Top News:
ESPN.com:
Beckett leaves game after back spasms flare up — FORT MYERS, Fla. — Josh Beckett's back went into spasm while warming up for Saturday's spring training game. The Boston Red Sox ace left without facing a Florida Marlins batter. — Beckett seemed to lose his footing on his last warmup pitch …
Discussion:
Boston Globe
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Associated Press:
Beckett suffers back spasm — FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Josh Beckett left Saturday's spring training game without facing a batter when he was bothered by back spasms as he warmed up. — The Boston Red Sox ace, preparing to face the Florida Marlins, seemed to lose his footing on his last pitch …
ESPN:
Dodger blues: LaRoche out 2 months; Nomar hit — VERO BEACH, Fla. — This wasn't the way the Los Angeles Dodgers envisioned the competition for starting third baseman would play out. — Andy LaRoche, who was vying with Nomar Garciaparra for the job, tore a ligament in his right thumb Friday …
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The Cheat / South Side Sox:
Did the market for Crede just get larger? — There has been talk that the Dodgers, who have an increasingly ineffective Nomar Garciapara and the injured Andy LaRoche (out 8-10 weeks) at 3B, have expressed interest in the Tigers' displaced 3B Brandon Inge. Like Robothal, I struggled to see how and why the Dodgers would make that move.
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Rays-Yankees: The Live Blog — It's windy and 62 here at Legends Field as the Yankees get set to face the Plain Old Rays. — It'll be Mike Mussina vs. Matt Garza. Today's game is on YES and WCBS so you shouldn't need me to provide many details. But I'll chime in from time to time.
Discussion:
The Bronx Stop
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Rivera's a Closer With an Open Heart — TAMPA, Fla. — The dollars were staggering, the richest deal for a closer, the reward for a decade of sterling service and the lightning still left in his right arm. — But the money was the least important part of Mariano Rivera's November.
Discussion:
iYankees
Anthony Rieber / On the Yankees beat:
Four down, 35 to go — The Yankees sent four pitchers to the minor-league camp before the game: — Daniel McCutchen (one scoreless inning in spring training) — Steven Jackson (one scoreless inning) — Steven White (six earned runs in three innings) — Scott Strickland (injured/didn't pitch)
Carter Gaddis / TBO.com:
Rays Exploring Contingency Plans For Rocco — ST. PETERSBURG - As OF Rocco Baldelli's uncertain availability continues to be an issue for the Rays, the contingency plans they've explored since before spring training began are coming more and more into play.
Alex Speier / Boston Herald:
Position fight pains Coco — CF: I've played hurt — FORT MYERS - The sore groin and the root canal that have sidelined him since March 2 seemed painful enough. But it is discomfort of another sort that is of even greater concern to Coco Crisp [stats].
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Vizcaino joins Cook in trainer's room — SURPRISE, ARIZ. — Because it's March 7, there's no panic. But the National League champions are dealing with their first adversity, beset by injuries. Reliever Luis Vizcaino, the club's top offseason acquisition, sat in the trainer's room with ice …
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Set to pay a princely price tag — Attanasio aims to keep Fielder in Milwaukee — Phoenix - Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said Friday that he did not think Prince Fielder's unhappiness with his current contract would affect the slugging first baseman's relationship with the club in the future.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Spring Synopsis: Mets inquire about Nady, but little to it — The games: Freddy Sanchez's three hits led the Pirates to a 13-8 romp against Cincinnati yesterday afternoon in Sarasota, Fla., but the nightcap in neighboring Bradenton — the first night game in McKechnie Field's 85-year history — was canceled by rain.
