Top News:
ESPN.com:
Manny Ramirez, Los Angeles Dodgers complete $45M, 2-year deal … LOS ANGELES — The winter of discontent in Mannywood is over. — Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers officially agreed Wednesday on a $45 million, two-year contract that keeps him with the NL West champions.
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
How Manny's deal finally got done — L.A. expects Ramirez to commit himself, become ‘a full-fledged Dodger’ … “We want to say yes.” — With those five words, uttered over the phone Monday night by Scott Boras to Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, it was over. — Well, not totally over.
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:Manny Ramirez and Dodgers make a deal
Discussion:
Inside the Dodgers, Faith and Fear in Flushing, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Babes Love Baseball and Deadspin
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
A-Rod's teammates unfazed by words — Damon sees comment as innocent slip; Jeter remains mum — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — When word of Alex Rodriguez's gushing praise for the Mets' Jose Reyes traveled back to Yankees camp, Johnny Damon didn't wince. — Before leaving the Dominican Republic club …
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Pete Caldera / NorthJersey.com:
A-Rod's hip problem not new — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The problem with Alex Rodriguez's right hip was not a spring training revelation. A-Rod's condition dates to last season, when manager Joe Girardi said “he had some minor issues” with it. — On Wednesday, the Yankees remained hopeful …
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Spring Game 8: Yankees at Braves
Discussion:
The Voice of Yankees Universe, Yanks and more, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre … and MY BASEBALL BIAS
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
New stance is on tap — After dismal '08, Varitek changes — FORT MYERS, Fla. - Dave Magadan first wanted Jason Varitek to alter his lefthanded batting stance two years ago, a notion met with resistance by a proud man. Varitek's style - tapping his front foot for timing …
Discussion:
sox1fan.com
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Howard Ulman / Associated Press:
1B prospect glad Teixeira didn't join Red Sox — FORT MYERS, Fla.—Lars Anderson paid little attention to the Red Sox pursuit of Mark Teixeira even though the talented prospect's position would have been tied up for a long time if the team succeeded. — The 21-year-old first baseman's name …
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Inbox: Can Tazawa jump to Majors? — Plus questions about Beckett's health, Bay and the future at third base — Recognizing that there is still a lot of baseball to play in Spring Training, what do you think the chances are that Junichi Tazawa could pitch his way onto the Major League club without ever spending a day in the Minors?
Arthur Staple / Newsday:
Pedro throws two innings, says he feels great — FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - It was a day without A-Rod for the first time in a long while, but Pedro Martinez filled the void nicely. — Martinez pitched two innings, his first game work since Sept. 25 with the Mets, and allowed two runs …
Murray Chass / Murray Chass On Baseball:
MIKE PIAZZA: HIS BAT AND HIS BACK — Baseball writers spend a lot of time in press boxes together, and the close and frequent proximity does not always foster positive relationships. For example, Joel Sherman of the New York Post and I do not have any kind of relationship. We have not talked for years.
Bombers Beat:
Yankees notes: Rivera to throw bullpen Thursday — Remember the Yankees notebooks? Yeah, so do I. Today presented a lot of tidbits that don't really warrant separate stories, so I'm bringing the format back. Something tells me I'll be doing this from time to time.
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Yanks muster little offense vs. Braves — Damon's triple among lone highlights; Kennedy allows two runs — BRAVES 3, YANKEES 2 — Yankees at the plate: Johnny Damon's fifth-inning single plated right-handed pitcher Dan Giese, who reached on a single to right off Todd Redmond.
Discussion:
New York Times
MLB:
James Shields to start opener for AL champion Tampa Bay Rays — PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Rays manager Joe Maddon didn't wait to watch Tampa Bay's best pitchers in spring training. He picked right-hander James Shields on Wednesday as the team's Opening Day starter. — Shields
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Troy Renck / All Things Rockies:
Rockies win B game against Arizona Diamondbacks — Attention fans: The good news is that the Rockies won today. The bad news? It doesn't count in the standings, as their 5-0 victory came in a B game against Arizona Diamondbacks' minor leaguers, save for pitcher Jon Garland and catcher Miguel Montero.
Discussion:
Bottom9 Baseball
MLB:
Oakland Athletics pitcher Justin Duchscherer to seek second opinion on elbow — PHOENIX — Oakland Athletics pitcher Justin Duchscherer will get a second opinion on his sore right elbow, and it was uncertain whether he'd be ready to begin the season. — “His Opening Day start is definitely in jeopardy …
Discussion:
Associated Press
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Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:A's, Garciaparra ready to finalize deal
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
