Top News:
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
Yankees on brink of landing Cliff Lee — The Knicks didn't get LeBron James, but the Yankees were on the brink of obtaining Cliff Lee late last night for a package that would include top prospect Jesus Montero, the Post has learned. — Yankees GM Brian Cashman and Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik …
Discussion:
Postcards from Elysian Fields, NESN.com, Blogging The Bombers, The Seattle Times, ESPN, NY Post: Hardball, MLB Rumors, Lookout Landing, Mike Silva's …, Capitol Punishment, U.S.S. Mariner, Hardball Times, Boston Globe, Bats, Lone Star Ball, Mets Merized Online, Seattle Times, Mets Today, MetsBlog.com, Pinstripe Alley, Twins Insider, Mets Paradise, Projo Sox Blog, Walkoff Walk, Phillies Nation, The LoHud Yankees Blog, BronxBanterBlog.com, Subway Squawkers, LADYBATTING.COM, Can't Stop The Bleeding and FenwayNation
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Rangers Acquire Cliff Lee For Smoak, Prospects — Cliff Lee is joining his fourth team in 12 months and the Rangers are hoping he can lead them to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. The Rangers pried Lee away from the Mariners and multiple suitors today in a blockbuster deal …
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, Hardball Times, FanGraphs Baseball, A Game Of Inches, El Lefty Malo, Halos Heaven, Batter's Box Interactive …, Mets Merized Online, Over the Monster, Mike Silva's …, Boston Globe, Lookout Landing, BronxBanterBlog.com, DRaysBay, Baseball America, Pinstripe Alley and Al's Ramblings
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
What if Yankees get Lee? — If the Yankees and Mariners pull off a deal that would send Cliff Lee to the Yankees in a package that would send Triple-A catcher Jesus Montero and others to Seattle, does that insure the Yankees of the AL East title? — And are the beat up Red Sox left to contend for the wild card with Tampa Bay?
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Bats, Lookout Landing, Mets Merized Online, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Mets Today and U.S.S. Mariner
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Rangers Get Lee; Yanks Feel Used — The Yankees know how the game works. General Manager Brian Cashman — echoing the sage of the organization, Yogi Berra — often says a deal is never final until it is final. After all, George Steinbrenner once signed David Wells over Christmas Eve cheeseburgers …
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Yankees miss out on Lee — this time — Bronx makes sense when Rangers' newly acquired ace becomes free agent in winter … SEATTLE — There is still a feeling around baseball that it is a matter of when, not if, Cliff Lee will become a Yankee. — The Yankees just missed out on Lee …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers acquire Lee from Mariners — Smoak, three other players headed to Seattle in deal — ARLINGTON — The Rangers believe they have acquired the No. 1 starter who can be a difference-maker and have a huge impact in their quest to win their first division title since 1999. — And go beyond that.
Discussion:
OMGreds
Fox Sports:
Sources: Rangers land Lee in trade — Fox Sports — Cliff Lee is headed to the Texas Rangers, apparently much to the irritation of some of the New York Yankees. — As first reported by the New York Post, the Rangers landed the ace left-hander and relief pitcher Mark Lowe from the Mariners …
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Mets Will Turn To Ted Lilly
Discussion:
NY Post: Hardball, GoatRiders of the Apocalypse, MetsBlog.com and The Real Dirty Mets Blog
Joel Sherman / NY Post: Hardball:
3UP: Yankees on Verge of Getting Lee Edition
Discussion:
MetsMinorLeagueBlog.com
ESPN:
The Rangers acquired Mariners left-hander Cliff Lee on Friday, sources confirmed to Buster Olney.
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Dallas Morning News:
Bankruptcy-ending confirmation hearing for Texas Rangers set for July 22 — The Texas Rangers will now emerge from a highly contentious bankruptcy drama on July 22 although a date hasn't been set for a court-supervised auction beforehand, an attorney involved in the case said Friday.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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Baseball America:
Midseason Updated Top 25 Prospects — Prospects have provided the biggest storylines of the 2010 baseball season. Jason Heyward was the story of spring training, launching home runs so far that the Braves had to put up protective nets in the parking lots; they couldn't keep him in the minors anymore.
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers GM disputes ‘seller’ label — MILWAUKEE — As the rumors began to fly and the Brewers prepared to move on from their dismal four-game series against the Giants, general manager Doug Melvin insisted he is not going to hang a “for sale” sign outside Miller Park.
Jfay / Cincinnati Reds:
Atlanta II — “That one hurts as much as Atlanta,” Dusty Baker said. — Friday's 9-7, 10-inning loss to the Phillies that ended on Ryan Howard's two-run, walk-off homer was eerily similar to the 10-9 loss May 20 in the Atlanta. — Mike Leake started both. Both had major ninth inning meltdowns.
Adam Kilgore / Nationals Journal:
Stephen Strasburg will start first game after all-star break — Stephen Strasburg will start the Nationals' first game after the all-star break at the Florida Marlins and then remain on a typical schedule for the remainder of the season, Manager Jim Riggleman said.
