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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Bryce Harper's free agency reaches final stages and Phillies might no longer be favorites — PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Dodgers don't really need him, but suddenly badly want him. The San Francisco Giants may not win with him, but he can be their greatest one-man marketing act since Barry Bonds.
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MLB Baseball News …, Bleacher Report, Philly.com, Gaslamp Ball, Daily Breeze, Amazin' Avenue, DodgerBlue.com and MLB Trade Rumors
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ESPN:
Winners and losers from Harper's $330 million Phillies deal — Barely more than a week after Manny Machado picked the San Diego Padres, Bryce Harper is headed to the Philadelphia Phillies. What does the deal mean for baseball's new $330 million man, the team that signed him and the rest of baseball?
Mike Axisa / CBSSports.com:
Bryce Harper, Phillies agree to record-breaking $330 million free agent deal — The superstar slugger is expected to join the Phillies on a massive long-term deal — Arguably the best free agent of the last 18 years has a new team. Bryce Harper has agreed to a free agent contract …
Discussion:
FiveThirtyEight, 10NEWS, NBCSports.com and The Crawfish Boxes
ESPN:
Sources: Phillies land Harper for 13 years, $330M — MLB, Philadelphia Phillies — Manager Gabe Kapler heard the big news from fans in the stands during the Philadelphia Phillies spring training game. His team won the Bryce Harper sweepstakes, agreeing to a 13-year …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Bryce Harper agrees to record 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies: reports — Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a $330 million, 13-year contract, the largest deal in baseball history, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' Dustin Peterson sticks it to Braves for cutting him — KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Dustin Peterson had been waiting for this one. — When the Detroit Tigers' spring training schedule was revealed last fall, he marked it on his calendar. And when he saw his name in the starting lineup …
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Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers observations: Matt Moore solid, Willi Castro homers — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — For two innings, Matt Moore was rolling. — Then, in the bottom of the third inning in the Grapefruit League game against the Atlanta Braves, the veteran left-hander showed signs of fatigue.
John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Cincinnati Reds blow a 4-run lead, fall 10-8 to Milwaukee Brewers — GOODYEAR, Ariz. - The Reds blew a four-run lead and lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 10-8 before a crowd of 2,516 at Goodyear Ball Park. An error by Alfred Rodriguez led to four unearned runs in the seventh. — Injury report
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Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Hicks makes presence felt as Cards fall to Mets 3-2 — Cardinals pitcher Jordan Hicks throws from the practice mound during Cardinals spring training on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. Photo by Christian Gooden, cgooden@post-dispatch.com — JUPITER, Fla.
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Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:
Grichuk homers, Vlad doubles but Jays lose again — DUNEDIN, Fla. — Some quick hits from the Blue Jays 11-5 loss to the Phillies on Thursday afternoon at Dunedin Stadium, a defeat that dipped their spring record to 1-3. — Making his first Grapefruit League appearance of 2019 …
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Martin Fennelly / Tampa Bay Times:
The man who would be Yankees shortstop — Troy Tulowitzki, after battling injuries, tries to revive career — TAMPA — He hasn't played in a game since July 2017. He remains the highest paid player on the Toronto Blue Jays and he isn't even a Toronto Blue Jay. Toronto gave up on him.
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Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Gleyber Torres is the Yankees' backup plan at shortstop
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers high on Gallo in center, but how far does outfield defense drop when DeShields sits? — Delino DeShields had the good fortune Thursday of not having to make the trek from the Surprise Recreation Campus to Tempe Diablo Stadium to play center field for the Texas Rangers.
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ESPN:
Yankees closer Chapman says knee issues gone — TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman says he has recovered from the left knee tendinitis that bothered him during much of last season. — Chapman threw 21 pitches during a four-batter simulated game appearance on Thursday, his 31st birthday.
Bill Plunkett / Orange County Register:
Clayton Kershaw's latest throwing session went ‘pretty well’ ... for 5 minutes — GLENDALE, Ariz. — The most important five minutes of the Dodgers' workout Thursday went “pretty well.” — That was Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman's assessment after left-hander …
Discussion:
DodgerBlue.com
Ryan Divish / The Seattle Times:
Kyle Lewis, Evan White homers help Mariners roll to easy 8-3 win vs. White Sox — Felix Hernandez made his second start of the spring, pitching three innings and allowing two runs. — Mariners 8, White Sox 3 at Peoria Stadium — Notable — Felix Hernandez made his second start of the spring and had mixed results.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Here's how Mike Trout added to Drew Smyly's ‘huge step forward’ with Rangers — Another day, another Tommy John comeback story on the mound for the Texas Rangers. — A third will pitch for them Friday. — But it was Drew Smyly's turn Thursday, and, like Edinson Volquez on Wednesday …
Matthew Florjancic / WKYC-TV:
Terry Francona: Oliver Perez is ‘really stabilizing force’ in Indians' bullpen — Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona believes Oliver Perez is a really stabilizing force in the bullpen. — CLEVELAND — Between injuries, roster moves and inconsistent performances …
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Jason Vargas posted an 8.60 ERA in first half 2018, but tallied a 3.60 ERA in second half — Jupiter, Fla. - Jason Vargas didn't concern himself with the rumors. — The Mets were linked to Gio Gonzalez and evaluated the starting pitching market this offseason, but ultimately passed on bringing in any competition for Vargas.