Top News:
MLB:
Alex Rodriguez homers in spring debut for New York Yankees … DUNEDIN, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez was booed, then homered in his first game since admitting he used a banned substance. — The New York Yankees slugger started the spring training season with a two-run home run and two walks Wednesday at the Toronto Blue Jays' ballpark.
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Spring Game 1: Yankees at Blue Jays — YANKEES — Pitching: Brett Tomko followed by Kei Igawa, Christian Garcia, Mike Dunn, Dave Robertson, Dan Giese and Jose Veras. — BLUE JAYS — Inglett 3B — Hill 2B — Rios RF — Millar 1B — Lind DH — Barajas C — Snider LF
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
A-Rod's power gives Yanks first win — Fourth-inning homer contributes to Grapefruit-opening victory — YANKEES 6, BLUE JAYS 1 — Yankees at the plate: Third baseman Alex Rodriguez, making his first appearance in a game since his admission of using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-03 …
Discussion:
YanksBlog.com
Jorge Arangure Jr / MLB:
Washington Nationals fire special assistant Jose Rijo in wake of prospect age scandal — The Washington Nationals have decided to fire special assistant Jose Rijo and will shut down the team's academy in the Dominican Republic as part of a restructuring of the team's operations in Latin American …
RELATED:
John Perrotto / Unfiltered:
Nats strongly considering change — The Nationals, according to multiple industry sources, are strongly considering firing general manager Jim Bowden and replacing him with Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava. — Bowden has been implicated in a bonus skimming scandal in the Dominican Republic …
RELATED:
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Nats Have Not Contacted Selig — The Washington Nationals, contrary to a published report, have neither requested nor been granted approval from Commissioner Bud Selig to forgo a rule that would require them to consider minority candidates for a general manager opening, a Major League Baseball spokesman said today.
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
A-Rod leaves park with cousin — The cousin Alex Rodriguez said smuggled drugs into the United States for him, Yuri Sucart, was behind the wheel of the Chevrolet Suburban that picked him up from Dunedin Stadium today. — Rodriguez said earlier this month that a cousin obtained …
RELATED:
Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com:
Pedro brings heat in simulated game — Free-agent starter preparing to pitch for Dominican team — Free-agent pitcher Pedro Martinez is staying busy. — The three-time Cy Young Award winner threw a simulated game on Tuesday in the Dominican Republic and is on track to start …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Bart Hubbuch / Mets Blog:
Opener odds and ends — FORT LAUDERDALE — Some tidbits after Luis Castillo and Ryan Church combined for four hits and seven RBIs in the Mets' 9-3 win here over the Orioles in the Grapefruit League opener for both teams. — * Jerry Manuel's introduction of an intense …
RELATED:
Joel Sherman / Hardball:
3 UP: Sanchez, Met Pen, Cabrera — 1. The Mets like that Duaner Sanchez came to camp in good shape, which has not always been the case in his Met days. If Sanchez is right, the Mets will not feel big pressure to put a second lefty reliever in the pen in tandem with Pedro Feliciano.
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers make two-year offer to Manny Ramirez — The deal calls for $25 million this season and $20 million for the next — providing the slugger chooses to exercise the second-year option. — Reporting from Mesa, Ariz. — The Dodgers have made another offer to Manny Ramirez …
RELATED:
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
One down . . . FT. MYERS, Fla. — The seriousness of the game was decided when Ino Guerrero — a 48-year-old batting practice pitcher — pinch hit during the latter innings. But that's beside the point: the Red Sox are now playing baseball games again. — The Sox beat Boston College …
RELATED:
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:Ballpark figures — FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox have moved …
Discussion:
Center Field
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Green to be OK after leaving game — Mets righty suffers torn fingernail in Grapefruit opener — FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Sean Green, the Mets' first casualty of the exhibition-game season, expects to miss no time because of a torn fingernail he suffered on Wednesday while pitching …
Discussion:
Mets Fever
RELATED:
MLB:
MLB scraps printed versions of team media guides — NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has eliminated an annual tradition: printed copies of the green and red books. — The guides to the National and American leagues started publication in the 1930s and have been an invaluable research tool for media.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Tyler Kepner / Bats:
Will Joba Start the Home Opener? — DUNEDIN, Fla. - If the ballpark has banners for Lloyd Moseby, Tom Henke and Aaron Hill (yes, Aaron Hill), we must be at the spring home of the Toronto Blue Jays. It's opening day of the exhibition schedule, but the matchup is not Roy Halladay and C.C. Sabathia.
Discussion:
MY BASEBALL BIAS, ESPN, A DIE HARD YANKEES FAN, Sliding Into Home, Fantasy Baseball and SportSpyder.com
Marjorie Connelly / New York Times:
Poll Finds Limited Support for Rodriguez — Sixty percent of baseball fans are bothered by players' steroid use, and 44 percent say Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez should not be allowed in the Hall of Fame, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll. — “I have nothing personally …
Discussion:
SportSpyder.com
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Economy won't deter Angels' efforts, Arte Moreno says — The reigning American League West champions hope to keep filling the seats despite the economic downturn. Putting a competitive team on the field and catering to longtime fans are among the keys. — Reporting from Tempe, Ariz. …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
