Top News:
Fox Sports:
NINE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE BEST CHANGEUP IN BASEBALL … If the baseball season ended today, an awful lot of people would be awfully confused, and the Seattle Mariners would qualify for the playoffs. — There's no bigger reason for the Mariners' success than Felix Hernandez …
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner and FanGraphs Baseball
Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Source: Phillies currently not looking to deal Cole Hamels — According a major league source, the Phillies are currently showing no inclination to trade Cole Hamels. — Hamels has been the subject of rumors involving the Red Sox recently, with the Boston Globe suggesting the Red Sox might …
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, MLB Trade Rumors, HardballTalk, Phillies Nation, LEEInks and Fire Brand
RELATED:
Conor Ryan / Full Count:
Ben Cherington on D&C: 'I didn't do a good enough job building a complete offense'
Ben Cherington on D&C: 'I didn't do a good enough job building a complete offense'
Discussion:
Over the Monster, CBSSports.com, HardballTalk and Camden Chat
TSN.ca:
Jays open series with Rangers to start second half — The Sports Network — The Toronto Blue Jays start their second-half quest to regain ground in the American League East as they open a three game series with the Texas Rangers tonight at Rogers Centre. — Toronto went into the break two games above .500 at 49-47.
Discussion:
Camden Chat
RELATED:
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rangers Designate Carlos Pena For Assignment — The Rangers announced that they have designated first baseman Carlos Pena for assignment. That move, along with yesterday's trade of Jason Frasor to the Royals, clears 40-man and 25-man roster spots for Geovany Soto and J.P. Arencibia …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball and Bluebird Banter
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Greenberg could follow Selig - but will he? — Commissioner Bud Selig already asked him. — He said no. — Baseball owners asked again, with a request as recently as last week. — No again. — While Major League Baseball searches for the next commissioner to replace Bud Selig …
Discussion:
LEEInks
Fox Sports:
CUBS SLUGGER RIZZO: THE MAKING OF AN ALL-STAR … Thanks to the desires of the fans' Final Vote, Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was an All-Star, and a well-deserved one at that. The towering lefty has crushed the ball this season to the tune of a .275/.381/.499 line …
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus
Marc Carig / Newsday:
Daniel Murphy would be amenable to contract extension — When he missed Opening Day for the birth of his first son, Noah, Daniel Murphy recalled the support he received “from the top of the organization to the bottom.” — As talk radio hosts skewered Murphy for leaving the team …
Discussion:
Metsblog
Erik Malinowski / Fox Sports:
PITCHMAN: HOW TOM EMANSKI CHANGED THE SPORT OF BASEBALL — AND THEN DISAPPEARED — For 20 years, he was the biggest name in youth baseball. His coaching popularized a new wave of analysis, while his instructional videos entranced a generation of professional players and fans.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, McCovey Chronicles and Deadspin
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
GM Brian Cashman to target pitchers — NEW YORK — Yankees GM Brian Cashman is aggressively trying to upgrade his starting staff, which has seen four-fifths of its opening day rotation end up on the disabled list. — “I have to reinforce our pitching, in my opinion,” Cashman said in a phone conversation Thursday.
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, Pinstripe Alley, Red Reporter and HardballTalk
Steven Petrella / MLB.com:
Victorino could rejoin Sox after two-game Triple-A stint — Shane Victorino has had a whirlwind of a rehab. While recovering from a strained hamstring, he slipped a disk in his back in June. While trying to get to a game for Double-A Portland Saturday, he got stuck in traffic.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
M's Have Discussed Zobrist, Price, Willingham, Byrd, Viciedo — 9:51pm: Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Mariners' talks with the Rays have been more focused on Zobrist than Price, and the two sides have been discussing Zobrist “for weeks.” Nick Franklin's name has frequently come up in talks, he adds.
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, Royals Review, DRaysBay, HardballTalk, CBSSports.com, Lookout Landing and Al's Ramblings
Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
TYLER CHATWOOD OUT FOR ROCKIES REST OF SEASON, WILL HAVE TOMMY JOHN SURGERY — The Denver Post — Tyler Chatwood (32) of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox Sept. 24, 2013 at Coors Field. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
Discussion:
Purple Row, CBSSports.com, HardballTalk and MLB Trade Rumors