MLB News: Pro Sports Daily

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July 2

Boston Herald

"Jonathan Papelbon dropped down to one knee and unzipped the overnight bag laid out in front of his locker. Shifting some items aside, he spotted the faded, game-used baseball in the front, left-hand corner. Smiling, he now placed yet another faded, game-used baseball next to the first one, and then he closed the case. Papelbon apparently lost the baseball he used to strike out the Colorado Rockies' Seth Smith for the final out of the 2007 World Series. The Red Sox closer's story, and he's sticking to it, is that the family pet ate the historic baseball. It won't happen again. The first baseball in the suitcase was from the Red Sox' 4-0 victory over the Orioles Monday night, in which ..."

Dodgers' offense will finally get a boost

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July 2

Los Angeles Times

"The 50-game suspension of Manny Ramirez ended on the day the Dodgers became the first team to win 50 games this season -- and with the Dodgers' top standing in the National League, little changed from the day he was banned. After squeaking past the Colorado Rockies, 1-0, at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, the Dodgers finished with a record of 29-21 during Ramirez's absence and are now 50-29. The Dodgers also hold a seven-game lead in the NL West over the San Francisco Giants, which is half a game bigger than the lead they had when Ramirez was suspended May 7 for violating baseball's drug policy. And they edged Colorado in front of 40,455 much the same way they won many of their games during ..."

Cleveland Indians swap relievers with Tampa Bay

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July 2

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The Indians have acquired right-hander Winston Abreu from Tampa Bay. They sent the Rays right-hander John Meloan, who is pitching at Class AAA Columbus, and cash. Abreu, 32, is expected to join the Indians over the weekend in Cleveland. A player must be dropped to make room for him. He will wear No. 36. This year Abreu has spent much of the season at Class AAA Durham where he went 3-0 with 10 saves and a 1.41 ERA. He struck out 49, walked 10 and allowed five runs in 32 innings. He appeared in 23 games. He joined the Rays on June 14 and appeared in two games before being designated for assignment. Triple-A hitters batted .123 (14-for-109) against Abreu. Right-handers hit .061 (4-for-66). ..."

Webb Will Not Have Shoulder Surgery

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July 2

Arizona Republic

"After weighing the opinions of three orthopedic specialists, Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb will not undergo surgery on his balky right shoulder. Surgery to repair his labrum was recommended by Diamondbacks team physician Dr. Michael Lee last week, but all three doctors Webb visited in the past several days told him a procedure is not needed. "We never arrived at that decision, and we still haven't," Diamondbacks General Manager Josh Byrnes said. "At this point, I think it's beneficial he was able to get so many opinions and we were able to put our heads together and decide this was the best course of action." Webb did not return a call seeking comment. His agent, Jonathan Maurer, did not ..."

Rockies trade Baker to Cubs for prospect

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July 2

Denver Post

"Jeff Baker, the Rockies multi-purpose utility man, was traded to the Chicago Cubs today in exchange for minor-league pitching prospect Alberto Alburquerque. Baker confirmed this morning that the trade had been made. "I'm looking forward to this opportunity," Baker said. Baker, who spent parts of four big-league seasons with the Rockies, is coming back from a stint on the 60-day disabled list because of an injured left hand."

Exam relieves Cardinals' DeRosa

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July 2

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Infielder Mark DeRosa spent a restless night at a St. Louis hotel Tuesday mimicking a swing that hasn't yet produced a hit as a Cardinal and worrying about a sore wrist that could keep him from taking swings at all. The next morning brought encouraging news. "Best-case scenario," DeRosa called it. The newly acquired third baseman and outfielder sustained a strained left wrist during an at-bat Tuesday. After no structural damage was found in the wrist, DeRosa received an injection in the area, and he'll miss at least three days. The Cardinals elected not to put him on the disabled list, a move manager Tony La Russa called optimistic. "The fact that he felt better (Wednesday), that he was ..."

Cuban pitcher Chapman defects

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July 2

MLB.com

"Cuban pitching sensation Aroldis Chapman has defected in The Netherlands and says he's ready to sign with a Major League team, according to published reports. The site, CubaenCuentro.com, was the first to report that Chapman, a 21-year-old left-hander who was clocked at 100 mph while pitching in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, left the national team as it was participating in a tournament in Rotterdam. Chapman told the site he was still in Europe, but would not reveal his location for safety reasons. "I walked out easily, right through the hotel door, and I hopped into a car and left," Chapman said. "It was easy. Now the plan is to sign with a Major League team." A source told ESPN.com ..."

Cardinals sign touted Dominican teen

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July 2

MLB.com

"The Cardinals continued their recent push into Latin America with a major signing on Thursday, as they announced a deal with 16-year-old Dominican outfielder Wagner Mateo. Once all but a non-factor in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, the Cardinals have increased their efforts in those areas in recent years. Mateo is the highest-profile fruit of that labor to date. According to multiple reports, he will receive a bonus of $3 million or a little more. That would be the second-largest bonus ever paid to a Latin American free agent, and the largest to a hitter, trailing only the $4.25 million the A's gave pitcher Michael Ynoa last year. "This agreement is a significant step for the ..."

Brewers sign Dominican outfielder Pena

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July 2

MLB.com

"Thursday marked the beginning of baseball's international signing period, and the Brewers made a splash by coming to terms with outfielder Jose Pena, a highly-regarded 16-year-old from the Dominican Republic. Brewers amateur scouting director Bruce Seid confirmed the deal before boarding a return flight to the U.S. He would not discuss Pena's reported $400,000 signing bonus, which would be short of the club-record bonus for an international player that went to right-hander Rolando Pascual in 2005. Pascual received $710,000. The Brewers also came to terms with 17-year-old Dominican right-hander Jean Capellan, Seid said. It's believed that Capellan received a five-figure bonus. The team is ..."

Trio of Twins hurt in series finale

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July 2

MLB.com

"Just when manager Ron Gardenhire thought he might finally have a healthy lineup, the injury bug struck again for the Twins. A total of three players -- first baseman Justin Morneau, shortstop Nick Punto and catcher Mike Redmond -- left Wednesday's 5-1 victory over the Royals due to injuries. It looked almost like a Spring Training contest as players started exiting in the middle innings. Redmond was knocked out of the game in the fifth when he was struck in the right forearm by a foul tip off the bat of Kansas City's Mitch Maier. Both Morneau and Punto exited following the sixth due to tightness in Morneau's left groin and tightness in Punto's back. But Gardenhire didn't seem overly ..."

Quentin on track for post-All-Star return

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July 2

Chicago Tribune

"Carlos Quentin had some encouraging words Wednesday before joining his teammates in pregame batting practice. "I'm getting closer," Quentin said while carrying several bats. After missing five weeks because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot, Quentin has increased the intensity of his workouts to the point where a minor-league rehabilitation assignment is coming into focus. Because of the nature of his injury and the lengthy recovery, this won't be a brisk stint at Triple-A Charlotte, hitting coach Greg Walker said. Quentin, who led the Sox with 36 home runs in only 100 games last season, will be placed on a deliberate program designed to ensure he will be able to withstand the rigors ..."

Friars' Gonzalez shrugs off knee strain

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July 2

MLB.com

"Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez chose to keep a simple approach on Wednesday while fielding questions about a mild knee strain suffered a night earlier against the Astros. How did his knee feel this morning? "I'm in the lineup," Gonzalez answered. What tests were performed on his knee? "I'm in the lineup," Gonzalez answered. How does he feel about being in the lineup? "I'm in the lineup," Gonzalez answered, smirking. Point taken. Gonzalez undoubtedly wanted to move beyond the rampant chatter concerning his fourth-inning departure on Tuesday after he tweaked his right knee sliding into third base on a triple. Gonzalez remained at third for several pitches before manager Bud Black and ..."

At long last, work begins at site of new Florida Marlins stadium

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July 2

Miami Herald

"The final piece of the Florida Marlins' 15-year quest for a permanent South Florida home came down to $6.2 million, last-minute political confusion and, finally, a 1 a.m. vote at County Hall. By Wednesday morning, only hours after the final approval came, workers assembled on the site of the former Orange Bowl to begin clearing land for the new baseball stadium. And late Wednesday afternoon, Miami-Dade Finance Director Carter Hammer was in New York signing off on a bond sale of $300 million to pay for much of construction of the new ballpark in Little Havana. ''This is a go,'' said County Manager George Burgess on Wednesday afternoon. ``Everything is done and priced. We have the funding in ..."

Leyritz arrested for domestic battery

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July 2

MLB.com

"Two months before Jim Leyritz faces a trial on a DUI manslaughter charge, the former Major Leaguer was arrested and accused of domestic battery against his ex-wife in South Florida, according to The Associated Press. Citing a police report, the AP said Leyritz was being held in Broward County Jail on Thursday after he was arrested in his home in Davie, Fla., a suburb of Fort Lauderdale. His ex-wife, Karrie, first told police they were arguing over child support when he struck her twice in the face and pushed her to the ground for writing a check without permission. She later said Leyritz dragged her out of bed and pushed her against the wall, according to The AP. Leyritz told police she ..."

Charity begins at home plate

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July 2

Boston Globe

columnist Dan Shaughnessy

"Going to Fenway Park for Red Sox-Mariners Saturday? Bring a box of tissue. Bring your checkbook, too. Boston's ancient baseball theater will be one of 15 major league parks honoring the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig's farewell speech ("I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth'') and raising funds to support ALS research. It's called "4ALS Awareness'' Nice going, MLB. In 1939, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis took Gehrig off the field after 2,130 consecutive games and now baseball is joining the fight against the deadly disease. "We're involved with a whole series of charities,'' explained commissioner Bud Selig. "We get asked a lot. But I've had inquiries about ALS from a ..."