Truth & Rumors > MLB

07:12 AM ET 06.20 | Just how good is Matt Harvey? Back in the middle of April, it was just a fun chant from fans at Citi Field. [Harvey] was outdueling Stephen Strasburg, and they loved it. "Har-vey's bet-ter," they chanted then. Harvey's better, scouts agree now. "I don't know if you're doing a survey, but put me down for Harvey over Strasburg, and it's not even close," said one scout who watched the Mets right-hander's latest great performance, Tuesday in Atlanta. "Not even close," another scout agreed. "He's tougher to pick up. His stuff is more dynamic. And his slider is unhittable." Mets fans can say they were ahead of the curve on this one, but they won't like the next thing both scouts said. Matt Harvey or Zack Wheeler? Again, not even close.

CBS Sports

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07:10 AM ET 06.20 | Now a very wealthy young man, Mark Appel can begin the work of trying to earn his way into Major League Baseball. Appel's signing bonus, which is worth about $6.4 million, wasn't finalized until Wednesday morning. The figure eclipses the $4.8 million given to 2012 No. 1 overall pick Carlos Correa but is $1.4 million below maximum slot value. "We're hoping (Appel will) be an anchor of the team," Astros owner Jim Crane said. ... The 6-5, 225-pound Appel soon will begin work at the Astros' spring-training home in Kissimmee, Fla. He'll likely make his pro debut for the short-season Tri-City ValleyCats, who are based in Troy, N.Y. The Astros will place an innings limit on an arm that already has thrown 106 1/3 innings this year.

Houston Chronicle

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07:08 AM ET 06.20 | Soon, a heap of good news will be served with a side of questions. If all goes as planned with Chase Utley's rehab assignment this week in Reading, Charlie Manuel will have an interesting dilemma on his hands when his second baseman returns. Utley is a top-of-the-order hitter, but the top of the lineup, as currently constructed, is producing. Ben Revere and Michael Young each hit .415 in their nine starts leading into Wednesday's game vs. Washington. Ryan Howard hit .452 in that span. Domonic Brown is slumping in the five-hole, but leads the team in homers, RBIs, runs and slugging. Where does Utley fit in? He's batted third in 772 of his 1,172 career starts, and second 189 times. "I don't know exactly what my lineup will be right yet," Manuel said.

CSN Philly

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07:08 AM ET 06.20 | Here's how legends begin. If not for Yasiel Puig, the Los Angeles Dodgers wouldn't have the most advanced 16-year-old pitcher in the world Dodgers scouts, led by scouting director Logan White, were in Mexico City last June to watch Puig's workouts when they decided to swing by a showcase of some young Mexican League players in Oaxaca, a two-hour flight south. ... When he witnessed Julio Urias, a 15-year-old left-handed pitcher, touching 92 mph with his fastball, he knew he might be onto something. "When I saw this kid, I said, 'My goodness, he has really got a chance to be something special,'" White recalls. .... Urias was so special, the Dodgers decided to start him at low Class-A ball in Great Lakes, Michigan. He's 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA so far in five starts.

ESPN Los Angeles

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07:07 AM ET 06.20 | Manny Ramirez wants back in. [Ramirez] batted .352 this season with eight home runs and 43 RBI for the EDA Rhinos of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. The Rhinos -- based in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan -- released Ramirez after he fulfilled a contractual commitment to play for them through June 15, when the first half of their season ended. "The reason he decided not to return for the second half was to free himself to be available to play in the United States," Barry Praver, Ramirez's agent, told FOXSports.com Wednesday. "This whole thing with Manny in Taiwan was a phenomenon. He invigorated the league. Attendance went through the roof. It was a very positive experience for both sides. Manny was so invigorated by his play there that he wants to return to the majors."

FOX Sports

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