RealGM Wiretap
The National League
The Kevin Towers
Sarah McLellan of The Arizona Republic: "Diamondbacks outfielder Collin Cowgill turned in a career-high four-hit performance [on Sunday] that included his first big-league home run - contributions that helped the Diamondbacks to a 6-1 win and a four-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West." The Frank Wren
David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "After an unusually long and idle weekend caused by Hurricane Irene, Braves manager Fredi Gonazlez had a chance to re-set his pitching rotation for the final month and lined up his three veteran pitchers against the Nationals. Jair Jurrjens will pitch the opener of the series on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. against the Washington Nationals. Following Jurrjens will be Derek Lowe on Wednesday and Tim Hudson on Thursday." The Randy Bush
Gordon Wittenmyer of The Chicago Sun-Times: "With the Cubs getting whacked again by the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, the late-season mojo they seemed to be building a week ago has been knocked senseless. With 29 games left, how they finish might be the last word they have to say about this team - and about the series of changes afoot in the wake of the firing of general manager Jim Hendry on Aug. 19." The Walt Jocketty
Tom Groeschen of The Cincinnati Enquirer: "Scott Rolen feels great, and the Reds' regular third baseman is eager to play again soon. Rolen, who had surgery on his left shoulder Aug. 3, has recovered enough to field grounders and hit in the cage in recent days." The Dan O'Dowd
Troy Renck of The Denver Post: "The Rockies are determined to add a veteran pitcher and at least one more big bat. That slugger will either be an outfielder or third baseman. They will pursue the Twins' Michael Cuddyer if he becomes a free agent (Minnesota is bent on keeping him). Oakland's Josh Willingham is another option." The Michael Hill
Clark Spencer of The Miami Herald: "The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies - behemoths both - kept on trucking when Alex Rodriguez and Chase Utley were injured and missed chunks of time this season. But when Hanley Ramirez has been missing in action, the Marlins have flopped big time. No wonder the team is looking forward to his return this week. Ramirez, out since Aug. 3 with a shoulder injury, is working his way back into playing shape in the minors and could be back in the lineup before the end of the week." The Ed Wade
Chip Bailey of The Houston Chronicle: "Every year about this time, major league teams search for the veteran leadership they will build around for the future. For most teams, the nucleus is obvious from season to season. For the Houston Astros, finding the veterans to anchor the 2012 team is like finding the broad side of a barn in a dense fog." The Ned Colletti
Steve Dilbeck of The Los Angeles Times: "James Loney has one more year of arbitration left, and given that he's making $4.785 million this season and spent most of it struggling, it was assumed in most quarters the Dodgers were going to go all Russell Martin on him and not tender him a contract. Only right now, Loney is a man on fire. He's not only finally playing like they hoped he would all season, he's playing better than that. In his last 18 games, Loney is batting .442 with four home runs, 10 RBI and 11 runs. His batting average, at .251 before his hot streak, is now up to .274." The Doug Melvin
Todd Rosiak of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: "The Milwaukee Brewers are good enough at Miller Park as it is. Put Zack Greinke on the mound, and they're about as close to unbeatable as it gets. The right-hander pitched 72/3 innings of four-hit baseball on a perfect Sunday afternoon, chipping in with a big single and run as well, to lead the Brewers to a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs in front of a sellout crowd of 41,883." The Sandy Alderson
Dan Martin of The New York Post: "Mets general manager Sandy Alderson was in Florida recently watching some of the young talent the club recently drafted, such as first-round pick Brandon Nimmo. But as important as players like Nimmo are to the Mets' future, of more immediate concern is 2012 and Jose Reyes. One day after manager Terry Collins talked about potentially giving Reyes mandatory days off to protect the hamstrings that have sidelined him this season, Alderson acknowledged there would be conversations about how Reyes will be used when the team has exclusive negotiating rights with the free agent." The Ruben Amaro Jr.
Michael Vitez of The Philadelphia Daily News: "The high sock, once so esteemed that teams were named for it, has largely vanished from view in American baseball - covered, smothered, by what Phillies chairman Bill Giles uncharitably terms 'pajama pants.' A handful of players have resisted this assault on American hosiery, this onslaught of the falling cuff. The most notable in Philadelphia, of late, is 6-foot-4 rightfielder Hunter Pence, who joined the team a month ago. Pence is all leg and energy. His high socks are a feast of red as he digs in at the plate, a whirling blur of rojo as he rounds the bases." The Neal Huntington
Bill Brink of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "The Pirates have improved their ability to reach base in recent games. Once runners get on base, though, the lineup has struggled to drive them in. 'At times, we are doing all the right things to get ourselves in position to score and then it's almost like we kind of forget that process of how we got there,' manager Clint Hurdle said. 'I'm encouraged by the way we're getting on base but it's discouraging when we fire quickly in those situations and then make outs on soft pitches.' Knowing that the St. Louis Cardinals' Thursday starter, Edwin Jackson , struggles with control, the Pirates worked three walks against him, and also took advantage of Jake Westbrook's sinker for five walks Friday." The John Mozeliak
Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post Dispatch: "Lance Berkman has a theory, or at least a gripe. For a second consecutive Saturday, the Cardinals found themselves on the wrong end of a nationally televised afternoon shutout, this time against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a tilt that ended in deep shadows. Berkman, among the most vocal team members when it comes to playing conditions, complained after a 7-0 loss that game times should be a topic for debate within the game's next collective bargaining agreement." The Jed Hoyer
Chris Jenkins of The San Diego Union-Tribune: "Out of humility and respect for the occasion, Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin initially was adamant in his refusal to divulge details or even discuss the subject. It wasn't about publicity, he said, wasn't something he did for the attention and certainly wasn't looking to brag about it. Without saying a word, though, Maybin could not hide the pride and honor he felt at having spent a few hours Tuesday as an invited guest at the home of a former center fielder who made the number on Maybin's back famous. The No. 24. Willie Mays. 'Unbelievable, man,' he said. 'Unbelievable.'" The Brian Sabean
Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle: "Eric Surkamp will not be a one-hit wonder. Manager Bruce Bochy said the left-hander's big-league debut Saturday night was good enough to earn another start. The Giants will use Thursday's off day to skip his spot once, but he will rejoin the rotation Sept. 6 in San Diego. Surkamp and Dan Runzler were optioned to the minors Sunday to clear roster spots for Andres Torres and Sergio Romo, who came off the disabled list. Surkamp and Runzler will return in September. The Giants want Surkamp to keep a regular starter's schedule and pitch once for Class A San Jose." The Mike Rizzo
Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post: "Earlier this month, Manager Davey Johnson brought Ian Desmond into his office at Nationals Park. He wanted to let Desmond know how good he believed he could be, and for Desmond to have has much confidence in himself as he has in him. One of Johnson's former players came to his mind. 'I compared him to a Barry Larkin,' Johnson said. 'I said, 'I think you can be a lot like him.' I don't toss that kind of compliment around likely. He does a lot of things that Barry used to do. He's quick. He's got a great arm. He's good defensively. He's got vast potential. He hits the ball to all fields. Ian Desmond is going to be a heck of a ballplayer.' The Larkin comparison may be a long way from being fulfilled, but Desmond lately has been turning around his offensive season. Desmond went 2 for 7 yesterday, and one of the outs he made was a searing line drive with the bases loaded in the 10th inning that rocketed directly into an infielder's glove." The American League The Andy MacPhail
Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun: "Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Sunday that he wasn't appreciative of the criticism waged by several Yankee representatives, including outfielder Curtis Granderson and manager Joe Girardi - especially given the timing of the complaints Friday evening. 'First of all, I felt that some of the stuff was a little disrespectful to Flanny, quite frankly. That didn't sit with me very well. I can tell you that," Showalter said. "I think we had an April rainout there - and they just told us when we were playing. We were OK with that. Some of it kind of has a feeling of [being] hypocritical. I don't know. I don't dwell on it. 'Their opinion on what the Baltimore Orioles should do for their fans and for their organization isn't really that relevant to me, personally. I can tell you that,' Showalter added. 'We'll do what's best for our fans and for our organization, and we expect it back, that they're going to do the same on their side.' Girardi said Sunday morning that he would have preferred a makeup game at the end of the season or as part of a doubleheader in New York next week instead of having the club lose its only full day off Sept. 8." The Theo Epstein
Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe: "Getting two games in Saturday and winning both put the Red Sox in an advantageous position in the American League East relative to the Yankees, who have a busy schedule the rest of the way, including West Coast travel and makeup games. Although the Sox have had their share of bad travel and long nights, they emerged from Hurricane Irene with yesterday and today off, a break that players and manager Terry Francona called the perfect storm." The Kenny Williams
Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune: "A frustrated Adam Dunn accepts the probably that he won't have a chance to salvage his season in the final 4.5 weeks. "I'm a realist," Dunn said Sunday before Dayan Viciedo hit a three-run home run in his first game with the Sox this season. "I'm not like an idiot. We're right in the middle of things. What do you do? What do you say?" With a .163 batting average, 156 strikeouts and an .037 batting average (3-for-81) against left-handed pitchers, manager Ozzie Guillen had little choice but to talk Sunday with Dunn about a possible reduced role." The Chris Antonetti
The Cleveland Plain-Dealer Staff: "Cleveland's No. 1 draft pick Francisco Lindor singled in his first at-bat of his professional debut, and later scored on a base hit. For the night, the shortstop was 1-for-3, as Mahoning Valley defeated Jamestown, N.Y., in a New York-Penn league game in Niles. Lindor also flied to left and grounded to second. Lindor also turned the pivot on two 4-6-3 double plays." The Dave Dombrowski
Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free-Press: "The Tigers have won nine of their past 12 games. The team is arguably playing its best baseball of the season. And it is doing it without a key piece. Brennan Boesch has missed the past four games with a right thumb injury. Manager Jim Leyland isn't just concerned about how long the injury will keep Boesch out of the lineup, but about the effect the layoff will have on Boesch's swing." The Dayton Moore
Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star: "Rookie catcher Salvador Perez didn't play Sunday in the series finale against the Indians after starting 15 of the 17 previous games since arriving from Class AAA Omaha. This is how it figures to be for Perez over the next several years: Days off will be rare. 'He's like (shortstop Alcides) Escobar for me,' manager Ned Yost said. 'He's hard to take out of the lineup. So, yes, he'll play 140 games (a year) because one, he's young; two, he's very athletic; and three, I think he's very durable. I had a real hard time not playing him today because he does a lot of things right.'" The Tony Reagins
Kevin Baxter of The Los Angeles Times: "If the Angels rally into the postseason, they're likely to point to a stretch in mid-August as the point in which the season turned. And they're also likely to point to Vernon Wells as the man who sparked the turnaround. After going one for four with a run batted in Sunday in a 9-5 loss to the Texas Rangers, Wells has a seasonlong seven-game hitting streak. And six of the hits in that streak have gone for extra bases, raising his season average 16 points to .216." The Bill Smith
Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune: "Trevor Plouffe's and Luke Hughes' days as the Twins middle-infield combination are numbered, but they're making the most of their recent playing time. Hughes had two homers and five RBI Sunday, as the Twins ended a seven-game losing streak with an 11-4 victory over the Tigers in front of the 57th announced sellout crowd of the season at Target Field. Plouffe had two more hits and batted .333 (15-for-42) over an 11-game homestand that included few other bright spots, as the Twins went 2-9." The Brian Cashman
Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News: "Nearly eight years ago, the Yankees and Orioles tried to squeeze in the finale of a three-game set despite the impending arrival of Hurricane Isabel. The result was a five-inning, 1-1 tie that left the Yankees fuming as they raced to catch a flight out of town before the airports were closed. "I was like, 'What are we doing?'" Mariano Rivera said of the decision to play that day. "They didn't care about you; that's what they showed me. They really didn't care about us. They just wanted to play the game even though there were like 20 or 30 people here." Mike Mussina started that game on September 18, 2003, calling the decision to play a "foolish decision." George Steinbrenner weighed in as well, adding that the Orioles used "extremely bad judgment" in going ahead with the game." The Billy Beane
Joe Stiglich of The Oakland Tribune: "For someone drawing so much attention with his play, Brandon Allen's quiet nature deflects the spotlight when he's off the field. Ask him a question, and you'll be leaning in just to hear the response. "Half the time he talks I have to say, 'Speak up a little bit, I can't hear you,' "A's third baseman Scott Sizemore joked about his teammate. But Allen, 25, is making a loud statement with his performance since taking over as the A's first baseman Aug. 13." The Jack Zduriencik
Larry Stone of The Seattle Times: "Much of Eric Wedge's post-game comments centered on the test facing Mariners' rookies, which is not unlike that which eventually faces all young players, particularly those that produce. As the league figures them out, the rookies must respond -- adjust to the adjustments, so to speak. And that's where we are right now. It's not a crisis, mind you. It was just three games ago that everyone was buzzing about the production from the five rookies in the Mariners' lineup during a high-scoring series in Cleveland. But on Sunday, while getting stymied by Chicago's Gavin Floyd in a 9-3 loss, the four rookies in Seattle's lineup - Dustin Ackley, Casper Wells, Kyle Seager and Trayvon Robinson - went a combined 2-for-16 with seven strikeouts." The Andrew Friedman
Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune: "Tampa Bay Rays LF Desmond Jennings faced Toronto RHP Brandon Morrow in spring training and knew enough about Morrow that he didn't want to fall behind in the count. So Jennings jumped on Morrow's first pitch of Sunday's game and lined it over the left-field fence for his first leadoff home run as a Ray. Jennings did the same thing when he faced Morrow in the second inning to give him his first two-home run game in the Rays' 12-0 win. "It might be the first time I homered twice in one game on any level," Jennings said. He added a pair of singles for his first four-hit game at the major-league level." The Jon Daniels
Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News: "Koji Uehara, who has given up three home runs in 9.2 innings, since joining the Rangers assessed his first month with the Rangers this way: "Negative," he said through an interpreter Sunday, a day after giving up a homer to Howie Kendrick while allowing two runs in an inning. "I have not been able to produce. I have not found a rhythm here." Among the things that have kept him from developing a "rhythm" have been adjusting to a new routine, the intense heat and living in a hotel for the remainder of the season. This is the first time in his professional career, including his time in Japan, that he has changed teams in the middle of a season. He mentioned the heat upon first joining the Rangers." The Alex Anthopoulos
Doug Smith of The Toronto Star: "The 18 Toronto strikeouts were the most ever by a Blue Jays team in a nine-inning game, as they only got one runner as far as second base. A trio of relievers from a battered Toronto bullpen followed Brandon Morrow, with the last of them making a rather dubious departure. Wil Ledezma had a truly awful outing - allowing five hits and six runs while walking three in just one inning - and was designated for assignment after the game."
Sarah McLellan of The Arizona Republic: "Diamondbacks outfielder Collin Cowgill turned in a career-high four-hit performance [on Sunday] that included his first big-league home run - contributions that helped the Diamondbacks to a 6-1 win and a four-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the NL West." The Frank Wren
David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "After an unusually long and idle weekend caused by Hurricane Irene, Braves manager Fredi Gonazlez had a chance to re-set his pitching rotation for the final month and lined up his three veteran pitchers against the Nationals. Jair Jurrjens will pitch the opener of the series on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. against the Washington Nationals. Following Jurrjens will be Derek Lowe on Wednesday and Tim Hudson on Thursday." The Randy Bush
Gordon Wittenmyer of The Chicago Sun-Times: "With the Cubs getting whacked again by the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, the late-season mojo they seemed to be building a week ago has been knocked senseless. With 29 games left, how they finish might be the last word they have to say about this team - and about the series of changes afoot in the wake of the firing of general manager Jim Hendry on Aug. 19." The Walt Jocketty
Tom Groeschen of The Cincinnati Enquirer: "Scott Rolen feels great, and the Reds' regular third baseman is eager to play again soon. Rolen, who had surgery on his left shoulder Aug. 3, has recovered enough to field grounders and hit in the cage in recent days." The Dan O'Dowd
Troy Renck of The Denver Post: "The Rockies are determined to add a veteran pitcher and at least one more big bat. That slugger will either be an outfielder or third baseman. They will pursue the Twins' Michael Cuddyer if he becomes a free agent (Minnesota is bent on keeping him). Oakland's Josh Willingham is another option." The Michael Hill
Clark Spencer of The Miami Herald: "The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies - behemoths both - kept on trucking when Alex Rodriguez and Chase Utley were injured and missed chunks of time this season. But when Hanley Ramirez has been missing in action, the Marlins have flopped big time. No wonder the team is looking forward to his return this week. Ramirez, out since Aug. 3 with a shoulder injury, is working his way back into playing shape in the minors and could be back in the lineup before the end of the week." The Ed Wade
Chip Bailey of The Houston Chronicle: "Every year about this time, major league teams search for the veteran leadership they will build around for the future. For most teams, the nucleus is obvious from season to season. For the Houston Astros, finding the veterans to anchor the 2012 team is like finding the broad side of a barn in a dense fog." The Ned Colletti
Steve Dilbeck of The Los Angeles Times: "James Loney has one more year of arbitration left, and given that he's making $4.785 million this season and spent most of it struggling, it was assumed in most quarters the Dodgers were going to go all Russell Martin on him and not tender him a contract. Only right now, Loney is a man on fire. He's not only finally playing like they hoped he would all season, he's playing better than that. In his last 18 games, Loney is batting .442 with four home runs, 10 RBI and 11 runs. His batting average, at .251 before his hot streak, is now up to .274." The Doug Melvin
Todd Rosiak of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: "The Milwaukee Brewers are good enough at Miller Park as it is. Put Zack Greinke on the mound, and they're about as close to unbeatable as it gets. The right-hander pitched 72/3 innings of four-hit baseball on a perfect Sunday afternoon, chipping in with a big single and run as well, to lead the Brewers to a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs in front of a sellout crowd of 41,883." The Sandy Alderson
Dan Martin of The New York Post: "Mets general manager Sandy Alderson was in Florida recently watching some of the young talent the club recently drafted, such as first-round pick Brandon Nimmo. But as important as players like Nimmo are to the Mets' future, of more immediate concern is 2012 and Jose Reyes. One day after manager Terry Collins talked about potentially giving Reyes mandatory days off to protect the hamstrings that have sidelined him this season, Alderson acknowledged there would be conversations about how Reyes will be used when the team has exclusive negotiating rights with the free agent." The Ruben Amaro Jr.
Michael Vitez of The Philadelphia Daily News: "The high sock, once so esteemed that teams were named for it, has largely vanished from view in American baseball - covered, smothered, by what Phillies chairman Bill Giles uncharitably terms 'pajama pants.' A handful of players have resisted this assault on American hosiery, this onslaught of the falling cuff. The most notable in Philadelphia, of late, is 6-foot-4 rightfielder Hunter Pence, who joined the team a month ago. Pence is all leg and energy. His high socks are a feast of red as he digs in at the plate, a whirling blur of rojo as he rounds the bases." The Neal Huntington
Bill Brink of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "The Pirates have improved their ability to reach base in recent games. Once runners get on base, though, the lineup has struggled to drive them in. 'At times, we are doing all the right things to get ourselves in position to score and then it's almost like we kind of forget that process of how we got there,' manager Clint Hurdle said. 'I'm encouraged by the way we're getting on base but it's discouraging when we fire quickly in those situations and then make outs on soft pitches.' Knowing that the St. Louis Cardinals' Thursday starter, Edwin Jackson , struggles with control, the Pirates worked three walks against him, and also took advantage of Jake Westbrook's sinker for five walks Friday." The John Mozeliak
Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post Dispatch: "Lance Berkman has a theory, or at least a gripe. For a second consecutive Saturday, the Cardinals found themselves on the wrong end of a nationally televised afternoon shutout, this time against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a tilt that ended in deep shadows. Berkman, among the most vocal team members when it comes to playing conditions, complained after a 7-0 loss that game times should be a topic for debate within the game's next collective bargaining agreement." The Jed Hoyer
Chris Jenkins of The San Diego Union-Tribune: "Out of humility and respect for the occasion, Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin initially was adamant in his refusal to divulge details or even discuss the subject. It wasn't about publicity, he said, wasn't something he did for the attention and certainly wasn't looking to brag about it. Without saying a word, though, Maybin could not hide the pride and honor he felt at having spent a few hours Tuesday as an invited guest at the home of a former center fielder who made the number on Maybin's back famous. The No. 24. Willie Mays. 'Unbelievable, man,' he said. 'Unbelievable.'" The Brian Sabean
Henry Schulman of The San Francisco Chronicle: "Eric Surkamp will not be a one-hit wonder. Manager Bruce Bochy said the left-hander's big-league debut Saturday night was good enough to earn another start. The Giants will use Thursday's off day to skip his spot once, but he will rejoin the rotation Sept. 6 in San Diego. Surkamp and Dan Runzler were optioned to the minors Sunday to clear roster spots for Andres Torres and Sergio Romo, who came off the disabled list. Surkamp and Runzler will return in September. The Giants want Surkamp to keep a regular starter's schedule and pitch once for Class A San Jose." The Mike Rizzo
Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post: "Earlier this month, Manager Davey Johnson brought Ian Desmond into his office at Nationals Park. He wanted to let Desmond know how good he believed he could be, and for Desmond to have has much confidence in himself as he has in him. One of Johnson's former players came to his mind. 'I compared him to a Barry Larkin,' Johnson said. 'I said, 'I think you can be a lot like him.' I don't toss that kind of compliment around likely. He does a lot of things that Barry used to do. He's quick. He's got a great arm. He's good defensively. He's got vast potential. He hits the ball to all fields. Ian Desmond is going to be a heck of a ballplayer.' The Larkin comparison may be a long way from being fulfilled, but Desmond lately has been turning around his offensive season. Desmond went 2 for 7 yesterday, and one of the outs he made was a searing line drive with the bases loaded in the 10th inning that rocketed directly into an infielder's glove." The American League The Andy MacPhail
Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun: "Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Sunday that he wasn't appreciative of the criticism waged by several Yankee representatives, including outfielder Curtis Granderson and manager Joe Girardi - especially given the timing of the complaints Friday evening. 'First of all, I felt that some of the stuff was a little disrespectful to Flanny, quite frankly. That didn't sit with me very well. I can tell you that," Showalter said. "I think we had an April rainout there - and they just told us when we were playing. We were OK with that. Some of it kind of has a feeling of [being] hypocritical. I don't know. I don't dwell on it. 'Their opinion on what the Baltimore Orioles should do for their fans and for their organization isn't really that relevant to me, personally. I can tell you that,' Showalter added. 'We'll do what's best for our fans and for our organization, and we expect it back, that they're going to do the same on their side.' Girardi said Sunday morning that he would have preferred a makeup game at the end of the season or as part of a doubleheader in New York next week instead of having the club lose its only full day off Sept. 8." The Theo Epstein
Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe: "Getting two games in Saturday and winning both put the Red Sox in an advantageous position in the American League East relative to the Yankees, who have a busy schedule the rest of the way, including West Coast travel and makeup games. Although the Sox have had their share of bad travel and long nights, they emerged from Hurricane Irene with yesterday and today off, a break that players and manager Terry Francona called the perfect storm." The Kenny Williams
Mark Gonzales of The Chicago Tribune: "A frustrated Adam Dunn accepts the probably that he won't have a chance to salvage his season in the final 4.5 weeks. "I'm a realist," Dunn said Sunday before Dayan Viciedo hit a three-run home run in his first game with the Sox this season. "I'm not like an idiot. We're right in the middle of things. What do you do? What do you say?" With a .163 batting average, 156 strikeouts and an .037 batting average (3-for-81) against left-handed pitchers, manager Ozzie Guillen had little choice but to talk Sunday with Dunn about a possible reduced role." The Chris Antonetti
The Cleveland Plain-Dealer Staff: "Cleveland's No. 1 draft pick Francisco Lindor singled in his first at-bat of his professional debut, and later scored on a base hit. For the night, the shortstop was 1-for-3, as Mahoning Valley defeated Jamestown, N.Y., in a New York-Penn league game in Niles. Lindor also flied to left and grounded to second. Lindor also turned the pivot on two 4-6-3 double plays." The Dave Dombrowski
Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free-Press: "The Tigers have won nine of their past 12 games. The team is arguably playing its best baseball of the season. And it is doing it without a key piece. Brennan Boesch has missed the past four games with a right thumb injury. Manager Jim Leyland isn't just concerned about how long the injury will keep Boesch out of the lineup, but about the effect the layoff will have on Boesch's swing." The Dayton Moore
Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star: "Rookie catcher Salvador Perez didn't play Sunday in the series finale against the Indians after starting 15 of the 17 previous games since arriving from Class AAA Omaha. This is how it figures to be for Perez over the next several years: Days off will be rare. 'He's like (shortstop Alcides) Escobar for me,' manager Ned Yost said. 'He's hard to take out of the lineup. So, yes, he'll play 140 games (a year) because one, he's young; two, he's very athletic; and three, I think he's very durable. I had a real hard time not playing him today because he does a lot of things right.'" The Tony Reagins
Kevin Baxter of The Los Angeles Times: "If the Angels rally into the postseason, they're likely to point to a stretch in mid-August as the point in which the season turned. And they're also likely to point to Vernon Wells as the man who sparked the turnaround. After going one for four with a run batted in Sunday in a 9-5 loss to the Texas Rangers, Wells has a seasonlong seven-game hitting streak. And six of the hits in that streak have gone for extra bases, raising his season average 16 points to .216." The Bill Smith
Joe Christensen of The Star Tribune: "Trevor Plouffe's and Luke Hughes' days as the Twins middle-infield combination are numbered, but they're making the most of their recent playing time. Hughes had two homers and five RBI Sunday, as the Twins ended a seven-game losing streak with an 11-4 victory over the Tigers in front of the 57th announced sellout crowd of the season at Target Field. Plouffe had two more hits and batted .333 (15-for-42) over an 11-game homestand that included few other bright spots, as the Twins went 2-9." The Brian Cashman
Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News: "Nearly eight years ago, the Yankees and Orioles tried to squeeze in the finale of a three-game set despite the impending arrival of Hurricane Isabel. The result was a five-inning, 1-1 tie that left the Yankees fuming as they raced to catch a flight out of town before the airports were closed. "I was like, 'What are we doing?'" Mariano Rivera said of the decision to play that day. "They didn't care about you; that's what they showed me. They really didn't care about us. They just wanted to play the game even though there were like 20 or 30 people here." Mike Mussina started that game on September 18, 2003, calling the decision to play a "foolish decision." George Steinbrenner weighed in as well, adding that the Orioles used "extremely bad judgment" in going ahead with the game." The Billy Beane
Joe Stiglich of The Oakland Tribune: "For someone drawing so much attention with his play, Brandon Allen's quiet nature deflects the spotlight when he's off the field. Ask him a question, and you'll be leaning in just to hear the response. "Half the time he talks I have to say, 'Speak up a little bit, I can't hear you,' "A's third baseman Scott Sizemore joked about his teammate. But Allen, 25, is making a loud statement with his performance since taking over as the A's first baseman Aug. 13." The Jack Zduriencik
Larry Stone of The Seattle Times: "Much of Eric Wedge's post-game comments centered on the test facing Mariners' rookies, which is not unlike that which eventually faces all young players, particularly those that produce. As the league figures them out, the rookies must respond -- adjust to the adjustments, so to speak. And that's where we are right now. It's not a crisis, mind you. It was just three games ago that everyone was buzzing about the production from the five rookies in the Mariners' lineup during a high-scoring series in Cleveland. But on Sunday, while getting stymied by Chicago's Gavin Floyd in a 9-3 loss, the four rookies in Seattle's lineup - Dustin Ackley, Casper Wells, Kyle Seager and Trayvon Robinson - went a combined 2-for-16 with seven strikeouts." The Andrew Friedman
Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune: "Tampa Bay Rays LF Desmond Jennings faced Toronto RHP Brandon Morrow in spring training and knew enough about Morrow that he didn't want to fall behind in the count. So Jennings jumped on Morrow's first pitch of Sunday's game and lined it over the left-field fence for his first leadoff home run as a Ray. Jennings did the same thing when he faced Morrow in the second inning to give him his first two-home run game in the Rays' 12-0 win. "It might be the first time I homered twice in one game on any level," Jennings said. He added a pair of singles for his first four-hit game at the major-league level." The Jon Daniels
Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News: "Koji Uehara, who has given up three home runs in 9.2 innings, since joining the Rangers assessed his first month with the Rangers this way: "Negative," he said through an interpreter Sunday, a day after giving up a homer to Howie Kendrick while allowing two runs in an inning. "I have not been able to produce. I have not found a rhythm here." Among the things that have kept him from developing a "rhythm" have been adjusting to a new routine, the intense heat and living in a hotel for the remainder of the season. This is the first time in his professional career, including his time in Japan, that he has changed teams in the middle of a season. He mentioned the heat upon first joining the Rangers." The Alex Anthopoulos
Doug Smith of The Toronto Star: "The 18 Toronto strikeouts were the most ever by a Blue Jays team in a nine-inning game, as they only got one runner as far as second base. A trio of relievers from a battered Toronto bullpen followed Brandon Morrow, with the last of them making a rather dubious departure. Wil Ledezma had a truly awful outing - allowing five hits and six runs while walking three in just one inning - and was designated for assignment after the game."