Top News:
ESPN:
A-Rod admits, regrets use of PEDs — His voice shaking at times, Alex Rodriguez met head-on allegations that he tested positive for steroids six years ago, telling ESPN on Monday that he did take performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers during a three-year period beginning in 2001.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Only Baseball Matters, Nats320, Mike Silva's NY Baseball …, Angels blog, Mack Avenue Tigers, Bottom9 Baseball, MLB FanHouse, Pinstriped Bible, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Walkoff Walk, BaseballGB, Bucs Dugout, MVN, AwfulAnnouncing, River Avenue Blues, Salon, LA Times Sports Blog, The Fowl Balls, New York Post, Florida Marlins, It is about the money, stupid, Lady At The Bat, The Yankee Scrolls, New Stadium Insider, Mariners Blog, Sabernomics, Baseball Musings, SPORTSbyBROOKS, Mets Merized Online, Pinstriped Scranton, 3:10 to Joba, Bronx Baseball Daily, New Jersey Online, Respect Jeter's Gangster, Athletics Nation, Pinstripe Alley, Drunk Jays Fans, The Crawfish Boxes, Bugs & Cranks, Mondesishouse.com, The Mets Police, steinbrennerblog.infozed.com, YFSF, MLB and Sports Illustrated
RELATED:
ESPN:
Transcript: Alex Rodriguez talks with Peter Gammons … The following is an edited transcript of Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez's discussion with ESPN's Peter Gammons on Monday. — PETER GAMMONS: Alex, this weekend Sports Illustrated reported that in 2003 you tested positive for testosterone …
Discussion:
Midwest Sports Fans, yankeesdaily.com, Bugs & Cranks, iYankees and Mike Silva's NY Baseball …
George Vecsey / New York Times:
Facing Up to Some Truth Is a Start for Rodriguez — Minus the tissue box, but with visible emotion, Alex Rodriguez admitted Monday to taking an illegal drug from 2001 through 2003. — But was he upset about his image being sullied once again, or was he chastened by being caught cheating?
Discussion:
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre …
Bob Raissman / NY Daily News:
Raissman: A-Rod expected to talk 'roids with ESPN … The next words out of Alex Rodriguez's mouth, the first since he was outed for steroids use by Sports Illustrated, will set the tone for how he is viewed for what's left of his baseball career. — He is expected to utter those words on ESPN …
Sports Illustrated:Rodriguez admits steroid use from 2001-03
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated, The Futility Infielder, Blue Collar Baseball, NJ.com and LA Times Sports Blog
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:Union Official Says He Did Not Tip Off Rodriguez
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Ted Keith / Sports Illustrated:Baseball's 2009 season will be overshadowed by A-Rod
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball
JSOnline:
Looper deal in place — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — The Brewers' agreement with free agent right-hander Braden Looper is in place, pending the passing of a physical examination. — The deal will be for one year plus an option. I haven't been told if that option is a vesting option …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers sign Weaver to Minors deal — Former starter approached team about vying for spot in bullpen — LOS ANGELES — Only days after returning Randy Wolf to the rotation, the Dodgers on Monday brought back another familiar arm to contend for a bullpen spot.
RELATED:
Ken Gurnick / Hot Stove Blog:
Dodgers Sign Jeff Weaver — The Dodgers signed Jeff Weaver to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League training camp. Weaver, 32, will receive a $500,000 salary if he makes the club. — Weaver, a starter throughout his Major League career, will vie for a bullpen role.
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
St. Louis Cardinals release Adam Kennedy — JUPITER, Fla. — The Cardinals have abruptly reversed course, releasing second baseman Adam Kennedy and declaring an open competition for the position, the Post-Dispatch has learned. — The move, apparently made at the strong urging of manager Tony La Russa …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, Jorge Says No!, Bronx Baseball Daily, LA Times Sports Blog, Lookout Landing, Fox Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Al's Ramblings
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / Surfing the Mets:
Source: Santana out of WBC — Johan Santana plans to withdraw from the World Baseball Classic at the request of Mets officials and remain in camp during spring training, the Daily News has learned. Santana, who worked on his conditioning at the team's complex in Port St. Lucie Monday …
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:Santana to skip WBC at request of Mets
Discussion:
24 Hours From Suicide
Marc Topkin / The Heater:
Bradford out 3-4 months after elbow surgery — UPDATE, 5:40: Executive VP Andrew Friedman said the Rays expect Bradford to miss “the first month or two of the season.” He said Bradford's problems started during the playoffs but an MRI done then was clean and they figured he would be fine with rest …
RELATED:
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
MLBPA Releases Statement Explaining Why “Survey Test” Results Were Not Destroyed — As the revelation that Alex Rodriguez was one of 104 players in 2003 that tested positive during what was collectively bargained between MLB and the MLB Players Association as part of a “survey test” …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
MLB.com:
Statement from the New York Yankees regarding Alex Rodriguez — “We strongly believe there is no place in baseball for performance enhancing drugs of any type, and we support the efforts of the Commissioner to continually improve the testing process. — “We urged Alex to be completely open …
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Meanwhile, back on the diamond — Hey, actual baseball news! — Back when I wanted to write a spring training preview story, I talked to Brian Cashman. He revealed a few things that are at least somewhat interesting. — · The Yankees will use Joba Chamberlain as their No. 5 starter from the start of the season.
Patrick / NPB Tracker:
Ichiro Working Out as a Pitcher — You might remember a post I did last year that had a link to Ichiro pitching in the 1996 NPB All-Star Game. Ichiro came out and immediately hit 90 on the TV gun on his first warm-up pitch, and then induced a soft grounder from pinch-hitter Shingo Takatsu.
Tim Kurkjian / ESPN:
Neyer upsets Phillips in first semifinal … This isn't a fair fight. Steve Phillips, a former general manager of the New York Mets, a guy who built a real major league team for seven years, against Rob Neyer, a baseball writer, a stat guy. — Baseball writers don't know anything about baseball; neither do stat guys.
