Top News:
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Pedro pitching for new deal … PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - You didn't honestly think he was going to make the trip, did you? — The New York Mets will be in Fort Myers to face the Red Sox [team stats] (again) today, and it is Pedro Martinez' day to pitch. But by the time the Mets take the field …
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Bart Hubbuch / Mets Blog:
Pedro steady in simulated game — PORT ST. LUCIE — Pedro Martinez and the Mets pronounced themselves pleased after his 59-pitch, four-inning simulated game here this afternoon. — Facing Carlos Beltran and three rookie-level minor leaguers on the main diamond at Tradition Field …
Adam Rubin / New York Daily News Blogs:
Peterson: ‘A small step for Pedro, a giant leap for the Mets’ — In keeping (momentarily, at least) with our earlier Seinfeld theme, Rick Peterson is sometimes prone to hyperbole, even if he is a bit of a low-talker. — He just called Pedro Martinez's latest non-game throwing session …
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Cervelli to have surgery Wednesday — Catching prospect fractured wrist in home-plate collision — TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees catching prospect Francisco Cervelli will undergo surgery on his fractured right wrist on Wednesday in New York and is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks.
Discussion:
yankeesdaily.com
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
X-rays on Damon's right foot negative — Yanks outfielder injured after fouling ball off in Monday's win — TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon had X-rays and an MRI exam taken on his injured right foot at a local hospital on Tuesday. Both were negative.
Discussion:
River Ave. Blues
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Beckett to miss Red Sox's MLB opener in Japan … FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox haven't broken the news to the good people of Japan yet that Josh Beckett isn't going to be starting Opening Day in Tokyo. — But it's all but official now: Josh Beckett isn't going to be starting Opening Day in Tokyo.
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Associated Press:
Blue Jays sign Benitez to minor-league deal — Relief pitcher Armando Benitez agreed to Tuesday to a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. — The deal was first reported by FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal. — The 35-year-old right-hander went 2-8 with a 5.37 ERA and nine saves …
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Allan Ryan / Toronto Star:
Blue Jays take flyer on veteran pitcher Benitez — DUNEDIN, Fla.-The Blue Jays added another veteran arm to their spring training bullpen mix Tuesday morning, signing 35-year-old reliever Armando Benitez to a minor-league contract. — Benitez will report Thursday's to the Jays' minor-league camp, said general manager J.P. Ricciardi.
Spring Training / Associated Press:
Lasorda storms onto field to argue call — VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP)—Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda returned to the dugout as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday for the first time in 12 years. — He didn't stay there long. — Lasorda, who retired from managing in 1996 after 21 years …
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Beckett update — I have to apologize for my tardiness in blogging the lineups. It's been a busy morning, with an appearance by Mike Greenwell. Greenwell walked into the clubhouse and had to go by a security guard. The exchange: — Security guard: “Umm. Can I help you?”
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers rebuff interest in Laird — Club has no plans to deal likely Opening Day catcher — SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Rangers are getting interest from other teams in catcher Gerald Laird, but they aren't inclined to discuss him right now. — Teams just aren't eager to trade their Opening …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Matt Watson / FanHouse:
On the Beat: Talking With Peter Abraham — On the Beat is FanHouse's conversation with some of the game's top sports writers. Today we're talking with Peter Abraham, who covers the New York Yankees for The Journal News and whose immensely popular LoHud Yankees Blog sets the online standard for beat writers.
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
From Start, Rodriguez Worked to Be the Best — TAMPA — Bobby Meacham was a shortstop who had been a first-round draft choice, so he kept an eye out for players of the same pedigree. One such player crossed his path in Zebulon, N.C., in 1994. — Meacham was the manager of the Carolina Mudcats …
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Kat O'Brien / Newsday:Upbeat A-Rod to WFAN: NY is where I want to be
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog, Lady At The Bat, New York Post, Sliding Into Home, Bugs & Cranks, WasWatching.com and Bronx Liaison
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Sox win — The Red Sox won today, snapping their seven-game winless streak, with a 4-3 triumph over the Mets. — As for those comments from Mike Greenwell, who threw out the first pitch yesterday at City of Palms Park, he discussed the steroids issue this afternoon.
Joseph Duarte / Houston Chronicle:
Matsui absence likely to last four to five days — Astros second baseman Kaz Matsui is expected to miss four or five days after being diagnosed with a condition known as anal fissure. — Matsui, who returned to central Florida on Monday night, will go through individual workouts …
