Top News:
Matt Snyder / CBSSports.com:
Magic Johnson's group reaches agreement to buy Dodgers — From McCourt to Showtime. — Tuesday afternoon, Major League Baseball owners unanimously approved the three remaining bidding groups as possible owners of the Dodgers. The next step was an auction to buy the club …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Dodgers fans can rejoice in Magic deal — FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi on what Magic Johnson will bring to the Dodgers — Frank McCourt just recorded one of the greatest assists in sports history. — He passed to Magic Johnson. — Sure, there were other names on the news release …
Discussion:
Bats, Baseball Nation and HardballTalk
Matthew Futterman / Wall Street Journal:
Magic Johnson Wins Auction for Los Angeles Dodgers — Basketball legend Magic Johnson led a group that won an auction for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team Tuesday night, marking the final chapter in a soap-opera-style saga for the legendary franchise. — With a bid of $2.15 billion …
Discussion:
Dodger Thoughts, ESPN, FanGraphs Baseball, LA Observed, The Big Lead, Mike Scioscia's tragic illness, Gaslamp Ball, True Blue LA and Deadspin
Globe and Mail:
L.A. Dodgers sold to group with Magic Johnson — Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has announced an agreement to sell the bankrupt team for $2-billion (U.S.) to a group that includes former Lakers star Magic Johnson and former Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten.
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, ESPN, True Blue LA and Associated Press
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers sold to Magic Johnson's group — GLENDALE, Ariz. — A deal has been consummated between the Dodgers and Magic Johnson's bidding group for the Dodgers and Dodger Stadium, according to a baseball source. Johnson's group includes former baseball executive Stan Kasten and Guggenheim Partners.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, Mike Scioscia's tragic illness and 6-4-2
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Johnson/Kasten Group Agrees To Purchase Dodgers — WEDNESDAY, 7:40am: The Dodgers sold for $2.15 billion, the world record price for a sports franchise, Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports (Twitter links). The Cubs had set the previous record for an MLB team with a sale price of $845MM.
Discussion:
Mike Scioscia's tragic illness and MLB Daily Dish
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Approach here isn't very defensible — FORT MYERS, Fla. - Someday - maybe when hell freezes over - we will hear a Red Sox manager or general manager say that the team is sacrificing offense for defense at shortstop. — We thought this might be the time, but the rejection button on defense …
Discussion:
The Soxaholix
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
John Lackey sorry for offensive remark — Boston Red Sox pitcher John Lackey has apologized for using “a thoughtless choice of words” during an interview this week. — Speaking with a Boston Globe columnist, Lackey said it was “retarded” to make too much of reports about some Red Sox starters drinking beer …
Dan Duggan / Boston Herald:
It's Aviles, not Iglesias, at shortstop
Discussion:
Boston Globe and Over the Monster
Associated Press:
Ackley and Suzuki Lead Mariners Season-Opening Victory in Tokyo — TOKYO (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki had four hits in his return to Japan, Dustin Ackley homered and then singled in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 Wednesday night in baseball's season-opener.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and Lookout Landing
Dan Hayes / North County Times:
PADRES ANALYSIS: Moorad's departure leaves many questions regarding franchise's future — PEORIA, Ariz. — John Moores is back in control of the Padres after Jeff Moorad's attempt to buy the baseball team disintegrated. But what the longtime Padres owner will do next with the franchise is unknown, perhaps even to Moores himself.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
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
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.
