Top News:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Williams helps his cause — Righty nears solid rotation spot with another impressive outing — KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Right-hander Jerome Williams inched closer to joining the Nationals' starting rotation on Thursday. Williams had his second consecutive solid outing …
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Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Rule 5 Pickups Thriving — As the Washington Nationals roster continues to take shape, it is becoming clearer that the team is almost certain to carry a pair of players selected in December's Rule 5 draft — right-hander Levale Speigner and catcher Jesus Flores.
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
National disaster — VIERA, Fla. - Sometimes there are those telephone conversations you wish took place face to face. The person on the other end is so incredulous, so frustrated, so spitting angry that you know he is sporting a look - like the worst bitter-beer face known to man - words can't do justice.
Barry Svrluga / Nationals Journal:
Left-over bits and pieces — So I would post the lineups for the game against the Astros, but that would be ... well, about 14 hours too late. Quite a display by the boys last night in a 16-2 win. Yes, everybody could get caught up in Jesus Flores hitting .500 on the spring and Ryan Church taking …
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Papelbon takes closing argument — CLEARWATER, Fla. — Case closed. The Red Sox have a closer, and if Jonathan Papelbon has his way, he'll be making last call for at least the next 10 years. — According to the principals, the Red Sox determined that closing no longer posed the same medical risk …
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers' fifth starter still uncertain — Rotation's final piece remains a mystery; Young's return is brief — egrant@dallasnews.com — MESA, Ariz. - Fifth Starter Mystery Theater rolls on with another twist in the still unsolved case. — Kameron Loe was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday …
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Thursday's spring training report — Rangers vs. LA Angels, canceled — egrant@dallasnews.com — A pair of heavy rainstorms hit the greater Tempe metropolitan area and forced the cancellation of the game at Diablo Stadium after a 51-minute rain delay and an abortive attempt at a restart.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
John Brattain / Hardball Times:
Mirror Mirror — The death of former commissioner Bowie Kuhn caused a lot of reflection in baseball circles about his contributions (or lack thereof) to the sport. Kuhn will always be linked in the minds of many to his foil—Marvin Miller, former executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association.
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Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Selig hedges slightly on retirement — NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball commissioner Bud Selig hedged slightly on his retirement plans Thursday, saying he intends to leave in 2009 but that he's learned "never to say never." — The 72-year-old Selig has been in charge of baseball since 1992, when he became acting commissioner.
Discussion:
The Biz of Baseball
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Mariners Notebook: Good session for relievers — Rhodes further along than Putz in nursing sore elbow — TUCSON, Ariz. — There was a little unexpected pain when ailing relievers J.J. Putz and Arthur Rhodes threw on flat ground Wednesday morning. — The pair threw from distances up to 125 feet …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Erstad teaching — and winning — Veteran lending hand to Anderson despite battle for CF job — TUCSON, Ariz. — Darin Erstad and Brian Anderson don't talk about ''the situation.'' — Why should they? — ''Things work out the way they work out'' is Erstad's philosophy.
Discussion:
South Side Sox
David Gassko / Hardball Times:
Five Questions: Colorado Rockies — 1. Are the Rockies rebuilding yet again? — How many rebuilding plans have the Rockies had? Too many to count, for sure, at least not without upsetting every baseball fan in the state of Colorado. And it seems like yet again, the Rockies have decided to wait 'til next year.
Jim Callis / Baseball America Prospects Blog:
Mets Have More Very Young Phenoms — Last year, the Mets were aggressive and sent not one but two 17-year-old prospects to make their pro debuts at low Class A Hagerstown. Outfielder Fernando Martinez and righthander Deolis Guerra didn't just survive-they thrived.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Marc Lancaster / TBO.com:
5th Spot Down To Howell, Jackson — ST. PETERSBURG - The competition for the fifth starter's job is down to RHP Edwin Jackson and LHP J.P. Howell, and the two will make their closing arguments the next two days. — The Rays bumped tonight's scheduled starter against the Reds, LHP Scott Kazmir …
Discussion:
The Heater
Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
La Russa arrested for DUI — Jupiter police: Cards manager was cooperative — JUPITER, Fla. — Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was arrested early Thursday morning for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, a misdemeanor in the state of Florida.
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