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Cardinals set opening roster, remove Lucas, Valera to make room for Hicks, Pena — • After making two moves they hope won't erode the depth they might need later, the Cardinals finalized their 25-man roster for Thursday's opening day at Citi Field. — To make room for Jordan Hicks …
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Baseball Prospectus
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Series preview: Cardinals at New York Mets — • Two of the hardest throwers in the majors will face off in Thursday's series opener when New York's Noah Syndergaard, who touches 100 mph twice as often as any other pitcher, will oppose the Cardinals' Carlos Martinez, who occasionally hits that level.


Opening acts: Cardinals, Mets need young, talented pitchers to contend — NEW YORK • There is a word that two executives with rival teams used this past year to describe the one hitch the Cardinals could face by resting so much of their hopes, so much of their identity as a perpetual contender …


Syndergaard leads Mets into opener vs. Cardinals — The St. Louis Cardinals remained in the wild-card chase until game No. 159 last season. The New York Mets began playing out the string around Memorial Day. — But the sting of missing the playoffs is the same for both clubs …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue


Dave Eiland wants Mets pitchers to be the most aggressive in baseball — Dave Eiland stood in the Royals dugout for 135 games just waiting. As the Royals' pitching coach then, he had watched their shortstop Alcides Escobar go up to the plate and swing away at every first pitch he was offered.


MLB salaries 2018: A 3.5% raise for average major leaguer - but future commitments dipping — TORONTO - The free-agent market was a dud this winter, leaving Major League Baseball players and their agents seething. — Ultimately, baseball's average salary compared to 2017 amounted to a cost-of-living bump …
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True Blue LA
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Judge and Stanton eager to get started as Yankees teammates — TORONTO — After a winter of waiting, the New York Yankees are ready to roll with two of baseball's best sluggers. — Aaron Judge and newcomer Giancarlo Stanton will bat second and third when the Yankees open against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter and ESPN


Yankees be damned, fast start is crucial to Blue Jays resurgence — If Josh Donaldson is aware of the poor ticket sales for the Blue Jays opening homestand, he likely doesn't even care. — What the Jays' MVP third baseman is well aware of, however, is that entering a season of potential flux …

Tampa Bay Rays hope modest investment in Nathan Eovaldi pays big
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DRaysBay


Opening Day 2018: TV Info and Where to Watch All 15 Games as MLB Season Begins — Major League Baseball makes its return on Thursday as the race to dethrone the Houston Astros begins. — Opening day for the 2018 MLB season is scheduled for March 29, the earliest opening day in league history.
Discussion:
Purple Row and Newsweek
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'We're making the postseason. No question.' With Rangers, there might be a few
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes and MLB Baseball News …

5 things Rangers fans need to know about the Houston Astros ahead of opening day 2018
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball


Cubs not taking Marlins, or any team, for granted — Chicago Tribune — The Marlins may have as many as a dozen players participating in opening-day festivities for the first time. — Their No. 2 starter, Caleb Smith, was a Rule 5 pick whom the Cubs returned to the Yankees last spring.
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Recharged Cubs have eyes on World Series prize: ‘I see a lot of hunger’
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Chicago Tribune


Game Day: Arizona Diamondbacks open 2018 season against Colorado Rockies — The Arizona Diamondbacks open the 2018 regular season against the Colorado Rockies. Follow this page for updates, news and analysis throughout the series. — PREVIEW: Diamondbacks' lineup looks thin with Steven Souza injured
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Last Slide — The last time the Diamondbacks played a game …
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MLB Baseball News …


Rusty Staub, beloved Mets icon, dead at 73 — In every way, Rusty Staub, the beloved Mets' hitting icon, who passed away early Thursday morning at age 73, was bigger than life — a bigger-than-life baseball personality, humanitarian, gourmet chef, wine connoisseur, friend-to-all and …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, MLB Baseball News …, Faith and Fear in Flushing, FOX 61 and Amazin' Avenue


Mets have discussed adding reliever Greg Holland, according to sources — The Mets may have one big more up their sleeve. — The team has recently discussed adding free agent closer Greg Holland, according to sources. Holland is the top remaining free agent pitcher.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
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New-look Royals open versus White Sox — Kansas City Royals lost a couple key contributors during the offseason when — San Diego Padres and Lorenzo Cain joined the — Milwaukee Brewers. — Then the Royals learned this week that they lost five-time All-Star catcher
Discussion:
South Side Sox and Chicago Tribune
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James Shields hopes to help White Sox surge as he did with Royals
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South Side Sox

Dodgers' Toles is optioned to minors — LOS ANGELES — In one of the final moves in constructing their opening-day roster, the Los Angeles Dodgers optioned outfielder Andrew Toles to triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, clearing a path for outfielder Joc Pederson and utility man Kyle Farmer to occupy the last two spots on the bench.
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Kluber-Hernandez duel highlights Indians-Mariners opener — In 2014, Corey Kluber edged Felix Hernandez for the American League's Cy Young Award. — Since then, the careers of the two 31-year-old right-handers have taken different paths. That was strikingly evident last year …
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A healthy Garrett Richards opens Angels' season with optimism — OAKLAND — On a team whose starting pitchers have been victims of a raft of injuries over the past few years, Garrett Richards stands alone in a couple ways. — He's had the most serious injuries. He's also performed the best when healthy.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven and Daily News


Cincinnati Reds postpone Opening Day until Friday — Phil Castellini remembers Fourth of July of 2013. The Reds made an early decision to postpone that day's game because of the forecast. — The forecast was wrong. — Castellini, the Reds chief operating officer …
Discussion:
Down The Drive


Salvy Sidelined — Salvador Perez has been the most durable catcher in the majors over the past five seasons, but he's going to get a late start on his 2018 campaign after suffering a Grade 2 MLC tear in his left knee. — According to Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star …
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus and MLB Baseball News …


Guerrero's progress could mean the writing is on the wall for Donaldson with the Jays — Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman created some waves at spring training when he said that young prospects Bo Bichette and Vlad Guerrero Jr. are ready to play in the major leagues right now.
Discussion:
globalnews.ca, Newsweek and Associated Press