Top News:
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
Mock Draft 4.0: June 4 — Jim Callis' Last Attempt To Line Up Talent In Unpredictable Year — The Astros' public position with the No. 1 overall pick is that they're looking at five players and may not make their decision until shortly before they officially go on the clock at 7:09 p.m. Eastern tonight.
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Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
2012 Mock Draft — A weak talent class and a new collective bargaining agreement have made the 2012 draft the most unpredictable in recent memory. Further confusing things are huge wild cards early on, especially the Mariners at three and the Royals at five.
Keith Law / ESPN:
2012 MLB Mock draft 4.0 — Consensus has Astros taking Appel No. 1; Buxton goes No. 2 to Twins — This is it ... sort of, since I'll update this over the course of the day on Monday if any new information emerges. As always, everything here is based on information gleaned from industry sources.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, River Avenue Blues and Bucs Dugout
Dave Perkin / Sports Illustrated:
Buxton, Zunino follow Appel in SI.com's 2012 MLB mock draft … On Sunday, it was reported that the Houston Astros will select Stanford righthander Mark Appel with the first pick in Monday's MLB Draft. How will the rest of the first round break down? Dave Perkin, a former major league scout …
Discussion:
MetsMinorLeagueBlog.com and Bucs Dugout
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Draft day begins with no clear-cut top pick — Questions remain as to how teams will deal with bonus pool — As the start of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft rapidly approaches, there appears to be more questions than answers facing the 30 teams hoping to improve their futures over the course of the three-day event.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, HardballTalk, Let's Go Tribe, Diamond Hoggers and The Crawfish Boxes
Fox Sports:
Expect surprises this trade season — Only one rule applies during trading season: — Don't assume anything. — At this time last season, hardly anyone thought the Rockies would trade Ubaldo Jimenez. In 2010, few predicted that the Angels would get Dan Haren.
Discussion:
Philly.com and HardballTalk
Zoo With Roy:
Zoo With Roy's Awesome Emma Interviews Cole Hamels — Wait what Awesome Emma and Cole Hamels and a ZWR Microphone?! Oh you know. — So last week The Hamels Foundation (which does absolutely amazing work that will resonate for generations) sent out a press release noting a tremendous project/donation …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
Mike Fitzpatrick / Associated Press:
Niese strikes out career-high 10, Mets beat Cards — NEW YORK—Jonathon Niese struck out a career-high 10 in six scoreless innings and the New York Mets shut down the slumping St. Louis Cardinals for the third straight game, getting a homer and three RBIs from rookie Kirk Nieuwenhuis in a 6-1 victory Sunday night.
Discussion:
ESPN and Yahoo! Sports
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Greensburg Tribune-Review:
Pirates converting pitcher Allie to hitter — The Pirates are converting high-priced prospect Stetson Allie from pitcher to hitter, the Tribune-Review has learned. — Allie, 21, was the team's second-round draft pick in 2010, signing for $2.25 million, well above Major League Baseball's recommended slot.
Discussion:
Baseball America, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, The Big Lead and Bucs Dugout
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
South Side seat syndrome —There are certain things you can count on happening every spring. The temperatures heating up. People mowing their green lawns. Birds returning from their southern migration. — And the Chicago White Sox urging fans to show up in greater numbers to U. S. Cellular Field.
Discussion:
THE BOOK
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Wayne Coffey / NY Daily News:
Former NY Mets GM Jim Duquette donates kidney to young daughter, Lindsey, to fight rare disease, Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis — Father steps up to plate for his 10-year-old girl — MLB analyst Jim Duquette, formerly GM of the Mets, donates a kidney to his 10-year-old daughter Lindsey.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com and NESN.com
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
WHY THE RED SOX ARE STILL ON THE HUNT FOR STARTING PITCHING — It's still almost two months away, but it's about that time we start thinking about the non-waiver trade deadline. The Red Sox have, after all. — According to a major league source, as we sit here right now …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
10th anniversary: the Moneyball draft — Ten years ago today, one of the most famous drafts in baseball history occurred. It's not so famous for the spectacular level of talent in it. Oh, there was talent, but that's true of all drafts. No, this was the draft made famous because of its depiction in a bestseller.
