Overachievers are this season’s true fantasy All-Stars
Winning in fantasy baseball is all about profit. This year’s Fantasy All-Stars are players who have most exceeded their preseason …

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Reds’ Gonzalez schedules knee surgery (Yahoo! Sports)
Alex Gonzalez worked and worked at rehabilitating his right knee. “But I see no progression,” he said.

Reds Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Shortstop Alex Gonzalez officially called it a season Wednesday, a season in which he played zero games. On Monday, he will have surgery on his left knee.

“I’m shutting it down,” he said. “I don’t want to wait another two months to see if it gets better. If I get it done now I can be ready by November and December and be ready for spring training. I don’t want to miss any more spring training.”

Gonzalez has a year left on his contract, $5.752 million for next year with a mutual option for 2010 at $6 million with a $500,000 buyout.

Last year, his first with the Reds, he played only 110 games because of injury and the illness of his infant son. He then suffered a compression fracture of his left knee early in spring training this year and hasn’t played since.

…

Billingsley shuts down Astros in Dodgers‘ 5-2 win
Chad Billingsley pitched eight strong innings and Andre Ethier homered for the second straight game to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers …

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Bruce heating up for Reds
Bruce heating up for Reds Jay Bruce was mired in a 6-for-47 slump from June 14-27, striking out 19 times and notching just one extra-base hit. Since then, however, he has returned to his hot-hitting ways, going 6-for-15, with two home runs and five RBIs in his last four games.

Reds Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Shortstop Alex Gonzalez officially called it a season Wednesday, a season in which he played zero games. On Monday, he will have surgery on his left knee.

“I’m shutting it down,” he said. “I don’t want to wait another two months to see if it gets better. If I get it done now I can be ready by November and December and be ready for spring training. I don’t want to miss any more spring training.”

Gonzalez has a year left on his contract, $5.752 million for next year with a mutual option for 2010 at $6 million with a $500,000 buyout.

Last year, his first with the Reds, he played only 110 games because of injury and the illness of his infant son. He then suffered a compression fracture of his left knee early in spring training this year and hasn’t played since.

…

Bruce homers twice, but Reds fall
Bruce homers twice, but Reds fall Daryl Thompson struggled in his third Major League start and put the Reds in a hole they couldn’t get out of, as Cincinnati dropped a 9-5 decision to the Pirates on Wednesday

Preview

Cincinnati starter Daryl Thompson was impressive in his major league debut - and awfully nervous, too.

Inoa becomes a sign of the times (Yahoo! Sports)
The small-market Oakland A’s won bidding war for 16-year-old Dominican pitcher, signaling an economic sea change.

Xavier Nady’s 2 homers lead Pirates over Reds 9-5 (AP)

A Pirates bullpen missing its closer managed to pull one out. Xavier Nady homered twice and drove in four runs Wednesday night, setting up a 9-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds shortly after Pittsburgh lost yet another pitcher to injury. Closer Matt Capps will be gone for about eight weeks after a medical test detected bursitis and tightness in his pitching shoulder.

Yankees send Mussina to hill vs. Rangers

Rangers === - Mike Mussina takes aim at win No. 11 this evening, when the New York Yankees start a three-game series with the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

Gonzalez to miss rest of season

Reds shortstop Alex Gonzalez’s 2008 season never got started. And now, it’s already over.

Glaus slams winning homer in ninth for Cards
Troy Glaus’ second homer of the game with two outs in the ninth won it for St. Louis, an inning after pinch-hitter Chris …

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Reds notebook

CLEVELAND - Sunday’s lineup featured a rare day off for Jay Bruce and Joey Votto.

Roenicke originally had gridiron dreams
Roenicke originally had gridiron dreams When Josh Roenicke finished high school and enrolled at UCLA, he didn’t exactly envision a career as a professional baseball player. Roenicke was a football player.

Yankees send Mussina to hill vs. Rangers

Rangers === - Mike Mussina takes aim at win No. 11 this evening, when the New York Yankees start a three-game series with the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

Longoria’s hot bat helps Rays sweep Red Sox
Evan Longoria went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs Wednesday night, helping the surging Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox …

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Athletics give Dominican prospect $4.25 million signing bonus
The Oakland Athletics and prized 16-year-old pitching prospect Michael Inoa agreed Wednesday to a minor league contract with …

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Bruce heating up for Reds
Bruce heating up for Reds Jay Bruce was mired in a 6-for-47 slump from June 14-27, striking out 19 times and notching just one extra-base hit. Since then, however, he has returned to his hot-hitting ways, going 6-for-15, with two home runs and five RBIs in his last four games.

Roenicke originally had gridiron dreams
Roenicke originally had gridiron dreams When Josh Roenicke finished high school and enrolled at UCLA, he didn’t exactly envision a career as a professional baseball player. Roenicke was a football player.

Yankees send Mussina to hill vs. Rangers

Rangers === - Mike Mussina takes aim at win No. 11 this evening, when the New York Yankees start a three-game series with the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

Gonzalez to miss rest of season
Gonzalez to miss rest of season Reds shortstop Alex Gonzalez’s 2008 season never got started. And now, it’s already over. The compression fracture in Gonzalez’s left knee has not improved and the 31-year-old has opted to undergo season-ending surgery on Monday.

Baker has meeting with Reds owner
Baker has meeting with Reds owner Reds manager Dusty Baker spoke with Reds owner/CEO Bob Catellini, after Wednesday’s 9-5 loss to the Pirates. Baker said that Castellini said to him to ‘keep his head up’.

Bruce homers twice, but Reds fall
Bruce homers twice, but Reds fall Daryl Thompson struggled in his third Major League start and put the Reds in a hole they couldn’t get out of, as Cincinnati dropped a 9-5 decision to the Pirates on Wednesday

Reds notebook

CLEVELAND - Sunday’s lineup featured a rare day off for Jay Bruce and Joey Votto.

Reds‘ Harang Vies For Rebound Against Pirates

Right-hander Aaron Harang tries to snap a slump against one his favorite foes when the Cincinnati Reds open a three-game series with the National League Central rival Pittsburgh Pirates tonight at Great …

Baker has meeting with Reds owner
Baker has meeting with Reds owner Reds manager Dusty Baker spoke with Reds owner/CEO Bob Catellini, after Wednesday’s 9-5 loss to the Pirates. Baker said that Castellini said to him to ‘keep his head up’.

Roenicke originally had gridiron dreams
Roenicke originally had gridiron dreams When Josh Roenicke finished high school and enrolled at UCLA, he didn’t exactly envision a career as a professional baseball player. Roenicke was a football player.

Reds Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

With the Hillerich & Bradsby (Louisville Slugger) rep on hand Tuesday, Adam Dunn made it official. Tired of watching maple bats shatter for little or no apparent reason, he’s going back to the traditional ash.

“I’m sick of hitting the ball on the screws and seeing the bat explode while I’m lining out to shortstop,” he said. “I’m using maple for batting practice and ash in games.”

Maple bats have come into vogue in recent years, but they are becoming increasingly infamous not just for breaking, but for shattering dangerously. The last straw for Dunn was Cincinnati’s weekend series in Cleveland, where he said he hit a C.C. Sabathia pitch right on the sweet spot and the bat still shattered.

The issue isn’t performance, said the left fielder, who went into Tuesday…

Longoria’s hot bat helps Rays sweep Red Sox
Evan Longoria went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs Wednesday night, helping the surging Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox …

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Hank Steinbrenner tries to awaken Yanks’ shaky offense
Hank Steinbrenner wants the New York Yankees to flash their offense as they enter what could be a key point of their season. …

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Bonds’ 756th homer ball finally lands in Hall
The ball Barry Bonds launched for his record-breaking 756th home run took a strange turn Tuesday on its possible path to …

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Blackburn helps Twins tweak Tigers, seal shutout
Nick Blackburn combined with two relievers on a five-hitter, and Joe Mauer’s two-out, two-run single sparked a five-run third …

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Yankees send Mussina to hill vs. Rangers

Rangers === - Mike Mussina takes aim at win No. 11 this evening, when the New York Yankees start a three-game series with the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

Gonzalez to miss rest of season
Gonzalez to miss rest of season Reds shortstop Alex Gonzalez’s 2008 season never got started. And now, it’s already over. The compression fracture in Gonzalez’s left knee has not improved and the 31-year-old has opted to undergo season-ending surgery on Monday.

Baker has meeting with Reds owner
Baker has meeting with Reds owner Reds manager Dusty Baker spoke with Reds owner/CEO Bob Catellini, after Wednesday’s 9-5 loss to the Pirates. Baker said that Castellini said to him to ‘keep his head up’.