Top News:
Andy Jasner / MLB.com:
Pedro impressive in latest rehab start — Right-hander strikes out 11 over six innings for Reading — Box > — READING, Pa. — For five innings, Pedro Martinez was razor sharp. — He was hitting the corners with his fastball and his offspeed pitches had the Trenton Thunder hitters reaching.
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Associated Press:
Pedro Martinez strikes out 11 in Double-A rehab start — READING, Pa. — Pedro Martinez recorded nine of his first 12 outs by strikeout and worked six innings for the Double-A Reading on Wednesday night, in what could have been his final rehab start before joining the Philadelphia Phillies.
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Happ dominates Rox in four-hit shutout — Despite gem, rookie may not remain in Phillies rotation — PHILADELPHIA — J.A. Happ has earned his spot in the Phillies' rotation, but sometimes performance is not enough. — Sometimes the numbers don't jive.
Associated Press:
Happ fires shutout, strikes out 10 as Phillies stop Rockies — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — When J.A. Happ's (FSY) 127th pitch of the night caught Troy Tulowitzki (FSY) for a called strike three, he did more than make another sellout crowd roar in appreciation of a Phillies shutout.
The Back Page:
Yankees call up Claggett — TORONTO — Right-handed reliever Anthony Claggett has joined the Yankees for their game tonight against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. — Claggett, 25, was 4-6 with a 3.02 ERA in 32 games (two starts) for Scranton-Wilkes Barre (Triple-A).
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Claggett on the way — Anthony Claggett is headed to Toronto …
Associated Press:
Damon and Swisher Homer for Yankee Win — TORONTO (AP) — Johnny Damon hit a solo home run and had three RBIs, Nick Swisher also connected and the New York Yankees completed a two-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with an 8-4 victory Wednesday night. — Reliever Alfredo Aceves (7-1) …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Yankees Are Primed to Make It a Rivalry — TORONTO — The last Yankees pitcher to beat the Boston Red Sox is a Little League coach in Montoursville, Pa. Mike Mussina, who won at Fenway Park on the final day of the 2008 season, will not pitch in the Bronx this weekend.
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Parnell is likely to take Niese's spot in rotation … With Jon Niese out for the year, Jerry Manuel indicated the rookie's spot in the starting rotation could be taken by reliever Bobby Parnell. — Parnell, a starter throughout his minor-league career before making 54 relief appearances …
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Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
Niese, Sheffield leave game with injuries — took a shocking turn Wednesday when pitcher Jon Niese collapsed on the mound with a hamstring injury while attempting a warmup pitch in the second inning. — Niese had covered first base on the back end of an attempted 3-6-1 double play on a ball hit by Joe Thurston of the Cardinals.
Discussion:
Archie Bunker's Army
Maurice Patton / Tennessean.com:
Mike Minor gets big deal from Braves — Former Vanderbilt left-hander Mike Minor and the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a contract that includes the largest bonus awarded to a Braves draftee and the largest bonus ever given to a No. 7 pick, Nashville-based agent Bo McKinnis said Wednesday.
Rustin Dodd / MLB.com:
Cat frolicks on field in fifth inning in KC — Groundskeepers give chase as feline delays play early — KANSAS CITY — Say what you want about their win-loss record, but the Royals' 2009 season is definitely running in first place in the bizarre moments category.
Discussion:
Walkoff Walk
John Tomase / Boston Herald:
Red Sox' Trop woes grow as Rays finish sweep — Same sad story — + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email + Bio — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It hasn't reached the level of the Patriots [team stats]' old Orange Bowl jinx, but the Red Sox [team stats] keep flopping at the Trop.
Doug Miller / MLB.com:
Spring Training a financial boon to Florida — Study: Camp made more than $750 million for state's economy — Spring Training in the Grapefruit League in 2009 was an unprecedented financial success, according to a new study commissioned by the Florida Sports Foundation in conjunction …
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Yahoo! Sports:
25 things you didn't know about baseball — Buzz up! — I have found baseball nerd heaven, and it is a place called FanGraphs. — Earlier this year, the invaluable repository for statistics unveiled its pitch-type linear weights. Do not be scared by the math jargon.
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Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
Topps Gets Exclusive Deal With Baseball, Landing a Blow to Upper Deck — The Topps Company will become the exclusive trading card maker of Major League Baseball next year in a multiyear deal that appears to seriously hurt Upper Deck, its primary competitor in the once-vibrant business.
Jonah Keri / Sports Illustrated:
Suddenly, that famous Volquez-for-Hamilton deal has lost its luster … The rarest occurrence in baseball isn't a perfect game, a cycle, or even an afternoon without New York sports talk radio ranting that [Joba Chamberlain] Phil Hughes is the most irreplaceable relief pitcher of all time.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Wrapping it up from Toronto — This will be quick. I need to catch a ride to a hotel out by the airport, nap for a bit and then fly back to New York early in the morning. Seems as though the Yankees are playing some sort of important game tomorrow. — A few notes:
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Jays GM Ricciardi looks like a lame duck after botching Halladay talks … Call them the Blew Jays. Because they blew the Roy Halladay trade talks big time. — Sure, the Jays still have Halladay, the best pitcher in baseball. But by all appearances it's a disappointed Halladay, who expected to be gone from Toronto by now.
