Top News:
Kyle Hightower / Associated Press:
Red Sox rally past Rays for 8th straight win — Andrew Benintendi hit a tiebreaking RBI double in Boston's wild six-run eighth inning, and the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7 on Sunday for their eighth straight win. — The Red Sox improved to 8-1 with the sweep of their weekend set against the struggling Rays.
Discussion:
DRaysBay, South Side Sox, Over the Monster and MLB Baseball News …
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USA Today:
MLB power rankings: Astros unanimous choice for No. 1 spot — The first full week of the major league season is in the books. — The defending World Series champion Houston Astros, who are tied for with the Boston Red Sox for the most wins this season (8), were the unanimous choice for No. 1 in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Phil Thompson / Chicago Tribune:
Familiar refrain for White Sox for snow-delayed Rays game: ‘Stay warm’ — Chicago Tribune — It looks like the Sodfather has his work cut out from him, but White Sox manager Rick Renteria trusts his groundskeeper. — Unlike the flurries that fell during the opener at Guaranteed Rate Field …
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Red Sox-Yankees: Why MLB players say Boston is ‘the roughest’ — BOSTON - It's a charming town, filled with rich colonial history, the intellectual might of Harvard, MIT and Tufts, and the home of a famed symphony orchestra, all packed within just 48 square miles of land.
Associated Press:
Fiers, passed ball help Tigers top White Sox 1-0 for sweep — CHICAGO (AP) — Mike Fiers thought quality pitching, not the weather, kept down the offense in the Detroit Tigers' 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox. — “The ball wasn't carrying,” he said, “because they weren't hitting weren't hitting many barrels.”
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and South Side Sox
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Giancarlo Stanton looking for better luck in Boston as Yankees and Red Sox set to resume rivalry
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:
Yankees-Red Sox rivalry renewed this week — 5 things to watch for at Fenway
Coley HarveyESPN / ESPN:
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton chalks poor start up to ‘a bad week’
Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton chalks poor start up to ‘a bad week’
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
What we learned at the Cubs' snowed-out home opener — Chicago Tribune — What we learned Monday during the Cubs' home-opener snowout: — When the Cubs turned on the sprinklers in the morning, most assumed it was an accident. The snow-covered field was bad enough. Why make it even soggier?
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Ben Zobrist happy to follow wife Julianna Zobrist's leadoff role at Cubs' home opener
Ben Zobrist happy to follow wife Julianna Zobrist's leadoff role at Cubs' home opener
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' home opener against Pirates postponed to Tuesday
Cubs' home opener against Pirates postponed to Tuesday
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Dave Clark / Cincinnati.com:
Cubs push back home opener to clear Wrigley Field snow
Cubs push back home opener to clear Wrigley Field snow
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Alex Butler / UPI:
Nationals' Bryce Harper swats MLB-leading 6th home run — Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper continued his tear, hitting home run No. 6 on the season off of New York Mets starter Matt Harvey. — Harper now leads Major League Baseball in long balls.
Discussion:
SBNation.com, Halos Heaven, Federal Baseball and MLB Baseball News …
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Associated Press:
With expected start, Zack Wheeler aligns Mets' long-awaited rotation
With expected start, Zack Wheeler aligns Mets' long-awaited rotation
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue and Fish Stripes
Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:
Yoenis Cespedes delivers game-winning RBI single in Mets' 6-5 win over Nats
Yoenis Cespedes delivers game-winning RBI single in Mets' 6-5 win over Nats
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Mets' bullpen rebound one of reasons for hot start to 2018 season
Mets' bullpen rebound one of reasons for hot start to 2018 season
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Associated Press:
Shohei Ohtani gives up 1 hit in 7 shutout innings in home debut — EDITOR'S PICKS — After a solid first start on the mound and an impressive first week at the plate, the two-way wonder dominated the A's in a dazzling first start in Anaheim. — But when Ohtani finally yielded a hit …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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Steve Habel / UPI:
Los Angeles Angels look to keep momentum against Texas Rangers — The new-look Los Angeles Angels have been impressive during the first week and a half of the 2018 season and look to keep up that momentum against the Texas Rangers on Monday in the opener of a three-game set at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Shohei Ohtani leaves Angels' teammates saying one thing: 'We haven't seen that before'
Shohei Ohtani leaves Angels' teammates saying one thing: 'We haven't seen that before'
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
ESPN:
Yadier Molina has to be restrained after Torey Lovullo makes remarks toward catcher — The St. Louis Cardinals' Yadier Molina had to be restrained Sunday after Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo gestured at the catcher while he was arguing a called third strike against outfielder A.J. Pollock.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Forbes, HotNewHipHop.com, Brew Crew Ball, YouTube, Baseball Prospectus and NESN.com
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ESPN:
Mark McGwire: Didn't need PEDs to hit 70 home runs — Mark McGwire insists he didn't need to use performance-enhancing drugs to hit 70 home runs, telling The Athletic in an interview published Monday that he would have accomplished that feat without help. — “Absolutely,” McGwire said.
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Associated Press:
Morton, Stassi lead Astros over Padres 4-1 for series win — HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Astros right-hander Charlie Morton often marvels at the nameplates above the lockers in the corner of the clubhouse where his fellow starters sit. — Morton, the No. 5 starter on a pitching staff …
Discussion:
Twinkie Town
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Game Day: Arizona Diamondbacks open series on road vs. San Francisco Giants — Follow our updates as the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Giants in San Francisco. — The first game of the series is scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m. — Zack Godley is set to start for Arizona, while Derek Holland is set to start for San Francisco.
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ESPN:
Baseball's got talent, but how much, at which positions and how far into the future? — One bit of conventional wisdom in baseball is that talent tends to be evenly distributed among the different positions. This is more myth than rule because shortstops and first basemen aren't born …
Ari Gilberg / New York Daily News:
Alex Rodriguez says he wished he could have signed with the Mets, would have made ‘great concessions’ — Mike Piazza and Alex Rodriguez? Now that would've been something. — While working the broadcast booth of ESPN's “Sunday Night Baseball,” Rodriguez revealed he regrets not making …
Discussion:
NESN.com
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Steve Gardner / USA Today:
Alex Rodriguez wonders what it would have been like to be a Met
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals leaning right as retooling of bullpen begins, Holland's arrival nears — The Cardinals began Sunday what should be a week of turnover and retooling in the bullpen, but as telling as any arm they'll add was the two feet locked in walking boots that morning.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and Viva El Birdos
Jeff Seidel / UPI:
Strong-starting Braves face struggling Nationals — The Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals have gotten off to different starts so far this season. — Atlanta has won all three of its series to start the season while the Nationals, a team many believe to be one of baseball's best, has dropped five games in a row.
Matt Breen / Philly.com:
What's next for Phillies starter Jake Arrieta | Extra Innings — Good morning, Phillies fans, and welcome to another edition of Extra Innings. The Phillies missed a chance to reach .500 yesterday, but they still were able to earn their first series victory of the season by taking two of three from the hapless Marlins.
Cincinnati.com:
Bryan Price on hot seat, per national media — Reds manager Bryan Price discusses his third baseman Eugenio Suarez and his broken right thumb suffered in Sunday's 5-0 loss at Pittsburgh The Enquirer/Adam Baum — The Cincinnati Reds' season is only eight games old, but a couple …