Granderson wrapping up second rehab stint

By Jed Weisberger / Special to MLB.com | 7/30/2013 11:40 P.M. ET

Curtis Granderson, who is 3-for-12 in four rehabilitation games, should rejoin the Yankees this weekend. (Jed Weisberger)

TRENTON, N.J. -- Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson suffered a fractured right forearm when hit by a pitch from Toronto's J.A, Happ in the Yankees' first Spring Training game and didn't make his debut until May 14. Seven days later, he sustained a broken left little finger when he was struck by a pitch from Tampa Bay's Cesar Ramos.

Granderson's contribution to the 2013 Yankees amounts to eight games played, seven hits in 28 at-bats, with one double, one home run and one RBI. No one would blame him for being discouraged, but the veteran is taking an upbeat approach to his second rehabilitation assignment.

"All you can do is laugh about this, but you get better, heal up and come back," said Granderson, who went 1-for-3 -- including a triple -- for the Double-A Trenton Thunder in an 11-3 win over the Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) before 6,378 fans at ARM & HAMMER Park on Tuesday. He is 3-for-12 in four rehabilitation games. "Why complain?

"Right now, it's all timing. I need to pick up about 18 at-bats in these games. Tonight was better than yesterday, and I hope tomorrow is better than today."

Granderson, who said both his wrist and finger, which was surgically repaired on May 29, are feeling fine and have passed his personal tests.

"Check swings, vibrations on the hands and wrist, body-wise all feels good," said Granderson. "Right now, I'm just trying to get my rhythm at the plate, get back to where I was.

"I'm hoping everything goes well tomorrow, not that I don't like it here, but I want to get back and help the team. We might be a bit down, but we're not out, and every piece that comes back changes the lineup.

"We have [Alfonso] Soriano now to help us, and I can't wait to play with him. I want to be part of helping us get back to the postseason."

Granderson faces a test with the turnaround from Tuesday night's game, which ended just past 10 p.m. ET, to Wednesday's 12:05 p.m. "Camp Day" start.

"I think I'll talk to the guys and maybe have a good snack before we play," said Granderson. "At least the temperatures won't be like they were in Tampa. At least the heat wave has passed."

The organization plans to see how Granderson performs, then decide if he needs to play another game with Trenton Thursday. He hopes to rejoin the Yankees this weekend in San Diego.

"I really thought Curtis looked good," said Thunder manager Tony Franklin. "He hit the ball hard twice and looked good at the plate. We'll see how he does with this quick turnaround and go from there."

Granderson knows he can only work to get closer to game shape, returning to his normal comfort level at the plate.

"The hitting is the whole thing," he said. "All I can do is control what I can control and get back."

Yankees left-hander David Phelps made his second rehabilitation start in the game, throwing 50 strikes in 76 pitches over four innings.

"I felt my command and my pitches were much better than my last start," said Phelps. "I'd like to be more economical with my pitches, but that will come. My arm feels great."

Jed Weisberger is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Schedule is working in Jeter's favor

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 7/30/2013 9:00 P.M. ET

LOS ANGELES -- The West Coast portion of the schedule is a friendly one for Derek Jeter as the Yankees shortstop works toward returning to everyday duty.

Jeter was activated on Sunday and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an intentional walk in the Yankees' win over the Rays, then he received the benefit of an off-day on Monday after the team traveled to California.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that he would not hesitate to play Jeter both Tuesday and Wednesday against the Dodgers, and then Jeter will have another off-day on Thursday before the Yankees open a three-game series with the Padres in San Diego.

"I think it should [help] because he has to work up to playing in everyday shape," Girardi said. "That's one thing that's really difficult, and because of some of the injuries and us needing him, he didn't probably play as much as a guy probably would in Spring Training."

Tuesday will mark just Jeter's third game of the season in what is game No. 106 for the Yankees. Girardi said that Jeter will also be able to see time as the designated hitter once the Yankees are out of Interleague Play.

"He'll have some DH days and some off-days, but I think at this point in the season, we don't have the luxury of working guys in slowly," Girardi said. "I think you have to just kind of go day by day and see where he's at."

Girardi still preparing for A-Rod's return to Yankees

LOS ANGELES -- Despite reports from multiple media outlets indicating that Alex Rodriguez will soon be disciplined by Major League Baseball, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Tuesday that he still expects to have Rodriguez back on the big league roster at some point in the near future.

"We have him scheduled for a rehab on Thursday -- a game somewhere if everything goes OK," Girardi said. "If we didn't think he was going to be with us, we wouldn't do those things."

Rodriguez took batting practice at the Yankees' complex in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday as he continues to rest and rehabilitate a Grade 1 strain of his left quadriceps. He did not speak to reporters upon exiting.

Girardi said that he had not been told of the specifics regarding what sort of game Rodriguez would participate in on Thursday, but it could be of the simulated variety at the Tampa complex.

Nunez hoping to become an option at third base

LOS ANGELES -- Eduardo Nunez said that he planned to take ground balls at third base during infield workouts on Tuesday, looking for a new angle to stick in the Yankees' lineup with Derek Jeter back at shortstop.

The Yankees abandoned the idea of having Nunez play a utility role last season, saying he would only focus on playing shortstop in the future, but Nunez said he feels a tweak made with infield coach Mick Kelleher will reduce his throwing errors.

"Now that my arm action is better, I think I have a chance to play better," Nunez said. "I think I'm more confident to play third base. I'm not worried about throws."

Nunez made nine errors in 64 games at third base, a .920 fielding percentage, over three big league seasons. He said that he wouldn't mind expanding his range.

"I did it before. I had like eight years of playing short, and learning to play at the big league level -- playing third base, left field, right, second base," Nunez said. "I never played [elsewhere] in the Minor Leagues; just shortstop all my life. Learning to play different positions in the Major Leagues is now more easy after the past situation."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi seemed non-committal about the prospect of actually playing Nunez at third base.

"I don't know what we're going to do there," Girardi said. "I want to see him work out there a couple of days before we do anything."

Girardi also said that he was not ready to commit to Jayson Nix as the everyday third baseman; the team also has Brent Lillibridge available to play the hot corner.

"I'll look at it every day to see what we're going to do here," Girardi said. "There's nothing etched in stone. Third base has kind of been a revolving door a little bit. [Nix is] going to get his share of playing time there, and we'll move him around like we always did."

Bombers bits

• Yankees outfielder Vernon Wells said that he received no compensation from Alfonso Soriano in exchange for surrendering uniform No. 12 over the weekend. Wells switched to No. 22.

"I didn't ask for anything, and I didn't receive," Wells said. "I'm not the kind of guy who is going to ask for anything."

• Ichiro Suzuki entered play on Tuesday with 3,984 hits when combining his Major League hit total (2,706) and Pacific League total (1,278).

• Yankees relievers entered play on Tuesday with a 1.98 ERA (86 1/3 innings, 19 earned runs) since June 21, the best mark in the Majors over the last 33 games.

• On this date in 2011, the Yankees scored a franchise-record 12 first-inning runs in Game 2 of a doubleheader vs. Baltimore, sending 16 men to the plate with 13 reaching base. All nine batters had at least one hit and run in a 17-3 win.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Yankees on wrong end of Hollywood ending

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Jagielo gets big-city preview in Class A

NEW YORK -- Sitting in the third-base dugout at Staten Island's Richmond County Bank Ballpark, Eric Jagielo knows where he is. Just over the outfield wall, across New York's Upper Bay dotted with freighters, sits Lower Manhattan. Twelve miles north, as the FDR winds, is Yankee Stadium.

Jagielo is so close, but it could take years to get there -- and not just because of the traffic.

"I think it's good exposure for us," Jagielo said recently about beginning his professional career at short-season Class A in the same city he one day hopes will be home. "I think it makes it a little bit of an easier transition for us. You have the ability to go into New York City and kind of experience what that would be like, perhaps, if you do end up making it with the highest club."

That transition began just seven weeks ago, when the Yankees made Jagielo (pronounced ja-guy-lo) their first pick -- the 26th overall -- in the First-Year Player Draft. He's now their No. 5 prospect in MLB.com's new rankings, seemingly on an express train to the Bronx.

"He's a real polished hitter," Staten Island hitting coach Ty Hawkins said. "He's got a real good idea of what he's doing at the plate and doesn't get flustered. He has a good plan of attack. Just a professional hitter, with a professional approach right now."

Jagielo honed that approach at Notre Dame, capping his three-year career with the 2013 Big East Player of the Year Award after hitting .388, slugging .633 and reaching base half the time he came to bat (a .500 on-base percentage on the nose). His career stats make for a nice full MLB season: 626 at-bats (albeit in 167 games), .321 batting average, 201 hits, 47 doubles, 27 home runs, 124 RBIs and 88 walks against 97 strikeouts. Jagielo slugged .532 and reached base at a .420 clip.

But Jagielo's success hasn't all come with a metal bat in a northern college league. Last summer in the Cape Cod League, against some of the best college arms from around the country, he hit .291 in 42 games with a wood bat, finishing second in the summer circuit with 13 home runs and ranking 10th with 29 RBIs.

"He's a little bit further along than the other [hitters] right now, but that's to be expected because he's a college guy from a good program," Hawkins said. "He's a good, smart kid, with ability. Most of the younger kids, that's what they're going to develop into, where he is right now."

As a hitter, Jagielo already has a smooth left-handed stroke that should play well at Yankee Stadium. But his work at the hot corner may be more impressive, because he's only been playing the position for about two years.

"I'm still learning, and that's what I'm enjoying about it," said Jagielo, who played shortstop in high school near Chicago and began his Notre Dame career as a center and left fielder before landing at third base midway through his sophomore year. "I'm trying to soak in all the information from the different coaches and different resources in this organization to get better at that."

One of those resources was Alex Rodriguez, who was rehabbing at the Yankees' complex in Tampa, Fla., when Jagielo and the other Draftees were working out there before getting their team assignments.

"I took a lot of advice from him," Jagielo said. "One of our infield coordinators was here a few weeks ago, and he helped me out a lot. But the main one that sticks out is Alex Rodriguez.

"I think one thing that some people don't realize about the position is that it's not just a filler position -- you have to know what you're doing over there in order to be a great defender there. I think that it's all a process, but I'm taking steps in the right direction."

Staten Island manager Justin Pope agrees.

"He's a worker, he's getting better each and every day, which is nice to see," Pope said. "Even though he hasn't played there much, it looks like he has a good feel of how to play the position. Certain hitters come up, he knows when to play in for the bunt, he knows when he can go back and play at a normal depth. He's got a really good feel over there."

As Jagielo continues to get used to manning third and playing day in and day out, he's also becoming acclimated to one other well-known aspect of playing baseball in New York.

"[Playing here] I think it just gives you a taste of what the New York fans are like, too," he said, grinning. "Just because we're the lowest level, some of these fans aren't the easiest on us. You hear some things and you hear some boos and stuff, so I think it's just a good way to kind of see what New York's all about and just kind of experience everything about what this great city brings."

Dan Cichalski is an editorial producer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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MLB Notebook: Jeter, Soriano reunion nets win

In 2002, the Yankees' Derek Jeter and Alfonso Soriano became the first shortstop-second base combination since 1929 to each tally at least 124 runs scored in a season. That year, with the lineup most often featuring Soriano batting leadoff and Jeter hitting right behind him, the Yankees won 103 games and boasted the best winning percentage in the Majors.

F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, "I once thought that there were no second acts in American lives, but there was certainly to be a second act to New York's boom days." For one day near the end of July, this -- when it comes to baseball -- certainly seemed to be the case.

Soriano went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, a home run and three RBIs, with the last of the three coming on a game-ending single. Jeter went 2-for-4 with two runs, a home run and an intentional walk. Helped in great measure by these two reunited teammates, the Yankees defeated the Rays, 6-5, on Sunday afternoon.

Soriano -- playing in his third game since being acquired by the Yankees -- had his first game-ending hit for New York since June 18, 2003 (also against Tampa Bay). Soriano has 13 career walk-off hits -- tied for the fourth most among active players.

Jeter -- playing in just his second game of the season -- put together his 972nd career multihit game. That total is the fourth most since 1916, behind Pete Rose (1,225), Stan Musial (1,059) and Hank Aaron (1,046).

Soriano and Jeter were two of the three Yankees players with multihit games in the victory, with Ichiro Suzuki going 4-for-4. Suzuki has 50 career games with four-plus hits, tying Rogers Hornsby for the 17th most for any player since 1916.

Before this game, Jeter and Soriano had last homered in the same game as teammates on July 17, 2003.

Fernandez mows 'em down
Making his 20th career appearance, Marlins right-hander Jose Fernandez fanned a career-high 13 and issued no walks.

Jose Fernandez is the eighth pitcher since 1916 to have a game with at least 13 K's and no walks, within his first 20 career games.

Pitcher	Date	Game No.	K's
Gary Nolan	June 7, 1967	11	15
Roger Clemens	Aug. 21, 1984	19	15
Jason Bere	Sept. 8, 1993	20	13
Kevin Millwood	April 14, 1998	15	13
Kerry Wood	May 6, 1998	5	20
Stephen Strasburg	June 8, 2010	1	14
Shelby Miller	May 10, 2013	13	13
Jose Fernandez	July 28, 2013	20	13

At 20 years and 362 days old, Fernandez is the fifth-youngest pitcher since 1916 to have a game with at least 13 K's and no walks. Gary Nolan (19 years and 11 days old) is the youngest, followed by Dwight Gooden (19 years and 301 days old and 19 years and 306 days old) and Kerry Wood (20 years and 324 old).

Fernandez now has three games with at least 10 strikeouts. Those three through his first 20 games tie him (and Tony Cingrani, who also had his third such game on Sunday) for the 18th most for any pitcher since 1916. Gooden and Hideo Nomo lead, with eight apiece.

Here and there
• Ubaldo Jimenez (eight innings, two hits) and Vinnie Pestano combined on a two-hit shutout, leading the Indians -- at least on the pitching side -- to a 6-0 win over the Rangers on Sunday. Cleveland tops the Majors with 14 team shutouts. For American League teams in the designated-hitter era, the 14 shutouts through 104 team games place the 2013 Indians in a tie with three other clubs for the most. The 1973 Twins, '75 Angels and 2012 Angels also had 14.

• Playing in his 33rd career game, Wil Myers homered twice for the Rays on Sunday. Before Myers, the earliest a Tampa Bay player had homered twice was in game number 39 -- a feat achieved by Evan Longoria on May 24, 2008. Coincidentally, both Longoria and Myers were the same exact age for these multihomer performances: 22 years and 230 days old.

• Giants starter Tim Lincecum fanned 10 batters in a 2-1 loss to the Cubs on Sunday, giving him 35 career double-digit strikeout games in 210 appearances. Those 35 through his first 210 place Lincecum in a tie with Bob Feller for the eighth most since 1916. Lincecum's 10 K's give him a seven-year total of 1,454; with the effort, he passed Mark Langston (1,448) and moved into the fifth spot for the most strikeouts for any pitcher through his first seven seasons, since 1893. The top four: Tom Seaver (1,655), Bert Blyleven (1,546), Fergie Jenkins (1,466) and Walter Johnson (1,461).

• In the Rockies' 6-5 victory over the Brewers, Troy Tulowitzki doubled and homered. In baseball history, Tulowitzki is one of 72 players to have at least 800 games at shortstop through their age-28 season. Among this group, and looking at the respective totals through the players' age-28 seasons, Tulowitzki's extra-base hit percentage is the third highest, behind the marks generated by Alex Rodriguez and Ernie Banks.

• Yasiel Puig hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th to give the Dodgers a 1-0 victory over the Reds. Among the various notes from this three-hour and 43-minute affair:

Puig's first career walk-off hit also made him the fourth Dodgers player since 1958 to homer in extra-innings to break a scoreless tie and win the game. The full list:

Sept. 27, 2002: Paul Lo Duca solo homer in the 10th
Aug. 13, 2006: Russell Martin solo homer in the 10th
June 1, 2010: Matt Kemp solo homer in the 10th
July 28, 2013: Puig solo homer in the 11th

Before Puig's blast, the last time a Dodgers player hit a walk-off homer to break a 0-0 tie in the 11th inning or later was on May 2, 1955, when Brooklyn's Carl Furillo hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 12th.

The Dodgers won despite striking out 20 times. They are the 14th team since 1916 (and the second this season) to win a game in which they had at least 20 K's. Dating back to 1916, this is the first occurrence of this reality for the Dodgers.

• The Reds set a team record with 20 strikeouts. Their previous season high was 17, done twice. They also lost those two games. Cincinnati is the only team since 1916 to have three games in one season in which its pitchers tallied at least 17 strikeouts and the club lost.

• Cingrani fanned 11 with one walk and one hit allowed. 

Cingrani is the first Reds pitcher since Johnny Vander Meer on June 6, 1941, to have a game with at least 11 K's and no more than one walk and one hit allowed. In that game in '41, Vander Meer threw a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and one walk against the Phillies.

Cingrani is the 15th left-hander since 1916 to have a game with at least 11 strikeouts, no more than one walk and no more than one hit allowed. Randy Johnson (four games) and Sandy Koufax (two games) are the only two with multiple efforts of this kind. The rest: Cingrani, Vander Meer, Steve Carlton, Bruce Hurst, Clayton Kershaw, Gary Peters, Jonathan Sanchez, Johan Santana and David Wells.

Roger Schlueter is senior researcher for MLB Productions. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Reports: A-Rod suspension could be imminent

TAMPA, Fla. -- It's become increasingly difficult to predict what will happen next in the daily drama surrounding Alex Rodriguez.

Rodriguez finished up his rehab assignment with complaints of a strained left quadriceps, only to say days later that he was ready to play. He sent Dr. Michael Gross on an impromptu media tour to challenge the Yankees' diagnosis, then Gross admitted he's never even met A-Rod. Rodriguez released a statement Thursday saying he didn't want "any more mix-ups" with the Yankees, then called into WFAN radio in New York and said four times that he was "frustrated" with being held back.

Rodriguez has been working out at the Yankees' Minor League complex, hoping to return from his quad injury and get back on the field as soon as possible. Aside from his occasional statements released through a publicist and a few radio interviews, A-Rod has remained silent.

But one thing has become exceedingly clear, based on several published reports this weekend and on Monday: He soon will be disciplined by Major League Baseball.

And Rodriguez's lawyer, David Cornwell, left no doubt Monday afternoon in a radio interview with ESPN New York 98.7 FM: They're not going to accept a suspension.

"All I can tell you is my job is to represent Alex in connection with this inquiry by baseball and to prepare an appeal on behalf of Alex in the event that any discipline is handed down," Cornwell said in an interview with Stephen A. Smith.

"When the time comes, and we haven't gotten there yet, when the time comes and baseball does whatever it is going to do, then I will sit down with Alex and talk to him about the process of the appeal, filing the appeal and going in and presenting our best evidence that we have -- and we think we have good evidence -- to defend his interest, to protect him. That's what I expect to be doing."

The New York Post first reported Sunday that Rodriguez could be suspended this week as part of baseball's investigation into the now-shuttered Biogenesis clinic, a South Florida operation run by Anthony Bosch, who has cooperated with MLB investigators. Last week, Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun accepted a 65-game suspension -- the remainder of the season -- for his reported involvement with Bosch and Biogenesis.

Cornwell told ESPN New York he wouldn't consider that a victory for Rodriguez. Asked by Smith what he would consider a "win" in this case, Cornwell said, "No discipline. ... Obviously. That's easy."

According to the Post, MLB could suspend Rodriguez for the rest of this year and the entirety of the 2014 season. Under baseball's Basic Agreement, first-time offenders who test positive for performing-enhancing drugs are suspended 50 games for a positive test. A second positive test earns a 100-game ban and a third violation results in a lifetime ban.

But those standards might not apply in the case of Rodriguez. The Associated Press reported Monday that MLB could try to suspend Rodriguez under its collective bargaining agreement rather than its drug policy. That would allow MLB to suspend him immediately rather than have the suspension delayed during the appeals process.

The New York Daily News reported that MLB officials believe their evidence against Rodriguez "would warrant lifetime banishment." There has been talk that Braun's quick agreement strengthens Bosch's credibility as it relates to MLB's case against A-Rod, an idea that Cornwell addressed Monday.

"Obviously they believe that he's credible. I have my concerns," said Cornwell, who previously represented Braun, the only Major League player to have a positive drug test overturned. "But what's most important is whether or not arbitrator [Fredric] Horowitz will believe that he's credible. That's something that we will present in the hearing room, not to the media."

Before a suspension is publicly issued, Rodriguez could choose to discuss a plea agreement with MLB, as Braun did. However, Rodriguez told WFAN's Mike Francesa on Thursday that his representatives hadn't had those discussions.

According to the Post, Rodriguez's team "met with MLB officials in the past few days," but not to discuss a settlement. Instead, A-Rod's representatives were just trying to "gain a better understanding of potential penalties."

If MLB is seeking a potential lifetime suspension for Rodriguez, who admitted in 2009 that he took performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Rangers from 2001-03, then a settlement could result in him sitting out until 2015 without pay, according to the Daily News.

In that scenario, Rodriguez's suspension would be effective immediately. If the 38-year-old third baseman -- fifth on the all-time list with 647 career home runs -- is able to play after two major hip surgeries and two full years out of the game, it would also give him a chance to collect the $61 million the Yankees owe him from 2015-17, the remnants of the 10-year, $275 million deal he signed with New York in '07.

For now, it's uncertain when Rodriguez will get back on the field in a Major League game, if he will at all. But if the reports are true, the next chapter in A-Rod's story should be unfolding soon.

"I can't tell you what he's thinking about or what he says as it relates to the investigation, but I can tell you that in my discussions with him, generally, Alex's primary focus right now is playing baseball," Cornwell said. "That's what Alex's primary focus is right now. We'll have a chance to deal with these other issues as they arrive and as they unfold. ... When that time comes, we will. But until then ... the only thing Alex is focused on right now is trying to get back and play baseball."

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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For Ruppert, White, Day, induction is family affair

COOPERSTOWN, NY -- They were faced with an unenviable task, the opportunity to canonize their own family members. But with one catch: They were family members they've never met.

The three newest inductees to the National Baseball Hall of Fame -- Jacob Ruppert Jr., Hank O'Day and James "Deacon" White -- have been deceased for more than a half-century, existing only in the lore of the game and in fond family memories passed down from generation to generation.

And on Sunday, those stories were shared with the world. Anne Vernon, Dennis McNamara and Jerry Watkins took the stage at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, sharing the moment with the game's greatest living players and telling heartfelt tales of gratitude and long-held family ties.

McNamara, the grand nephew of O'Day, spoke first and emotionally told the audience what the day meant to his family. McNamara, who spent 29 years as a Chicago policeman, said he was born seven years after O'Day passed away and that he's still been a towering presence in his life.

"I've wondered, 'What does all this mean?'" asked McNamara in his speech. "It means everyone is recognized at some point. You might not know it, but recognition does come. Perhaps quietly in your everyday life, or yes, sometimes a great honor which Hank O'Day is now receiving posthumously, 86 years after his long career as an umpire. Persevere, for you too are or will be recognized."

O'Day, the only man to ever play, manage and umpire a full season in Major League history, had an incredible career that spanned nearly five decades. He served as umpire in 10 World Series and made the famous call on Fred Merkle in 1908 that cost the New York Giants the pennant.

O'Day also had a lengthy pitching career and managed the Reds and Cubs, but McNamara said he was famous within the family for two reasons: Honesty and integrity. O'Day managed at a time when games only had one umpire and they were frequently subjected to violence.

"He got all the umps the respect and security they needed," said McNamara. "The man was known for his remarkable skill of accurately calling balls and strikes and for his unrelenting honesty and integrity. Back then, home teams won a surprising 61 percent of the time. The lone umpire may have been intimidated by the local crowd. But not Hank O'Day. Cleveland's manager remarked, 'I hate to see O'Day in my home park, but I'm delighted when he's in charge when we're the road team.'"

Vernon, who spoke next, had to sum up the career of one of the game's most instrumental owners. Ruppert, a former beer baron and Congressman from New York, purchased the Yankees in 1915 and acquired the great Babe Ruth before later building the world-famous Yankee Stadium.

New York went on to win 10 pennants and seven World Series before Ruppert passed away in 1939, forever changing the game and American culture. Vernon, Ruppert's great grand niece, found herself learning about her family's illustrious contributions to the game as she prepared her speech.

"I probably took about two weeks to think about it, because I'm not a professional sports person by any means," said Vernon in the moments after the induction ceremony. "I really got great direction from the Hall of Fame to write from my heart and how important it was to represent my family and myself. I spoke to my uncle, spoke to all my relatives, and then I wrote it in six hours."

Watkins, speaking last, came armed with a treasure chest full of quips and witticisms regarding White, his great grandfather. White, a catcher back before the era of the glove, played for 20 years and won six championships, and he's credited with getting the first hit in a professional league in 1871.

White batted better than .300 12 times in his career and played from the time he was 21 until after his 40th birthday. This was in an America still recovering from the Civil War, and Watkins thanked the Society for American Baseball Research for keeping his ancestor's memory alive.

"We all know it was a far different game back in the late 1800's," said Watkins. "Five strikes. Eight balls. A foul ball didn't count as a strike, and if a foul ball were caught on the fly, it didn't count as an out. The batter even got to tell the pitcher where he wanted the pitch delivered. So comparing statistics to modern-day players is pretty much meaningless. All you can do is compare the statistics to other players who played in that era, and by that standard, James White was outstanding."

That may have been the case, but until recently, there were many fans of the game who didn't know his story. Watkins said that his father had two dreams: To see James "Deacon" White inducted into the Hall of Fame and to see the Cubs in the World Series. Now, he said, the family is 1-for-2.

"For me, it's a very emotional thing," he said. "I had a very special relationship with my dad, who was a huge baseball fan and a huge believer that his grandfather belonged in the Hall of Fame. Those were stories that he told us as kids, and for my family to select me to be the one to deliver the speech, it meant an awful lot to me. For him to be in the Hall of Fame means a ton to our family."

It must've been truly incredible for Watkins to consider how his family now belongs in that company. And the same for McNamara, who was visibly moved at points during his speech, and for Vernon, whose family sold a controlling stake in the Yankees in 1945 to a new ownership group.

Their lives are forever altered by their association with the Hall of Fame, and Vernon said the musem's staffers have shown her family one of the great weekends they've ever experienced. Who else could understand that perspective, except for the people who shared the weekend with her?

"I think the three of us will be bonded for life by this experience," said Watkins of the induction. "I know if I ever run into Anne or Dennis again, wherever we are, I'll know them immediately and we'll take up where we left off. I think there was a strong bond, and I think we felt mutual respect for each other and our families. And for the opportunity we were given to be here today to get to do this."

Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Granderson prepares to move to Double-A in rehab stint

By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 7/28/2013 8:31 P.M. ET

TAMPA -- Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters early Sunday that Curtis Granderson could be back in the lineup next weekend in San Diego, and the rehabbing outfielder is set to take another step back Tuesday.

Granderson went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as the designated hitter for Class A Advanced Tampa on Sunday, but he said "everything across the board felt good."

After a workout at the Yankees' Minor League complex on Monday, Granderson will join Double-A Trenton on Tuesday.

Out since May 24 with a broken left pinky, Granderson went 2-for-13 with a walk and four strikeouts in four games with the Tampa Yankees against the Charlotte Stone Crabs. The 32-year-old outfielder said his timing at the plate is "getting better," and he was glad to hear Girardi's suggestion that he'll be taking his at-bats in the Majors fairly soon.

"I'd love to. Hopefully things continue to move well and progress the way that we all hope they will," Granderson said. "[If I] continue to play and feel good, it's a possibility. I'm glad that they're eager to get me back, and I'm excited to get back sooner than later."

On Sunday, Granderson struck out swinging, grounded out to the first baseman and hit a flyout to deep center field while facing Charlotte lefty Jacob Partridge. He faced right-hander Lenny Linsky in the seventh and went down swinging on four pitches.

Granderson did get one taste of the Majors in his latest Minor League rehab outing, as the Rays' Florida State League affiliate utilized a defensive shift against the lefty hitter.

"That's kind of [Tampa Bay's] motto -- definitely on the top -- so it must be all the way down," he said. "It's interesting to see it, for me mentally to go up there and just not try to change too much. As funny as it sounds, I'm actually glad they did it so it's not the first time I'll see it once I do happen to return, whenever that day comes. It won't shock me when that day comes."

Bombers bits
• Alex Rodriguez went through another light workout at Steinbrenner Field on Sunday afternoon. The Yankees' third baseman was seen hitting in the batting cages in the bowels of Steinbrenner Field, playing catch on the field and fielding about 15 grounders hit directly at him on the outfield grass.

General manager Brian Cashman has said that Rodriguez, whose strained left quadriceps has been the subject of much debate lately, should be ready Thursday for a simulated game or a Minor League rehab outing. Rodriguez did not stop to speak with reporters as he left Steinbrenner Field.

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Yankees eye more deals with Trade Deadline looming

LOS ANGELES -- If there was any doubt that the Yankees would be active buyers as this Trade Deadline approaches, that evaporated once Alfonso Soriano boarded a red-eye flight to New York, ready to report as a reinforcement for the team's low-octane lineup.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman says he never had to switch into active gear as he counted down the days until July 31, since the organization has kept itself busy chasing pieces to help the big league roster since the early days of Spring Training.

Wednesday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline presents Cashman and his staff with one more opportunity to add run production or reinforce the pitching staff before waivers come into play, and Cashman said there is no reason to think that his cell phone have ample opportunity to draw a full charge between now and then.

"I don't know if we will be able to [add talent] or not, but ownership's commitment is still the same," Cashman said. "They have a strong desire to reinforce this team and find a way to get in the playoffs, and the season is now shorter."

The Yankees believe that Soriano will help them as they attempt to climb out of fourth place in the American League East and avoid an ending like 2008, the only time in the last 18 seasons that they have not qualified to participate in postseason play.

There was a sense of that on Sunday as Soriano delivered a game-winning hit, one of his four on the afternoon, to lift the Yankees to a 6-5 victory over the Rays at Yankee Stadium. They'd love if Soriano can continue to help bring back more of the magic.

"When I see Mariano [Rivera] pitching, and [Derek] Jeter hitting and me, it feels like old times, but the present," Soriano said. "We played together for three years and now, after 10 years, we come back and we are still playing together. It's very good."

Dating back to the spring, when a rash of disabled list assignments first started to impact the outlook of the year, the Yankees have been saying that they would consider it an in-season upgrade if they could just get all of the injured pieces of their roster back.

That plan might have worked fine if key contributors like Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson and Jeter hadn't picked up a frustrating habit of returning, only to be quickly lost to the disabled list again.

They've turned the lights out on Teixeira, who is done for the season, though Lyle Overbay has proven to be a capable replacement at first base. Jeter came back and homered in Sunday's win, while Granderson is envisioned to lend a needed boost sometime in early August.

Maybe the Yankees will be able to count on Alex Rodriguez at some point; then again, nothing seems certain with his situation. They could deal from an area of strength if they chose to dangle starter Phil Hughes or reliever Joba Chamberlain, but in Hughes' case, they might not want to give up the potential Draft pick compensation attached to his name.

It has also been clear that Cashman has not been shy to make incremental upgrades during this season, whether they've come as waiver claims or promotions from the Minor Leagues, but the surest route to make a splash seems to be just getting their injured players back in the lineup.

"We've been obviously trying to improve our offense to no avail throughout the season," Cashman said. "The available players in the marketplace were the expected players you'd think would be available in the marketplace. We've had to wait.

"Ultimately, trades and reinforcements from the disabled list will put us in a much better position as we move forward and try to find a way to get in the playoffs."

In recent years, the Yankees' July activity has been more geared toward filling small holes and making tweaks for a playoff run, rather than completely overhauling the lineup or pitching staff, though there have been surprises in store.

Last year, the Yankees acquired Ichiro Suzuki from the Mariners on July 23, having him walk across to Safeco Field's visiting clubhouse as their biggest move in a month where they also made a minor July 31 deal for first baseman Casey McGehee.

They were silent at the Deadline in 2011 but made ripples a year earlier, acquiring first baseman Lance Berkman, outfielder Austin Kearns and right-hander Kerry Wood in a flurry of late-season adding that helped bolster their run to the postseason.

There are no guarantees as to what kind of Deadline this will be, but if the Soriano deal is any indication of ownership's willingness to spend, the financial constraints of a $189 million payroll objective for 2014 may not be as great an obstacle as once thought.

Cashman said that he believes players and teams are starting to be more willing to conclude negotiations, and suspects that there may be more offense on the way to the Bronx. For now, they have what he called a "bird in the hand" with Soriano, and that seems to be a good start.

"We've wanted to improve things for some time," Cashman said. "I think all Yankee fans have seen this team -- we're fighting, we've got a lot of guys who are professionals and they're competing their tail off, but on the offensive side we've been limited due to injury, so we have had an interest for quite some time to upgrade when we could."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Jeter could start for Yanks on Sunday after sim game

By David Wilson / MLB.com | 7/27/2013 4:46 P.M. ET

NEW YORK -- Derek Jeter's simulated game Saturday was clouded in secrecy, but after the Yankees' 1-0 loss to the Rays, manager Joe Girardi revealed some details, including one big one: The shortstop could rejoin the Yankees on Sunday.

Girardi disclosed the location of the game -- Staten Island -- who Jeter faced -- a pitcher from the short-season Class A affiliate -- and what exactly the captain did. Jeter took eight at-bats, ran from first to third and second to home, and took ground balls at shortstop. If he's feeling good Sunday morning, he will be in New York's lineup at shortstop, Girardi said.

"It's obviously someone we've been waiting for for a long time," the manager said. "We had him for one day. We won that game, so hopefully his ratio continues."

Jeter began the season on the disabled list after breaking his ankle in the 2012 American League Championship Series. He returned for one game on July 11 and went 0-for-2 with an RBI groundout before straining his right quad, an injury that placed him back on the DL after the All-Star break. Saturday was the first day he was eligible to return.

Girardi said designated hitter Travis Hafner will head to the DL with a shoulder injury, so Jeter's return could be the corresponding move.

The simulated game was part of Jeter's rehab process for the quad injury. There was concern that the Yankees rushed their captain back from his ankle injury, so this time, they're making sure he'll be ready.

"You can be in great shape, but playing shape's a little bit different because you're getting used to standing around, starting and stopping, so we had to do all that," Girardi said. "As of right now, he came out very well. So we'll see how he feels tomorrow."

Struggling Hafner lands on DL with rotator cuff strain

NEW YORK -- Some time after Travis Hafner's last at-bat Friday, Joe Girardi got word that the slumping designated hitter had a sore shoulder. Had Hafner's spot come up in the order again, Girardi said Saturday that he would've used Vernon Wells as a pinch-hitter.

Hafner was out of the Yankees' lineup in their 1-0 loss to the Rays on Saturday after he underwent an MRI exam. The MRI revealed a right rotator cuff strain and Hafner will be placed on the disabled list, according to Girardi.

Derek Jeter, who performed well in a simulated game Saturday, will likely be activated as the corresponding move.

Hafner has struggled for the better part of the last three months. Since batting .318 with six home runs and a 1.104 OPS in April, his average has plummeted to .205, his OPS to .684 and he's clubbed just six more home runs in nearly three months.

In Friday's press conference, largely dedicated to a discussion about new outfielder Alfonso Soriano and questions about Alex Rodriguez, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman took several minutes to discuss the slumping DH, as well.

"I suspect that it's beating him up and that's probably working against him right now that he's not playing as well as he's capable of playing, but we still have confidence," Cashman said. "I know that every time he comes to the plate he's capable of a lot."

Neither Girardi nor Cashman expressed any concern about an injury with Hafner prior to Saturday, though the GM did note that "when he's healthy, he can hit," and Hafner simply hasn't been hitting.

Cashman pointed to certain statistical shifts that seem to signify Hafner's struggles. His 78 strikeouts and 32 walks in 81 games put him on pace for 156 and 64 over 162 games. He averages 134 strikeouts and 82 walks in 162-game seasons over his career. Still, Cashman said the velocity of the ball off his bat remains around his career average.

"We still believe in him," Cashman said, but "we're going to run whoever's the best option for that day unless we come up with better options."

In theory, Hafner's power from the left side of the plate should play well at Yankee Stadium, but if health is a concern, then his value becomes greatly diminished. But until Friday night, there was no reason to think that was an issue.

"He has not complained of his shoulder, he has not been getting treatment really on his shoulder," Girardi said. "So I don't know if it was one swing yesterday or what, but it leads me to believe it was one swing."

Bombers bits

• Shortstop Derek Jeter will play in a simulated game Saturday. Girardi would not disclose the time or place of the game, but said he Yankees would "let him go do his work and see how he is after today."

• Outfielder Curtis Granderson played in his second rehab game with Class A Tampa on Friday, going 0-for-3 with an RBI. Granderson, who has been on the disabled list with a broken left pinkie since May 25, will play another game with Tampa on Saturday.

• Infielder Jayson Nix also played in his second rehab Friday in Tampa, going 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Girardi said Nix, who has been on the DL with a hamstring injury since July 3, is closer to returning than Granderson and could rejoin the Yankees during their West Coast road trip this week.

"We think Nixy is pretty close. He's going to DH today," Girardi said. "We're thinking that he's real close."

David Wilson is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Yankees hope offense wakes up behind Hughes

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ELIGIBILITY:  MLB.com Bingo (the "Promotion") is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and Washington, D.C. who are eighteen (18) years of age or older (except in the case of legal residents of certain states where the legal age of majority is greater than eighteen (18) years of age, such legal age of majority) at the time of entry. Employees, officers, and directors (including immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and members of the same household, whether or not related) of MLB Advanced Media, L.P. ("Sponsor"), the other MLB Entities and each of their respective parents, affiliated companies, subsidiaries, licensees, distributors, dealers, retailers, printers, advertising and promotion agencies, and any and all other companies associated with the Promotion are not eligible to participate or win a Prize (defined below). The "MLB Entities" shall mean Sponsor, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball ("BOC"), its Bureaus, Committees, Subcommittees and Councils, Major League Baseball Enterprises, Inc., Major League Baseball Properties, Inc., the Major League Baseball Clubs ("Clubs"), each of their parent, subsidiary, affiliated and related entities, any entity which, now or in the future, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Clubs or the BOC and the owners, general and limited partners, shareholders, directors, officers, employees and agents of the foregoing entities. The Promotion is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. Void where prohibited or restricted by law, rule or regulation.

PROMOTION PERIOD: The Promotion period (the "Promotion Period") begins at 11:00 AM Eastern Time ("ET") on October 5, 2012 and ends upon completion of the final out of the 2012 MLB World Series Championship.

HOW TO ENTER: During the Promotion Period, you may enter the Promotion by clicking on the banners, buttons and/or links within MLB.com Gameday (a free application) and following the instructions provided to register for the Promotion. If you are not already a member of MLB.com, you must become one before you can register to participate in the Contest (membership is free). There is only one (1) way to participate in the Promotion: online. No other method of entry or participation will be accepted. Additional entries beyond the specified limit will be void. Entries generated by script, macro or other automated means will be void. All information submitted online by entrants is subject to, and will be treated in a manner consistent with, MLB.com's Terms of Use accessible at: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/about_mlb_com/terms_of_use.jsp and Privacy Policy accessible at: www.mlb.com/privacy.  All online entries must include a valid e-mail address for the entrant.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:  Upon successful registration, follow the instructions provided to receive one (1) virtual bingo card (the "Bingo Card") for each game of the 2012 MLB Postseason played during the Promotion Period (each, a "Postseason Game"). In addition, during the Promotion Period, participants may utilize sharing functionality available via the Promotion upon completion of a successful Contest (the "Sharing Functionality") to receive two (2) additional Bingo Cards. For each eligible individual any entrant notifies or makes aware of the Promotion who clicks on a valid link made available via the Sharing Functionality identifiable as having come from the entrant, such entrant shall receive two (2) additional Bingo Cards (for a total of three (3) Bingo Cards). No additional Bingo Cards will be received other than through verified Sharing Functionality. There is a limit of three (3) Bingo Cards per person and per e-mail address per Postseason Game. Each Bingo Card shall include a 5x5 grid that includes twenty-five (25) tiles (each, a "Tile"). Each Tile will include one (1) randomly selected game outcome for the active Postseason Game. For example, a participant could have a "Josh Hamilton Double" Tile on their Bingo Card which would be automatically marked in the event Josh Hamilton hits a double during a Postseason Game. Any eligible participant who receives a Bingo Card that becomes marked with five (5) Tiles in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row (each, a "Potential Winning Bingo Card") may be a potential Prize winner, subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules. (See the Prize Claim Section below for more information.) For purposes of this Promotion, MLB game outcomes will not be updated to reflect any official MLB statistics changes or corrections that may occur after the completion of any Postseason Game. Once each Postseason Game is final following completion of the final out of that game, it will be final for purposes of this Promotion. In the event any Postseason Game is cancelled, postponed or suspended, all Bingo Cards will be void for that game and Sponsor reserves the right to award the applicable Prizes by way of random drawing from among all eligible participants as of the time of such cancellation, postponement or suspension.

PRIZE CLAIMS: In the event you receive a message within MLB.com Gameday notifying you that you have a Potential Winning Bingo Card, you must claim your Potential Winning Bingo Card by following the onscreen instructions provided by no later than ten (10) minutes following the end of the applicable Postseason Game to be eligible for the Drawing (defined below). Failure to claim your Potential Winning Bingo Card within ten (10) minutes following the end of the applicable Postseason Game will render the Potential Winning Bingo Card void and result in Prize forfeiture.

ALL POTENTIAL WINNING BINGO CARDS ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY SPONSOR WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING. AN ENTRANT IS NOT A WINNER OF ANY PRIZE, EVEN IF THE PROMOTION SHOULD SO INDICATE, UNLESS AND UNTIL ENTRANT'S ELIGIBILITY, THE POTENTIAL WINNING BINGO CARD AND ENTRANT'S COMPLIANCE WITH THESE OFFICIAL RULES HAVE BEEN VERIFIED BY SPONSOR AND ENTRANT HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT SUCH VERIFICATION IS COMPLETE. SPONSOR WILL NOT ACCEPT SCREEN SHOTS OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF WINNING IN LIEU OF ITS VALIDATION PROCESS.

RANDOM DRAWINGS: Approximately thirty (30) minutes following the final out of each Postseason Game, five (5) potential winners will be selected by random drawing from among all eligible participants who claim valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards for that Postseason Game in accordance with these Official Rules (the "Drawing"). Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules, the potential winners will be declared official winners of the Sweepstakes (each, a "Winner" and collectively, the "Winners"). Odds of winning a Prize will depend on the total number of Bingo Cards issued and the total number of valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards claimed for each applicable Postseason Game. Limit one (1) Prize per person, per family and per household.

PRIZES:  A maximum of two hundred fifteen (215) prizes (each, a "Prize" and collectively, the "Prizes") will be awarded (i.e. five (5) Prizes per each Postseason Game with a maximum of forty-three (43) Postseason Games), as follows:

For up to twenty-two (22) Postseason Games during the 2012 Wild Card Games and the 2012 Division Series, each Winner will receive one (1) Postseason.TV subscription for the remainder of the 2012 MLB Postseason. Approximate retail value ("ARV") of each such Prize: $4.99.

For up to twenty-one (21) Postseason Games during the 2012 League Championship Series and the 2012 MLB World Series Championship, each Winner will receive one (1) MLB.TV Offseason Package subscription. ARV of each such Prize: $24.99.

Total ARV of all Prizes: $3172.85.

For the avoidance of doubt, no Prizes will be awarded in connection with any 2012 MLB Postseason game that is not played because it is not necessary.

PRIZE CONDITIONS: All Prize details to be determined in the sole discretion of Sponsor. Each Winner is fully responsible for any and all applicable federal, state and local taxes (including income and withholding taxes). Postseason.TV subscriptions are subject to blackout and other restrictions - see www.postseason.tv for complete details. All costs and expenses associated with the Prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided including, but not limited to, any and all expenses incurred by accepting the Prize are the sole responsibility of the Winners. The Prizes are non-transferable and non-assignable, with no cash redemptions except at Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any Prize (or any portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value at its sole and absolute discretion.

NOTIFICATION:  Each potential winner will be notified at the e-mail address, postal address and/or telephone number (in the sole discretion of Sponsor) provided at the time of entry (the "Prize Notification"). In the event that any potential winner does not respond to any such Prize Notification within three (3) days of the date of issuance or declines the Prize for any reason, a disqualification will result, the Prize will be forfeited and, at Sponsor's sole discretion and time permitting, an alternate potential winner may be randomly selected from among all remaining eligible entries. Each potential winner may be required to submit his/her valid social security number and/or other identification to Sponsor and may be required to execute, have notarized and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release of Liability and, unless prohibited by law, Publicity, within five (5) days of date of issuance. Failure to submit any identification required by Sponsor or to return the required documents within the specified time period, noncompliance with these Official Rules or the return of the Prize (or any portion thereof) or Prize Notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and Prize forfeiture and, at Sponsor's sole discretion and time permitting, may cause an alternate potential winner to be randomly selected from among all remaining eligible entries.

WAIVER OF LIABILITY/PUBLICITY RELEASE:  By participating in the Promotion and submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to (i) be bound by these Official Rules, including all entry requirements, and (ii) waive any and all claims against Sponsor, the other MLB Entities, Facebook, Apple, Inc. and each of their respective parents, affiliated companies, subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensees, distributors, dealers, retailers, printers, representatives and advertising and promotion agencies, and any and all other companies associated with the Promotion, and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, "Released Parties") for any injury, damage or loss that may occur, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from the participation in the Promotion or from the receipt or use of any Prize (or any portion thereof) or any travel or activity related to the receipt or use of any Prize (or any portion thereof). By entering this Promotion, each entrant gives his/her express permission to be contacted by Sponsor by telephone, e-mail and/or postal mail for Promotion purposes. Each Winner, by acceptance of the Prize, grants to Sponsor and each of its designees the right to publicize such Winner's name, address (city and state of residence), photograph, voice, statements and/or other likeness and prize information for advertising, promotional, trade and/or any other purpose in any media or format now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world, in perpetuity, without limitation and without further compensation, consideration, permission or notification, unless prohibited by law.

GENERAL CONDITIONS:  All decisions of Sponsor, including the determination of winners, are final and binding on all matters relating to this Promotion. Released Parties are not responsible for stolen, late, incomplete, illegible, inaccurate, misdirected, lost, misrouted, scrambled, damaged, delayed, undelivered, mutilated or garbled entries, transmissions, e-mail or mail; or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, cable, satellite, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), wireless network, website, or other connections including those through and/or by any website, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cable or wireless transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; any error, omission, interruption, defect or delay in transmission, processing, or communication; non-delivery; misdirected, blocked, or delayed e-mail notifications; printing, typographical or other errors appearing within these Official Rules, in any Promotion-related advertisements or other materials; or any other errors, problems or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, network, computer, telephone, mail, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Promotion, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the Promotion, the processing of entries, the announcement of the Prize or in any Promotion-related materials, or the cancellation or postponement of any Major League Baseball game, event or exhibition. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Promotion. Released Parties are not responsible for injury or damage to participants' or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating in this Promotion or downloading materials from or use of the website. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Promotion or website or attempt to undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion by cheating, deception or other unfair playing practices, or intend to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrant or any representative of Sponsor or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void. Any attempt to deliberately damage the content or operation of this Promotion is unlawful and subject to legal action by Sponsor and/or its agents. Sponsor shall have the sole right to disqualify any entrant for violation of these Official Rules or any applicable laws relating to the Promotion, and to resolve all disputes in its sole discretion. Released Parties (i) make no warranty, guaranty or representation of any kind concerning any Prize (or any portion thereof), and (ii) disclaim any implied warranty. Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend the Promotion (or any portion thereof) should virus, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, or other causes corrupt administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper operation of the Promotion (or any portion thereof). In the event of such cancellation, Sponsor may elect to identify the Winners and award the Prizes by way of random drawing from among all non-suspect, eligible entries received up to the time of such cancellation. Sponsor also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify these Official Rules for clarification purposes without materially affecting the terms and conditions of the Promotion.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROMOTION OR UNDERMINE THE CONTENT OR LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS PROMOTION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR WILL DISQUALIFY ANY SUCH ENTRANT, AND SPONSOR AND/OR ITS AGENTS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS' FEES) AND OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY PERSON OR PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

In the event of dispute as to the identity or eligibility of any potential winner based on an e-mail address, the winning entry will be declared made by the "Authorized Account Holder" of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry provided he/she is eligible according to these Official Rules. The "Authorized Account Holder" is defined as the natural person to whom the applicable Internet service provider or other organization (such as a business or educational institution) has assigned the e-mail address for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

As a condition of participating in this Promotion, each entrant agrees that (A) any and all disputes, claims, controversies or causes of action arising out of or relating to this Promotion, or any prizes awarded (each, a "Claim"), shall be (1) arbitrated on an individual basis only, and shall not be consolidated or joined with or in any arbitration or other proceeding involving a Claim of any other party, and (2) settled by binding arbitration in New York County, New York before a single arbitrator appointed by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its then governing rules and procedures, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof; and (B) under no circumstance will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, consequential or any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses. These Official Rules shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A, applicable to contracts entered into and performed exclusively in that State.

Apple, Inc. is not a sponsor of, or responsible for conducting, the Promotion. All entry data provided in connection with this Promotion is provided to Sponsor and not to Facebook. This Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

WINNERS' LIST:  For a list of winners (available after December 1, 2012) mail a request and a self-addressed stamped envelope to be received by January 15, 2012 to: MLB.com Bingo Winner's List c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011, Attn: Sweepstakes Department.

SPONSOR: The Sponsor of this Promotion is MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011.

Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are proprietary to the MLB Entities. All rights reserved.

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MLB.COM BINGO

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ODDS OF WINNING A PRIZE WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BINGO CARDS ISSUED AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VALID POTENTIAL WINNING BINGO CARDS CLAIMED FOR EACH APPLICABLE POSTSEASON GAME. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. ALL DISPUTES WILL BE RESOLVED SOLELY BY BINDING ARBITRATION AND ENTRANTS WAIVE THE ABILITY TO BRING CLAIMS IN A CLASS ACTION FORMAT.

ELIGIBILITY:  MLB.com Bingo (the "Promotion") is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and Washington, D.C. who are eighteen (18) years of age or older (except in the case of legal residents of certain states where the legal age of majority is greater than eighteen (18) years of age, such legal age of majority) at the time of entry. Employees, officers, and directors (including immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and members of the same household, whether or not related) of MLB Advanced Media, L.P. ("Sponsor"), the other MLB Entities and each of their respective parents, affiliated companies, subsidiaries, licensees, distributors, dealers, retailers, printers, advertising and promotion agencies, and any and all other companies associated with the Promotion are not eligible to participate or win a Prize (defined below). The "MLB Entities" shall mean Sponsor, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball ("BOC"), its Bureaus, Committees, Subcommittees and Councils, Major League Baseball Enterprises, Inc., Major League Baseball Properties, Inc., the Major League Baseball Clubs ("Clubs"), each of their parent, subsidiary, affiliated and related entities, any entity which, now or in the future, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Clubs or the BOC and the owners, general and limited partners, shareholders, directors, officers, employees and agents of the foregoing entities. The Promotion is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. Void where prohibited or restricted by law, rule or regulation.

PROMOTION PERIOD: The Promotion period (the "Promotion Period") begins at 11:00 AM Eastern Time ("ET") on October 5, 2012 and ends upon completion of the final out of the 2012 MLB World Series Championship.

HOW TO ENTER: During the Promotion Period, you may enter the Promotion by clicking on the banners, buttons and/or links within MLB.com Gameday (a free application) and following the instructions provided to register for the Promotion. If you are not already a member of MLB.com, you must become one before you can register to participate in the Contest (membership is free). There is only one (1) way to participate in the Promotion: online. No other method of entry or participation will be accepted. Additional entries beyond the specified limit will be void. Entries generated by script, macro or other automated means will be void. All information submitted online by entrants is subject to, and will be treated in a manner consistent with, MLB.com's Terms of Use accessible at: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/about_mlb_com/terms_of_use.jsp and Privacy Policy accessible at: www.mlb.com/privacy.  All online entries must include a valid e-mail address for the entrant.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:  Upon successful registration, follow the instructions provided to receive one (1) virtual bingo card (the "Bingo Card") for each game of the 2012 MLB Postseason played during the Promotion Period (each, a "Postseason Game"). In addition, during the Promotion Period, participants may utilize sharing functionality available via the Promotion upon completion of a successful Contest (the "Sharing Functionality") to receive two (2) additional Bingo Cards. For each eligible individual any entrant notifies or makes aware of the Promotion who clicks on a valid link made available via the Sharing Functionality identifiable as having come from the entrant, such entrant shall receive two (2) additional Bingo Cards (for a total of three (3) Bingo Cards). No additional Bingo Cards will be received other than through verified Sharing Functionality. There is a limit of three (3) Bingo Cards per person and per e-mail address per Postseason Game. Each Bingo Card shall include a 5x5 grid that includes twenty-five (25) tiles (each, a "Tile"). Each Tile will include one (1) randomly selected game outcome for the active Postseason Game. For example, a participant could have a "Josh Hamilton Double" Tile on their Bingo Card which would be automatically marked in the event Josh Hamilton hits a double during a Postseason Game. Any eligible participant who receives a Bingo Card that becomes marked with five (5) Tiles in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row (each, a "Potential Winning Bingo Card") may be a potential Prize winner, subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules. (See the Prize Claim Section below for more information.) For purposes of this Promotion, MLB game outcomes will not be updated to reflect any official MLB statistics changes or corrections that may occur after the completion of any Postseason Game. Once each Postseason Game is final following completion of the final out of that game, it will be final for purposes of this Promotion. In the event any Postseason Game is cancelled, postponed or suspended, all Bingo Cards will be void for that game and Sponsor reserves the right to award the applicable Prizes by way of random drawing from among all eligible participants as of the time of such cancellation, postponement or suspension.

PRIZE CLAIMS: In the event you receive a message within MLB.com Gameday notifying you that you have a Potential Winning Bingo Card, you must claim your Potential Winning Bingo Card by following the onscreen instructions provided by no later than ten (10) minutes following the end of the applicable Postseason Game to be eligible for the Drawing (defined below). Failure to claim your Potential Winning Bingo Card within ten (10) minutes following the end of the applicable Postseason Game will render the Potential Winning Bingo Card void and result in Prize forfeiture.

ALL POTENTIAL WINNING BINGO CARDS ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY SPONSOR WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING. AN ENTRANT IS NOT A WINNER OF ANY PRIZE, EVEN IF THE PROMOTION SHOULD SO INDICATE, UNLESS AND UNTIL ENTRANT'S ELIGIBILITY, THE POTENTIAL WINNING BINGO CARD AND ENTRANT'S COMPLIANCE WITH THESE OFFICIAL RULES HAVE BEEN VERIFIED BY SPONSOR AND ENTRANT HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT SUCH VERIFICATION IS COMPLETE. SPONSOR WILL NOT ACCEPT SCREEN SHOTS OR OTHER EVIDENCE OF WINNING IN LIEU OF ITS VALIDATION PROCESS.

RANDOM DRAWINGS: Approximately thirty (30) minutes following the final out of each Postseason Game, five (5) potential winners will be selected by random drawing from among all eligible participants who claim valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards for that Postseason Game in accordance with these Official Rules (the "Drawing"). Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Official Rules, the potential winners will be declared official winners of the Sweepstakes (each, a "Winner" and collectively, the "Winners"). Odds of winning a Prize will depend on the total number of Bingo Cards issued and the total number of valid Potential Winning Bingo Cards claimed for each applicable Postseason Game. Limit one (1) Prize per person, per family and per household.

PRIZES:  A maximum of two hundred fifteen (215) prizes (each, a "Prize" and collectively, the "Prizes") will be awarded (i.e. five (5) Prizes per each Postseason Game with a maximum of forty-three (43) Postseason Games), as follows:

For up to twenty-two (22) Postseason Games during the 2012 Wild Card Games and the 2012 Division Series, each Winner will receive one (1) Postseason.TV subscription for the remainder of the 2012 MLB Postseason. Approximate retail value ("ARV") of each such Prize: $4.99.

For up to twenty-one (21) Postseason Games during the 2012 League Championship Series and the 2012 MLB World Series Championship, each Winner will receive one (1) MLB.TV Offseason Package subscription. ARV of each such Prize: $24.99.

Total ARV of all Prizes: $3172.85.

For the avoidance of doubt, no Prizes will be awarded in connection with any 2012 MLB Postseason game that is not played because it is not necessary.

PRIZE CONDITIONS: All Prize details to be determined in the sole discretion of Sponsor. Each Winner is fully responsible for any and all applicable federal, state and local taxes (including income and withholding taxes). Postseason.TV subscriptions are subject to blackout and other restrictions - see www.postseason.tv for complete details. All costs and expenses associated with the Prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided including, but not limited to, any and all expenses incurred by accepting the Prize are the sole responsibility of the Winners. The Prizes are non-transferable and non-assignable, with no cash redemptions except at Sponsor's sole and absolute discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any Prize (or any portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value at its sole and absolute discretion.

NOTIFICATION:  Each potential winner will be notified at the e-mail address, postal address and/or telephone number (in the sole discretion of Sponsor) provided at the time of entry (the "Prize Notification"). In the event that any potential winner does not respond to any such Prize Notification within three (3) days of the date of issuance or declines the Prize for any reason, a disqualification will result, the Prize will be forfeited and, at Sponsor's sole discretion and time permitting, an alternate potential winner may be randomly selected from among all remaining eligible entries. Each potential winner may be required to submit his/her valid social security number and/or other identification to Sponsor and may be required to execute, have notarized and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release of Liability and, unless prohibited by law, Publicity, within five (5) days of date of issuance. Failure to submit any identification required by Sponsor or to return the required documents within the specified time period, noncompliance with these Official Rules or the return of the Prize (or any portion thereof) or Prize Notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and Prize forfeiture and, at Sponsor's sole discretion and time permitting, may cause an alternate potential winner to be randomly selected from among all remaining eligible entries.

WAIVER OF LIABILITY/PUBLICITY RELEASE:  By participating in the Promotion and submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to (i) be bound by these Official Rules, including all entry requirements, and (ii) waive any and all claims against Sponsor, the other MLB Entities, Facebook, Apple, Inc. and each of their respective parents, affiliated companies, subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensees, distributors, dealers, retailers, printers, representatives and advertising and promotion agencies, and any and all other companies associated with the Promotion, and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, "Released Parties") for any injury, damage or loss that may occur, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from the participation in the Promotion or from the receipt or use of any Prize (or any portion thereof) or any travel or activity related to the receipt or use of any Prize (or any portion thereof). By entering this Promotion, each entrant gives his/her express permission to be contacted by Sponsor by telephone, e-mail and/or postal mail for Promotion purposes. Each Winner, by acceptance of the Prize, grants to Sponsor and each of its designees the right to publicize such Winner's name, address (city and state of residence), photograph, voice, statements and/or other likeness and prize information for advertising, promotional, trade and/or any other purpose in any media or format now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world, in perpetuity, without limitation and without further compensation, consideration, permission or notification, unless prohibited by law.

GENERAL CONDITIONS:  All decisions of Sponsor, including the determination of winners, are final and binding on all matters relating to this Promotion. Released Parties are not responsible for stolen, late, incomplete, illegible, inaccurate, misdirected, lost, misrouted, scrambled, damaged, delayed, undelivered, mutilated or garbled entries, transmissions, e-mail or mail; or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, cable, satellite, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), wireless network, website, or other connections including those through and/or by any website, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cable or wireless transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; any error, omission, interruption, defect or delay in transmission, processing, or communication; non-delivery; misdirected, blocked, or delayed e-mail notifications; printing, typographical or other errors appearing within these Official Rules, in any Promotion-related advertisements or other materials; or any other errors, problems or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, network, computer, telephone, mail, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the Promotion, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the Promotion, the processing of entries, the announcement of the Prize or in any Promotion-related materials, or the cancellation or postponement of any Major League Baseball game, event or exhibition. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Promotion. Released Parties are not responsible for injury or damage to participants' or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating in this Promotion or downloading materials from or use of the website. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Promotion or website or attempt to undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion by cheating, deception or other unfair playing practices, or intend to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrant or any representative of Sponsor or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void. Any attempt to deliberately damage the content or operation of this Promotion is unlawful and subject to legal action by Sponsor and/or its agents. Sponsor shall have the sole right to disqualify any entrant for violation of these Official Rules or any applicable laws relating to the Promotion, and to resolve all disputes in its sole discretion. Released Parties (i) make no warranty, guaranty or representation of any kind concerning any Prize (or any portion thereof), and (ii) disclaim any implied warranty. Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel or suspend the Promotion (or any portion thereof) should virus, bugs, unauthorized human intervention, or other causes corrupt administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper operation of the Promotion (or any portion thereof). In the event of such cancellation, Sponsor may elect to identify the Winners and award the Prizes by way of random drawing from among all non-suspect, eligible entries received up to the time of such cancellation. Sponsor also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify these Official Rules for clarification purposes without materially affecting the terms and conditions of the Promotion.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROMOTION OR UNDERMINE THE CONTENT OR LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS PROMOTION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR WILL DISQUALIFY ANY SUCH ENTRANT, AND SPONSOR AND/OR ITS AGENTS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS' FEES) AND OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY PERSON OR PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

In the event of dispute as to the identity or eligibility of any potential winner based on an e-mail address, the winning entry will be declared made by the "Authorized Account Holder" of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry provided he/she is eligible according to these Official Rules. The "Authorized Account Holder" is defined as the natural person to whom the applicable Internet service provider or other organization (such as a business or educational institution) has assigned the e-mail address for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

As a condition of participating in this Promotion, each entrant agrees that (A) any and all disputes, claims, controversies or causes of action arising out of or relating to this Promotion, or any prizes awarded (each, a "Claim"), shall be (1) arbitrated on an individual basis only, and shall not be consolidated or joined with or in any arbitration or other proceeding involving a Claim of any other party, and (2) settled by binding arbitration in New York County, New York before a single arbitrator appointed by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its then governing rules and procedures, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof; and (B) under no circumstance will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, consequential or any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses. These Official Rules shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A, applicable to contracts entered into and performed exclusively in that State.

Apple, Inc. is not a sponsor of, or responsible for conducting, the Promotion. All entry data provided in connection with this Promotion is provided to Sponsor and not to Facebook. This Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

WINNERS' LIST:  For a list of winners (available after December 1, 2012) mail a request and a self-addressed stamped envelope to be received by January 15, 2012 to: MLB.com Bingo Winner's List c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011, Attn: Sweepstakes Department.

SPONSOR: The Sponsor of this Promotion is MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 75 Ninth Ave., New York, New York 10011.

Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are proprietary to the MLB Entities. All rights reserved.

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