Top News:
The Athletic:
MLB report pins Red Sox violations on staffer, issues suspension, takes draft pick — Major League Baseball's ruling on the Boston Red Sox's illegal sign stealing in 2018 determined the primary culprit was not the front office, manager Alex Cora or the players, but the team's video replay system operator.
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ESPN:
Red Sox remove interim tag from manager Ron Roenicke's title — The Boston Red Sox removed the interim tag from Ron Roenicke's manager title, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said Wednesday night. — Bloom added that Roenicke is under contract for only the 2020 season.
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
MLB Announces Findings Of Investigation Into 2018 Sign-Stealing Allegations Against Red Sox — Major League Baseball has concluded its investigation into 2018 sign-stealing allegations against the Red Sox and imposed the following disciplinary measures: — The Red Sox are stripped …
Discussion:
The Boston Globe, MLB Baseball News …, Bronx Banter and Beyond the Box Score
ESPN:
MLB suspends Red Sox replay operator, docks draft pick; Alex Cora suspended for conduct with Astros — Major League Baseball on Wednesday suspended Red Sox video replay system operator J.T. Watkins without pay through the 2020 postseason and stripped the team of its second-round draft pick …
Discussion:
Boston Red Sox News …, Boston Herald, McCovey Chronicles, AZ Snake Pit and Fox News
Scott Soshnick / Variety:
Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez Retain JPMorgan to Raise Money for Mets Bid (EXCLUSIVE) — Retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez and his fiancé, recording artist and actor Jennifer Lopez, have retained JPMorgan Chase to raise capital for a possible bid on the New York Mets, people familiar with the matter said.
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J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
Sources: MiLB Ready To Agree To Significant Reduction In Teams — When MLB proposed to MiLB last year its plan to cut the minor leagues from 160 teams to 120 affiliated teams in negotiations for a new Professional Baseball Agreement, such a proposal was greeted by many MiLB teams as unthinkable.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley, Associated Press, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Sox Machine, Bless You Boys, Purple Row, Fish Stripes, Talking Chop, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Beyond the Box Score, MLB Baseball News …, MLB Trade Rumors, Forbes, Phillies Nation, Halos Heaven, Red Reporter, Bluebird Banter, MLB Daily Dish, True Blue LA, Lone Star Ball, Gaslamp Ball, McCovey Chronicles and FanGraphs Baseball
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Sources: Majority of MLB teams to pay baseball ops staff through May — On the day Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred told a wide swath of the sport's staffers that “I fully anticipate baseball will return this season,” more than half the teams in the league pledged …
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
Fans sue over ticket refunds, ask for class action — A pair of fans from New York are suing Major League Baseball, each individual club and ticket resellers over tickets purchased for MLB games that haven't been played due the coronavirus pandemic. — The complaint, filed Monday in California …
Discussion:
NBCSports.com and Sports Illustrated
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Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
MLB, teams, ticket partners sued over failure to provide refunds
MLB, teams, ticket partners sued over failure to provide refunds
Discussion:
Forbes, AM New York, MLB Trade Rumors, Associated Press, True Blue LA and MLB Baseball News …
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Jordan to the A's? His Airness had MLB offer — Rickey Henderson, Mark McGwire, Dennis Eckersley ... and Michael Jordan? — It could have happened on the 1994 A's. — When Air Jordan made his bold and bizarre jump from basketball to baseball that year, it was only natural …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, ESPN, AZ Snake Pit and New York Post
Jorge Castillo / Los Angeles Times:
Former Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully hospitalized after taking a fall at his home — Vin Scully took a fall in his home Tuesday and was taken to the hospital, where he was “resting comfortably,” the Dodgers announced Thursday. — “I won't be doing anymore headfirst sliding, I never liked it …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …, Sports Illustrated, The Wrap, True Blue LA and AM New York
Lena H. Sun / Washington Post:
CDC director warns second wave of coronavirus is likely to be even more devastating — Even as states move ahead with plans to reopen their economies, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday that a second wave of the novel coronavirus will be far more dire …
Discussion:
The Hill, Chicago Sun-Times, Vanity Fair, National Review, The Independent, WGN-TV, Fox News and New York Post
Jessica Golden / CNBC:
Legendary baseball agent Scott Boras has a plan to bring the game back — Baseball could serve as a great unifier during this time of crisis — Boras envisions players wearing rubber gloves in dugouts, masks during batting practices — Games would return spectator free to record ratings
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated and MLB Baseball News …
Jess Bidgood / The Boston Globe:
Elizabeth Warren's oldest brother dies of coronavirus in Oklahoma — Donald Reed Herring, the oldest brother of Senator Elizabeth Warren, died on Tuesday night in Norman, Okla., about three weeks after testing positive for coronavirus. — Herring, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, was 86.
Discussion:
New York Post, Breitbart, The Independent, Vanity Fair, Politico, The Wrap, The Hill, WCMH-TV and Chicago Sun-Times, more at WeSmirch »
ESPN:
Source: Marlins CEO Derek Jeter forgoing $5M salary — MIAMI — Marlins CEO Derek Jeter told team employees during a conference call Monday that he is indefinitely forgoing his salary during the coronavirus pandemic, a source told ESPN confirming multiple reports.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
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