Top News:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Hip expert: A-Rod will need surgery — I just spoke to an expert, Dr. Robert Buly of the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. He is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hips. — Only last week, Dr. Buly presented back-to-back papers on treating this very injury with Dr. Marc Philippon …
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
No surgery for A-Rod — Yankees GM Brian Cashman just said Alex Rodriguez has a torn hip labrum and cyst. — They're trying rest and rehab. The cyst was drained. The hope is he'll keep playing. — More to come. — He's out of the WBC. — UPDATE, 3:51 p.m.: Surgery, if needed, would knock him out four months.
Discussion:
THE BASEBALL SAVANT, Deadspin, River Avenue Blues, Replacement Level …, The Yankees, A DIE HARD YANKEES FAN, MLB FanHouse, FanGraphs Baseball, Respect Jeter's Gangster, ESPN, MVN, Bronx Baseball Daily, Watchdog, The Yankee Universe, bronxbanterblog.com, The Joy of Sox, Scott Proctor's Arm, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Fack Youk, This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes, MLB.com, iYankees, Beyond the Box Score and DRaysBay
Ian O'Connor / NorthJersey.com:
PINSTRIPE POSTS — O'Connor: Better off without A-Rod? — TAMPA — Alex Rodriguez was said to have been surprised when he got the grim news on his bum hip, surprised but eager to play on. Chances are, his determination will meet its match in human frailty.
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Cashman audio from today — Here is Brian Cashman talking about Alex Rodriguez's bad hip. It's about 20 minutes: — In essence, there were two choices: surgery or rest, rehab and then surgery. The Yankees will try to get him through the season with rest and rehab.
Discussion:
Coast to Coast Baseball, Heartland Pinstripes, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Yanks and more and Baseball Insider
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Ransom likely to sub if A-Rod stays out — Lacking big league experience, journeyman brings grit to Yanks — TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees manager Joe Girardi may not be prepared to consider it yet, but there is a chance that he will be scribbling Cody Ransom's name into his club's Opening Day lineup instead of Alex Rodriguez's.
Tyler Kepner / Bats:How the Hip Bothers A-Rod at the Plate
Discussion:
Jersey Hardball, New Stadium Insider, ESPN, Deadspin, MVN, Pinstripe Alley, Baseball Musings and Fantasy Baseball
MLB:
Cleveland Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo cleared to play in World Baseball Classic — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Shin-Soo Choo has been cleared by South Korea to play in the World Baseball Classic, though a sore left arm will limit him to designated hitter duties only in the first round.
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Newsday:
Mets' Tatis to replace A-Rod on Dominican team — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Fernando Tatis has agreed to be the replacement for Alex Rodriguez on the Dominican Republic team for the World Baseball Classic. — After A-Rod pulled out of the tournament with a torn labrum in his hip …
Ben Casselman / Wall Street Journal:
Luxury Strikes Out — Hi-def TV screens in bathroom mirrors. Celebrity chefs. Three of the most expensive sports arenas in history are about to open, and the timing couldn't be worse. — A rendering of the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
Team USA reads Top Ten on Letterman — Appearing on the “Late Show with David Letterman” will not help you against Japan's pitching or Korea's fielding or Cuba's potent offense, but when 10 members of Team USA did that Thursday to read the Top Ten List for “reasons to watch the World Baseball Classic …
Discussion:
Nationals Journal
Craig Calcaterra / Hardball Times:
Worldwide Draft — I missed this the other day, but in light of the problems in the Dominican, the chatter about a potential worldwide draft is increasing: … And there certainly are problems down there and in other countries not subject to the draft. It's worth noting, however …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Adam Rubin / Surfing the Mets:
Havens in cards for Mets — The Reese Havens era is beginning a little sooner than expected with the left side of the Mets' infield scattered for the World Baseball Classic. Here's the lineup in Jupiter, Fla., today against the Cardinals: — Castillo, 2b — Valentin, 3b — Murphy, lf
Will Weissert / Associated Press:
Cubans' baseball dreams take root on rocky fields — HAVANA — The pitch whistles in with such fury that the catcher screams and pulls off his glove, frantically shaking a left hand that's turning purple. — He has no catcher's mask or mitt, only an infielder's glove.
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Henry Schulman / SFGate:
Dave Roberts released — The Giants have just announced a move surprising in its timing. They have released outfielder Dave Roberts now to give him time to find a job elsewhere. The team will be on the hook for his $6.5 million salary in 2009. If another team signs him …
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goaztecs.cstv.com:
Play-by-Play — San Diego State at #11 San Diego - Play-by-Play — Score by Innings R H E — San Diego State..... 010 012 001 - 5 12 0 San Diego........... 011 000 001 - 3 8 2 —
MLB:
St. Louis Cardinals, reliever Dennys Reyes agree to two-year, $3 million contract — ST. LOUIS — Left-hander Dennys Reyes and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to $3 million, two-year contract. — The move was first reported by ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / Surfing the Mets:
The day at camp — Despite John Maine's early struggles, the Mets rallied to beat Italy 3-2 in a game in which the statistics don't count in the official spring totals. — The Mets scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth, with two players fighting for the outfield defensive specialist job vacated …
