Top News:
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Sox make Mirabelli release official — FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Red Sox have just made Doug Mirabelli's release official. He was placed on unconditional release waivers. — Will he be back? — That all depends on how well Kevin Cash or Dusty Brown handle Tim Wakefield.
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Red Sox release catcher Mirabelli — Surprise move opens door for Cash to assume backup role — FORT MYERS, Fla. — In a move that was somewhat surprising, the Red Sox parted ways with Doug Mirabelli, putting the veteran backup catcher on unconditional release waivers before Thursday's exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Sox release Mirabelli … FORT MYERS - The Red Sox [team stats] almost seemed reluctant to re-sign Doug Mirabelli [stats] to one-year contracts during the last two offseasons. This morning, their reasons became more apparent. — They released him. — Prior to today's meeting between …
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Mirabelli released — FORT MYERS, Fla. - Who knows whether the Sox will stick with Kevin Cash as their backup/Tim Wakefield catcher, but for now he appears to be the man. — The Sox haven't yet announced it, but they've released Doug Mirabelli. The veteran, who has been with the Sox since 2001 …
Boston Herald:Clay throwing his A game with new Pet
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs, Defensive Indifference, FanHouse, Center Field, With Leather and Baseball Musings
ESPN:
ESPN MLB analyst Sutcliffe diagnosed with cancer — ESPN baseball analyst Rick Sutcliffe has been diagnosed with cancer. — Sutcliffe, 51, was diagnosed after a routine test during a physical revealed that he has a treatable and curable form of colon cancer.
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Bill Althaus / Blue Springs Examiner:
Sutcliffe battling cancer — Van Horn graduate, former major league star pitcher ready to fight it — EXAMINER EXCLUSIVE — Rick Sutcliffe, the Van Horn High School graduate who won the National League Cy Young Award with the Chicago Cubs in 1984, is battling colon cancer.
Discussion:
Hire Jim Essian!
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Lohse agrees to one-year deal with Cards — JUPITER, Fla. — The Cardinals moved to address their question-filled starting rotation Thursday by reaching agreement with free agent righthander Kyle Lohse on a one-year contract, pending Lohse passing a team physical Friday. Terms were not disclosed.
Discussion:
FanHouse, Baseball Musings, Bird Land, MLB Rumors, Cardinals Diaspora, Rockin' the Red and Phillies Nation
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Spring Training / Associated Press:Cards, RHP Lohse agree on 1 year, $4.25M
Discussion:
The Transaction Guy
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Wilpon: Mets to host All-Star Game in near future — New York Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said Thursday he has been informed that commissioner Bud Selig soon will announce the Mets will host an All-Star Game in the near future. — “I'm assured by the commissioner …
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Associated Press:
Seriously, folks: Crystal bats leadoff for Yankees — TAMPA, Fla. — Billy Crystal better stick to his night job. — The comedian, actor and Oscar presenter struck out in his new career as a baseball player Thursday — and promptly struck out as the New York Yankees' new leadoff man.
Discussion:
The Biz of Baseball, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Where have you gone …, Mondesishouse.com and Sports Scope
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Spring Training / Associated Press:Yanks' Mussina throws 5 perfect innings
Discussion:
Scott Proctor's Arm
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Francona and Theo chat with Coco — FORT MYERS, Fla. — Willie McGinest used to say “You can't make the club from the tub.” In the case of Coco Crisp, “you can't make a trade from the shade.” — If Coco Crisp wants an exit out of Boston, teams want to see that he's healthy and playing before trying to swing a deal.
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John Schlegel / MLB.com:
Tools determine who is MLB's elite — Scouts examine skill categories that make top players — How do you determine MLB's Best? — How do you figure out which of the world's foremost players are the elite among the elite? And how do you really break it down to the individual talents …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Giants Scouting Crede, Inge — This morning we have reports that the Giants have recently scouted Joe Crede and Brandon Inge. Even without a decent third baseman in the house, I don't really see the point of acquiring either guy. — On Sunday, the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo noted …
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Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Entire Yanks lineup will travel to VT — Majority of roster expected to participate as club honors victims — TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees' Spring Training schedule normally limits their travel to Florida's highway system, but on Tuesday, they'll take perhaps their most meaningful and poignant trip of the season.
Dan Fox / Baseball Prospectus:
Schrodinger's Bat — Spring Fling … —A. Bartlett Giamatti — For baseball fans, it almost goes without saying that the first game seen each season is a special event. Having not been able to catch the smattering of games on cable or the now indispensable MLB.tv because of other commitments …
Patrick Sullivan / Baseball Analysts:
To Take or Not To Take — I can't imagine that many readers of this site do not have at least some form of addiction to Baseball Reference, a veritable data goldmine for any baseball junkie. I know I sure do. — Recently I have taken to coming up with some point of interest …
Discussion:
THE BOOK
Spring Training / Associated Press:
Bonds' 762nd HR ball to be auctioned off — DENVER (AP)—After snaring the baseball Barry Bonds hit for career homer No. 762, Jameson Sutton stored it in the safest place he could think of—deep inside his closet. — “I didn't tell anyone,” he said. — The 24-year-old from Boulder quickly moved …
