Top News:
Danny Knobler / CBS SportsLine.com:
In need of a trade partner? Pirates might be your team — Tell Danny your opinion! — The Pirates have five of the most interesting players available on the July trading market, so it's no surprise that people around the game were talking about Pittsburgh this week.
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New Jersey Online:
Dan Graziano's Trade Winds — Talk about a turnaround. This wasn't even the top guy Baltimore got in the Erik Bedard trade, but here he is, atop the wish lists of several teams looking for left-handed relief help. Teams connected to Sherrill include the Cardinals, Rays, Marlins, Red Sox and others.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:Stark's Latest: Teixeira, Padilla, Sheffield, Beltre
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
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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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.
Discussion:
NY Daily News, Boston Globe, Bronx & Beans, The Bottom Line, yankeesdaily.com and New Jersey Online
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.
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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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Milledge returns as Estrada departs — Outfielder activated off DL; glut of catchers trimmed by one — SAN FRANCISCO — Following Thursday's game against the Giants, the Nationals activated outfielder Lastings Milledge from the 15-day disabled list and designated catcher Johnny Estrada for assignment.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
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
RELATED:
Anthony Andro / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:Playoffs grasp may exceed Texas Rangers' reach this season
Discussion:
Baseball Time in Arlington
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 …
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Front office infighting hampers Dodgers' trade talks … The Dodgers are diving into the middle of a lot of trade talks, but skepticism remains steep about whether they'll actually pull anything off. “They're a mess,” one NL executive says, flatly. — Several baseball people say there was a deal …
RELATED:
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:The Mill — Early Churning … - While Tigers fans …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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 …
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
