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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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 …
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.”
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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.
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.
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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Anthony Rieber / On the Mets beat:
Cuckoo for Coco? — Not really. A Mets official chuckled and said no when asked if the team had traded for Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp, as had been rumored. The Mets need an outfielder, but they want to see what they have in spring sensation Angel Pagan and whether Endy Chavez …
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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
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 …
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards seek help on mound — JUPITER, FLA. — Four days after Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak downplayed the club's search for additional starting pitching, the club reacted Tuesday to persistent questions about Joel Pineiro's right shoulder by inquiring about free agent Kyle Lohse.
Mark Hale / New York Post:
WANG GETS IT RIGHT THIS TIME — After his atrocious outing last time, Chien-Ming Wang rebounded quite nicely yesterday. — Wang tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings in the Yankees' 6-1 win over the Blue Jays yesterday at Legends Field, allowing only two hits and two walks.
Discussion:
Newsday, Fox Sports, Kranepool Society, NY Daily News, Toronto Star, NJ.com and Sliding Into Home
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Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Beckett looks very unlikely for Japan — FORT MYERS, Fla. - Though the Red Sox are still stopping short of saying Josh Beckett will not pitch the season opener in Tokyo, it looks increasingly likely that the ace will miss the two games there. — Beckett did say that he was feeling better yesterday …
