Top News:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Athletics throw wet blanket over Sox — Felix Doubront emerged from a large pack of contestants to earn a spot in the Red Sox rotation during spring training, the 24-year-old lefthander impressing the judges with his improved fitness and consistency. — Keeping that job could be a tougher task.
Discussion:
Over the Monster and The Soxaholix
RELATED:
Scott Lauber / Boston Herald:
Aaron Cook, Kevin Youkilis pose questions — Nearly an hour after last night's game, Ben Cherington emerged from behind a closed door to manager Bobby Valentine's office and announced only that he had nothing to announce. — Clearly, though, the Red Sox [team stats] have decisions to make.
Discussion:
Boston Globe
Associated Press:
Parker Gets First Win as A's Beat Red Sox 5-3 — BOSTON (AP) — Jarrod Parker scattered four hits over 6 2-3 innings and picked up his first major league win as the Oakland Athletics stopped a three-game losing streak by beating the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Tuesday night.
Discussion:
Boston Herald
Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Do Not Recall Aaron Cook — The Red Sox did not call up right-hander Aaron Cook by 12:01pm ET tonight, thus activating the opt-out clause in his contract according to WEEI.com's Alex Speier. Cook has 24 hours to exercise the opt-out, then the team would have 48 hours to respond by calling him up or trading him.
Discussion:
WEEI, Baseball Nation and Boston Globe
Associated Press:
Lucky Bounce Homers Help Blue Jays Beat Rangers — TORONTO (AP) — Jose Bautista crushed a no-doubt homer, but the two blasts that meant the most to the Blue Jays on Tuesday night both needed a lucky bounce to get over the wall. — Brett Lawrie homered in the bottom of the ninth inning …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
RELATED:
Robert MacLeod / Globe and Mail:
Lawrie hits walk-off homer to beat Rangers — It was felt the first two games of the three-game set against a tough-hitting Texas Rangers outfit would be a good measuring stick for Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison, two up-and-coming hurlers for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
ESPN:
‘Oil Can’ says he used crack entire '86 season — E:60 - ‘Oil Can’ Boyd — Dennis ‘Oil Can’ Boyd sits down with Buster Olney to talk about his drug abuse and battle with cocaine. — Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, who pitched eight of his 10 major league seasons with the Boston Red Sox …
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Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers' turbulent McCourt era ends as sale is completed — A tearful Frank McCourt thanks Dodgers' employees. Guggenheim Baseball's Magic Johnson, Mark Walter and Stan Kasten, who plan news conference, aren't expected to make immediate changes to team. — Frank McCourt's ownership of the Dodgers came to an end on Tuesday.
Discussion:
ESPN and MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Juliet Macur / New York Times:
Andy Pettitte Testifies That Roger Clemens Said He Used H.G.H. — WASHINGTON — Major League Baseball's troubled history of doping was once again paraded into public view on Tuesday as Andy Pettitte, a Yankees pitcher revered by many fans for his postseason triumphs, testified in federal court …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Bats
Associated Press:
Joyce Homers to Help Rays Top Mariners 3-1 — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Matt Joyce had two of Tampa Bay's three hits, including a solo homer and RBI triple, to help the surging Tampa Bay Rays beat the Seattle Mariners 3-1 for their ninth victory in 10 games on Tuesday night.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing, Associated Press and baseballmusings.com
Kristie Rieken / Associated Press:
Houston wins second straight over Mets, 6-3 — HOUSTON—Chris Snyder hit a three-run home run and Jed Lowrie had a two-run shot to give the Houston Astros a 6-3 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday night. — Lowrie's homer, off Jonathon Niese, which hit the inside of the foul pole …
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, New York Times and The Crawfish Boxes
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Another freak injury for Jeremy Affeldt — If Jeremy Affeldt could not laugh about being the king of freak injuries, he might cry. Before he heard one question about his latest trip to the disabled list, he said, “I was separating frozen hamburgers and I slipped on the floor.”
Scott Miller / CBSSports.com:
Pujols unhappy Angels coach Hatcher reveals hitters' meeting details — ANAHEIM, Calif. — Before the first game of each series, clubs routinely hold hitters' meetings to review scouting reports on the pitchers they'll be facing, and pitchers' meetings to go over the opposing team's lineup.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, HardballTalk, Call to the Pen, Getting Blanked, 6-4-2 and baseballmusings.com
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