Top News:
Nancy Marrapese-Burrell / Boston Globe:
McCarver set for showdown — There will be subplots aplenty when the Yankees visit Fenway Park to face the Red Sox beginning tonight, most notably the return of Boston slugger David Ortiz from a wrist injury. — Tim McCarver, who will broadcast tomorrow afternoon's game on Fox …
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Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Yankees on roll & ready to rock — It is, by definition, an occasion when the Yankees play at Fenway, rife with meaning, feeling and its own brand of drama. And the series that begins Friday night, in particular, holds, “Implications for what could happen, who makes the playoffs or what not,” says Johnny Damon.
George A. King III / New York Post:
YANKS CAN'T AFFORD FENWAY FLOP — MUST PROVE WIN STREAK NO FLUKE — Give them credit for doing what was needed to avoid being buried in the AL East by winning the first six games following the All-Star break. — Starting tonight at Fenway Park, the Yankees step up in class with three games against the World Champion Red Sox.
Associated Press:
Fan injured, 17 ejected in minor league brawl — DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Umpires ejected 15 players and the two managers following a bench-clearing brawl during a tense game between the Midwest League's Dayton Dragons and Peoria Chiefs. — Peoria pitcher Julio Castillo threw a ball toward …
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John Torenli / Minor League Baseball:
Peoria's Castillo arrested in brawl game — Benches, bullpens empty in ugly first-inning incident at Fifth Third Field — Peoria pitcher Julio Castillo might have turned an ugly benches-clearing brawl into a criminal offense. — The 20-year-old Dominican right-hander was arrested …
Anthony Andro / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Playoffs grasp may exceed Texas Rangers' reach this season — No one inside the organization is willing to concede that 2008 won't be a playoff year for the Texas Rangers. — Maybe they should. — Despite a 52-50 record, the Rangers would seem to be playoff long shots at best.
Discussion:
Baseball Time in Arlington
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Richard Durrett / Dallas Morning News:
Texas' Rangers' 1-2 punch appears to be a hit again — Kinsler, Young end mini-slumps — rdurrett@dallasnews.com — One positive to come out of Wednesday's 10-8 loss to the White Sox: Ian Kinsler and Michael Young appeared to have ended mini-slumps. — Young had a solo home run …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
The Mill — Early Churning … - While Tigers fans are talking comeback, the Tigers themselves have about a week to decide if that's actually going to happen. There are rumblings from outside the organization that the Tigers are starting to make calls about some of their players to determine …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:Stark's Latest: Teixeira, Padilla, Sheffield, Beltre
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Associated Press:
Bonds, trades among topics at Yankees' meetings — TAMPA, Fla. — Barry Bonds in pinstripes? If nothing else, the New York Yankees talked about it. — High-ranking Yankees officials gathered for meetings at their spring training complex Thursday, a day off for the team before it begins …
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Ortiz will bring punch to the party — The most telling aspect of David Ortiz's absence from the Red Sox lineup is that by any meaningful measure, the team's offense did not lose any of its potency. — To a man, of course, the Sox are thrilled at the timing of the return of Ortiz …
Rich Hofmann / Philly.com:
Rollins has to set better example if he wants to be leader for Phillies — NEW YORK - They cannot take away the Most Valuable Player — trophy that Jimmy Rollins won last year. It was earned and deserved. He and the Phillies' 2007 division championship were both special and specially intertwined …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Samardzija gets the call, may get start this weekend — CUBS IN BRIEF — A Cubs team fiercely trying to focus on the present could get its first glimpse of a big part of its future today with the arrival of top pitching prospect Jeff Samardzija. — The hard-throwing right-hander from Valparaiso …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
Delgado's big hit lifts Mets into first place — The Mets' David Wright pumps his fist after he and Robinson Cancel, left, scored on Carlos Delgado's tiebreaking two-run double in the bottom of the eighth. (Newsday / Kathy Kmonicek / July 24, 2008) — The chants were heard on the ramps …
Mike Scarr / MLB.com:
Yankees could seek help behind plate — With Posada hurting, Bombers need more offense at catcher — The Yankees are back where they expected to be, in the thick of a pennant race. — And with that comes the requisite roster reflection, heightened by the Trade Deadline that is ticking away …
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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Mets may have filled Saturday slot — In Pedro's absence, Knight appears likely to step in and start — NEW YORK — With Pedro Martinez back in the Dominican Republic, grieving the loss of his father, Pablo, the Mets on Thursday set about the business of determining who his replacement might be.
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Tom Haudricourt / Brewers Blog:
Brewers not pursuing Sherrill — I've seen a lot of national reports in recent days that indicate the Brewers are interested in trading for Baltimore closer George Sherrill, so I called general manager Doug Melvin to see what's going on. — Melvin said he has not engaged the Orioles …
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Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:Pitching struggles keep Trembley up at night
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
