Top News:
Mike Puma / New York Post:
RODRIGUEZ DEBACLE MEANS BRONX ZOO BACK IN BUSINESS — Move over, Jason Giambi, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, there's a new potential inductee to the Yankees' Hall of Shame. — This member simply could have “A-Roid” inscribed on his plaque. — According to a Sports Illustrated report …
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Mike Lupica / NY Daily News:
Give us the juice, A-Rod — Alex Rodriguez needs to come clean now, about what Sports Illustrated says is a dirty drug test out of his past. — He needs to come clean in a way that Barry Bonds never really has and Roger Clemens probably never will, in a way that Mark McGwire did not come clean …
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yankee mates back A-Rod … Yankees have supported Alex Rodriguez through thick and thin during his first five years in pinstripes. Despite Saturday's revelation that the three-time MVP reportedly flunked a steroids test in 2003, it doesn't appear that will change any time soon.
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
A-Rod plans to issue response — Highly public flap likely to prove a distraction as spring training starts — Alex Rodriguez, who is the highest-paid player in baseball and is widely viewed as the most talented, tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, according to two people familiar with the results.
Harvey Araton / New York Times:Nine More Years of a Marriage Not Made in Heaven
Discussion:
NY Daily News, Hardball Times, WasWatching.com, Bats, Heartland Pinstripes, Bugs & Cranks, BASEBALL HOT CORNER and New York Post
Joel Sherman / Hardball:
RANGERS TO SIGN ANDRUW JONES — The Rangers will announce in the next few days that they have signed center fielder Andruw Jones to a minor league contract that will pay him a base salary of $500,000 if he makes the majors, the Post has learned. — Jones will also have an opportunity …
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ESPN.com:
Report: Andruw Jones to accept Rangers' offer — Released by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Andruw Jones reportedly will have the opportunity to try to resurrect his career with the Texas Rangers. — The New York Post reported Sunday that Texas will sign Jones to a minor league deal that will pay …
Discussion:
Sons of Steve Garvey
ESPN.com:
Phillies, 1B Howard agree to 3-year, $54M deal — The Philadelphia Phillies and first baseman Ryan Howard agreed Sunday to a three-year, $54 million contract to avoid an arbitration hearing. — Howard — “I'm happy to have this done and to know that I'll be in Philadelphia …
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Sabathia, Burnett give Yankees confidence — The Yankees made no secret of their primary objective during the offseason: upgrading their starting rotation. — They met that goal as well as anyone could have hoped, landing 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia and the dominant if erratic A.J. Burnett.
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
Sabean breaks from FanFest to deliver state of the team — It was a busy day at FanFest. Of course, this isn't news if you were like me - making a futile effort to park in Lot A around 10:30 a.m. — The overflowing asphalt told the story: This was the biggest FanFest in the team's history.
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
A tough pitch to let go by — LA offering may be best Ramírez will see — Give Dodgers owner Frank McCourt credit. He made a heck of an attempt to sign Manny Ramírez with an offer that made sense for both sides: one year, $25 million. — It was a page from the book …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Jane Heller / New York Times:
On Deck With the Yankees: It's All in the Cards — According to their detractors, the greedy, acquisitive, small-market-annihilating Yankees set out to buy a championship during the off-season. — “The Yankees are just a collection of All-Stars who will crumble under the weight of expectation,” the haters scoff.
Discussion:
Confessions of a She-Fan
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Donnelly inked to Minor League deal — Veteran reliever to compete for bullpen spot in Spring Training — ARLINGTON — The Rangers are adding pitcher Brendan Donnelly to their Spring Training roster and the competition for a spot in the bullpen. — Donnelly has agreed to a Minor League contract …
Chico Harlan / Washington Post:
New Ace May Be In Play For Nats — 23-Strikeout Game Put Strasburg at Head of Draft Class — SAN DIEGO — One evening last April, a 19-year-old named Stephen Strasburg threw a ballgame so sublime that it redefined the possibilities for his life. — Strasburg threw 128 pitches, only five of which were hit into fair territory.
