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5:00 PM ET, February 18, 2009

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Melissa Segura / Sports Illustrated:
Top Nats prospect falsified name, age … A top Washington Nationals prospect and recipient of the largest international signing bonus in team history is not who he appeared to be.  Esmailyn Gonzalez, who is listed as 19 years old on the team's roster, is actually 23-year-old Carlos Alvarez Daniel Lugo, four sources have told SI.com.
RELATED:
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Report: Prospect Lied About Age, Name [Updated]  —  In 2006, the Washington Nationals signed a shortstop from the Dominican Republic.  They gave him a bonus of $1.4 million.  They welcomed him with a press conference.  The unprecedented ceremony was meant not just to announce this particular signing …
Chris Forsberg / Boston Globe:
Owners provide State of the Nation address  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox owners Tom Werner and John Henry and team president/CEO Larry Lucchino sat down for a 20-minute chat with the media this morning at the team's player development complex.  —  Among the notable topics were the upcoming season …
RELATED:
ESPN.com:
Boston Red Sox owner John Henry renews salary cap call  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Boston Red Sox owner John Henry is renewing his call for a baseball salary cap.  —  Henry said Wednesday he thinks all owners would support an “enlightened” salary cap to improve competitive balance and that players might agree.
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Sox set for first full workout
Discussion: Over the Monster
David O'Brien / Atlanta Braves with David O'Brien:
Waiting for Griffey's arrival....  Editor's note: Please go the latest blog posting and comment there.  We've had to shut off commenting here because of technical problems.  We're working on them.  Don't blame Dave.  —  Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — And so we begin Day 4 of the Junior Watch …
RELATED:
Baltimore Sun:
Reports: Griffey to sign with Atlanta, not Seattle
Mike Rose / On the Mets beat:
Shea demolition update  —  Shea will be gone, but not completely forgotten.  COO Jeff Wilpon said that home plate, the pitchers mound and the bases will be immortalized in the parking lot, which Shea's hallowed ground will hopefully become by April.  —  So good news — you can still do the DynaMets Dash.
RELATED:
Mike Nichols / MetsBlog.com:
Note: Shea Is Gone  —  David Lennon of Newsday reports, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon says the pitchers mound and the bases, including home plate, will be ‘immortalized in the parking lot.’  —  Update, 11:34 am:  —  According to William Valderrama, the last piece of Shea Stadium came down at 11:26 am EST.
Discussion: NJ.com
Larry Fine / Reuters:
Yankees boss critical of Rodriguez's drugs explanation  —  TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) - New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman criticized Alex Rodriguez's explanation for using performance-enhancing drugs on Tuesday.  —  “I like the fact more when he says he was stupid, not young and naive …
RELATED:
Joe Smith / St. Petersburg Times:
Derek Jeter ‘disappointed’ but supportive of Alex Rodriguez  —  Yankees captain Derek Jeter said he's “disappointed” in Alex Rodriguez for using performance-enhancing drugs, but while he doesn't “condone” what Rodriguez did, he plans to support him and help him through this season.
Discussion: Baseball Musings
RELATED:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Jeter to address media today
Dallas Morning News:
Andruw Jones hopes to revive career with Texas Rangers  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. - The drive from Duluth, Ga., to the Surprise Recreation Campus stretches nearly 2,000 miles and takes the average motorists a few days to complete.  —  Andruw Jones made the trek earlier this week …
RELATED:
Dallas Morning News:
Tuesday's Texas Rangers notebook: Cordero audition
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com:
Roberts deal just about done  —  There's more to do than just cross the T's and dot the I's, but the Orioles are close to reaching an agreement on a contract extension with Brian Roberts that has been confirmed at four years and $40 million.  —  Two open issues need to be addressed …
RELATED:
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
O's closing in on extension with Roberts
Joshua Robinson / New York Times:
Last Section of Shea Stadium Is Torn Down  —  Shea Stadium, the site of the Mets' two World Series victories, their many seasons of futility and a few historic concerts, met the fate of Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds on Wednesday morning.  At 11:21 a.m., a demolition crew pulled down the final section …
Bart Hubbuch / New York Post:
BELTRAN AIM: ‘KILL’ HAMELS  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - Carlos Beltran drew a bull's-eye on Cole Hamels yesterday.  —  Adding yet more fuel to the ongoing war of words between the Mets and Phillies, the Met center fielder said he hopes the Amazin's “kill” the Philadelphia ace every time they face Hamels this season.
Discussion: 24 Hours From Suicide
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:   Beltran offers warning shot to Phillies
Rick Reilly / ESPN:
LIFE OF REILLY  —  It's time to right some wrongs, one MVP at a time.  —  John Grieshop/Getty Images  —  It's been tougher than a $4.99 steak.  Got chased by Dobermans eight times.  Had to hire five different sticky-fingered third-graders.  Broke into the wrong house twice.  —  But it's finally done.
Ben Reiter / Sports Illustrated:
The Fabulous New Life Of Cole Hamels … IT WAS 6:15 on the evening of Jan. 18, and were this any other year, the couple of hundred sports fans who had gathered in the Diamond Club inside Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park might have been consumed by despair.
Marc Topkin / The Heater:
Aybar deal done, could be worth $4.525 M  —  The Rays officially announced the signing of INF Willy Aybar to a two-year deal with a 2011 option that could be worth $4.525 million.  —  “We've had the chance over the last year to really get to know Willy and we feel he brings a lot of our club,” executive VP Andrew Friedman said.
Discussion: Baseball Musings
Matt Maiocco / 49ers:
Niners: No interest in Michael Vick  —  The 49ers emphatically closed the door on any possibility imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick will suit up for the club in 2009 or beyond.  —  Coach Mike Singletary did not express interest in acquiring Vick during a question-and-answer session …
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Forecast is hazy for Glaus  —  JUPITER, Fla. — The Cardinals staged their first full-squad workout Tuesday with only one position player not on the field.  —  Four weeks after surgery repaired damaged muscle near his right shoulder, third baseman Troy Glaus is not close …
RELATED:
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Carpenter is making progress
 
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 More News: 
David Lennon / On the Mets beat:
New and improved Marlon  —  It was a lean-and-mean Marlon Anderson …
Discussion: Mets Fever
On the Mets beat:
Castillo: “I'm a new man.”
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Correia living a dream with Friars
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Astros not interested in Pudge
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Sean McAdam / Boston Herald:
Who starts at shortstop? Julio Lugo
Discussion: Boston Globe and The Bottom Line
MLB:
Chicago Cubs buyer selling 34 million shares of TD Ameritrade to finance deal
Chris Forsberg / Boston Globe:
What you're missing  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Some of the Red …
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
He really must change his tune
 Earlier Picks: 
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
Tuesday's tidbits: Crede, Sandoval, Zito's canyoneering, etc.
Discussion: Twins Insider and MLB Rumors
Eric Seidman / FanGraphs Baseball:
The Gagne Experiment Redux
Discussion: Brew Beat, Brew Crew Ball and JSOnline
Joel Sherman / Hardball:
BRAVES SIGN KELLY JOHNSON
Canadian Press:
Scorned Jose Canseco feels vindicated, wants apology from baseball
Discussion: Hardball Times
Ryan Suchomel / Iowa City Press Citizen:
McClelland: Steroids part of era
Discussion: Deadspin and Bugs & Cranks
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Stokes' hammy pops pen
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Giles doesn't expect personal issues to be a distraction for him or the team
Discussion: MLB Rumors and iYankees
 

 
From WeSmirch:

TMZ.com:
Original ‘Wheel of Fortune’ & ‘Love Connection’ Host Chuck Woolery Dead at 83

Mark Kennedy / Associated Press:
Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of ‘Love Connection’ and ‘Scrabble,’ dies at 83

TMZ.com:
‘The Slumber Party Massacre’ Star Michael Villella Dead at 84

 
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