Shea? — One month after they fired their manager, the New York Mets are headed home with a share of first place and a showdown ahead. Their next act comes at Shea Stadium …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Rockies free Nix to play in Olympics — Infielder designated; must be in Minors to qualify for Games — DENVER — The country, or at least its baseball team, needs infielder Jayson Nix more than the Rockies. — The Rockies designated Nix for assignment Saturday after Team USA asked …
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