Top News:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Yankees-Rays: The Live Blog — Here we are at Al Lang Field for the Yankees vs. the Devil Rays. It's 71 degrees and there's a sellout crowd on hand. — I have three stories to write (Andy Pettitte, Billy Crystal and a notebook) but I'll update this post from time to time. — FIRST INNING
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Marc Lancaster / Rays Report:
Rays: Duncan play ‘flat-out dirty’ — Most of the Rays' starters are out of the game now and their opinions on Shelley Duncan's bench-clearing slide into Aki Iwamura in the second inning were unanimous. — “Dirty play,” said B.J. Upton. “Just a flat-out dirty play. Period.”
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Yankees, Rays brawl in Florida — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The bad blood between the Yankees and Rays boiled over Wednesday afternoon with a benches-clearing brawl. — The fight started when the Yankees' Shelley Duncan lined a single over Rays third baseman Evan Longoria's head.
Tyler Kepner / Bats:
Aches and Pains Fell Two Yankees — As far as we can tell, Billy Crystal, that rookie sensation wearing No. 60, is healthy. Some more important Yankee players are a little banged up today. — Jason Giambi asked Manager Joe Girardi if he could skip Wednesday's trip to St. Petersburg …
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Tempers flare in Yanks-Rays matchup — Rays' Gomes, Yanks' Phillips, Duncan among five ejected — ST. PETERSBURG — One day after Yankees manager Joe Girardi insisted his club would not retaliate for a violent home-plate collision in Saturday's game against the Rays …
ESPN:
Yankees, Rays brawl after Duncan's takeout slide — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays brawled in the second inning of a spring training game Wednesday, an inning after Yankees pitcher Heath Phillips was ejected after hitting Rays prospect Evan Longoria with a pitch.
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Benches clear as Yankees-Rays rivalry ramps up — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It didn't take long for the bad blood between the Yankees and Rays to surface Wednesday, as a hit batsman and a hard slide sparked a bench-clearing incident in the second inning. — Heath Phillips, starting in place …
Marc Topkin / The Heater:
Baldelli's issues: “Abnormalities” that cause extreme fatigue — Rocco Baldelli will be sidelined indefinitely - but is not retiring - because of what he said are “some type of metabolic and/or mitochondrial abnormalities,” a condition that leaves him feeling extremely fatigued after just a brief workout.
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Marc Lancaster / Rays Report:
Baldelli dealing with muscle ‘abnormalities’ — Rocco Baldelli addressed his mysterious medical problems for the first time today, saying a litany of tests by doctors around the country had revealed “some type of metabolic and/or mitochondrial abnormalities.”
Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Baldelli headed to DL with fatigue — Condition to sideline veteran Rays outfielder indefinitely — ST. PETERSBURG — Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli is going on the disabled list for an indefinite period due to an abnormality that has kept him in a constant stage of fatigue.
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Coco no go to Mets — Ignore that rumor started about Coco Crisp heading to the Mets for Angel Pagan. — Theo Epstein, through media relations director John Blake, said that the Red Sox have not been talking to the Mets. That the story was a fabrication. — Meanwhile...the Red Sox are leading 6-5.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
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Anthony Rieber / On the Mets beat:Cuckoo for Coco? — Not really. A Mets official chuckled …
Discussion:
Hot Stove New York
Bart Hubbuch / Mets Blog:
El Duque throws simulated game — PORT ST. LUCIE — Orlando Hernandez gave his new windup its most extensive test this morning. — El Duque, who is adjusting to discomfort in his right foot by switching to more of a waist-level leg kick from the eye-level kick that was his trademark …
Discussion:
The 'Ropolitans
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Dan Steinberg / D.C. Sports Bog:
Nats Pick Stadium Music (Updated) — Mea major culpa, full list of song choices below, Chuck Brown is indeed included, apologies to the Nats. — This asking-the-fans-to-pick-the- music trend has been percolating for a few years—remember last spring, when fans were allowed to pick David Wright's …
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Pettitte will skip today's start — Andy Pettitte has what the Yankees are describing as mild tendinitis outside his elbow and will not start today. — Pettitte, Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman all say that the lefty will make his next start and will be ready for the regular season.
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Larry Stone / The Seattle Times:
Ichiro still looking for a hit — TUCSON, Ariz. — The nightmare continues. — OK, not a nightmare. More like a curiosity, eliciting increasing levels of incredulity. — Ichiro hitless? It's like Paris Hilton going dateless, Jon Stewart going quipless, Eliot Spitzer going escortless.
Discussion:
South Side Sox
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JSOnline:
Gallardo set for next step — He'll throw against minor-leaguers today — Phoenix - Yovani Gallardo takes his first significant step this morning in the slow but steady process of rejoining the Milwaukee Brewers' starting rotation. — Gallardo, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee …
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Moshe Mandel / The Bronx Block:
Name The Three Kids, Win DVD Set and Yankees Century Book — Update: I have just been informed by a representative of MLB that I am not allowed to give away tickets. I am sorry for the confusion. The Yankees Century Book will replace the tickets in the offer.
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Janssen out for season with torn labrum — Jays' primary setup man learns of results in an MRI on Tuesday — DUNEDIN, Fla. — Blue Jays pitcher Casey Janssen is finished for the season. An MRI exam revealed that the discomfort Janssen felt in his right shoulder during a bullpen session …
Geoff Baker / Mariners Blog:
Ramirez released — There you go. Doesn't quite rate as a surprise. As many of you have noted, there was just no room on this year's squad for Horacio Ramirez. By releasing him today, the M's only have to pay him a sixth of his $2.75-million salary for the coming season.
