Check out Mini-Ballbug for simple mobiles or Ballbug Mobile for modern smartphones.
12:20 PM ET, February 26, 2019

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
Why doing interviews in English is part of Yu Darvish's comeback plan  —  MESA — His Chicago Cubs teammates and manager knew he would pass his first test, but Yu Darvish wasn't as confident.  —  The challenge in front of him had nothing to do with a bullpen session or throwing program.
RELATED:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs starter Yu Darvish makes spring training debut today vs. Diamondbacks  —  Cubs starter Jon Lester discusses why he doesn't think baseball should implement a pitch clock: “Baseball is baseball.  You're not gonna speed it up, you're not gonna change it.”  —  Chicago Tribune
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Earlier start to the offseason for Cubs means an earlier start to Cactus League play for the rotation  —  Chicago Tribune  —  There are no consolation prizes for getting knocked out early in the playoffs, not even the rare experience of getting extra rest in October, according to Cubs ace Jon Lester.
Associated Press:
Roberts: Kershaw “didn't feel so great” after playing catch  —  SHARE URL EMAIL FBMSNGR WHATSAPP SMS  —  GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw felt more soreness in his left shoulder playing catch Monday, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says the three-time Cy Young Award winner “didn't feel so great.”
Discussion: baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
ESPN:
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw 'didn't feel great' after playing catch, Dave Roberts says
Phil Miller / Kansas City Star:
The time is now for Twins' Miguel Sano, Byron Buxton  —  The three men sat down at a table next to the water on the elegant beach restaurant's huge outdoor patio.  A waiter brought them plates full of freshly caught fish, cooked on a bed of rice and vegetables, and the diners dug in.
RELATED:
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
Millennial manager: Rocco Baldelli is voice of new generation in leading the Twins  —  SARASOTA, Fla. - Rocco Baldelli and Nelson Cruz have not yet talked about it.  For now, just a look suffices.  —  At 37, Baldelli is entering his first season as manager of the Minnesota Twins.
Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:
Tulowitzki hits homer then rips Jays team that 'told me I couldn't play anymore'  —  TAMPA — In the big picture of exhibition baseball it meant next to nothing, especially given we are still in the shaking off the rust portion of the program.  —  But for disgruntled Blue Jays fans …
RELATED:
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:   James Paxton debut adds fuel to Yankees legend's dream prediction
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Aaron Hicks, Yankees agree to $70 million, 7-year deal
Discussion: Pinstripe Alley
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:   Aaron Hicks' surprise extension gives insight into Yankees mindset
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Rockies offer Nolan Arenado a record-breaking contract for average annual salary  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The man soon may be making baseball history, going where no player has ever gone before.  —  He is one of baseball's greatest players, and soon may be the first to earn at least $35 million a season.
Discussion: MLB Trade Rumors
Associated Press:
All eyes on Kikuchi during his spring debut for Mariners  —  PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Yusei Kikuchi felt the nerves Monday that would normally accompany taking the mound in front of tens of thousands of fans in a major ballpark, not the few thousand who showed up for a spring training game in the desert.
Discussion: Lookout Landing
RELATED:
Ryan Divish / The Seattle Times:
‘Better than pretty good’: Yusei Kikuchi impresses Mariners, strikes out Reds' Joey Votto in debut
Discussion: MLB Trade Rumors
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
Matt Barnes makes his case to become Red Sox closer  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — The question was a straightforward one: Why could you be the closer for the Red Sox?  —  Matt Barnes' answer was just as direct.  —  “Over the last few years, I've learned a lot about the league and about myself …
Discussion: NESN.com
RELATED:
John Tomase / WEEI:
Steven Wright not pitching yet, but Red Sox confident he's making progress
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Jake Bauers ‘excited about new opportunity’ with Indians  —  New infielder/outfielder Jake Bauers is ‘excited about the new opportunity’ he has with the Cleveland Indians.  —  CLEVELAND — Cleveland Indians infielder Jake Bauers was expecting a check-in conversation with his agent during …
RELATED:
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:   Terry Francona: ‘Fans want to see splashy moves,’ but likes what Indians did to bolster bullpen
Deesha Thosar / New York Daily News:
Noah Syndergaard gets ‘goosebumps’ over endless Mets possibilities  —  WEST PALM BEACH - Noah Syndergaard didn't bother suppressing the heat in his Grapefruit League debut.  —  The flame-throwing right-hander clocked in at 98 mph on the first pitch and settled in the upper-90s across two shutout innings against the Astros on Monday.
RELATED:
NorthJersey.com:   Michael Conforto ‘open to anything’ if NY Mets want to talk contract extension
Tom Haudricourt / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Jimmy Nelson backs off from throwing with arm fatigue, but the Brewers say they're not worried  —  PHOENIX - Right-hander Jimmy Nelson was backed off from throwing over the weekend after experiencing what was called “arm fatigue,” a situation the Milwaukee Brewers' baseball bosses did not consider a noteworthy setback.
Discussion: MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED:
Tom Haudricourt / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Known as a fierce competitor, Brewers pitching prospect Zack Brown is a rising stock in system
Discussion: Brew Crew Ball
John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds top prospect Nick Senzel gets his (two) chances in center field  —  PEORIA, Ariz. - The Reds started to get answers to the biggest question of Reds spring Tuesday.  —  So can top prospect Nick Senzel play center field?  —  Let's just say we don't know a lot …
RELATED:
John Fay / Cincinnati.com:   Seattle Mariners play long ball in 11-3 win over Cincinnati Reds
David Schoenfield / ESPN:
Would you rather have a team of 25-homer hitters or all Gold Glovers?  —  This debate was a topic of discussion on last week's Baseball Tonight podcast with Buster Olney: Would you rather have a lineup of eight 25-homer players or eight Gold Glovers?  Fun question.
Peter Schmuck / The Charlotte Observer:
Jonathan Schoop was ‘heartbroken’ when he left Orioles, but now he's in a better place with Twins  —  Former Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop is playing for his third major league team in the last seven months, but the Minnesota Twins seem like a perfect fit.
Associated Press:
Zack Greinke's efficiency impresses new D-backs catcher Carson Kelly  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Diamondbacks have tried to match up Zack Greinke with the same catcher per the pitcher's request.  On Monday, 24-year-old Carson Kelly got his first chance behind the plate in the ace's first spring training start.
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Brian McCann makes spring debut  —  Brian McCann took the field in a Braves uniform for the first time since 2013 on Tuesday.  —  McCann, who returned to his original team in November, made his spring debut against the Mets.  He played catcher and hit fifth in the order.
 
 Archived Page Info: 
This is a snapshot of Ballbug at 12:20 PM ET, February 26, 2019.

View the current page or another snapshot:


 
 See Also: 
Ballbug: site main
Ballbug River: reverse chronological Ballbug
Ballbug Mobile: for phones
Ballbug Leaderboard: Ballbug's top sources
 
 Subscribe: 
Ballbug RSS feed
 
 
 More News: 
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Rays Journal: For openers? What about Colin Poche?
Discussion: DRaysBay
Scott Miller / Bleacher Report:
Bruce Maxwell Just Wants a Fresh Start
Discussion: NBCSports.com
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Jed Lowrie's status for Mets' Opening Day in question with knee injury
Jared Diamond / Wall Street Journal:
One of the Worst Hitters in Baseball History Is Now a Hot Commodity
Discussion: Lone Star Ball
Jeff Fletcher / Orange County Register:
Angels catcher Jonathan Lucroy supports rules intended to prevent high-tech sign stealing
Larry Stone / Kansas City Star:
Hunter Strickland hopes fresh start with Mariners results in positive vibes
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Pitching prospect Jake Woodford making a name for himself in Cardinals camp
Maria Torres / Baltimore Sun:
How a journeyman pitcher, dressed in a shark onesie, livened up Angels camp
Discussion: Los Angeles Times
 Earlier Picks: 
Mark Fischer / New York Daily News:
Bryce Harper free agency: Things get weird on Day 119
Discussion: NBCSports.com and The Big Lead
David Purdum / ESPN:
NGC declines MLB's request to prohibit betting on spring training games
Discussion: Bleacher Report
Bill Plunkett / Orange County Register:
Dodgers continue to pile up the offense in win over Cubs
Teddy Greenstein / Chicago Tribune:
5 takeaways from White Sox spring training: Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert and Zack Collins show their stuff
John Shea / San Francisco Chronicle:
A's Frankie Montas has new pitch, better equipped to make roster
Discussion: Athletics Nation
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Max Fried begins his bid for Braves opening day roster
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' Jordan Zimmermann now has full health, tweaked pitches
 

 
From WeSmirch:

About.usps.com:
U.S. Postal Service Provides Sneak Peek at 2025 Stamps

FemaleFirst:
Michael J. Fox has to keep his sense of humour ‘intact’ despite his health woes: 'It's hard...'

Jonathan Dean / The Times:
Denzel Washington: ‘I made some real clunkers after Malcolm X’

 
Sister Sites:

Techmeme
 Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web
Mediagazer
 Top news and commentary for media professionals from all around the web
memeorandum
 What US political commentators are discussing online right now
WeSmirch
 The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page