Top News:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Schedule creates opportunity for Red Sox — Here is the Red Sox schedule for the next 22 games: — April 23-25: At Minnesota (3) — April 26-29: At Chicago (4) — April 30-May 2: Oakland (3) — May 4-6: Baltimore (3) — May 7-9: at Kansas City (3) — May 10-13: Cleveland (4)
Discussion:
Over the Monster
RELATED:
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Willis said to leave team w/o permission; Duquette still wants him for pen — Dontrelle Willis' interesting career has taken another interesting turn, as he has left the Orioles' Triple-A Norfolk team without permission and is at least temporarily on the restricted list.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Baseball Nation, HardballTalk and Deadspin
RELATED:
Allen Barra / Runnin' Scared:
How “Perfect” Was Philip Humber's Perfect Game? — You got a guy who is 29 years old and making a comeback from Tommy John surgery - and, to top it off, hasn't won a game this year. He throws a perfect game and nobody - and I mean nobody, including me - wants to put a damper on it.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Hardball Times and baseballmusings.com
Fox Sports:
The evolution of Roy Halladay — The last time I wrote about Phillies ace Roy Halladay, in the middle of spring training, he called it, “poor reporting on the extreme end of poor reporting.” — What I reported was that two scouts had expressed concern about Halladay's lack of velocity and sharpness …
Discussion:
Crashburn Alley and MLB Rumors
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Final Score: Giants 6 Mets 1 — The Mets lost to the Giants by the score of 6-1 this afternoon at Citi Field. — To get a full recap and boxscore, click here for SNY.TV. — The Least You Should Know... - Tim Lincecum tossed 108 pitches and left the game in the fifth inning …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
Ivan Rodriguez career highlights — It was recently announced that veteran catcher and current unsigned free agent Ivan Rodriguez intends to officially retire in Texas on Monday. — When a great player like Rodriguez retires, it's nice to look back over his career, what his highs and lows were …
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, Yahoo! Sports and baseballmusings.com
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
The 10 greatest games in Tiger Stadium history — Last week, as I'm sure many of you know, Fenway Park celebrated its centennial anniversary. It had a big celebration and media attention. That's appropriate, as the park has lasted all this time. However, while it's the only baseball stadium …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and TigerBlog
Steve Dilbeck / Los Angeles Times:
For the Dodgers: It's the last homestand of Frank McCourt — That's right kiddies, it's the last go-round for Frank McCourt, Dodgers owner. Don't get all weepy on me now. — No more pulling $189 million out of the team, only not to make payroll. No more legally not paying taxes on his Dodgers earnings.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
NY Mets, not Yankees, have best starting pitching rotation in New York City, surprisingly — So far, Amazin's proving to have better starters than in the Bronx — Jon Niese is just part of a pretty deep New York Mets pitching rotation. — The contrasting climactic events at Fenway Park …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, MetsBlog.com, New Jersey Online and New York Times
Fox Sports:
Rockies-Pirates postponed by rain — PITTSBURGH (AP) — Monday night's game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Colorado Rockies has been postponed by inclement weather. — The game was called six hours before the scheduled 7:05 p.m. first pitch due to a steady rain scheduled to fall throughout the area until Tuesday morning.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Texas Rangers' hero admits winning squeeze bunt was foul ball — DETROIT — Alberto Gonzalez had never attempted a suicide squeeze before Sunday afternoon, even though Ron Washington said that the utility infielder is the kind of player who must execute the do-or-die play.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball, Pinstripe Alley, ESPN and Rangers Blog
Mike Nichols / MetsBlog.com:
Recap: Terry talks Baxter, Tejada before today's game — Prior to today's doubleheader, Mets Manager Terry Collins spoke to the media and said the following, per SNY's Matt Dunn: — Mike Baxter is starting in left field for game one because he wants to get him in the lineup.
Discussion:
MetsMinorLeagueBlog.com