Exclusive: Red Sox stars blast manager Bobby Valentine in heated July meeting with ownership  —  Boston Red Sox players blasted manager Bobby Valentine to owners John Henry and Larry Lucchino during a heated meeting called after a text message was sent by a group of frustrated players to the team …

Tim Hudson, Braves shut out Padres, 6-0  —  ATLANTA — Tim Hudson combined with three relievers for a five-hit shutout, Martin Prado hit a three-run homer, and the Atlanta Braves beat the San Diego Padres 6-0 on Tuesday night.  —  Hudson (12-4) allowed two hits and one walk in 6 2-3 innings and won his sixth straight decision.

Brandon Belt, Madison Bumgarner lead Giants win over Nationals  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Madison Bumgarner pitched a five-hitter and Brandon Belt had three hits and three RBIs, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 6-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night in a matchup between NL division leaders.

Final Score: Reds 3 Mets 0  —  The New York Mets (55-61) lost to the Cincinnati Reds (70-46) tonight by a score of 3-0.  —  The Least You Should Know: … The Mets have now been shut out seven times this season.  —  For a full recap and box score, check out SNY's In-Game Live.

Blue Jays sign Jeff Mathis to extension  —  The TORONTO BLUE JAYS have signed C JEFF MATHIS to a two-year, $3 million dollar (US$) contract for the 2013, 2014 seasons with a $1.5 million dollar club option for the 2015 season.  Affirming his commitment to the organization and the City of Toronto …

Thames' 2-out hit in 9th lifts Mariners over Rays  —  SEATTLE — Eric Thames' two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Seattle Mariners a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night and snapped the Tampa Bay Rays' seven-game winning streak.  —  Kyle Seager started the winning rally …

Chad Billingsley quiets Pirates as Dodgers win in rout … PITTSBURGH — Chad Billingsley pitched eight dominant innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers matched their highest-scoring game of the season, routing the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0 Tuesday night.  —  The Dodgers have won five of six, pushing them to the top of the NL West.

Luhnow's letter to Astros Season Ticket Holders  —  As part of the Astros' ongoing efforts to engage and communicate with their fans, General Manager Jeff Luhnow wrote the following letter to the club's Season Ticket Holders:  —  Dear Houston Astros Season Ticket Holder,

The value of pre-arbitration players  —  I've written a ton about Wins Above Replacement (WAR), salary and when the two are used together how we can get a better picture of overall value.  One of my posts looked at the percentage value (WAR percentage minus salary percentage) …