Top News:
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Manny Ramirez's agent continues to negotiate with Dodgers — Scott Boras says he's still working with the team on a possible contract for the All-Star slugger, who hasn't accepted the latest two-year, $45-million offer that includes a player option for 2010.
RELATED:
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 …
Discussion:
The Globe and Mail, Associated Press, MLB.com, MLB FanHouse, sox1fan.com, Baseball Musings, Yahoo! Sports and Boston Globe
Tony Jackson / Inside the Dodgers:
Dodgers make offer to Ramirez, deal could be at hand
Dodgers make offer to Ramirez, deal could be at hand
Discussion:
Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness, Fire Ned Colletti Now, 6-4-2, MLB Rumors and Spring Training '09
Jorge Arangure Jr / MLB:
Washington Nationals to 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 America …
RELATED:
Tracee Hamilton / Nationals Journal:
It's Official: Rijo, Baez Out [Update] — From Barry in the Dominican, again: — Jose Rijo just emerged from a 10-minute meeting with Nationals officials, including assistant GM Mike Rizzo. He was relieved of his duties as a special assistant to General Manager Jim Bowden.
Discussion:
Nats Triple Play
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Nats Packing Bags In DR [Update] — [This report comes relayed from Barry Svrluga, on site in the Dominican] — The Nationals this morning are disbanding their operation at Jose Rijo's baseball academy in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, and have ordered at least some of their prospects to go home.
MLB.com:
Mr. October gives A-Rod a sitdown — Yankees legend lends advice to oft-discussed slugger — DUNEDIN, Fla. — There's nothing like a stern lecture from Mr. October to help a troubled friend focus on the priorities of life and career when enormous distractions are closing in and his reputation is crumbling.
Discussion:
A DIE HARD YANKEES FAN, River Avenue Blues, Sliding Into Home and The LoHud Yankees Blog
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
In '09 debut, Beckett ‘free and easy’ — Veteran righty, Francona pleased with first spring appearance — FORT MYERS, Fla. — Unlike the last time he took the mound in a game for the Red Sox, Josh Beckett didn't need anti-inflammatories just to make it bearable.
RELATED:
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
On Day 1, Mets, Ryan Church and Luis Castillo Ace Exams — FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — One by one, the balls landed on the outfield grass, guided from the Mets' bats to the opposite field by some sort of otherworldly force. No other explanation could suffice for Jerry Manuel …
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Spring Game 2: Rays at Yankees — YANKEES (1-0) — Pitching today: Phil Hughes followed by Phil Coke, Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte, Jon Albaladejo, Mark Melancon. — RAYS (0-1) — Kennedy 2B — Crawford LF — Aybar DH — Ensberg 3B — Zobrist SS — Kapler CF — Richard 1B
Neil Best / Newsday:
Yankees lower partial-view seat price to $5 — The price of watching a fraction of Yankees games dropped to a fraction of its original cost yesterday, with obstructed-view bleacher seats abruptly falling from $12 per game to $5. — Lonn Trost, the team's chief operating officer, made the announcement during an interview on WFAN.
RELATED:
Tyler Kepner / Bats:
Gardner and Swisher Stand Out In Yanks' Win — DUNEDIN, Fla. — Brett Gardner's son, Hunter, was born last November and attended his first baseball game on Wednesday with his mom. It's probably a good thing he doesn't understand what he's watching yet, because his father stepped out of character with his first swing of the season.
RELATED:
Tony Jackson / Inside the Dodgers:
Dodgers agree to terms with ... ... I'll give you a hint, it's a guy who played a key role for the 2004 Red Sox as the team ended it's 86-year World Series title drought. But no, it's not Manny Ramirez. The Dodgers have agreed to terms with ... Doug Mientkiewicz, according to two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Andy Meek / The Memphis Daily News:
McCarver Awarded $100K in Morgan Keegan Claim — Memphis native and sports broadcaster Tim McCarver has been awarded $100,000 in compensatory damages as a result of the arbitration claim he filed over losses from Morgan Keegan & Co. mutual fund investments.
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
D-backs sign three pre-arbitration arms — Petit, Rosales and Newby all agree on one-year deals — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The D-backs have reached agreement with three of their pre-arbitration players on one-year contracts. — Pitchers Yusmeiro Petit, Leo Rosales and Kyler Newby signed one-year deals.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Rick Morrissey / Chicago Tribune:
Ozzie Guillen comes alive as manager of Chicago White Sox — TEMPE, Ariz. — As sure as the sun rises in the east and Ozzie Guillen rises in a talkative mood, it will happen. — At some point this season, Guillen will talk about retiring, going home to Miami and living the good life.
Discussion:
MLB FanHouse
Adam Rubin / Surfing the Mets:
Jerry never wants DH — The home team in spring-training games makes the call on whether there's a DH, and usually even National League teams use one the first few weeks of spring training. Not Jerry Manuel. He wants his pitchers hitting all spring, so the Mets won't use a DH at home at all during the Grapefruit League season.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com