AROUND THE HORN: Bad day for shortstops: Larkin, Vizquel out
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Larkin received a telephone call at his Florida home from Reds general manager Dan O&#39;Brien and the message was succinct and clear: &quot;We are not offering you a contract for 2005.
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Casey Kotchman, Chone Figgins and the Los Angeles Angels made it an even messier day for the New York Yankees. Kotchman and Figgins homered, Vladimir Guerrero doubled twice and the Angels kept winning against the Yankees, battering them 10-6 Friday night.
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One night it's Julian Tavarez , the reliever turned emergency starter. The next, it's Kason Gabbard , a lefthander who began the season in Double A, had lost all three big-league decisions attached to his name, and had been regularly lit up when sent back to Triple A Pawtucket (1-7, 5.23 ERA).
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Sammy Sosa was out of the lineup against the Montreal Expos yesterday because of bursitis in his right hip. And his replacement, Ben Grieve, was injured while making a catch.
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Call it the unraveling of Javier Vazquez. When it was over, the New York Yankees had more than a 14-8 loss to the Baltimore Orioles to worry about.
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Barry Larkin's stellar 19-year career with his hometown team ended Tuesday with a one-sided phone call. The Cincinnati Reds informed their captain they aren't interested in keeping him around for another season. Instead, the Reds will replace the 40-year-old shortstop with two unproven youngsters.
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Ivan Rodriguez was supposed to get a day off. Unfortunately for Kansas City, the Tigers catcher had to play.
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Texas Rangers right-hander Juan Dominguez was scratched from his start Saturday against the Anaheim Angels because of a sore right knee.
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Even though he pitched one of his best games of the season yesterday, allowing just two runs and seven hits, it went down as a loss for Josh Beckett.
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Johan Santana's star became the latest to go dark in Minnesota. The departure of baseball's most dominant pitcher, in a deal agreed to with the New York Mets for four prospects, was hardly surprising.
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The Giants lost a crucial ballgame to the Padres on Wednesday night but also may have lost Dustan Mohr for the final four games of the season.
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Talk about limping into the playoffs. The Angels, who are looking more and more like the Red Sox' Division Series opponents, were swept in three games by the Texas Rangers, culminating in yesterday's 16-2 pounding in which Los Angeles allowed five homers and center fielder Gary Matthews reinjured his left knee while running after a fly ball ...
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CHICAGO -- Paul Pierce (bruised right elbow) and Wally Szczerbiak (sprained left ankle) said their injuries improved overnight, but they are still considered day-to-day. It is uncertain whether they will play tomorrow night against the Bulls, though it sounds as though Pierce will be in the lineup.
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Arizona leftfielder Quinton McCracken left the game with a strained right groin after chasing after a foul ball in the first inning...Bautista extended his hitting streak to eight games...Los Angeles first baseman Hee-Seop Choi is mired in an 0-for-12
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The Twins lost a chance to leave town with two wins when the Yankees battled back with two runs in the bottom of the 12th in a 7-6 loss in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday.
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Two of the greatest shortstops ever, Barry Larkin and Omar Vizquel, were among the 58 players to file for free agency on Friday.
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It appeared in the box score like a normal switch. One hitter for another. Jason Varitek, from the right side, for J.D. Drew, a lefty, against the lefthander Alan Embree.