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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Sources: Roberts-to-Cubs looking unlikely — 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 — Barring an 11th-hour reversal, the Cubs will not trade for Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts …
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Sources: Cubs pursuing ex-Blue Jay Johnson — 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 — The Cubs are showing the heaviest interest in outfielder Reed Johnson …
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Now favorites, Red Sox radically shift baseball's culture … FORT MYERS, Fla. — Unless you're older than Eddie Joost, older than Dom DiMaggio, older than Zsa Zsa Gabor, you've never lived in a world like this. — You've never lived in a world where a baseball season was about to begin …
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Leitch / Deadspin:
Baseball Season Preview: Boston Red Sox — For the third consecutive season, we are proud to introduce the Deadspin Baseball Season Previews. Yes, baseball is awfully close now; heck, they're playing real games in Japan tomorrow. — Every weekday until the start of the season, a different writer will preview his/her team.
David Lefort / Boston Globe:Ellsbury note — An interesting note on Jacoby Ellsbury from the Associated Press:
MLB.com:
Yankees reach 3.8 million tickets sold for the 2008 season; Marks record pace in final season at current Yankee Stadium — The Yankees announced today they have exceeded 3.8 million tickets sold for the 2008 season, marking the earliest the club has ever reached that level.
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Roch Kubatko / Baltimore Sun:
Gibbons could start season at minor league camp — O's leaning toward sending him to play in instructional league during 15-day suspension — FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Orioles are leaning toward sending Jay Gibbons to the minor league camp to play in the instructional league while he serves …
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Camden Chat
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David O'Brien / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves trades are brewing — Winter Haven, Fla. _ I've always told myself that one of these years I'd stop by Webb's Goat's Milk Fudge in Haines City on my drive over to a spring training game in Winter Haven. — I was wrong. — Unless it's open when I drive past it tonight on the way back …
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MLB Rumors
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NY Daily News:
Harper: A-Rod regrets saying no to Mets — During spring training, Alex Rodriguez has mostly avoided discussion of his messy contract opt-out and offseason return to the Yankees, but apparently only because he didn't want to say something that might prove controversial, as is often his habit.
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Campaign 2008: “Read All About It” … The general managers have done their part by assembling the rosters, and the players, coaches and managers have been sweating under a hot sun in Florida and Arizona since mid-February to prepare for the season. — Now it's up to the marketing folks …
Discussion:
Yanksfan Soxfan
La Velle / Twins Insider:
Twins Extend Nathan Through 2011 [updated at 1:40 p.m.] — The Twins and Joe Nathan have agreed to a contract extension through 2011 that includes an option for 2012. — The deal was finalized today after Nathan's agent, Dave Pepe, cleared up some remaining details.
Discussion:
mlb.com, Minneapolis Star Tribune, SBG Nation Presents …, Twinkie Town and BBTF's Baseball Primer …
P. Baker / The Good Phight:
MLB Band List, Part I - National League — I was recently turned on to this video, which compares the Phillies recent run of “pretty good-ness” to that of the Foo Fighters, another bunch of dudes who are also generally solid and respectable, but never really transcendent. — What about the rest of MLB?
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Rolen might miss opener with injury — Third baseman has non-displaced fracture of right middle finger — DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Blue Jays could potentially be without Scott Rolen on Opening Day after the third baseman sustained a non-displaced fracture in his right middle finger on Sunday.
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Mike Phillips / MiamiHerald.com:
Underwater program helps Marlins' Cantu — Jorge Cantu, who entered Sunday hitting .431 this spring, has credited an offseason underwater strength program for his turnaround. — AIM — mphillips@MiamiHerald.com — JUPITER — What happened to Marlins third baseman Jorge Cantu?
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Pettitte plays catch, start could get delayed — Plenty of news today: — * Andy Pettitte played catch but still felt some tightness in his lower back. He could throw a bullpen session tomorrow or Wednesday. He said he doesn't want to get on the mound until he's pain-free.
Replacement Level Yankees Weblog:
The 2008 Diamond Mind Projection Blowout Pt 1 — Opening Day is almost here, so it's time to present my annual Diamond Mind Projection blowout. The idea behind this is to take several projection systems and run the 2008 season through Diamond Mind Baseball, which I consider …
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
A look at who's vying for spots in Yankees' pen — Lefthanded reliever Billy Traber probably has the inside track at a spot in the Yankees' bullpen after a solid spring in which he's allowed only two unearned runs in 6 2/3 innings. (Newsday / Audrey C. Tiernan)
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