Top News:
Boston Globe:
Red Sox threatening Japan boycott if staff isn't paid — Red Sox manager Terry Francona (center) talks with Sean Casey (left) and Jason Varitek this morning in Fort Myers. The players are threatening to boycott the trip to Japan if staff isn't paid for the trip.
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ESPN:
Red Sox vote not to go to Japan over coaches' pay — Red Sox Players Take a Stand for their Coaches — FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox and Major League baseball on Wednesday resolved a dispute over bonus pay for coaches for a trip to Japan, hours after the team unanimously voted …
Rob Bradford / Boston Herald:
Sources: Sox consider Japan trip boycott … According to multiple clubhouse sources, the Red Sox [team stats] will be holding a players-only meeting later this morning concerning the issue regarding the coaches potentially not being paid the $40,000 allocated the players.
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Red Sox stipend dispute resolved — Players sought payment for staff for Tokyo trip; will go to Japan — FORT MYERS, Fla. — A misunderstanding over whether the Red Sox coaching, training and clubhouse staffs would receive stipends for making a trip to Tokyo was resolved on Wednesday …
Providence Journal:
Red Sox coaches upset over Japan pay — FORT MYERS, Fla. — As the Red Sox players and management made final arrangements for today's departure for its 12-day trek to Japan, a monkey wrench has been thrown into the mix in the 11th hour. — Yesterday morning, Red Sox manager Terry Francona learned …
Boston Herald:
Sox win standoff with MLB — FORT MYERS - Opening Day will take place after all. — Threatening to boycott their trip to Japan because their coaches wouldn't be receiving the same kind of appearance fee as the players, the Red Sox [team stats] convinced Major League Baseball this afternoon …
Spring Training / Associated Press:
BoSox refuse to play now, in Japan too? — FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)—The Boston Red Sox ended a threatened boycott Wednesday of their final spring training game in Florida, resolving a dispute over paying coaches for the season-opening trip to Japan. — The game against Toronto started …
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Castro legging it out — PORT ST. LUCIE - Ramon Castro's MRI exam revealed a strained right hamstring, but Mets trainers felt good enough about his condition to clear him to catch Mike Pelfrey's six-inning simulated game Tuesday. Castro, who is apprehensive about running …
Discussion:
New York Times
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John Delcos / The Journal News:Randolph still trying to piece Mets together
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Ten people to avoid at the ballpark — I'll probably cover 120 or so games this season. But I also plan on attending at least four or five as fan. It's fun to watch a game and not have to worry about coming up with a story afterward. — There are few things better than watching a game in person with your buddies.
John Romano / St. Petersburg Times:
Don't rush him: Rays would be wise to send Longoria back to Durham — His time is near, on that we can all agree. The tricky part is defining near. ¶ If you are Evan Longoria, then opening day sounds like the nearest thing to heaven. If you are a Rays fan, after seeing another Longoria home run …
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Back spasms sideline Kerry Wood — Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood has developed back spasms and was scratched from today's pitching assignment. This comes as Wood was declared the team's probable closer. — Manager Lou Piniella downplayed the significance of the injury, but Wood was examined …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Dchase / Brock for Broglio:
Interview With Voros McCracken — Voros McCracken — has consulted with the Boston Red Sox front office, and won a World Series during his time with the team. He revolutionized pitcher evaluation methodology by discovering Defensive Independent Pitching Statistics (DIPS) in 1999.
Boston Globe:
Union to look at lack of Bonds offers — The lack of offers to Barry Bonds will be examined by baseball's Players Association as part of its annual review of the free agent market. — Less than two weeks before Opening Day, the 43-year-old home run king remains unsigned …
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Marquis plying his trade — With 1.93 spring ERA, right-hander could help Cubs one way or another — MESA, Ariz. — With his name a regular part of trade rumors, Cubs pitcher Jason Marquis was asked if he had allowed himself to consider some of the possibilities — like, say …
David Murphy / Philly.com:
Phillies Notebook: Phillies' Jenkins shows home-run power — CLEARWATER, Fla. - How momentous was Geoff Jenkins' first home run of the spring? — “We know he can hit one now, don't we?” manager Charlie Manuel said. — The Phillies were actually well aware of that fact when they signed …
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
A's notes: Minor-leaguer De Los Santos hits 97 on gun — (03-18) 19:52 PDT Surprise, — Ariz. - Fautino De Los Santos, who might be the real prize in the Nick Swisher deal, made his first appearance for the A's, and several other potential Oakland players also made their spring debuts with the team.
