Top News:
Rick Eymer / MLB.com:
Giants think Cain will return to mound Monday — SAN FRANCISCO — Giants manager Bruce Bochy scanned the field during Wednesday night's warmups to make sure right-hander Matt Cain wasn't trying to play catch somewhere. — Cain, who was scratched from Tuesday night's start after cutting …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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Associated Press:
Hudson Leads Giants in 3-2 Win Over Padres — SAN FRANCISCO — Tim Hudson and Sergio Romo combined on a five-hitter and the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Wednesday night. — Hudson (4-1) struck out six and didn't walk a batter for the fourth time in five starts this season.
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
Associated Press:
Chavez Pitches A's to Sweep of Rangers in 12-1 Win — ARLINGTON, Texas — Jesse Chavez allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings, Eric Sogard matched his season total with three RBIs on Wednesday night and the Oakland Athletics completed a three-game sweep with a 12-1 rout of the sloppy Texas Rangers.
Discussion:
ESPN, Athletics Nation and CBSSports.com
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Landon Haaf / WFAA-TV:
Rangers unravel in 12-1 loss to Oakland — If you keep pulling the thread, eventually the whole thing will unravel, so the saying goes. — The Rangers did quite a bit of pulling in the first two games of their brief homestand, and the whole thing unraveled in the series finale against division leading Oakland.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Associated Press:
This Date In Baseball — 1917 — Fred Toney of the Cincinnati Reds and Hippo Vaughn of the Chicago Cubs pitched a double no-hitter for nine innings, but the Reds won 1-0 on two hits in the 10th. Jim Thorpe drove in the winning run. — 1923 — Walter Johnson recorded his first shutout …
Discussion:
Pearly Gates
Canadian Press:
Montero leads off with 10th homer, D'Backs beat Rockies — PHOENIX — Miguel Montero hit a leadoff homer in the 10th inning after Martin Prado hit a two-run single in the ninth, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks end a four-game losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Colorado Rockies Wednesday night.
Discussion:
Purple Row and AZ Snake Pit
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Mets and Yankees Have Identical Records, if Not Identical Expectations — The Mets and the Yankees arrived at the soggy end of April on Wednesday with identical 15-11 records. Twice in the last decade they have finished the season with the same mark: in 2006, when both made the playoffs, and in 2008, when both missed.
Discussion:
Metsblog, NY Daily News, Newsday, Amazin' Avenue, New York Post and ESPN
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Renteria optimistic about closer options — CINCINNATI — When a team has only had six save opportunities through most of the first month of the season, it's fair to assume closer options aren't first and foremost on the mind of a manager guiding a struggling team.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Associated Press:
Craig has 4 hits, Cards beat Brewers 9-3 — ST. LOUIS (AP) After failing to hold three-run leads in two straight games, Allen Craig and the St. Louis Cardinals put their series final against Milwaukee out of reach. — Craig homered on a four-hit day that included three RBIs …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Viva El Birdos
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Jon Paul Morosi / Fox Sports:
Brewers are for real, not an April fluke, thanks to pitching
Brewers are for real, not an April fluke, thanks to pitching
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Carroll Rogers / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves plan to activate Floyd this weekend — MIAMI — Gavin Floyd completed his minor league rehabilitation assignment Tuesday night with Triple-A Gwinnett, and barring something unforeseen, the Braves will activate him from the disabled list sometime this weekend.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Todd Dewey / Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Mets center fielder has come long way — Growing up in the Dominican Republic, New York Mets center fielder Juan Lagares created his own version of baseball. — Lagares, who joined the 51s on Monday to continue his major league rehabilitation stint for a pulled right hamstring …
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, ESPN and Metsblog
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Tigers To Promote Robbie Ray — The Tigers have announced that left-handed starter Robbie Ray will be recalled and make his Major League debut against the Astros next Tuesday. — The 23-year-old Ray ranked 91st on MLB.com's list of Top 100 prospects prior to the season and was the centerpiece …
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus and Bless You Boys
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
(USATSI) — The Tigers, Yankees, Rangers, Red Sox and Rockies are believed among teams showing strong interest in free-agent closer Joel Hanrahan, who is likely to sign before holding another open showcase. — Hanrahan is believed to have received multiple offers, with at least …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Pinstripe Alley and MLB Trade Rumors