Top News:
Jesse Baumgartner / MLB.com:
Different approach at DH — Seattle (38-62) vs. Boston (59-43), Wednesday, 1:40 p.m. PT — SEATTLE — Most American League teams use the designated hitter position to stick a little more pop in their lineup. David Ortiz of the visiting Boston Red Sox would be a prime example.
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John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Mariners Notebook: Faces may change — Roster may look different on return home — The question as the Mariners packed up after Wednesday's game against the Red Sox in preparation for a flight to Toronto: What would the club look like the next time it assembled at Safeco Field?
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
Gregg Bell / Associated Press:
Red Sox's Ramirez sits due to sore knee — SEATTLE (AP)—Manny Ramirez was out of Boston's lineup Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners with what his manager said was a sore knee. — “Just showed up this morning. He just came in and said, ‘My right knee hurts,”’ manager Terry Francona …
David Lennon / Newsday:
Mets looking closer at 'pen help through trade — With plenty of deals already made throughout the league, and exactly a week left before next Thursday's 4 p.m. trade deadline, the Mets are still deciding when — or if — to pull the trigger themselves. The most obvious need is for a corner outfielder …
Discussion:
Ya Gotta Believe
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William C. Rhoden / New York Times:
Mets, Missing Leadership, Are Wise to Temper Joy — The Mets played their 100th game of the season Tuesday night. — Fittingly, they played No. 100 against their new nemesis — the Philadelphia Phillies. — Thanks, in large part to Philadelphia, the Mets became a national story last fall when they experienced a dramatic collapse.
Arthur Staple / Newsday:Mets' Aguayo has Chavez DOA twice at home
Discussion:
24 Hours From Suicide
Danny Knobler / CBS SportsLine.com:
Red Sox looking to acquire Uribe in deal with Chicago — The Red Sox are deep in conversations with the White Sox on a trade that would send infielder Juan Uribe to Boston, according to sources. — Uribe is batting just .225 in limited playing time this season, but his three home runs …
Dan Hayes / North County Times:
PADRES: Wolf sent to Astros for minor league pitcher — Towers insists that club won't initiate a fire sale — The Padres traded their second veteran player since the All-Star break on Tuesday, sending pitcher Randy Wolf to Houston for a minor-league pitcher.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Paul DePodesta / It Might Be Dangerous:Wolf to Astros — Today we traded Randy Wolf to the Astros for RHP Chad Reineke.
Richard Justice / Houston Chronicle:Wolf trade shows reality has yet to sink in for Astros
Discussion:
signonsandiego.com
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Coonelly ‘frustrated’ with Alvarez talks — HOUSTON — Pirates president Frank Coonelly tonight described himself as “frustrated” by the pace of talks with first-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez, marking the first time anyone on either side — including Alvarez's agent, Scott Boras — spoke publicly on the matter.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Market shifts as deadline nears … The word is that the asking price for Pirates outfielder Xavier Nady has “loosened” a tad, and that Pittsburgh seems more interested than before in trading him. — The Pirates were said a couple weeks ago by the New York Post to be seeking “two top prospects” …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, The MLB Source, Baltimore Sun, PittsburghLIVE.com and The LoHud Yankees Blog
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Will Carroll / Unfiltered:Mill Grinding — We'll open up The Mill later this week …
Discussion:
Trade Talk, Florida Marlins, El Lefty Malo, Outs Per Swing, Bottom9 Baseball, Talking Chop and MLB Rumors
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
Reliever Ziegler sets league scoreless mark — (07-23) 04:00 PDT St. Petersburg, Fla. — Brad Ziegler, Oakland's rookie submarine-style reliever, established an American League record for the longest scoreless streak at the start of a career, and the next inning, Carlos Peña almost brought the streak to an end.
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MLB.com:
Cubs activate Soriano, Eyre — Option Hoffpauir, Hart to Triple-A Iowa — CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs today activated outfielder Alfonso Soriano and left-handed pitcher Scott Eyre from the 15-day disabled list and optioned infielder Micah Hoffpauir and right-handed pitcher Kevin Hart to Triple-A Iowa.
Associated Press:
Chipper (hamstring), Hudson (elbow) leave game — MIAMI — Atlanta slugger Chipper Jones and ace Tim Hudson left Wednesday night's game against Florida with injuries, a pair of blows to the Braves' already slim playoff hopes. — Jones strained his left hamstring running out a ground ball …
Discussion:
Fox Sports
Jim Salisbury / Philly.com:
Phils still shopping for pitching and hitting — NEW YORK - Maybe Pat Gillick was just being coy. Or maybe he really doesn't pay attention to the rumor mill that seems to chug nonstop at this time of year. — (For the record, we believe that the Phillies' general manager was being coy.
Denver Post:
Colorado's trade price for Fuentes may be too high — The Rockies are playing an intriguing game of poker with closer Brian Fuentes. The price is high, causing most interested teams — the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees and Mets, the Boston Red Sox and the Florida Marlins — to consider other options.
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