Truth & Rumors > MLB

08:37 AM ET 09.03 | Nyjer Morgan has made a good many headlines in recent weeks, most of which are bad news. [Morgan] began this season as the Washington Nationals' center fielder of the future, their offensive green flag, their beloved clubhouse cut-up. With one month remaining, he has become something else -- a snarling player in trouble with the league, a leadoff hitter who reaches base infrequently enough to be dropped to the bottom of the order, perhaps baseball's newest villain.

The Washington Post

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08:36 AM ET 09.03 | Are the Cards now being exposed for building a roster on the cheap? Yes, Bill DeWitt signed off on the $120 million contract extension for left fielder Matt Holliday. And he approved of the one-year, $7.5 million salary for starting pitcher Brad Penny. But then the Cardinals went cheap in assembling the rest of the roster. ... Through 66 home dates, attendance is up compared to last year. DeWitt and general manager John Mozeliak claimed that there was money to spend to improve the team in-season as needs emerged, but no additional investments materialized. The three-way trade that netted starting pitcher Jake Westbrook and sent right fielder Ryan Ludwick to San Diego was a financial wash. The Cardinals' payroll is actually down from last season.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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08:35 AM ET 09.03 | What might leaked financial documents have to do with contract talks? What better way for the Marlins to deflect some of the negative publicity over their leaked financial documents than to announce a long-term commitment to another player before season's end? The Marlins have begun exploring a multi-year deal with right-hander Ricky Nolasco, but don't hold your breath for a celebratory press conference. According to a source who spoke with Nolasco this week, a significant gulf exists between the two sides. Reached Thursday, Nolasco's agent, Matt Sosick, would only confirm he'd had substantive discussions with the club, but nothing was imminent.

Sun-Sentinel

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09:32 AM ET 09.03 | Johan Santana departed Thursday's game "with what the Mets are calling a strained pectoral muscle." But pitching coach Dan Warthen used the term "shoulder," and manager Jerry Manuel pointed to his shoulder when describing Santana's injury. "He felt his shoulder wasn't right," Warthen said. Santana's velocity dipped noticeably during the fifth inning, and after recording the final out he informed Warthen about the soreness. Santana then was evaluated by the team's medical staff and removed from the game.

New York Post

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08:41 AM ET 09.03 | Josh Beckett says Red Sox nation can point the finger at him. "Absolutely," Beckett said. "All that time I missed, it hurt us." One day after losing to the Baltimore Orioles despite making one of his better starts of the season and then declining to talk about it, Beckett discussed what has been the worst season of his career. ... The season has been a months-long quest for silver linings on the part of fans, the media and even the team. Intensely proud and loathe to make excuses, it hasn't been easy for Beckett to listen to the well-intentioned attempts to find the positives in some of his recent losses.

Boston Herald

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