Top News:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Breaking news: Gardner in CF — Joe Girardi just announced that Brett Gardner will be the center fielder. — More to come. — UPDATE, 5:08 p.m.: The plan is for Melky to be on the team, Girardi said. But saying that is the plan is like saying he could be traded. ...
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Associated Press:
Gardner beats out Cabrera for Yankees' CF job … TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brett Gardner has won the Yankees' starting center field job. — New York manager Joe Girardi announced Sunday that Gardner beat out Melky Cabrera this spring for the starting spot on opening day.
Jim Street / MLB.com:
Getting ahead early could solve woes — Mariners outscored by 72 runs in first three innings last season — PEORIA, Ariz. — The Mariners are still uncertain about who will fill the closer role this season, but the first three innings might be even more important.
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner
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Jim Street / MLB.com:
Morrow to start season in bullpen — After stint as starter in '08, right-hander could return as closer — PEORIA, Ariz. — A move that was so inevitable a week ago that even Brandon Morrow realized it, the Mariners have decided to move the right-hander from the rotation back to the bullpen.
Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Wilkerson leaves team — Red Sox manager Terry Francona confirmed to reporters this morning that outfielder Brad Wilkerson has left the Red Sox. He doesn't figure to be in the major league team's plans heading into the regular season. — Wilkerson, who had signed a minor-league deal …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Wilkerson out? — The Red Sox have not made a formal announcement yet, but Red Sox manager Terry Francona acknowledged this morning that Brad Wilkerson has at least temporarily left the club to assess his options, suggesting that he will not be part of the Red Sox' plans when the club breaks camp.
Discussion:
sox1fan.com, Red Sox Monster, Blogging Baseball, The Joy of Sox, Yahoo! Sports, Over the Monster and Fire Brand of the …
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Willis placed on 15-day DL — LAKELAND, Fla. — The long-speculated decision on Dontrelle Willis ended up being an unexpected trip to the disabled list. The Tigers placed the former 22-game winner on the 15-day DL Sunday morning with anxiety disorder. — The diagnosis, Willis said …
Discussion:
SPORTSbyBROOKS
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Ryan Divish / Mariners Insider:
Mariners trade for Chris Burke — On a day when plenty of things are going on around Peoria, general manager Jack Zduriencik added another move to the fray, acquiring utility infielder/outfielder Chris Burke from the San Diego Padres for future cash considerations.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Spring Game 32: Pirates at Yankees
Discussion:
Yanks and more
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers snag Koshansky off waivers — Club adds depth at first base with former Rockies farmhand — SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Rangers, concerned about their depth at first base, have claimed first baseman Joe Koshansky off waivers from the Colorado Rockies. He has been optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma.
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Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
“At Bat 2009” Now Available for iPhone and iPod Touch — MLB.com announced today that that MLB.com At Bat 2009 application developed exclusively for iPhone and iPod Touch, is now available from the Apple App Store. — Gameday Audio — This season's MLB.com At Bat will feature the addition …
Peter Gammons / ESPN:
Improved Royals could surprise in 2009 — We all know that Kansas City is a small market. Fine. But we also know what it was like before any player made $3 million per year, when in the George Brett era — from 1975 through 1989 — the Royals averaged 89 wins a season …
Discussion:
The Yankee Universe
Mike DiGiovanna / LA Times Sports Blog:
Angels: Matthews leaves camp after meeting with Scioscia, Reagins — TEMPE, Ariz. — Disgruntled outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. was given permission to leave camp for a day today after being told in a closed-door meeting with Manager Mike Scioscia and General Manager Tony Reagins that he would open …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Chicagosports / Hardball:
Chicago Cubs name Kevin Gregg closer — MESA, Ariz. - Cubs manager Lou Piniella named Kevin Gregg the team's closer on Sunday over Carlos Marmol. — Piniella spoke to both pitchers this morning and made his announcement after batting practice at HoHoKam Park.
Murray Chass / Murray Chass On Baseball:
HALL OF FAME PITCHER TO MR. PRESIDENT — Nolan Ryan is the only club president in baseball history who pitched seven no-hitters, won 324 games, struck out 5,714 batters, including 383 in one record-setting season, and received 98.79 percent of the votes in his election to the Hall of Fame.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
