Top News:
MLB:
MLB announces Manny Ramirez is retiring after drug issue — Tampa Bay Rays slugger Manny Ramirez has notified Major League Baseball that he is retiring after being notified of an issue under MLB's drug policy. — Ramirez — Ramirez tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug during spring training …
Discussion:
Bleacher Report, Baseball Nation, True Blue LA, Lone Star Ball, Deadspin and Associated Press
RELATED:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Manny Ramirez Retires — Manny Ramirez has retired, Major League Baseball announced. MLB says it notified Ramirez of “an issue” under its drug program and that the longtime slugger decided to retire instead of continuing with the process. — Ramirez would have faced a 100-game suspension …
Discussion:
Diamond Hoggers
Michael S. Schmidt / Bats:
Manny Ramirez Retires After Testing Positive — Manny Ramirez retired from baseball Friday instead of facing a 100-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, according to two people briefed on the matter. — Ramirez tested positive for the performance-enhancing …
Discussion:
NESN.com and Bleacher Report
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Manny retires due to “issue” with drug test — Rays DH Manny Ramirez has retired after “an issue” with an MLB drug test. — Bill Shaikan of the Los Angeles Times posted on Twitter from a source that “Manny tested positive for banned substance, would have been facing 100-game suspension had he not retired (or succeeded in appeal).”
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Storen getting job done with heat — Potential closer using fastball to great effect for Nationals — NEW YORK — Of the four Nationals relievers who pitched in Thursday's 5-3 victory over the Marlins, right-hander Drew Storen was arguably the most dominating. He pitched two shutout innings and struck out three batters.
RELATED:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Ramos to become primary Nationals catcher — Hot-hitting youngster to see more time; Pudge to backup role — NEW YORK — Before his team started a three-game series against the Mets, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman indicated that catcher Wilson Ramos will get most of the playing time …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Wang, Rodriguez ready to throw
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Riggleman looking out for Broderick
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Slumping Morse gets night off
Matt Pepin / Boston Globe:
Felix Doubront activated for game — Lefthanded pitcher Felix Doubront has been activated from the disabled list for today's game, the Globe's Peter Abraham reports from Fenway Park. — Lefthanded reliever Dennys Reyes was designated for assignment.
Discussion:
Over the Monster and SOX & Dawgs
RELATED:
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Crawford slides up to leadoff spot vs. Yankees
Crawford slides up to leadoff spot vs. Yankees
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Joe McDonald / ESPN:
Boston Red Sox add Felix Doubront, Alfredo Aceves in 'pen shuffle
Boston Red Sox add Felix Doubront, Alfredo Aceves in 'pen shuffle
Discussion:
Boston Globe and Projo Sox Blog
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Albers to DL; Aceves to be recalled
Albers to DL; Aceves to be recalled
Discussion:
Projo Sox Blog, The LoHud Yankees Blog, SOX & Dawgs, SoxProspects News and joy of sox
Dave Cameron / FanGraphs Baseball:
Is It Time to Panic in Boston?
Is It Time to Panic in Boston?
Discussion:
Replacement Level …, Pinstripe Alley, joy of sox, River Avenue Blues, Full Count, Boston Globe and YFSF
UC Berkeley NewsCenter:
Baseball program will continue at UC Berkeley — BERKELEY — The University of California, Berkeley, baseball program will continue to represent the campus as an Intercollegiate Athletics sport, now and into the future, as the result of a successful and ongoing fundraising effort on the part of alumni …
Discussion:
Hardball Times
RELATED:
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
One low point after another — And the hits just keep on coming. — In their latest move to make friends and endear themselves to local fans, Fenway Sports Management yesterday announced it has inked Ulf Samuelsson and Matt Cooke to work on business deals worldwide.
Discussion:
boston.stats.com, The Knobler Blog, Dan Shaughnessy Watch and Associated Press
RELATED:
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Nishioka breaks leg on Swisher's hard slide — Twins second baseman, Yanks outfielder exhibit professionalism — NEW YORK — The differences between the big league baseball played in this country and the professional ball in Japan are not always subtle. Some are merely pleasant nuances …
Discussion:
Toeing the RubberToeing …
RELATED:
AaronGleeman.com:
Tsuyoshi Nishioka fractures fibula in collision at second base
Tsuyoshi Nishioka fractures fibula in collision at second base
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Twinkie Town and Yahoo! Sports
Dan Graziano / New York Times:
Twins' Misery Against Yankees Is Compounded by Injury
Twins' Misery Against Yankees Is Compounded by Injury
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score, The Yankee Analysts and Twinkie Town
Adam J. Morris / Lone Star Ball:
Jim Palmer — The Most Overrated Pitcher of All Time? — Everyone here knows who Jim Palmer is. One of the all-time greats, a legend. — Palmer spent his entire career with the Baltimore Orioles, where he won the Cy Young Award three times, finished second twice, third once, and fifth two more times.
Philly.com:
Phillies Notes: Phillies' Halladay will settle for a grounder over a strikeout — The situation called for a strikeout, but Roy Halladay said he doesn't think that way. Bases loaded, one out, David Wright at the plate in a third inning that was on the verge of turning ugly.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Teri Thompson / NY Daily News:
Mets ownership group narrows investor search to eight as Wilpons try to sell piece of team: source — The Mets have narrowed their search for an investor to eight groups, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. — The team's owners, Fred and Jeff Wilpon and Saul Katz …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding and HardballTalk