Top News:
Sports Illustrated:
R.A. Dickey writes of confronting darker sides of human nature … From WHEREVER I WIND UP: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball, by R.A. Dickey with Wayne Coffey, published by arrangement with Blue Rider Press, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Copyright © 2012 by R.A. Dickey.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Sports Illustrated, The Big Lead, New Jersey Online and NESN.com
RELATED:
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Catching up with pitcher Lackey — FORT MYERS, Fla. - He was the poster boy for bad behavior last year. In a season of Red Sox woes, nobody sunk lower than John Lackey. Early in the season, Lackey told us, “everything in my life sucks right now,” and then things got worse.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, Yahoo! Sports, Getting Blanked, Over the Monster and The Soxaholix
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Lee Pitches 6 Shutout Innings in Phillies Win — CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Cliff Lee definitely looks ready for the regular season. — Lee pitched six scoreless innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-4 exhibition victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.
Discussion:
Associated Press
RELATED:
David Murphy / Philly.com:
Phillies trim roster, cut three
Phillies trim roster, cut three
Discussion:
Philliesflow.com, Philly.com and Phillies Nation
Kieran Darcy / ESPN:
Chamberlain: ‘Great chance’ I'll pitch in 2012 — TAMPA, Fla. — An emotional Joba Chamberlain spoke with reporters for just under 14 minutes on Tuesday, for the first time since suffering a serious ankle injury while playing with his five-year-old son, Karter, last Thursday.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Postseason prognostication is perilous — Here's how brilliant my picks were in 2011: — I went 1-for-6 in division winners, getting it right only with the Philadelphia Phillies. — My other selections — cover your children's eyes — were the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies in the NL …
Discussion:
Plain Dealer
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Jack Cust To Sign With An NL Team — Jack Cust will sign a minor league contract with an NL team, reports Troy Renck of The Denver Post (on Twitter). That team is not the Rockies however, and we can also rule out the Astros since they released him this morning.
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Marshall confident he can close — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The question of who might replace the injured Ryan Madson remained the top question on Tuesday in the final week of Reds camp. — On the heels of another solid outing vs. the Cubs, his former club, left-handed setup man Sean Marshall again voiced …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Troy Renck / On the Rox:
Rockies release Casey Blake — The Casey Blake experiment ended before it started, with the Rockies releasing the veteran today. — Looking to bridge third base before the arrival of top prospect Nolan Arenado at some point this season, the Rockies signed Blake to a non-guaranteed $2 million contract in December.
Discussion:
Purple Row and MLB Rumors
Paul Lukas / ESPN:
It's Uni Watch's 2012 MLB preview! — Certain Uni Watch readers have occasionally accused your friendly uniform columnist of being too much of a naysayer. “You never like anything!” these readers say. “Whenever a team unveils a new uniform, all you do is complain about all the things wrong with it!”
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Associated Press:
Mat Latos leaves after bad step — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Reds starter Mat Latos left the game in mid-inning after appearing to make a bad step on a pitch, giving Cincinnati another pitching scare. — Latos left in the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday after apparently hurting himself on a pitch.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Cincinnati Reds
Jane Lee / MLB.com:
Allen named first baseman for opener in Tokyo — TOKYO — Bob Melvin wouldn't reveal his entire Opening Day roster Tuesday, but the A's manager did disclose his starting first baseman: Brandon Allen. — The decision comes just one day after Kila Ka'aihue, who was also in the mix for the starting job …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Associated Press:
Nolasco Helps Miami Top Washington 3-1 — JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Ricky Nolasco breezed through the first inning in four pitches. That made it a whole lot easier to become the first Miami starter to reach the seventh this spring. — Nolasco pitched 6 1-3 innings of one-run ball …