Top News:
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Sox, Yanks to meet for only spring game — Except for Ramirez, Boston to have all its regulars in lineup — BRADENTON, Fla. — The Red Sox will have a near-full house of regulars on hand for Monday's 1:15 p.m. ET road contest in Tampa, Fla., against the Yankees.
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Steve Buckley / Boston Herald:
‘Upset’ Varitek moves on without Mirabelli … FORT MYERS - When the Red Sox [team stats] announced last week that longtime backup catcher Doug Mirabelli [stats] was being released to make room for Kevin Cash, Jason Varitek [stats] thought it best to keep his feelings about the move to himself.
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Associated Press
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Broken bat makes mess of Delgado — PORT ST. LUCIE - Carlos Delgado needed four stitches to close a bloody gash on his right forearm after he was speared by Brady Clark's broken bat as he led off third base in the third inning of Sunday's 7-4 split-squad win over the Tigers.
Discussion:
The 'Ropolitans
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Paul Meyer / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates sign Snell, beat Boston — BRADENTON, Fla. — Ian Snell today agreed to a multi-year contract that could keep him with the Pirates through the 2012 season. — The Pirates made the announcement moments after beating Boston, 6-3. A three-run double by Freddy Sanchez sparked a four-run seventh inning.
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Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Wang lit up in pitch experiment — TAMPA - Chien-Ming Wang is spending the spring working to make his changeup and slider more effective, so he can give hitters something else to look at - and think about. — Sometimes the results aren't pretty, like Sunday.
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Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Sabathia won't bite on Apple — TAMPA - Some Yankee fans view Indians' ace C.C. Sabathia, last year's AL Cy Young award winner, as the perfect target for the team when the lefty becomes a free agent next year. — Sabathia, though, says he's not thinking about the future, unless it applies to this season with the Indians.
Discussion:
Newsday
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
An Accident With One Door Opens Another — TAMPA, Fla. — It was not the best way to pave a path to the major leagues. It was painful, and purely accidental. But when Scott Patterson jammed his right middle finger in a door three years ago, it turned his career around.
Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Hendry not done dealing — MESA, Ariz. — Two weeks from today, the Cubs open the regular season by hosting the division rival Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field. This has been a seemingly smooth camp, with most of the key decisions made before pitchers and catchers reported last month.
Chris Haft / MLB.com:
Tough choices loom for Giants' bullpen — Nine candidates bidding for likely three open relief spots — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Competition in the Giants' bullpen has reached a critical stage, with qualified contenders far outnumbering available jobs. — A handful of relievers are exempt from concern.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Beleaguered Jim drops in for visit — TAMPA - The Yankees have dealt with plenty of controversy during spring training, most notably due to the fallout from the Mitchell Report. — But Sunday, controversy strolled into Yankeeland through the front door of the team's own clubhouse.
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Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Simulated game goes well for Olsen — Marlins lefty could start or relieve Thursday against Cards — VERO BEACH, Fla. — Scott Olsen met another benchmark Sunday morning, and the left-hander is putting himself on track to return to the Marlins' rotation by the time the season starts.
Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Volstad makes key start today — VERO BEACH — Raised in a churchgoing family by a dentist and dental hygenist, Chris Volstad of Palm Beach Gardens might be the most clean-cut pitcher the Marlins have ever produced. — But there he was in a Southern California tattoo parlor in December …
Discussion:
Bottom9 Baseball
ESPN:
Rays ace Kazmir likely to start season on DL — TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Scott Kazmir likely will start the season on the disabled list after having his first scheduled spring training start Sunday pushed back a few days. — Rays manager Joe Maddon said Sunday …
Discussion:
Outs Per Swing
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Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Miller remains work in progress — Marlins lefty finds positives to build from in latest start — VERO BEACH, Fla. — He's still a work in progress, but 6-foot-6 Andrew Miller took some steps in the right direction on Sunday afternoon. — The 22-year-old Marlins left-hander showed improvement …
Discussion:
Bottom9 Baseball
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Wood closing in on closer job — Righty earns first save, to be tested on consecutive days — MESA, Ariz. — Maybe it was a sign of things to come, but on Sunday, Kerry Wood picked up his first save. — Wood retired the side to preserve the Cubs' 4-1 Cactus League win over the Angels, needing just seven pitches to end the game.
David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Not so fast on Braves backup jobs — Lovetron ... er, Jupiter, Fla. _ Coming to you not from Darryl Dawkins' home planet, but from the spring home of the St. Louis Cardinals and Florida Marlins, a fine little ballpark with a good BBQ concession (just ate the pulled pork).
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
David Murphy / Philly.com:
Will Phillies' dismal spring carry over into April? — SARASOTA, Fla. - About 4 p.m. yesterday, Brett Myers sat in front of his locker and informed reporters that spring training does not matter. Results are secondary. It's all preparation. There is a switch that players have …