Jeffrey Loria's message after odd hire: 'A Marlin isn't a flounder'  —  The telephone started ringing in the early morning, from former players, managers, baseball executives, all with the same response.  —  “This is a joke, right? “Tell me this is a joke. “Come on, they can't be serious.”

Hamels Pitches Phillies Past Rockies 4-3 for 6th Straight  —  DENVER — Cole Hamels pitched efficiently into the eighth inning and Odubel Herrera broke a tie in the sixth with a two-run double as the Philadelphia Phillies won their sixth straight game by beating the Colorado Rockies 4-3 Monday night.

Carlos Sanchez walk-off hit in 10th lifts White Sox to sixth straight victory  —  Chris Sale was brilliant - he had to be every bit of that to hang with Corey Kluber — Adam Eaton was alert and rookie Carlos Sanchez was clutch in the White Sox' 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians …

Oakland Snaps 4-Game Losing Streak With 2-1 Win Over Houston  —  HOUSTON — Brett Lawrie hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth, and the Oakland bullpen combined for 4 2-3 scoreless innings as the Athletics snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night.

Mets recover to win in 14th after squandering another Harvey gem  —  The Mets defeated the Cardinals 2-1 in 14 innings Monday at Citi Field in the opener of the four-game series between division leaders.  —  John Mayberry Jr.'s bases-loaded infield single in the 14th won it for the Mets …

Bruce Chen Announces Retirement  —  Lefty Bruce Chen has announced on Twitter that he will retire from professional baseball.  Chen, 37, was designated for assignment by the Indians on Saturday.  —  Chen struggled through 6 1/3 innings in two starts this year for Cleveland, permitting nine earned runs.

Chase Whitley To Undergo Tommy John Surgery  —  Yankees right-hander Chase Whitley will undergo Tommy John surgery tomorrow, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).  Whitley had previously been diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow …

Red Sox Outright Allen Craig  —  The Red Sox announced this afternoon that first baseman/outfielder Allen Craig has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, meaning that he is no longer on the club's 40-man roster.  —  That Craig cleared waivers unclaimed isn't necessarily a surprise …

With two managers down, who will be the next to go?  —  FOX Sports  —  Who's next?  —  Faithful readers will note that I have written frequently in the past about “The Curse of Samuel Joseph.”  Sam, the oldest of my three children, was born on May 21, 1991.  Each of the first three days of his life, a manager was fired.