Top News:
ESPN.com:
Ivan Rodriguez agrees to one-year, $1.5 million contract with Houston Astros — Catcher Ivan Rodriguez has agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Houston Astros. — The deal is contingent on Rodriguez taking a physical, the catcher said in an interview Monday on ESPN …
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Jose De Jesus Ortiz / Houston Chronicle:
Astros agree to deal with catcher Rodriguez — Veteran likely pushes Quintero to backup catcher role — KISSIMMEE, Fla. - As Roy Oswalt sang Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez's praises, the 14-time All-Star catcher interrupted the ace righthander's phone conversation Monday afternoon to let him know they were now Astros teammates.
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:Pudge in serious talks with Astros
Discussion:
Ken Davidoff's baseball …
Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Team USA eliminates punchless Dutch 9-3 — MIAMI GARDENS - The Dutch were prepared to go out with a fight — literally. — Trailing the United States 8-1 in the top of eighth of Sunday's World Baseball Classic elimination game, the Netherlands got its first homer of the tournament.
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Amy K. Nelson / MLB:
Team USA players Matt Lindstrom, Ryan Braun need MRIs — MIAMI — The injury toll to Team USA continues, and this time a pitcher is the latest to leave the World Baseball Classic. — Braun — Lindstrom — Florida Marlins reliever Matt Lindstrom has left the squad after experiencing soreness …
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Hamels' left elbow to be examined — Phillies ace has been experiencing discomfort, tightness — CLEARWATER, Fla. — Cole Hamels said he feels no pain in his left elbow. — But he feels something. — Soreness. — Tightness. — Whatever it is, it is concerning enough that Hamels …
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Andy Martino / Philly.com:
Hamels speaks — Breaking news from Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr.: — Cole Hamels will leave Clearwater tonight for the Philadelphia area to have his left elbow examined tomorrow by team doctor Michael Ciccotti. Amaro said that Hamels' had complained of “a little bit of a persistent soreness” in the elbow.
Todd Zolecki / The Zo Zone:Hamels Has Elbow Soreness, Flying to Philadelphia
Discussion:
Phillies Nation, MLB.com, Yahoo! Sports, Babes Love Baseball, Philliesflow.com and The700Level.com
Marc Carig / New Jersey Online:
Minor injuries for New York Yankees' Robinson Cano and Damaso Marte — TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and reliever Damaso Marte underwent magnetic resonance imaging exams on their injured throwing shoulders on Monday. The exam showed Cano has bursitis in his right shoulder …
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Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Some Thoughts On (And From) Lastings Milledge — You can read the paper version of my Milledge-Dukes story here. The DMTP stuff on this one — especially w/r/t to Milledge — is expansive, so maybe that's a timely fit for all the Milledge-related debate we've seen here in the last day(s).
Discussion:
Kranepool Society, NationalsPride.com, Mets Merized Online, Mike Silva's … and Baseball Musings
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New York Post:
ROTATION CLOSE AS FIVE YANKS-KETEERS — TAMPA - Andy Pettitte warmed up early yesterday afternoon and - as has been the case all spring when the Yankees are at home - he was not alone. — On a suggestion from A.J. Burnett before a Feb. 28 game at Steinbrenner Field, the members …
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, The Sommer Frieze, Sliding Into Home, Hardball and It is about the money, stupid
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Brian Costa / New Jersey Online:
New York Mets name Julio Franco minor-league manager — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Julio Franco is back with the Mets. — Except this time, he isn't trying to extend his playing career. He's starting a new one. — The team named Franco manager of the rookie-league Gulf Coast Mets on Monday …
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Patrick Saunders / All Things Rockies:
Cook makes most of rare luxury — Tucson - Aaron Cook can afford luxury. — Not because he's the Rockies' No. 1 pitcher and is playing under a $34 million contract. — Rather, it's because he's talented enough, confident enough and secure enough in his position to afford experimentation.
Discussion:
Purple Row
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Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Marlins return Kroenke to Yankees — The Marlins did not strike Rule 5 gold again as they opted to return left-hander Zach Kroenke to the Yankees this morning. — Kroenke totaled one inning over two Grapefruit League appearances, including one disastrous outing in which he failed to retire any of the seven batters he faced.
Daniel Kaplan / SportsBusiness Journal:
Yanks get new loan for ballpark — The New York Yankees earlier this month borrowed $105 million from a group of banks led by Goldman Sachs to cover final cost overruns at the new Yankee Stadium, sources said. — The loan brings the total debt on the stadium, which opens next month, to more than $1.3 billion.
Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Minor League Transactions — This installment: March 8-13 — We're a week or two away from the annual spring purging, where players are released left and right, but this edition of transactions at least brings news of minor league assignments for a handful of top-shelf prospects …
Lisa Winston / MLB.com:
Newly signed Braves left-hander serves as paragon for Honduras — Batting Around is a series that provides an inside look at Minor League prospects' personalities, quirks and hidden talents as well as their baseball lives via question-and-answer format. — During the current World Baseball …
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Marc Topkin / The Heater:
Carlos Hernandez, Talbot, Davis, Beckham sent to minors — LHP Carlos Hernandez and RHP Mitch Talbot, two of the candidates for the fifth starter's spot, were among 12 players sent to the minor leagues by the Rays today, reducing the spring roster to 44. — Hernandez said he was disappointed …
Discussion:
MVN
