Top News:
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
‘Empire’ and ‘Nation’ set to meet again — Long-time rivals face off in AL East showdown — Everyone out there who doubted, deep down, that it would come to this, raise your voice. — Hear that? Deathly silence. — Late July. Fenway Park. The Yankees and the Red Sox …
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yankees hierarchy discusses Bonds — Club officials meet as Trade Deadline looms next week — BOSTON — Vowing to leave no stone unturned in upgrading the Yankees for a playoff push, the addition of Barry Bonds was discussed during organizational meetings on Thursday, Hank Steinbrenner confirmed to the Associated Press.
Discussion:
yankeesdaily.com
Mike Lupica / NY Daily News:
Starters to pen, Red Sox are in for pitched battle against Yankees — The Yankees haven't really been chasing the Red Sox since the end of the 2004 American League Championship Series, it just seems that way sometimes. But the Yankees can sure catch them with a sweep this weekend …
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Game 102: Yankees at Red Sox — YANKEES (56-45) — RED SOX (60-43) — Joba Chamberlain (2-3, 2.52) vs. the Boston hitters. — Josh Beckett (9-6, 3.98) vs. the New York hitters. — Notes: The Yankees have won six straight and 11 of 14. They are a solid 23-23 on the road …
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.
RELATED:
Portfolio:
Clock Ticks on Manny Moments — I once asked a prominent relief pitcher to describe the most idiotic thing he had witnessed in the big leagues. “That's easy,” he said, and launched into the story of a former teammate—an All-Star outfielder—who refused to use toilet paper.
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Ed Price / New Jersey Online:
Randy Winn on Yankees' watch list — According to an official from a National League team, who asked not to be named because his club was not involved, the Yankees have been scouting San Francisco Giants outfielder Randy Winn. — The Yankees are considering a trade for a bat since …
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Boras cites Teixeira, others as cases for draft value — Agent does not discuss Pirates-Alvarez talks, but might reveal bar — Scott Boras, the super-agent advising the Pirates' first-round draft pick, Pedro Alvarez, declined to discuss specifics of those contract negotiations in his first interview on the matter last night.
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Steve Kornacki / MLive.com:
DETROIT TIGERS BASEBALL — Dombrowski: Tigers not sellers at trade deadline — DETROIT — Dave Dombrowski watched his Detroit Tigers take batting practice earlier this week from the dugout at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. He was well aware that the first-place Chicago White Sox …
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:
Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Bleed Cubbie Blue, MLB FanHouse and GoatRiders of the Apocalypse
Ted Berg / SNY.tv:
What's not yet Dunn — Anderson, Evans overmatched in left field, at plate — Leaving Tuesday night's loss to the Phillies, I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. It seemed certain that the Mets would not win again all season, and that the bullpen woes in that game would lead Omar Minaya …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Associated Press:
17 ejected in Class A 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 the Dayton dugout during …
Discussion:
Baseball America, Lookout Landing, Gaslamp Ball, It is about the money, stupid, Fanhouse MLB, Unfiltered and Redleg Nation
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Jim Baker / Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Matchups — I'll Get 'Em Next Time … On Wednesday, Greg Maddux started his 14th consecutive game without being credited with—if you'll pardon the expression—a win. Normally, I pay very little attention to a pitcher's won-loss record. I actually hope that at some point …
Kevin Baxter / Los Angeles Times:
Juan Pierre can't wait to get back to Dodgers — Minor league rehab assignment makes him appreciate the majors that much more. — LAS VEGAS — Few Little Leaguers, never mind nine-year major league veterans, enjoy being on a baseball field as much as Juan Pierre.
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Rauch deal has implications — Like most Diamondbacks trades, Tuesday's deal for reliever Jon Rauch seemed to address both a current question mark (a struggling bullpen) and an upcoming one (next year's closer). — And by sending second-base prospect Emilio Bonifacio to the Washington Nationals …
