Top News:
Dan Steinberg / D.C. Sports Bog:
Stan Kasten and the Player to Be Named Later — Stan Kasten just completed his conference call with reporters about the Esmailyn “Smiley” Gonzalez mess. With about a dozen reporters crammed into a small office on the third floor of Space Coast Stadium, and with a few others on the line …
RELATED:
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Kasten: “I am angry. We've been defrauded.” — For about 20 minutes today, Washington Nationals team president Stan Kasten spoke to the media about the false identity of the prospect formerly known as Esmailyn Gonzalez. In the coming minutes, as you refresh this blog, a transcript of what he said will grow.
Keith Law / ESPN:
Nationals' pride takes another hit — The Esmailyn Gonzalez story wasn't a huge shock to people in the industry who had previously questioned Gonzalez's age and criticized the Nationals for giving him a $1.4 million signing bonus, but I don't think anyone believed that Gonzalez was four years older …
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.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Federal Baseball, SPORTSbyBROOKS, Nats Triple Play, DC Pro Sports Report, Deadspin, Walkoff Walk, Hardball Times, Baseball Musings, Nats320, Baseball America, We've Got Heart, MLB Rumors, Baseball Insider, William World News, Nationals Farm Authority, Fire Jim Bowden and Just A Nats Fan
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Griffey says yes to Mariners — PEORIA, Ariz. — Just over nine years to the day after he left, Ken Griffey Jr. is back with the Seattle Mariners. — The Seattle Post-Intelligencer learned Tuesday that Griffey turned his back on a flirtation with the Atlanta Braves Wednesday and opted …
RELATED:
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 here. 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 …
Discussion:
MLB.com, MLB, seattlepi.com Mariners blog, Mariners Blog, Baseball Insider, Bowman's Blog, MLB Rumors, Talking Chop and Seattle Times
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Chipper, Braves discussing extension — Deal could keep veteran in Atlanta for remainder of his career — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Chipper Jones wants to spend his entire career in Atlanta, and it appears the Braves may be willing to provide him the opportunity.
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 …
RELATED:
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Jeter Declares His Independence From the Steroids Era — TAMPA, Fla. — Derek Jeter subtly expressed his support for Alex Rodriguez on Wednesday as Rodriguez grapples with possible repercussions from admitting to the use of performance-enhancing drugs. But Jeter was much more forceful …
RELATED:
Joe Smith / St. Petersburg Times:Derek Jeter ‘disappointed’ but supportive of Alex Rodriguez
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Associated Press:
Red Sox owner renews plea for MLB salary cap … FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Boston Red Sox owner John Henry is renewing his call for a baseball salary cap. — He says he thinks all owners would support an “enlightened” salary cap to improve competitive balance and that players might agree.
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home, The WGOM, Squawking Baseball, The Fowl Balls and Peter's Red Sox Forever
RELATED:
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 …
MLB:
Willy Aybar agrees to two-year, $2.6M deal with Rays — PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Willy Aybar and the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a $2.6 million, two-year contract Wednesday, avoiding arbitration. — The utilityman hit .253 with 10 homers and 33 RBIs in 95 games with the Rays in 2008, his first full season in the majors.
RELATED:
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:
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 …
Discussion:
oriolepost.com
RELATED:
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:O's closing in on extension with Roberts
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, The Schmuck Stops Here, Baseball Insider, oriolepost.com, MASNsports.com and Al's Ramblings
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.
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Melky won't take part in Classic — Youngster wants to win center-field job over playing in tournament — TAMPA, Fla. — One of the few criticisms of the World Baseball Classic is its timing. Held in March every third year, the Classic forces regulars to work their way into game shape quicker …
Joe Posnanski / Sports Illustrated:
Joe Posnanski: Silence proved golden for this steroid star … You probably remember that exchange. It occurred on March 17, 2005, and the Committee on Government Reform held a hearing with the understated name: “Restoring Faith in America's Pastime.” The idea, as everyone understood it …
Discussion:
NJ.com
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.
