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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...gettingpaidtowatch, MLB Rumors, New York Mets Fan Blog, Amazin' Avenue and The Zo Zone
David Lennon / On the Mets beat:
Sheffield to Mets a very real possibility — Looks like the Mets could pull the trigger on a Sheffield deal as early as tonight. It's an idea that's definitely gaining momentum within the front office, and baggage aside, Sheffield is a great match for the Mets' lefty-dominated roster.
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Mets interested in signing 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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Howard Kussoy / MLB.com:
Yanks rock Hard Rock at new Stadium — Premier dining establishment to bring Bronx new attitude — NEW YORK — The first pitch in the new Yankee Stadium won't be thrown until Friday night, but that didn't stop the place from rocking Thursday morning. — Prior to the Yankees' first workout …
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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 …
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.
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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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.
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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.
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.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
To find him place in lineup, Tatis gets 2nd look … PORT ST. LUCIE - The final day of spring training included the first game for Fernando Tatis at second base. And Jerry Manuel said he wouldn't hesitate to play him at Luis Castillo's position to ensure Tatis is in the lineup whenever the Mets face a lefthander.
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