Top News:
NY Daily News:
A-Rod mess gets Selig pumped up — Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig came out roaring Wednesday, putting Alex Rodriguez on notice that the Yankee third baseman's admitted performance-enhancing drug use may not go unpunished. — In an interview with USA Today, Selig was asked …
Discussion:
It is about the money, stupid, Scott Proctor's Arm, The Fowl Balls and Sliding Into Home
RELATED:
Rob Iracane / Walkoff Walk:
Bud Selig, You Sanctimonious Coward — Shoulder-shruggin' baseball commissioner Bud Selig told USA Today Wednesday afternoon that he is “heartsick” about Alex Rodriguez' latest steroid admission and that he is not ruling out punishing A-Rod or adjusting the MLB record books. … Wait a minute.
Mike Gimbel / Hardball Times:
Did steroids help Alex Rodriguez? — Did the confession to the use of steroids, made by Alex Rodriguez, invalidate his purported outstanding performances from 2001 to 2003? The myth of “performance enhancement” by the use of steroids needs to be exploded. — (1) There is no scientific definition for “performance enhancement” and
MLB:
Selig must decide whether to discipline A-Rod — NEW YORK — Baseball was still trying to decide Wednesday if it will discipline Alex Rodriguez for his admitted use of banned substances while playing for the Texas Rangers. — Commissioner Bud Selig was said to still be considering his options.
Discussion:
Replacement Level …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Sources: Mariners pushing Griffey talks — The Seattle Mariners have stepped up the pace in negotiations that could bring Ken Griffey Jr. back to the city where he spent the first 11 years of his major league career, two baseball sources told ESPN.com. — Although it's unclear whether …
RELATED:
John Hickey / seattlepi.com Mariners blog:
Now it's down to Griffey or Garret — It seems as if the stars are aligning for Seattle and Ken Griffey Jr. — In the space of a couple of hours Wednesday, sluggers Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn were taken off the list of available free agent outfielders, Abreu signing with the Angels and Dunn with the Nationals.
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers ready to solve camp questions — Who'll play third base remains uncertain entering Spring Training — Triple play: Three questions that need answers — 1. Is the starting rotation deep enough? — The pending Braden Looper deal might help change the answer to this question to the affirmative.
Discussion:
MVN
RELATED:
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Tejada apologizes after guilty plea — Shortstop charged with misrepresentations, admits buying drugs — HOUSTON — A tearful and seemingly contrite Miguel Tejada offered an apology to a packed room of reporters at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday, expressing remorse for his actions that led …
RELATED:
MLB:
Slugger Dunn, Nationals agree to two-year deal — The Washington Nationals and Adam Dunn have agreed to a two-year contract, according to ESPN.com's Amy K. Nelson. — Dunn — The deal is worth $20 million, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney is reporting. It could be announced as early as Thursday, according to multiple reports.
RELATED:
Tom Verducci / Sports Illustrated:Dunn, Nationals agree to $20M deal
Discussion:
Federal Baseball, Deadspin, MLB Rumors at MLBnewsonline …, Dunn and Dunner, MLB Rumors and River Avenue Blues
David Lennon / Newsday:
Early arrival Schneider wants to play every day — PORT ST. LUCIE - Brian Schneider knew his first season in New York might be difficult, but he never could have predicted spending a week in the hospital with a staph infection. Or even getting stuck in a platoon with Ramon Castro.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
RELATED:
Baseball Analysis at Tufts / Baseball Analysts:
BABIP: Progressing and Regressing Groundball Out Rates — A couple of weeks ago, Rich Lederer asked what variables account for extraordinarily low groundball out rates. So, using a similar method to that which Peter Bendix and Chris Dutton used to find expected BABIP …
John Koblin / New York Observer:
Who's ‘This Lady’? Meet Selena Roberts, A-Rod's Worst Nightmare — When Sports Illustrated put one of its usual big features in the hands of a serious reporter, serious news started happening — Selena Roberts. — “This lady is coming out with all these allegations, all these lies …
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues, Mike Silva's NY Baseball …, iYankees, Watchdog, Lady At The Bat and The Yankee Scrolls
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Juice has sucked fun out of voting — Cover major league baseball on a daily basis for a newspaper for 10 consecutive years and you get to vote on Hall of Fame candidates. Forever. — It is one of the great privileges of being a baseball writer. It's a responsibility most of us take seriously.
Discussion:
Unfiltered
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Three more pitchers invited to camp — Righties Cox, Kontos, Texeira will report to Tampa on Friday — TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees announced invitations to big league camp on Wednesday for three additional right-handed pitchers, increasing the total number of players scheduled to report to 63.
RELATED:
Mark Feinsand / Blogging the Bombers:
Montero is Posada's heir apparent — Call it a “blog bonus.” Here is a story that would've run in Sunday's Daily News if not for a certain player's steroid mess. This is for you readers who are fascinated by prospects... TAMPA - On one field at the Yankees' minor-league complex …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Johnson not interested in bench role — Nats likely will look to trade first baseman after landing Dunn — WASHINGTON — With Adam Dunn slated to become the Nationals' everyday first baseman, what does this mean for the Nick Johnson? The team will most likely look to trade Johnson, who said he will not accept a bench role.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon proposes amnesty for those who tested positive for steroids and stronger penalties for future violators — PORT CHARLOTTE — Acknowledging that with Alex Rodriguez involved in baseball's steroids mess there is nothing left to be surprised or shocked about …
