Top News:
Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:
Mets routed in fifth straight loss — NEW YORK - A bad brand of baseball has been displayed at Citi Field this April, placing the Mets closer to the NL East basement than its penthouse. — Instead of playing like a team eyeing its third straight playoff appearance, the Mets …
Discussion:
Talking Chop
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Teheran solid, Gsellman stumbles and Mets lose 5th straight … NEW YORK — Julio Teheran hasn't lost to the Mets in nearly two years, and New York manager Terry Collins wasn't shocked by his team's reaction when Atlanta tagged Robert Gsellman for five runs in the first inning.
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing
Jesse RogersESPN / ESPN:
Pirates rookie Gift Ngoepe on historic night: ‘It was just awesome’ — PITTSBURGH — He had to tell himself not to cry, and that was before South Africa native Gift Ngoepe became the first player from that country — and the African continent as a whole — to play in a major league game.
Discussion:
Fox Sports
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Associated Press:
An African Player Reaches the Majors — PITTSBURGH — Gift Ngoepe was aware of the significance of the moment when he put on his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform for the first time in the regular season. — The Pirates recalled Ngoepe, an infielder, from Class AAA Indianapolis on Wednesday …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Bucs Dugout and baseballmusings.com
Associated Press:
Seattle's Haniger leaves game with strained oblique — DETROIT (AP) — Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger has left Tuesday night's game at Detroit with a strained oblique. — Haniger was removed after hitting a single in the third inning, his second hit of the game.
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Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' bullpen woeful in blowout win over Seattle Mariners
Detroit Tigers' bullpen woeful in blowout win over Seattle Mariners
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals keep drilling on defense — If Mike Shildt is making a list of fundamentals the club needs to address, and checking it twice, then the Cardinals' new quality control coach should add an asterisk by the errant pickoff in Tuesday's ninth inning. — That was the pregame focus just hours before it happened.
Chris Nelsen / Detroit Free Press:
Tigers luncheon: GM Al Avila says season has gone as expected, so far — Chris Nelsen, Special to the Detroit Free Press — Brody Lutz didn't fold under pressure. — Standing a few feet from Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera at Wednesday's 12th annual Detroit Economic Club Tigers luncheon …
Andrew Baggarly / Mercury News:
Michael Morse is a Giant again, Denard Span heads to DL — SAN FRANCISCO - Michael Morse is a Giant again. — The hulking, 2014 postseason hero didn't let a strained hamstring send him home, and he showed enough at Triple-A Sacramento to win a place on the roster.
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles
George A. King III / New York Post:
Cashman: Here's what kind of owner Derek Jeter will be … BOSTON — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he doesn't know what type of front-office executive Derek Jeter will be if a group he is associated with closes a deal to buy the Marlins. — However, Cashman …
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
NL West Notes: Dunn, Qualls, Giants, Bradley — The Rockies announced on Wednesday that they've placed lefty reliever Mike Dunn on the 10-day disabled list due to back spasms. Filling Dunn's place on the 25-man roster will be fellow veteran Chad Qualls, who will return to the 'pen after missing …
Discussion:
Mercury News, Brew Crew Ball and Purple Row
Phil Rosenthal / Chicago Tribune:
Jim Thome lands MLB Network gig on top of White Sox front-office position — White Sox special assistant Jim Thome on his new MLB Network analyst role. (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — Former White Sox slugger Jim Thome is joining MLB Network as a part-time studio analyst …
Discussion:
South Side Sox and FanRag Sports
Brian Lewis / New York Post:
How bad game made Mets think Jose Reyes is turning corner … As we've seen with Curtis Granderson and now Michael Conforto, other players can hit leadoff for the Mets, but none of them can do it like Jose Reyes. None of them can bring the speed, steal the bases and create havoc like him.