Top News:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Duncan, Cabrera, Gomes suspended — ‘Violent and reckless’ slide sparks discipline; Girardi fined — SARASOTA, Fla. — Yankees first baseman Shelley Duncan and outfielder Melky Cabrera were each suspended three games for their roles in Wednesday's bench-clearing incident against the Rays.
RELATED:
MLB.com:
Yankees, Rays disciplined — Discipline has been issued to six members of the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays as a result of the bench-clearing incident that occurred during the top of the second inning of their Wednesday, March 12th Spring Training game at Progress Energy Park, Home of Al Lang Field, in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
After Receiving Suspension, Duncan Will Face Rays — SARASOTA, Fla. — The Yankees play two games Saturday, one in Lakeland against the Detroit Tigers and one at home against the Tampa Bay Rays. In scheduling Shelley Duncan for the Rays game, the Yankees are essentially daring Tampa Bay to escalate a feud.
Derrick Goold / Bird Land:
Duncan peeved, defends his son — DODGERTOWN — Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, flush with the excitement of having a new million-dollar arm in camp, still has something to be furious about. The slow-burn coach, the longest serving pitching coach in baseball history, was irate with how son …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Pena to start season on DL — Left fielder out at least four weeks with left oblique strain — VIERA, Fla. — Nationals left fielder Wily Mo Pena will likely start the 2008 season on the disabled list due to a Grade 2 strain of his left oblique. It's a significant tear in the muscle, and could take four weeks or more to heal.
RELATED:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Notebook: Reds have prospects to make noise — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005. He appears weekly on the FSN Baseball Report and MLB on FOX. — add this — To be a surprise team, you need surprise players. The Reds might open with two in their starting rotation.
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T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Byrd-to-Cubs deal not dead yet — Texas outfielder's slow spring doesn't deter potential suitors — SURPRISE, Ariz. — Rangers outfielder Marlon Byrd has one outspoken supporter. His name is manager Ron Washington and that support hasn't wavered, despite Byrd's slow start this spring.
Bruce Miles / Daily Herald:Leading question: Hey, Lou, what's up with your lineup?
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Barry Jackson / MiamiHerald.com:
Sports bloggers weave a tangled web — Y ears ago, the only way sports fans could have their voices heard by the masses was calling a talk-radio show or writing a letter to the editor. — But expanding technology has provided myriad forums to vent and opine — whether it's launching blogs …
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers encounter unfinished business in China — Youngsters in China may not be familiar with baseball, but any child can appreciate the potential for noise with a pair of thundersticks. The fans were attending an exhibition game between the Dodgers and San Diego Saturday in Beijing.
Discussion:
Associated Press
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
Red Sox tag Leicester, Sarfate in O's rain-shortened loss — Leicester surrenders two long home runs; Sarfate retires just one of six Boston batters — FORT MYERS, Fla. - Jon Leicester is viewed as a long shot to win the Orioles' fifth starter competition, so the last thing he can afford to do is let a good opportunity slip away.
RELATED:
Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:One last drop for Mirabelli — Sox release Wake's catcher
Discussion:
Providence Journal, Basegirl, The Bottom Line, Boston Dirt Dogs, Associated Press and Knuckle Curve
Sports Illustrated:
Jon Heyman: Rangers struck out for Santana and Hunter — Also in the Daily Scoop... SURPRISE, Ariz. — Several weeks before Johan Santana went to the Mets, the Texas Rangers came very close to making a blockbuster trade for the superstar pitcher, people familiar with those talks say.
Discussion:
Baseball Time in Arlington, Shea Nation, MLB Rumors, Bronx Liaison, MetsBlog.com, TEXAS RANGERS and Hot Foot
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
More reaction from the Yanks (with audio) — Brian Cashman: “I'll take 25 Shelley Duncans. How about that?” — Derek Jeter: “If I were Shelley I wouldn't change the way I play the game. There's no reason to change the way he plays the game.” — Here's the audio from Shelley Duncan's interview.
Roch Kubatko / Baltimore Sun:
Trembley tries wooing two big Birds back to nest — Ripken open to manager's request; B. Robinson not interested in role with team — FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Orioles manager Dave Trembley received commitments from four of the organization's former players to work as spring instructors this year …
Discussion:
Oriole Post
Associated Press:
Astros 2B Matsui to have surgery, out 2 weeks — KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Houston Astros second baseman Kazuo Matsui will undergo surgery to repair an anal fissure on Monday in Houston. — Matsui has struggled with the health problem for much of spring training and was diagnosed with the condition earlier this week.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Randolph closes in on opener — JUPITER, Fla. - With 16 days remaining until Opening Day, Willie Randolph believes the moment has arrived for his full squad to begin taking the field together. So the manager summoned Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado together into his office Friday's morning …
Discussion:
New York Post
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Dempster shaky; Lieber shines — Staff candidates offer two very different outings vs. Halos — ANGELS 6, CUBS 5 — Angels at the plate: Mike Napoli, who had one RBI in six games, hit an RBI triple in the second and scored on Dee Brown's double. Brandon Wood hit his third spring homer …
