Top News:
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Inside Baseball: Blue Jays tried for Hamels, stick with Gibbons; plus notes — Both the Blues Jays front office personnel and players are wholly unsatisfied with their up-and-down start, and while there's little question they all expected much better play and rumors have been circulating …
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MLB Trade Rumors, Sportsnet.ca, MLB Daily Dish, Bleacher Nation and Brew Crew Ball
USA Today:
Brewers' Will Smith suspended 8 games for foreign substance on forearm — Milwaukee Brewers reliever Will Smith was suspended eight games Friday by Major League Baseball for having a foreign substance on his non-throwing arm Thursday night against the Atlanta Braves.
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Talking Chop
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Associated Press:
Smith Regrets Oversight With Rosin, Sunscreen on Arm — ATLANTA — Milwaukee Brewers reliever Will Smith wanted to grip the ball better, so he followed a common practice of using rosin and sunscreen on his pitching hand. — Only problem is it's against the rules. — “It was chilly and kind of windy,” Smith said.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports, Brew Crew Ball, Talking Chop and baseballmusings.com
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Two years after scandal, A-Rod has unlikely admirer: Rob Manfred — NEW YORK - This time, he didn't grimace. There were no terse statements. — Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred didn't even have the slightest bit of apprehension talking about one of the game's most ignominious figures in recent years.
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The LoHud Yankees Blog
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Brendan Kuty / New Jersey Online:
Yankees will pay Alex Rodriguez's home run bonus if ....
Yankees will pay Alex Rodriguez's home run bonus if ....
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CBSSports.com
Ken Davidoff / New York Post:
MLB commissioner: Yankees in the right on A-Rod's $6M
MLB commissioner: Yankees in the right on A-Rod's $6M
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Sporting News Feed RSS and Yahoo Sports
Associated Press:
Pirates Star McCutchen Laughs Off Leaked Pay Stub — PITTSBURGH — Good thing Andrew McCutchen has direct deposit. — The Pittsburgh Pirates star centerfielder laughed off a leaked photo of his pay stub Friday, joking he can handle the attention so long as he still gets paid.
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Yahoo Sports
Paul White / USA Today:
For baseball lifer, game goes on — The only retirement I ever cared about was Charlie Hough's. — That was 20 years ago and was meaningful to me because, for the first time in my life, I was older than every major league player. — And I got to write about what a strange rite of passage that was.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
In one afternoon Brandon Barnes had almost as many hits as Drew Stubbs — The Denver Post — Colorado Rockies left fielder Brandon Barnes reaches bases on an error by Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis in the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 21, 2015, in Denver.
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The Good Phight
John Manuel / Baseball America:
MLB Mock Draft 2015: Version 3.0 — College conference tournaments dominate much of the draft world this week, with scouts descending on the Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, Big Ten and other conferences for long looks at some of the nation's top college players.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Associated Press:
Diamondbacks complete 4-game sweep of Marlins — MIAMI (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks scored the run that put them ahead to stay Thursday thanks to a walk, a bobbled bunt and two infield singles. — “It wasn't very conventional,” manager Chip Hale said.
Discussion:
sportschatplace.com, Beyond the Box Score, Bleed Cubbie Blue, AZ Snake Pit and Fox Sports
Molly Knight / Sports on Earth Writers:
WHAT MLB CAN LEARN FROM JAPAN — TOKYO — If you're a baseball fan with an Internet connection, you've undoubtedly read scary stories about how the sport's popularity in the U.S. is circling the drain. And while reports of Major League Baseball's imminent demise are greatly exaggerated …
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ESPN, HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
Associated Press:
Hendricks' 5-Hitter, Bryant's 2-Run Homer Carry Cubs, 3-0 — SAN DIEGO — Kyle Hendricks pitched a five-hitter for his first career complete game and shutout, and Kris Bryant hit a two-run home run as the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 3-0 on Thursday night to take two of three games.
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus
Associated Press:
Rangers' Rodriguez Keeps Red Sox Bats Quiet in 3-1 Win — BOSTON — Mitch Moreland hit a solo homer and drove in two runs, Wandy Rodriguez pitched 6 2-3 solid innings and the Texas Rangers beat the Red Sox and their listless offense 3-1 on Thursday night. — Moreland added two singles …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Surviving Grady, Over the Monster, Lone Star Ball and Yahoo Sports
Danny Abriano / Metsblog:
DeGrom dominates as Mets earn series split with Cardinals — Jacob deGrom was close to untouchable over eight scoreless innings and the Mets (24-18) got a pair of homers from Lucas Duda as they beat the Cardinals (27-14) by the score of 5-0 on Thursday afternoon at Citi Field.
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Yahoo Sports
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