Get ready for an awkward spring training with the Phillies  —  Pitchers, catchers, and a bunch of guys the Phillies spent the offseason trying to trade will report to spring training Thursday.  Contrary to popular belief, this team is going to be a contender.

Left Out  —  A bunch of 12-year-old kids had their hearts broken this week.  Jackie Robinson West, a team from Chicago's South Side, won the U.S. title at the 2014 Little League World Series.  They achieved their dream in dramatic fashion.  I remember watching their pitcher give …

D-Backs Avoid Arbitration With Addison Reed  —  The number of unsettled arbitration cases is rapidly winding down, but there are still a handful to be resolved.  We'll keep track of today's minor settlements here, with all projections coming via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz...

Fat Jameis Winston Photo is a Month Old, Here's the Story  —  Jameis Winston looks ... fat?  Out of shape?  Photos can be deceptive, but this one popped up on twitter Saturday and quickly made the rounds.  Its provenance was unknown, so I checked in with QB guru George Whitfield …

Manager's nephew, former Phillie have Major League experience  —  9/7/13: With his back turned, Josh Roenicke stops an Adam Lind comebacker that goes between his legs, throwing to first for the out  —  MILWAUKEE — The nephew of Brewers manager Ron Roenicke and a former Phillie …

Sources: Yankees offer up Yankee Stadium to Alex Rodriguez for a potential public apology press conference  —  The Yankees have offered Rodriguez the option of making a public apology at Yankee Stadium, rather than creating a massive distraction at spring training with his mea culpa news conference.

Pioneering Toronto Star baseball writer Alison Gordon dead at 72  —  Gordon, who covered the Blue Jays for the Star from 1979 to 1984, was Major League Baseball's first female beat writer.  —  Alison Gordon, shown here in 2001, was the Toronto Star's Blue Jays' beat writer from 1979-84.

Report: MLB could shrink strike zone in 2016  —  With offense on the decline and strikeouts at an all-time high, major league baseball is looking into shrinking the strike zone, according to a Yahoo Sports report.  —  Any formal rules change would have to be approved by baseball's Playing Rules Committee.

It's Official _ All-Star Game to Be Played in Miami in 2017  —  MIAMI — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred made it official Friday — the Miami Marlins will host the 2017 All-Star Game.  —  Manfred's announcement came at a news conference at Marlins Park.  Among those attending were Gov. Rick Scott …

Yadier Alvarez Emerges While Other Cubans Move Closer to Deals  —  I returned a few days ago from a three-day trip to the Dominican to see top July 2nd prospects (more on that in the coming weeks) and also a workout that had 18 Cuban players in it.  Two of those 18 were big-time prospects …

Right-hander appeared in 14 games for independent league T-Bones in 2014  —  Alex Gordon's younger brother, Derek, a 6-foot-6 right-hander, was signed from the Kansas City T-Bones.  —  KANSAS CITY — Left fielder Alex Gordon will have a very familiar face hanging around Spring Training this year.

Pitcher's revised plan included mixing in high fastball  —  Adam Ottavino discusses the importance of Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez to the Rockies and the challenges of playing at Coors Field  —  DENVER — The metrics tell Rockies right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino to go for the high hard one.