Top News:
ESPN.com:
Judge unseals Radomski affidavit … Grimsley Federal Agent's Affidavit Unsealed — As the Jason Grimsley affidavit was being unsealed in Arizona on Thursday, showing that the former journeyman pitcher did not name Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte as drug users, the equally notorious Kirk Radomski affidavit …
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The MLB Source
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ESPN:
Jeter warns against rush to judgment on Clemens — Two of Roger Clemens' teammates on the New York Yankees defended the embattled pitcher on Thursday, the same day his lawyer unleashed another attack on media reports linking the seven-time Cy Young Award winner with the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
George King / New York Post:DEREK DEFENDS ROGER
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Los Angeles Times, Fox Sports, MLB.com, NY Daily News, Bugs & Cranks, Oriole Post and MY BASEBALL BIAS
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Brian Schneider wants cheaters caught — Brian Schneider has friends and former teammates who were named in the Mitchell Report, and he's replacing another, Paul Lo Duca, as the Mets' starting catcher. — On Thursday, Schneider displayed no sympathy for those implicated in baseball's ongoing performance-enhancing drugs mess.
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John Peterson / Mets Geek:
Who Are These Mets? — It's no secret that baseball is changing. Only four years after the publication of Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, baseball is overrun by spreadsheet-using stat geeks. However, the best organizations are the ones that combine statistical analysis with a strong scouting base.
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Election 2013 (or Later): Debates Already in Swing — The future is uncertain for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Bonds could end up in prison if he is found guilty of felony charges of perjury or obstruction of justice for lying to a grand jury about using steroids.
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Bob Klapisch / NorthJersey.com:
Gossage delivers hardball blast to Roger, Bonds — If anyone deserves a Hall of Fame soapbox this week, it's Goose Gossage, the can't-miss candidate on the 2007 ballot. The former Yankee reliever is all but inducted, having pulled in 71 percent of the vote last year.
USA Today:
Final column wraps up a lifetime in baseball — After 25 years this is my final column for USA TODAY. There have been nearly 2,600 of them — some good, some awful, but none lacking my dedication and enthusiasm to inform and entertain our readers about the best game ever created.
Discussion:
Unfiltered
YOU BEEN BLINDED:
ALEX RODRIGUEZ HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE — Back in the day.. Before Alex Rodriguez fired Scott Boras, before Alex Rodriguez opted out of his Yankees contract during the World Series, before Jose Canseco said he had steroid related dirt on A-Rod, before Alex was seen with the chick with the tig 'o bitties …
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Tribune Co. to sell Cubs before season — New CEO also says naming rights to Wrigley might be sold — CHICAGO — Tribune Co.'s new CEO Sam Zell said the Cubs will be sold by Opening Day, and that he may sell naming rights to Wrigley Field because such rights could be “extraordinarily valuable.”
Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
MitchellReport has upside — Once the court of public opinion takes a deep breath and realizes the Mitchell Report is a he-said, she-said document, there is some value that can be taken from it. — No, commissioner Bud Selig can't suddenly start handing out suspensions, given the lack of legal verification of Mitchell's accusations.
Discussion:
The House That Dewey Built
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Padres make case as front-runners for ex-Cubs ace Prior … The San Diego Padres appear to be the front-runner to sign pitcher Mark Prior, who figures to make a final choice among many offers very soon, perhaps within the next 24-48 hours. — The Padres have offered a modest base salary plus …
Ben K. / River Ave. Blues:
Olney: Yanks plan to start Joba in the pen — Scroll past the PED talk in Buster Olney's latest blog entry, and you will arrive at a tidbit about Joba Chamberlain. The Yankees, Olney reports, plan to start the season with Joba in the pen. They just can't quit him. … Our initial reaction is one of fear.
Associated Press:
Papelbon: Boss took bite of World Series history — BOSTON - The World Series ball is gone, and Jonathan Papelbon [stats] has an excuse: My dog ate it. — Farfetched or not, that's what the Red Sox [team stats] closer insists happened to the souvenir from the final out of Boston's sweep this year.
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Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Mahay signs two-year deal with Royals — Left-handed reliever to get $8 million to help shore up 'pen — Free agent reliever Ron Mahay was working out near his Litchfield Park, Ariz., home Wednesday morning, unaware of the whirlwind experience that awaited him.
Discussion:
MY BASEBALL BIAS
