Top News:
Amy K. Nelson / ESPN.com:
Team USA's Kevin Youkilis has mild sprain, tendinitis — MIAMI — When it seemed as though the injury news could not get any worse for Team USA, manager Davey Johnson announced on Wednesday that Kevin Youkilis has left the team because of a sore left ankle.
Discussion:
SOX & Dawgs, Fox Sports, YFSF, Center Field, Projo Sox Blog, Over the Monster and The Joy of Sox
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Chad Finn / Boston Globe:
Youkilis out of WBC with ankle injury — Don't look now, but another Red Sox star has suffered an injury at the World Baseball Classic. — Kevin Youkilis will miss the remainder of the WBC with a mild left ankle sprain and mild Achilles tendinitis in his left foot, the Red Sox said tonight in a statement.
Chad Finn / Boston Globe:
Sox release Josh Bard — Josh Bard's second stint with the Red Sox was even briefer than his first. — The Red Sox announced this morning that they have placed the 30-year old catcher on unconditional release waivers. General manager Theo Epstein indicated that Bard's departure means …
Jose de Jesus Ortiz / blogs.chron.com:
Astros take call about trade (w/more notes) — • Photos from Boone news conference and Astros-Yankees game — Not long after Aaron Boone announced he would leave the team to have open-heart surgery, Astros general manager Ed Wade received a call from another team informing him they had a third baseman available.
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Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
With Boone out, Johnson may get look — Touted prospect may become candidate as Astros keep options open — KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Chris Johnson is considerably closer to the big leagues than he was on Tuesday night, but the young third baseman was hardly rejoicing before Wednesday's game between the Astros and Yankees.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Nats Release Hill, Sign Beimel To One-Year, $2 Million Deal — The Nationals today released starting pitcher Shawn Hill and signed free agent left-handed relief pitcher Joe Beimel to a one-year, $2.0 million deal. Both moves can be attributed to uncertainty.
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Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
Some Pre-Game Notes — Notes, notes, notes. — * Reminder: Watch everything tonight on MASN. Rob Dibble. Bob Carpenter. MASN, my friends. Their updates are more instantaneous than mine. And in HD! (Or is it? Not sure. Either way, newspapers haven't mastered that trick yet.)
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
Pirates send Gorzelanny to Minors — Former staff ace optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis — BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates announced two cuts from big league camp early on Wednesday morning, then three more after the game against the Twins, and one comes as a bit of a surprise.
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MLB:
New York Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui won't play in field until at least June — TAMPA, Fla. — Hideki Matsui won't play in the outfield for the New York Yankees until at least interleague road games in June and will be restricted to designated hitter and pinch-hitting appearances until then.
Fred Mitchell / Chicago Tribune:
Fergie Jenkins, Greg Maddux to have No. 31 retired by Chicago Cubs — At long last, Ferguson Jenkins received the call. — The Cubs plan to retire the No. 31 he and future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux wore during a special ceremony May 3 before the Cubs host the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field.
Discussion:
Wrigleyville23
MLB.com:
New York Yankees to open their doors for their Bronx neighbors on Thursday, April 2 — Thousands of fans will get special preview of the new Yankee Stadium — The New York Yankees will welcome thousands of their fellow Bronx neighbors for a special preview of the new Yankee Stadium on Thursday, April 2nd at 11 AM.
Discussion:
New Stadium Insider
New York Post:
JOBA IS PLAN B FOR CLOSE CALL — TAMPA - If Mariano Rivera's health falters and he is unable to close, the likelihood is Joba Chamberlain would be switched into the role, multiple Yankees officials told The Post. — Rivera took a convincing step toward demonstrating full health …
Discussion:
Newsday, MLB FanHouse, NY Daily News, On the Yankees beat, My Pinstripes and New Jersey Online
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Andy Katz / ESPN:
Presidential pick 'em at the White House — ESPN.com takes an exclusive look at President Obama's bracket … WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Barack Obama has studied Lincoln and FDR to help guide him through the early stages of his presidency. — But he is very much a modern man …
Bart Hubbuch / Mets Blog:
Say goodnight, Freddy — PORT ST. LUCIE — We haven't spoken to Jerry Manuel yet, but it's probably safe to say Freddy Garcia won't be long for the Mets' camp. The veteran right-hander's already slim odds of winning the No. 5 starter job appeared to fly out the window here today with his disaster …
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, Baseball Insider, MLB Rumors, Pinstripes, Pa., Mets Fans Forever and Mets Fever
Tony Jackson / Inside the Dodgers:
Kuroda to start Dodgers' season opener, Billingsley to get home opener — Joe Torre told us this morning, just as he headed out the door to play golf on the team's final off-day of the spring. It wasn't an off-day for Chad Billingsley, as he pitched five innings in a minor-league intrasquad game.
Discussion:
True Blue LA
