Top News:
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Madden: Yanks need to ditch Alex the Grate — When the Yankees re-signed Alex Rodriguez in the fall of 2007, they envisioned the “clean” alternative to Barry Bonds - the knight in shining armor who would erase the stain of steroids from the all-time home run record, and they would bask in the glory of it with their brand.
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NY Daily News:
Steroid-tainted A-Rod gets his drink on in Bahamas as Yankees stay mum — What's the highest-paid baseball player in history to do when his legacy is on the rocks? — Party in a tropical paradise, of course. — Just hours after the steroid-tainted slugger earned his nickname A-Fraud …
Mark Fainaru-Wada / ESPN:
Events that put A-Rod under scrutiny … SAN FRANCISCO — But for a combination of bad luck, bad timing and aggressive legal tactics by the Major League Baseball Players Association, alleged steroid use by Alex Rodriguez might never have been exposed. — The story that Rodriguez tested positive …
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Craig Calcaterra / Hardball Times:
Omnibus A-Rod Post — Obviously there was a lot of activity over the weekend, and while the blogosphere is often great at picking up and processing stuff quickly, it's not very good at perspective or organization. So, in the interests of perspective and organization …
Discussion:
It is about the money, stupid, Washington Post, Bugs & Cranks and Can't Stop The Bleeding
New York Post:
REGGIE, SCHILLING: WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 103? — ALEX Rodriguez is in the center of the steroid storm, but there are 103 other names on The List. — Should Rodriguez be the only one taking this massive hit? — Yankees legend and special adviser Reggie Jackson doesn't think so and …
Kobrien / On the Yankees beat:
On Alex Rodriguez — It's always, always something with Alex Rodriguez. Someone who knows Alex very well said that to me on Saturday, and that was something who LIKES Alex. I could not agree more — controversy just sticks to him. — Barely was the hubbub dying down over the portrayal …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
A-Rod has destroyed game's history … In baseball, we love our numbers. And we love our heroes. And that brings us to Alex Rodriguez, a man who has committed a crime he doesn't even understand: — A crime against the once-proud history of his sport. — A-Rod didn't commit that crime alone, of course.
Phil Sheridan / Philly.com:
Ryan Howard's big deal — With or without the new contract he signed yesterday, Ryan Howard was going to be with the Phillies through 2011. Look at it that way and his big deal - $54 million over three years - doesn't seem like such a big deal, at least to Phillies fans.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Tony Jackson / Inside the Dodgers:
Clarification on Andruw — Just found out that the Dodgers get HALF of whatever he makes with the Rangers. So, if he maxes out on his incentives and receive a total salary of $1.5 million from Texas in 2009, the Dodgers will get $750,000 of that, meaning they would owe him about $2.76 million instead …
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Dayan Viciedo will get long look at White Sox camp — Cuban teen has great skills, especially as a hitter, and could make a big impact for the White Sox — The hitting credentials were impressive, but the White Sox's investment was even more breathtaking.
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
Tiger Pitchers, 1901-1954 — Some teams in baseball have been blessed with a multitude of splendid pitchers. Take the Braves, for instance. They spent the 1990s with Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz as a terrific trio. Before that, Phil Niekro anchored their rotation for the better part of 20 years.
Rich Lederer / Baseball Analysts:
Categorizing Starting Pitchers by Strikeout and Groundball Rates - 2008 Edition — Strikeout and groundball rates have become my favorite way to evaluate pitchers. While I also pay close attention to walk rates, I am most interested in whether pitchers can miss bats and keep batted balls in the park.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Royals Interested In Chad Cordero — By Tim Dierkes [February 8 at 10:31pm CST] — Word from a source around the Royals' mini-camp in Arizona is that the team is taking a long look at free agent reliever Chad Cordero. SI.com's Jon Heyman wrote recently that Cordero will be conducting a showcase on February 19th.
Nat Boyle / MLB Rumors:
Perrotto's Latest: Angels, Mets, Mariners — By Nat Boyle [February 8 at 12:59pm CST] — John Perrotto's Sunday column is up, now called On The Beat (like his Wednesday articles) instead of Every Given Sunday. — According to the article, the Angels plan to use Kendry Morales at first base …
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Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:More Questions and Even Less Time
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Cardinals Best News Links
