Top News:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Blue Jays Sign Vladimir Guerrero — The Blue Jays have signed 37-year-old designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero to a minor league contract, the team announced. The Proformance client would earn a pro-rated portion of $1.3MM in the Major Leagues, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, who first reported the deal (Twitter links).
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter, FanGraphs Baseball, Baseball Nation and Getting Blanked
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Dave Campbell / Globe and Mail:
Alvarez leads Blue Jays over Twins — Henderson Alvarez pitched seven strong innings to win his third straight start for the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-2 over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night. — Alvarez (3-2) stretched his scoreless streak to 17 innings before second baseman Kelly Johnson's …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
Associated Press:
Josh Beckett hit hard, booed at Fens after golf uproar — BOSTON — Josh Beckett [stats] must have lasted longer on the golf course than he did on the mound. — The embattled Red Sox [team stats] ace was booed off the field at Fenway Park [map] when he was pulled after just 2 1-3 ineffective innings Thursday night against Cleveland.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Yahoo! Sports, Let's Go Tribe and Boston Herald
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Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Kevin Youkilis talks about future … BOSTON — Boston Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis was watching when rookie Will Middlebrooks homered twice in the same game in Kansas City, hitting home runs down both foul lines. — “They should have put a foul pole in center field so he could hit one off that, too,” Youkilis said.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Associated Press:
CC Sabathia finally outpitches David Price, Yanks beat Rays — NEW YORK - CC Sabathia outpitched David Price for the first time in six career matchups between the All-Star lefties, Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson homered and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 Thursday night.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, MLB and Boston Herald
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Dan Martin / New York Post:
Yankees 1B Teixeira battling breathing problem
Yankees 1B Teixeira battling breathing problem
Discussion:
HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
Associated Press:
Orioles hit 5 HRs in 6-5 win over Rangers — BALTIMORE (AP) — The Orioles became the first AL team to open a game with three straight home runs, and Baltimore added two more long balls against Colby Lewis en route to a 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers in a doubleheader opener Thursday.
Discussion:
ESPN and Associated Press
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Bob Nightengale / Associated Press:
Power surge: Rangers' Josh Hamilton hitting jackpot — Josh Hamilton, center, shares a laugh with David Murphy, left, and Nelson Cruz after Hamilton sparked the Rangers over the Orioles Tuesday night. At 20-10 (.667), the Rangers have the best record in baseball.
Discussion:
Camden Chat, DRaysBay and MLB Rumors
Ben Walker / ABCNEWS:
MLB Poised to Pick off 1st-and-3rd Trick Move — Yankees reliever Rafael Soriano stepped toward third base and bluffed a pickoff throw, then twirled and made a soft toss to first. No dice, the Tampa Bay runners didn't fall for that ol' trick — they'd seen it too often.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation and WasWatching.com
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Associated Press:
Nationals end slide as Strasburg K's 13 Pirates — PITTSBURGH — Stephen Strasburg struck out a season-high 13 over six innings and the Washington Nationals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over Pittsburgh on Thursday night. — Roger Bernadina and Adam LaRoche both homered …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Bucs Dugout
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
Mock Draft: Version 1.0 — Trying to sort out a muddled class — Teams picking at the top of the 2012 draft privately lament their options. There isn't an obvious choice like Stephen Strasburg in 2009 or Bryce Harper in 2010, and there isn't an embarrassment of riches like there was a year ago.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
CJBaseball.com:
The Mo Effect — I have come to respect the baseball analytical community over the past few years. In the beginning I was like a lot of ignorant baseball players, I thought — you all were a bunch of geeks in your mom's basement. You've proven otherwise and I see the value in what you do.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, THE BOOK, Hardball Times and HardballTalk
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Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Postgame notes: “Just a sad way to end the game”
Postgame notes: “Just a sad way to end the game”
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues and Bronx Baseball Daily
Tim Keown / ESPN.com:
Hitters' lament: Please, fence me in — Will the angst of the sluggers over ballpark dimensions carry the day? — Drew Litton for ESPN.com — Every slugger's dream fences. Will it come to this? Maybe if the hitters have their way ... In the San Diego Padres' clubhouse one day last season …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
David Pinto / MetsBlog.com:
Today in the NL East — The National League East stands as the Quality Start division. The Marlins lead the majors with 24 QS, while the Nationals stand second at 23, and the Phillies third at 22. — Nationals: Stephen Strasburg pitches for the Nationals tonight in Pittsburgh against the Pirates.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors