Top News:
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Ex-White Sox starter Parque invited to Mariners camp … Former Chicago White Sox starter Jim Parque, attempting a comeback after being out of baseball three seasons with shoulder trouble, has agreed on a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners. — Parque, 30, will attend major league camp …
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Associated Press:
Former major-league catcher, coach Berres dies at 99 — CHICAGO — Ray Berres, a former major league catcher and longtime pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox, has died. He was 99. — Berres died Thursday of heart failure and pneumonia at his home in Kenosha, Wis., the White Sox said Friday.
Associated Press:
Morneau agrees to $4.5 million deal, avoids arbitration — MINNEAPOLIS — AL MVP Justin Morneau agreed Friday to a $4.5 million, one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins, who also settled their salary arbitration cases with third baseman Nick Punto, reliever Juan Rincon and outfielder Lew Ford.
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rockies keep Fogg for $3.6 million — After severing one relationship, the Rockies renewed their commitment to another this afternoon. — On the same day that outfielder Choo Freeman was released, Colorado agreed to terms on a one-year, $3.625 million contract with starter Josh Fogg …
Ken Wright / Washington Times:
Nationals lock up Kearns — Another young cornerstone of the Washington Nationals future is under contract to play in the District for at least the next three years. — Yesterday, the Nationals signed right fielder Austin Kearns to three-year, $16.5 million deal with a team option for the 2010 season …
Associated Press:
Men not discriminated against in tote bag giveaway — SANTA ANA, Calif. — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit claiming the Angels discriminated against men by giving tote bags to women during a Mother's Day baseball game. — Orange County Superior Court Judge Jonathan Cannon ruled Thursday …
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Curt answers given — Schill and Me. Like Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. Like Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump. — Cheap shots have flown back and forth. Immaturity has ruled. So many insults. So little time. — And now that the Big Lug is back in the news again …
Rocky Mountain News:
Ringolsby: Rockies on need-to-owe basis — Too much has been made of the Rockies' payroll. It's projected to be $54 million in 2007. — It will be among the lowest in the big leagues. — So? — Question: Which player who might have made the Rockies a markedly better team did they miss …
Discussion:
Purple Row
Alan Schwarz / New York Times:
Dark Days Follow Hard-Hitting Career in N.F.L. — Ted Johnson helped the New England Patriots win three of the past five Super Bowls before retiring in 2005. Now, he says, he forgets people's names, misses appointments and, because of an addiction to amphetamines, can become so terrified …
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Committee's stance should surprise no one — CLEARWATER, Fla. — We just hope Ron Santo and Tony Oliva didn't carve a lot of time out of their day Wednesday for their long-awaited Hall of Fame election celebrations. — Because they had no shot. — And it's clear now they'll never have any shot.
Discussion:
The Cub Reporter
Marty Noble / newyork.mets.mlb.com:
Spring Training Fan Guide: Mets — Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie, Fla. — For the first time since 1988 — the same year the Mets moved their Spring Training home to Port St. Lucie — the Mets head to camp as the reigning National League East champions.
John Kass / Chicago Tribune:
Column comes out of left field—literally — MIAMI — If the Bears win the Super Bowl on Sunday, Bears coach Lovie Smith will be so popular that another prominent Chicagoan should worry about keeping his job. — "You know who should be worried? Barack Obama should be worried," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen joked on Thursday.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates sign Armas, spur competition — GM says Chacon, Youman, McLeary also in mix for rotation — By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Go figure ... Four of the Pirates' five starting pitchers, all too young for arbitration, will make something close to Major League Baseball's minimum wage of $380,000 this season.
Tim Marchman / New York Sun:
Yankees' Hughes Looks Like the Real Deal — It's already that time of year when people start talking about the top prospects in the game. To what extent this is the result of the vagaries of publishing schedules and the fantasy baseball calendar is left to the reader to determine …
mlb.mlb.com:
Caribbean Series revs up in Carolina — At Roberto Clemente Stadium in the Hall of Famer's hometown of Carolina, Puerto Rico, the 2007 Caribbean Series is under way today with Venezuela facing the Dominican Republic and Mexico taking on the host country. WATCH LIVE >
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Yahoo! Sports:
Phillies sign RHP Myers to three-year contract extension — PHILADELPHIA (TICKER) — Brett Myers has shown the Philadelphia Phillies enough. — The Phillies on Thursday agreed with the righthander on a three-year contract extension worth $25.75 million. The deal covers Myers …
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The Big Lead:
Feud Over: Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb Hug It Out In Miami — Why are we posting at 3 a.m., when nobody's on the internet? Because we wanted to break the news before anyone else - former enemies Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens buried the hatchet Thursday at Shaq's out-of-control bash on Ocean Drive in Miami.