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12:50 PM ET, March 4, 2009

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Source: Manny, Dodgers agree  —  ORLANDO, Florida — Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers finally reached common ground in their negotiations, according to a source close to the talks.  —  Ramirez  —  After multiple failed attempts, Ramirez and the Dodgers agreed to a two-year, $45 million deal on Tuesday.
RELATED:
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Manny Ramirez returns for L.A. encore  —  Buzz up!  —  GLENDALE &Ariz. - Manny Ramirez, the wandering personality and dynamic hitter who bullied his way out of Boston last summer before leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to the National League championship series, agreed to a deal with the Dodgers …
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
McCourt needs to hear Ramirez say yes
Discussion: MLB Rumors
MLB.com:
Manny, Dodgers near deal
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Alex Rodriguez May Miss W.B.C. With Injury  —  JUPITER, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez has an injured hip and may not play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, according to a person in baseball who has spoken to Rodriguez.  —  Rodriguez is expected to fly to Colorado on Wednesday …
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
A-Rod: I want Reyes on Yankees  —  Alex Rodriguez told reporters in Jupiter today that he wished Jose Reyes played for the Yankees.  Uh-oh.  —  He later then sent word through a team PR man that his comments shouldn't be taken as a shot at Derek Jeter.  But of course it'll still be seen that way.
Arthur Staple / Newsday:
A-Rod: I wish the Yankees had Jose Reyes  —  Even when Alex Rodriguez is trying to stay positive, things seem to turn out wrong.  —  A-Rod paid Mets shortstop Jose Reyes a high compliment today after the Dominican Republic's first exhibition game before the World Baseball Classic …
Dave Scheiber / St. Petersburg Times:
Yankees' Jeter adjusts quickly to facing teammates with World Baseball Classic squad
Discussion: Boston Globe
MLB.com:
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez to visit hip specialist
Discussion: New Jersey Online
Dr. Michael Kaplan / ESPN.com:
Alex Rodriguez had hip problems last year
Discussion: Associated Press
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
A-Rod could miss WBC
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Johan says he wants Opening Day start  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - Johan Santana tossed a 46-pitch bullpen session Wednesday and then predicted he would take the ball on Opening Day in Cincinnati on April 6.  —  “All plans have to have room for modification,” said pitching coach Dan Warthen …
RELATED:
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Johan shooting to pitch Opening Day  —  Mets ace tosses 46-pitch bullpen session Wednesday  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — After throwing 46 pitches in his seventh bullpen session of the spring and speaking with his pitching coach and a member of the media relations department …
Discussion: 24 Hours From Suicide
David Lennon / On the Mets beat:
Santana: Don't count me out yet
Discussion: Hot Foot
Joel Sherman / Mets Blog:
The Mets' handling of Johan
Discussion: Hardball
David Lennon / Newsday:
New schedule suggests Santana will miss Opening Day
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Rizzo to take bulk of Nats' duties  —  Assistant GM will work with Kasten while GM post remains vacant  —  VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals decided Wednesday that their general manager's position will remain vacant for the foreseeable future.  —  Team president Stan Kasten will remain the person in charge …
RELATED:
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Kasten: “I'm a fan of continuity”  —  I am gonna flesh out a longer news story about the Rizzo promotion.  (The linguistics of this are tricky: Is he the interim GM?  No. Acting GM?  That's about right.)  But in the meantime, here is a transcript of what Stan Kasten and Mike Rizzo both said this morning...
Discussion: Yahoo! Sports, Nats Triple Play and MVN
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Talking pitching with Phil Hughes  —  We interrupt news on A-Rod with some baseball:  —  If you watched the game today, you may have noticed that Phil Hughes had a nice, tight curveball.  It looked different than the curve he used to throw and I asked him about it.
RELATED:
MLB.com:
TEAM USA 6, YANKEES 5
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:   Madden: Hughes' insider reminds Jeter he has traded pinstripes for Stars & Stripes
Paul Hagen / Philly.com:
Stuck in the shadows  —  ONE TIME, the former major league pitcher recalled, the package that arrived in the mail looked like it contained pastries.  The label even said something like Johnny's Bakery on it.  Puzzled, he opened the box.  Sure enough, he found cookies inside.
RELATED:
Craig Calcaterra / Hardball Times:
Doing the Digging George Mitchell Didn't
Discussion: Baseball Musings
Matthew Artus / NJ.com:
Pelfrey's Chances on Beating the Verducci Effect  —  With various Mets exiting for their World Baseball Classic rosters, one of the storylines left to follow this Spring Training for the Mets is what Mike Pelfrey can do for an encore.  After a rough start, Pelfrey settled down and filled gaping holes left …
Discussion: MetsBlog.com and Mets Geek
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Ramirez wants to finish with Cubs  —  If he does, he could rank with club hitting greats  —  MESA, Ariz. — In any discussion regarding the greatest sluggers in Cubs history, the names likely to trip off the tongue are the old standbys.  —  There's Ernie Banks, Hack Wilson, Sammy Sosa …
Discussion: MLB Rumors
 
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 More News: 
Michael Hiestand / USA Today:
Herm Edwards eager to leap from sideline to ESPN airwaves
Andy Martino / Philly.com:
Phils still on the hunt for lefthanded reliever
Discussion: Philliesflow.com and MLB.com
Kris Liakos / Walkoff Walk:
Rocco Baldelli: The Walkoff Walk Interview
Discussion: Boston Globe
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs Kerry-ing on  —  MESA, Ariz. — Carlos Zambrano said he felt …
Discussion: Bleed Cubbie Blue
 Earlier Picks: 
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers camp fighting injury bug
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
D-Train gets outing back on track
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Royals re-sign three players
Dave Cameron / FanGraphs Baseball:
The Rays JV Squad
MLB.com:
Miller Park to host Midwest League game on April 24
David Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Odalis Perez: On holding out, getting fired and his future
 

 
From WeSmirch:

Julia Moore / People:
Matthew Byars, Talent Manager Known for Real Housewives of Potomac, Dies: ‘My Heart Hurts,’ Says Bravo Star

Kristin Contino / Marie Claire:
Exclusive: Meghan Markle Hosts Heartfelt Holiday Dinner for Afghan Women Starting New Lives in America

The Times:
My revealing date with Cher — in her bedroom in Malibu

 
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