Top News:
New York Daily News:
Yankees pitcher and “Ball Four” author Jim Bouton dies at 80 — Ex-Yankees pitcher Jim Bouton was a 20-game winner, won two World Series games, spent 10 years in the big leagues — and made a bigger impact with a pen in his hand than a baseball. — The author of the groundbreaking hardball tell-all …
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Bruce Weber / New York Times:
Jim Bouton, Author of Tell-All Baseball Memoir ‘Ball Four,’ Dies at 80 — Jim Bouton, a pitcher of modest achievement but a celebrated iconoclast who left a lasting mark on baseball as the author of “Ball Four,” a raunchy, shrewd, irreverent — and best-selling — player's diary that tainted …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Royals Review, Uni Watch, Ballpark Digest and DRaysBay
Stephanie Apstein / Sports Illustrated:
Even Baseball's Best Players Are Hopelessly Overmatched in CBA Negotiations — The best players in the world, selected to represent their sport at this week's All-Star Game, want to fix free agency. But there's little consensus from these All-Stars about how they're going to do that when the current CBA expires.
Discussion:
Purple Row and MLB Baseball News …
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
MLB players are furious, willing to strike over economic system: 'We're all united'
MLB players are furious, willing to strike over economic system: 'We're all united'
Discussion:
New York Post
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Major League Baseball is at a crossroads. What does it want to become?
Major League Baseball is at a crossroads. What does it want to become?
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Cubs Insider
Tim Healey / Newsday:
Five questions facing the Mets in the second half of the season — The Mets' second half begins Friday in Miami against the Marlins, the only team in the National League with a worse record. Here are five questions that will define the Mets' next two-and-a-half months. — How long will the manager last?
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
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Scooby Axson / Sports Illustrated:
Report: Yankees, Red Sox Interested in Mets Pitcher Zack Wheeler — The Red Sox and Yankees reportedly have asked about New York Mets pitcher Zach Wheeler. — The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are looking into the possibility of trading for New York Mets pitcher Zach Wheeler, reports SNY.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, MLB Daily Dish and Pinstripe Alley
Jon Paul Morosi / MLB.com:
Mets could be enticed to move Thor in right deal — A trade of Noah Syndergaard this month is possible — if a heavy price is paid. — While the Mets aren't soliciting offers for Syndergaard, multiple teams have contacted them to express interest, sources say.
Discussion:
Newsday, MLB Trade Rumors, The Big Lead, MLB Daily Dish, Bleacher Nation and Brew Crew Ball
Jacob Bogage / Washington Post:
Baseball's robot umpires are here. And you might not even notice the difference. — YORK, Pa. — The either long-dreaded or long-awaited arrival of digitally rendered ballpark justice has come to professional baseball. Robot umpires have arrived. — Except, they're not really robots.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos, New York Post, NBCSports.com and MLB Baseball News …
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Associated Press:
‘Robot umpires’ debut in Atlantic League ASG — YORK, Pa. — “Robot umpires” have arrived. — The independent Atlantic League became the first American professional baseball league to let a computer call balls and strikes on Wednesday at its All-Star Game.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Kyle Newman / Denver Post:
Kyle Freeland expected to return to Rockies rotation on Saturday against Cincinnati — Kyle Freeland is expected to make his return to the Rockies' rotation on Saturday against the Reds at Coors Field, per sources, after the club's opening day starter spent nearly six weeks in Triple-A Albuquerque.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and Rox Pile
Sports Illustrated:
American League Holds Off the National League to Win Its 7th Straight All-Star Game — It wasn't as thrilling as Monday's Home Run Derby, but the 2019 All-Star Game did exactly what it was supposed to do—showcase the best of baseball. … PARTING THOUGHTS AS THE AMERICAN LEAGUE WINS ITS SEVENTH ALL-STAR GAME IN A ROW, 4-3.
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Tom Withers / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Bieber wins MVP, Cleveland shines in All-Star Game
Bieber wins MVP, Cleveland shines in All-Star Game
Discussion:
USA Today, AZ Snake Pit and Let's Go Tribe
Emma Baccellieri / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
American League Holds Off the National League to Win Its Seventh Straight All-Star Game
American League Holds Off the National League to Win Its Seventh Straight All-Star Game
Discussion:
Phillies Nation and Pinstripe Alley
Mike Oz / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
American League wins its seventh straight MLB All-Star Game — CLEVELAND — The entire conversation surrounding this year's MLB All-Star Game has been — about juiced balls and how MLB players are hitting more home runs than ever. — Well, the National League All-Star team sure could have one more of those.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Brew Crew Ball, Pinstripe Alley, Phillies Nation, Purple Row, Gaslamp Ball, Red Reporter and Viva El Birdos
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Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:
Canadian Mike Soroka rides fast track with Braves to MLB All-Star Game
Canadian Mike Soroka rides fast track with Braves to MLB All-Star Game
Discussion:
Talking Chop and MLB Baseball News …
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Royals Promote Bubba Starling — The Royals announced Thursday that they will select the contract of outfielder Bubba Starling prior to tomorrow's game. A corresponding 40-man roster move will be announced tomorrow. — Starling, 27 next month, was the fifth overall draft pick by the Royals back in 2011.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Royals Review
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Buy? Sell? Diamondbacks, GM Mike Hazen facing ‘complicated decision’ as deadline looms — As the days and games fall off the calendar, the decision for Diamondbacks General Manager Mike Hazen seems to grow ever more difficult. His team cannot sustain a winning streak - or a losing streak, for that matter.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
John Tomase / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman details bromance with Red Sox P David Price — CLEVELAND — Marcus Stroman was David Price's teammate for only 86 days, but those two-plus months were enough to leave a lasting impression. — Stroman and Price joined forces at the 2015 trade deadline when Toronto acquired …
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Pinstripe Alley, Bluebird Banter and Over the Monster
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Comeback looks unlikely as Ankiel nears what agent Boras calls ‘decision time’ — CLEVELAND — The comeback idea, hatched almost a year ago when he returned to the mound on a lark, has likely ended for Rick Ankiel before it could truly start this summer. — Ankiel is reaching a “decision time …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Sports Illustrated:
Bud Selig Recounts His ‘Misery’ Waiting for Barry Bonds to Break the Home Run Record — “I was just waiting for Barry to put me out of my misery.” — The following is excerpted from the book FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME: The Inside Story of the Surprising and Dramatic Transformation …
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, San Bernardino Sun, Halos Heaven and USA Today