Top News:
ESPN.com:
Sources: Manny Ramirez's medical records sealed fate — The story of how Manny Ramirez was nabbed by baseball's drug-testing policy is rooted as much in the language of the collective bargaining agreement as it is in the fact that the Los Angeles Dodgers' slugger had synthetic testosterone …
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Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Manny Ramirez's prescription for suspension — Dodgers slugger had not obtained a therapeutic-use exemption for HGC, so he dropped his appeal of the 50-game ban. — Manny Ramirez abruptly dropped an appeal of his drug suspension within hours of a scheduled hearing last week …
Jayson Addcox / MLB.com:
Milledge breaks finger in Minors — Outfielder batting .256 for Nats' Triple-A team — SAN FRANCISCO — Outfielder Lastings Milledge suffered a broken finger Monday while attempting to bunt in a game for the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs. — According to Nationals acting general manager Mike Rizzo …
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Dave Sheinin / Nationals Journal:Milledge Suffers Broken Finger in Syracuse
Discussion:
Baseball Daily Digest Blog
ESPN.com:
Roger Clemens, on Mike and Mike in the Morning, bashes book, holds firm to denials of drug use — Roger Clemens ended his long media silence Tuesday on ESPN Radio's “Mike & Mike in the Morning,” sticking to his story that he has never used performance-enhancing drugs and calling excerpts …
Discussion:
Walkoff Walk
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Bob Raissman / NY Daily News:
Raissman: With A-Rod, YES avoids 'roid talk — There was this notion Friday night, running right through the Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network telecast, that Alex Rodriguez's return to pinstripes was a feel-good story, a triumph of a man, and his spirit, coming all the way back from something.
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Craig Calcaterra / Hardball Times:The Selena Roberts book is about what you'd expect
Discussion:
ESPN
Ken Belson / New York Times:
Bidder Up: Yankees and City Reach Deal to Sell Stadium Memorabilia — A brick is a brick is a brick, unless it came from Monument Park at the old Yankee Stadium. That is the pitch the Yankees are going to make to their fans when they start auctioning off every removable scrap from their old home in the Bronx.
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Associated Press:
Pavano tames White Sox as Indians offense comes to life — CLEVELAND (AP) — Carl Pavano threw strikes and his Cleveland Indians teammates struck quickly at the plate. — Pavano won his third straight start and the Indians scored in the first inning for the first time this month …
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe!
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Associated Press:
Reds break out the bats, rough up Diamondbacks — PHOENIX (AP) — Willy Taveras matched a career high with five hits, Adam Rosales had a homer and two doubles, and the Cincinnati Reds routed Arizona 13-5 on Monday night. — Taveras wrapped four singles around a fourth-inning double.
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Saunders: A-Rod never again an All-Star — Halos lefty says Yanks slugger stained by using steroids — As Alex Rodriguez worked his way back to the Majors following surgery on his right hip, and finally arrived, the Yankees third baseman received mostly encouragement and sympathy from his peers.
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues
Howard Bryant / ESPN:
Big Papi's decline? Not this fall — BOSTON — The walls are closing in on David Ortiz. He can feel it, the cold breeze of doubt whistling through each swing and miss, vexing and constant, a pebble scratching hard on the bottom of his foot: a .224 batting average and, even more glaring …
Joseph Duarte / Houston Chronicle:
Astros Notes: Berkman likely to play vs. Rockies — Astros first baseman Lance Berkman, who sat out the three-game weekend series against Padres with a sore left wrist, is expected to be in the lineup tonight for the series opener against the Rockies. — Berkman took swings in the batting cage Sunday and said the wrist felt better.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Corey Masisak / Washington Times:
Caps force Game 7 — Steckel deflection produces game-winning goal in OT — David Steckel has been with Bruce Boudreau dating back to their days before joining this franchise, so the Washington Capitals' coach probably has more faith in his big center than most.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Jose's 7th blunder costs Johan, Mets — Johan Santana and Derek Lowe are neighbors who live three homes apart in Fort Myers, Fla., during the offseason. They could have been teammates, too, if the Mets had anted up. — Of course, Lowe would have been no good to Santana in the home dugout last night.
