Nick Adenhart of Los Angeles Angels killed in car crash in Fullerton  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart and two other people were killed early Thursday when a minivan ran a red light and struck the sports car they were traveling in, authorities said.

Remembering The Best Friend I Ever Had  —  I had just moved to Manhattan Beach, California as a four-year-old kid and had no friends yet.  I sat around playing with my He-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures by myself.  A boy saw me playing in the yard with this stuff and approached me.

Ichiro gets seven hits in Minors action  —  Mariners right fielder triples twice in Rookie League game  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki was the leadoff hitter for both teams in a five-inning Rookie League intrasquad game on Thursday afternoon in Peoria, Ariz.

Raissman: No Mad Dogs allowed for stadium debuts  —  The only shot Chris (Mad Dog) Russo has of doing his Sirius/XM radio show from Citi Field and Yankee Stadium during the home openers next week is if he accepts Bud Selig's recent offer.  —  When informed Monday by Russo that exclusivity clauses …

Obama won't throw Nats' first pitch  —  President Barack Obama won't be at Nationals Park on Monday to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Washington Nationals' home opener.  —  According to a White House aide, Obama will decline the team's invitation to throw the pitch in the game …

Dodgers falter at the finish against Padres  —  They surrender a two-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning and strand a runner at third with no outs in the ninth inning.  —  Reporting from San Diego — Perhaps this was only one bad inning in one bad game.

Oliver Perez tagged for eight earned runs as Mets lose to Reds, 8-6  —  CINCINNATI - Oliver Perez's struggles continue into the regular season.  —  Perez was charged with eight runs on five hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings as the Mets lost to the Reds, 8-6, Thursday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.

Silva's Pitch Selection  —  Last night, Carlos Silva returned to his former stomping grounds in Minnesota, trying to resurrect his career after a disastrous 2008 season.  Silva represents one of the tests for the predictive power of FIP, which we often use to evaluate pitchers here on the site.

CORRECTING SHEFFIELD'S CRITICS  —  I have come not to bury Gary Sheffield as so many others have since the Mets signed him unexpectedly last week on the eve of the opening of the season.  Have I come to praise him?  Not necessarily, but I would like to offer a fairer picture of the veteran slugger than usually is presented.