Top News:
Joel Sherman / Hardball:
METS CLOSE TO SIGNING SHEFFIELD — The Mets were closing in on signing Gary Sheffield, likely today, with an eye on giving him significant playing time, according to three people involved in the talks. — “Unless something drastic happens, he is a Met,” one of the sources said.
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Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Sheffield has Mets' officials intrigued … PORT ST. LUCIE - As the Mets broke camp, this news broke, too: slugger Gary Sheffield's availability intrigues team officials, the Daily News has learned. — Rufus Williams, who represents Sheffield, would not disclose whether the Mets had contacted him.
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Philly.com, New York Mets Fan Blog, Amazin' Avenue, MLB Rumors, ...gettingpaidtowatch and The Zo Zone
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Mets showing real interest in Sheffield … The Mets, who apparently are showing real interest in newly available slugger Gary Sheffield, sent two scouts to watch him throw in Tampa on Thursday, and a person close to Sheffield told SI.com he believes Sheffield prefers the Mets to the Phillies due to playing time concerns.
Joel Sherman / Mets Blog:
Mets at least mulling Sheffield — A long time ago, when I was the Yankee beat writer for this paper, a Yankee official and I were discussing having difficult personalities on a roster. And the Yankee official said, “You can have a jerk on the team, but it better be Barry Bonds, not Mel Hall.”
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Mets Get a Late-Night Sneak Preview of Citi Field — Out from the buses they spilled, marching through a gate, down a corridor and around a corner until, finally, there it was. Home. The Mets' shiny, new clubhouse awaited. And as Carlos Delgado poked his head inside at about 10:55 p.m. Thursday …
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Larry Stone / The Hot Stone League:
Ichiro placed on DL; had bleeding ulcer — This press release just arrived from the Mariners. I want to post it right away to get the word out. This is obviously a blow to the team. I'll try to get a handle on the ramifications as quickly as I can. — MARINERS OUTFIELDER ICHIRO SUZUKI …
Corky Siemaszko / NY Daily News:
Jeter-Wright showdown to help kids — This season, it's not just about Mets versus Yankees, it's about David Wright versus Derek Jeter - and it's personal. — Because each time the superstars step up to the plate, they'll be competing against each other for a $100,000 payoff from Delta Air Lines - to their favorite charity.
New York Post:
IN TOUGH TIMES, A MONUMENT TO GREED — IT IS beautiful, of course. But in the way that a woman who went to the world's best plastic surgeon might be beautiful. It is supposed to remind you of the previous incarnation, and ends up feeling artificial and overdone.
Discussion:
MLB.com, MY BASEBALL BIAS, struckoutlooking.com, The Sommer Frieze, Pinstripe Alley and THE BRONX CHEER
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
Watch NY ballparks debut for free — New ballparks. — New media player. — New season. — As a final buildup to the moments everyone has been waiting for, MLB.com is giving all fans a free public beta test stream of all four games in the exhibition series that bring …
Lisa Winston / MLB.com:
Batting Around with Sulbaran — Classic phenom a blister away from pro debut in Reds system — 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.
Discussion:
redsminorleagues.com
Newsday:
Yankees' average ticket ($72.97) highest by far — The Yankees have fallen behind the Red Sox on the field in recent years, but they now are ahead of them in at least one category: the amount of money their fans must shell out to watch them. — According to Team Marketing Report …
Bill Chuck / Boston Globe:
100 random things about the Red Sox, Rays, and Yankees — The Boston Red Sox (1908-2008) have six world championships and 10 pennants among their 18 playoff appearances. Their predecessors, the Boston Americans (1901-07), had one world championship and two pennants.
Hal McCoy / Dayton Daily News:
Some unsolicited advice: Don't sign Sheffield — At dawn's early light, after a night of reflection, here's my take on signing Gary Sheffield: — Don't. — Why should the Cincinnati Reds take on a 40-year-old DH when the National League doesn't have a DH?
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