Top News:
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Tigers Designate Joba Chamberlain, Tom Gorzelanny — The Tigers will designate right-hander Joba Chamberlain for assignment, Kurt Mensching of SB Nation and the Detriot News first reported (on Twitter). Anthony Fenech of the Detroit News reports (via Twitter) that lefty Tom Gorzelanny will be designated for assignment as well.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys and MLB Daily Dish
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Who is baseball's best manager? The survey says ... 29m - MLB SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS CHICAGO CUBS + more — Bruce Bochy, Buck Showalter and Joe Maddon all earned raves in ESPN.com's manager survey for their longevity and leadership. USA TODAY Sports
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles, AZ Snake Pit and HardballTalk
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Braves Inquiring On Young Catchers, Willing To Deal Pitching Prospects — The Braves are looking to upgrade their offense and have let other clubs know that they're willing to trade from their recently bolstered stable of pitching prospects in order to acquire a bat, reports Jayson Stark of ESPN (via Twitter).
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Talking Chop and Al's Ramblings
Mike Vaccaro / New York Post:
It's disgusting how jokester GM, cheap owners watch Mets burn — Mets general manager Sandy Alderson speaks to the media before a recent game at Citi Field. — PANIC CITY, NY - Oh, come on, let's be serious. We are way past Panic City. Panic City was a snapshot of the good times around the Mets.
Discussion:
New York Daily News, True Blue LA and baseballmusings.com
Associated Press:
A-Rod, Yanks settle bonus dispute, with team giving $3.5M to charities — 30m - MLB ALEX RODRIGUEZ NEW YORK YANKEES + more
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Ben Badler / Baseball America:
Top 10 Cuban Player Luis Yander La O Defects — DURHAM, N.C.—Make that two Cuban players who have defected here in North Carolina while traveling with the Cuban national team. Luis Yander La O, a speedy, athletic infielder who ranked as the No. 10 player in Cuba in April …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Angels Acquire Rafael Lopez From Cubs — 3:12pm: Chicago will receive the 120th slot, which carries $149,700 in spending capacity, Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com tweets. — 1:56pm: The Angels and Cubs have agreed to a trade that will send minor league catcher Rafael Lopez to Anaheim in exchange …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue and Bleacher Nation
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Inside Baseball: 12 possible sellers, who might go and proposed deals — There are, officially, only two confirmed selling teams as the calendar hit July, the very two who started the year as sellers - yes, the Phillies and Braves. But there are at least 10 more teams with the potential to sell …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and South Side Sox
Marcus Hayes / Philly.com:
Phillies are worse than anyone could have imagined — AT THE MIDWAY point, these Phillies are historically bad, 100-loss bad. — So much would have had to have gone right for them to approach the respectability of even 80 wins that a .500 season almost defied possibility.
Associated Press:
Red Sox Use 8-Run First to Beat Jays 12-6 — TORONTO — David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez had consecutive homers in an eight-run first inning, Xander Bogaerts had four hits and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 12-6 on Thursday night. — Brock Holt also had four hits and Bogaerts drove …
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports, Over the Monster, The Crawfish Boxes and Surviving Grady
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Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Blue Jays Acquire Slot Money From Dodgers
Blue Jays Acquire Slot Money From Dodgers
Discussion:
Dodgers Digest, Bless You Boys, Bluebird Banter and Baseball America
Scott Boeck / USA Today:
On eve of Angels reunion, Josh Hamilton says he ‘sleeps fine’ regarding split — BALTIMORE — Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton can't wait for Friday, the first time this season he gets to square off against the Los Angeles Angels - the same team that severed all ties with him back in the spring following a drug relapse.
Discussion:
NBCSports.com
Adam McCalvy / Major League Baseball:
Brewers bullpen catcher eats 23 cheesesteaks, breaks Citizens Bank Park record — Brewers bullpen catcher Marcus Hanel was looking surprisingly spry Thursday after making culinary history at Citizens Bank Park. — He'd just broken the record for cheesesteak consumption in the visitor's clubhouse …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and BBTF's Baseball Primer …
David Pinto / baseballmusings.com:
Games of the Day — The Yankees are tied for first place in the AL East with Tampa Bay one game back as the Rays send Cy Young candidate Chris Archer against Masahiro Tanaka in New York. Archer is blowing away batters this season with 133 strikeouts in 109 innings, with just 25 walks.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Robert Patrick / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals fire scouting director — ST. LOUIS • The St. Louis Cardinals have terminated the services of their scouting director, Chris Correa, after an “imposed leave of absence,” a lawyer for Cardinals executives said Thursday. — James G. Martin, lawyer for chairman Bill DeWitt Jr …
RELATED:
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cardinals Fire Scouting Director For Role In Astros Breach
Cardinals Fire Scouting Director For Role In Astros Breach
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports, Baseball America and MLB Daily Dish