Top News:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
In LaRoche-White Sox flap, Kenny Williams acted on behalf of others, too — PHOENIX - Now, do we really think Chicago White Sox executive vice president Ken Williams acted alone here, going out of his way to alienate his own team and have one of its most popular players abruptly quit in anger?
Discussion:
South Side, Halos Heaven, NBCSports.com, SI.com, CSN Chicago, South Side Sox, CBS Chicago, The Athletic and baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Adam LaRoche / TwitLonger:
TwitLonger — Given the suddenness of my departure and the stir it has caused in both the media and the clubhouse, I feel it's necessary to provide my perspective. — Over the last five years, with both the Nationals and the White Sox, I have been given the opportunity to have my son with me in the clubhouse.
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Chris Sale on Adam LaRoche flap: ‘We were lied to’ by White Sox management — PHOENIX - Chicago White Sox players accused executive vice president Ken Williams of lying to them Friday, and have demanded a meeting with chairman Jerry Reinsdorf over the retirement of teammate Adam LaRoche.
Discussion:
BostonGlobe.com, Bleacher Report and True Blue LA
Fox Sports:
Brewers' Liriano hospitalized after being hit by pitch — PHOENIX (AP) Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Rymer Liriano suffered multiple facial fractures Sunday when he was hit in the face by a pitch. — Liriano was carried off the field on a backboard. The team said he was expected …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
JSOnline:
Brewers' Rymer Liriano hit in face with pitch — After several minutes, Liriano was immobilized on a stretcher and placed on a cart to be transported off the field. He was taken to an area hospital and the Brewers awaited word on the severity of his injuries. “It's serious,” manager Craig Counsell said.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, The San Diego Union … and Bleacher Report
Star Tribune:
Reusse: Big Papi looks back on his career ‘... the Twins treated me bad’ — David Ortiz opens up about his departure from Minnesota and his decision to retire after this season in Boston. — FORT MYERS, FLA. - David Ortiz was having lunch at a table outside the Boston Red Sox spring training clubhouse.
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Bleacher Report, Twinkie Town and Al's Ramblings
Toronto Sun:
SPORTS BLUE JAYS — DUNEDIN, Fla. — He sits two lockers from the wall. — On the concrete behind him is a massive, wallpaper-like mural of the post, post-game celebration from Camden Yards in Baltimore on Sept. 30, 2015. — Players are wearing eye goggles around their necks and heads …
Discussion:
Over the Monster, Bluebird Banter, MLB Daily Dish, JaysNation, MLB Trade Rumors and Toronto
Mark Polishuk / MLB Trade Rumors:
Chone Figgins Retires — Chone Figgins has officially announced his retirement, as per an Angels press release. He will sign a ceremonial one-day contract with the Halos tomorrow in order to leave baseball in the same uniform in which he spent eight of his 12 MLB seasons.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
Tampa Bay Times:
Rays have strict rules about kids in the clubhouse — PORT CHARLOTTE — The vitriolic clash that disrupted White Sox camp over how much time Adam LaRoche's son could spend in the clubhouse shouldn't happen to the Rays. — After taking over last year, manager Kevin Cash and team leaders worked …
Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs banking ‘grenade’ in Jon Lester's elbow won't go off — MESA, Ariz. - The Cubs bet $155 million that it won't disrupt their big plans for October the next few years. — And Jon Lester seems confident it will remain the “non-issue” it has been for much of his career …
Discussion:
The Athletic, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Bleacher Report and Bleacher Nation
Charlie Wilmoth / MLB Trade Rumors:
Nationals Release Logan Schafer — Here are today's minor moves from around the league. — The Nationals have announced that they've released outfielder Logan Schafer. (They also reassigned infielder Jason Martinson to the minors.) The Nats had signed Schafer to a minor-league deal in November.
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
ESPN:
By mulling shifting McCutchen, the Pirates are re-thinking big — CLEARWATER, Fla. — You may have heard this week that the Pittsburgh Pirates are thinking about moving Andrew McCutchen up to the No. 2 hole in their lineup. OK, that's totally true. Nevertheless, it isn't totally accurate.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
ESPN:
Nationals pitcher Bronson Arroyo says he has torn rotator cuff — Washington Nationals pitcher Bronson Arroyo told MASN on Thursday that his rotator cuff is “significantly torn.” — He said the injury is not a torn labrum, as had been reported on Wednesday.
Discussion:
Fox Sports and Baseball Essential
Rob Arthur / FiveThirtyEight:
How Baseball's New Data Is Changing Sabermetrics — Baseball data collected the old-fashioned way, at a spring training game between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs on March 15. — Every March since 2012, sabermetricians have gathered in Phoenix for their own version of spring training …
