From a possible trade, to whining, to some jewelry, this edition of News and Rumors is jam packed with a whole bunch of baseball.
I’ll Take One Trade To-Go, Please

Only a couple weeks back, Astros 1B Lance Berkman made a splash by saying he was willing to waive his no-trade clause to leave Houston if it was in the team’s best nature. Well, now he’s not alone.
Now Astros ace Roy Oswalt, who is only 2-6 this year but with a 2.66 ERA, says he would like to leave the only team …

Nowhere near a full MLB schedule on Thursday, but there were so many great games. Let’s get right to it!
Orioles 6, Mariners 5
What a wild game in Baltimore!

The Orioles were not able to do anything early in the game against Mariners SP Felix Hernandez, but it was the Seattle bullpen that couldn’t do the same. Mariners reliever Brandon League was out of his league after allowing an eighth inning leadoff homer to Corey Patterson, followed by a grand slam to Luke Scott. You know the Orioles fans have been waiting …

Diamondbacks 8, Phillies 6
Are you a fan of offense? Do you like homeruns? Do you step on pitcher’s mounds as you walk across them? Just kidding about that last one..haha. Well, if you like offense, then this is the series for you. The Phillies and the Diamondbacks are two of the best teams when it comes to using their bats, as you can see from this wrap-up.
Mark Reynolds, who is pretty much homer or strikeout, knocked a three-run homer in the fifth inning following a Kelly Johnson homerun. Both players …

Heading into Sunday, I realized it would be hard to top a crazy Saturday that included a no-hitter and a 20-inning game. I will say this though, there was some good action, so let’s get right into it!
Braves 4, Rockies 3

Going into this game, there were a few storylines that continued from Saturday’s no-hitter from Ubaldo Jimenez. Would the Rockies starting pitching continue to dominate the Braves? Could the Braves finally get a hit?

Well, they’re basically the same storyline, just a different perspective, but that all went to rest very …

Thursday, the MLB celebrated Jackie Robinson Day, as every player, coach, and umpire wore #42 in honor of the man who broke the color barrier in baseball. Here are some wrap-ups and scores from Jackie Robinson Day, enjoy!

Twins 8, Red Sox 0
Target Field is one series old – and that series has gone to the home Twinkies. Hold on Twins fans, I’ve got even better news; Francisco Liriano was involved in this shutout!
Liriano threw seven shutout innings as the offense continued to pile on the runs throughout the later innings. …

Braves 16, Cubs 5

Carlos Zambrano got LIT UP in the first 1.1 innings of this game.  My boy, Big Z, gave up 8 ER in that 1.1 inning span including a 3-run home run to rookie phenom Jason Heyward in his first Major League AB.  The Braves offense was led by Escobar, who had 5 RBI and Heyward, who whad 4 RBI.  Lowe didn’t pitch great and gave up 5 ER in just 6 IP but the bullpen was perfect for the next 3 innings to shut down the Cubs.
Giants …

Jack Cust has reached a 1-year agreement with the A’s to return for the 2010 season.  Cust will make $2.65 million next year at the age of 30 years old.  In 2009 Cust’s number were .245/.356/.417 with 25 HRs and 70 RBI but also had 185 strikeouts.  That is the definition of Jack Cust though, strikeouts and home runs.  The .240 BA is an improvement from the .231 he batted the year before.  Cust will be used primarily as the A’s DH but will also play some RF.
Grade for the …

The Astros are in it to win, but likely won’t win it.  They have been very busy this offseason, esepcailly with revamping that shakey bullpen.  With Valverde still a free agent it is unclear if he will resign and close for the Astros again in 2010.  Because of this insecurity the Astros went out and just inked former Tigers RP and Diamondbacks closer Brandon Lyon to a 3-year/$15 million deal.  The Astros much really have their sights set on making him closer because typically you don’t pay a middle reliever/set up …

After narrowing down a long list of candidates, the Houston Astros finally found their manager of choice. A month after firing Cecil Cooper, the Astros chose Brad Mills to be their manager over keeping interim manager Dave Clark and many other candidates. Mills, 52, has been Terry Francona’s bench coach for the Red Sox for the past six years. This is his first managerial position in the majors with 11 managerial seasons in the minors (most recent 2002 with a Dodgers affiliate).
The Astros have a large turnaround on managers since …

Braves 4, Marlins 0 – Remember in 2007 when the Rockies won 21 of 22 games at the end of the season and the catapulted into and through the NL playoffs? I’m not sure if the Braves do or even care, but the Rockies certainly don’t want history to repeat itself in Atlanta. The Braves won again on Monday night, giving them 15 wins in their last 17 games and dropping their wild card deficit to 2 games behind the Rockies. Jair Jurrjens gave up only five hits in 7 …