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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Buster Olney / ESPN:
Heightened pressure now heaped on Teixeira — So Alex Rodriguez embarks on an uncertain course. The Yankees don't know if he'll be available Opening Day or in May. They don't know if he'll be available next week. His intention is to prepare and play each day until his hip …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Olney On The A-Rod Injury — A few interesting thoughts from ESPN's Buster Olney this morning: … At least in terms of the free agent market, this could make sense. Second basemen Mark Grudzielanek and Ray Durham aren't known for their range, but signing one for $1MM or less could serve as an insurance policy.
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
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
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.
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Cashman audio from today
Discussion:
Coast to Coast Baseball, Heartland Pinstripes, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Yanks and more and Baseball Insider
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:No surgery for A-Rod — Yankees GM Brian Cashman just said …
Discussion:
THE BASEBALL SAVANT, River Avenue Blues, Deadspin, The Yankees, A DIE HARD YANKEES FAN, MLB FanHouse, Respect Jeter's Gangster, FanGraphs Baseball, MVN, MLB Rumors, Bronx Baseball Daily, Watchdog, The Yankee Universe, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre …, bronxbanterblog.com, The Joy of Sox, Scott Proctor's Arm, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine, WasWatching.com, The Yankee Scrolls, Fack Youk, MY BASEBALL BIAS, This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes and iYankees
Hardball:THIRD BASE OPTIONS FOR YANKS
Discussion:
Texas Rangers, Sox and Pinstripes, 3:10 to Joba, River Avenue Blues and Ken Davidoff's baseball …
Brian McTaggart / Houston Chronicle:
Bittersweet parting — Geoff Geary is coming off a career year, but it took his being dealt from a team that won it all — KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The emotions swirled through Geoff Geary's head as if they were in a blender. There was bitterness and happiness, even a little bit of envy.
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.
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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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
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
Associated Press:
Moises Alou says Classic will likely be his finale … JUPITER, Florida (AP) — Moises Alou says he'll likely turn down offers he has received to play this season, including one from the Philadelphia Phillies, and end his 18-year career after the World Baseball Classic.
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Sky Kalkman / Beyond the Box Score:
Saber-Friendly Blogging 101: Best Position Players In Franchise History — BtB reader and Rangers' fan philkid3 has a cool post up at LSB about the best players in Rangers history (well, since 1955, at least). He included pitchers via a different method, which you can tackle if interested …
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
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.
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