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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Zambrano, Cubs deftly avoid arbitration — Just before hearing, parties ink one-year, $12 million deal — MESA, Ariz. — The Cubs and Carlos Zambrano reached agreement Tuesday on a one-year, $12 million contract and avoided arbitration. — The Cubs had hoped to settle before a 2 p.m. MST hearing at the Phoenix Hyatt.
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Zambrano, Cubs avoid arbitration — The Chicago Cubs and right-hander Carlos Zambrano settled their arbitration case Tuesday, agreeing to a one-year, $12.4 million contract and avoiding a potentially divisive hearing. — Zambrano had requested $15.5 million in arbitration. The Cubs were offering $11.025 million.
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Lone Star Ball
Associated Press:
Cubs, Zambrano avoid arbitration with 1-year deal — MESA, Ariz. — Carlos Zambrano and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a $12.4 million, one-year contract Tuesday, avoiding salary arbitration by striking the deal just before the scheduled hearing. — He would also earn bonuses for finishing among …
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
'I had a mental breakdown' — Logan's rapid rise led to rocky start to big-league career — TUCSON, Ariz. — Boone Logan's big-league season was spiraling downward even before he stepped on the mound last May 16 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. — The loud thud heard over the next 1 2/3 innings …
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South Side Sox
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Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Boone completes trip around the horn — JUPITER — The last time infielder Aaron Boone played first base, he was in the minor leagues. That was more than 10 years ago. — On Tuesday, Boone started his 11th major-league season by going back to school for a first-base refresher.
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FishStripes
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Dave George / Palm Beach Post:
Commentary: Gonzalez seems like right fit — JUPITER — It was a small thing, nothing at all like the shaving-cream pie in the face that baseball teammates often use to smear the seriousness off somebody's face during a TV interview. — Still, while rookie Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez …
Todd Zolecki / Philly.com:
Werth's healthy outlook — His wrist healed, he's eager to play. — CLEARWATER, Fla. - Jayson Werth showed up at Bright House Networks Field yesterday with intentions to resurrect a baseball career that seemed near its end just last summer. — It's incredible how one pitch can change a life.
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Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Werth grateful for the opportunity — Outfielder hit .262 with 16 homers, 47 RBIs with Dodgers — CLEARWATER, Fla. — One pitch cost Jayson Werth nearly two years. — When A.J.'s Burnett's wayward 96-mph fastball smacked into his left wrist — a rude greeting for a second Spring Training …
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Padilla Says He Still Has Something Up His Sleeve — As Juan Padilla closed his eyes and turned away, Jorge Sosa showed a crowd of onlookers his card — the two of diamonds — before he shoved it into the bottom of the deck. Padilla shuffled the cards with a little too much force, and most of them crashed to the ground.
Discussion:
Hot Foot
Ken Davidoff / AM New York:
Defiant Barry's back — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — His sixth swing of the day, of the year, produced a massive shot, a home run well over Scottsdale Stadium's wall in right-centerfield. It might as well have been 2001 again. — With that, Barry Bonds exited the batting cage …
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Notes: Leyland outlines two requests — Tigers skipper wants two-strike approach, smarter baserunning — LAKELAND, Fla. — When Jim Leyland's Pittsburgh Pirates commanded the National League East in the early 1990s, they were known around baseball for their superb hitting with two strikes in the count.
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TigerBlog
Dara Kam / Palm Beach Post:
Marlins have shot at park — TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Marlins renewed their annual effort to get a second tax break from the state to help finance a new stadium, but for the first time in five years, the major league team has a chance of a promising finish.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Associated Press:
MLB doffs wool caps, adopts synthetic material — BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - One question facing baseball this season: Will cooler heads prevail? — On opening day, the sport will doff the traditional wool cap in favor of a new polyester blend model designed to wick away sweat before it can stream down a player's face.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Associated Press:
Former Mormon missionary bids for job as Marlins closer — JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Matt Lindstrom must be the hardest-throwing, Swedish-speaking, former Mormon missionary in baseball. — It's a large leap from Stockholm to the big leagues, but Lindstrom has a shot at becoming the Florida Marlins' closer this season.
Baseball America:
Los Angeles Dodgers — Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched …
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Dodgers Minor League …
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Notes: Alomar Jr. inks Minors deal — Veteran catcher could be third family member to play for club — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Sandy Alomar Sr. played with the Mets in briefly in 1964, Robbie Alomar had an uneven tenure with the Mets in 2002 and into 2003, and now a third Alomar …
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