Top Items:
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Nats Send Down Church, Make Watson the Starter — VIERA, Fla., March 28 — With less than a week to go before Opening Day, the Washington Nationals initiated another shake-up in a spring training full of mayhem on Tuesday, sending outfielder Ryan Church to Class AAA New Orleans …
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Chris Needham / Capitol Punishment:
A Tale Of Two Outfielders — Let's play a little game with two outfielders. Just for the sake of argument, we'll use some completely random initials like RC and BW. — Triple-A — RC BW — Batting Average .343 .318 — On-Base % .428 .360
Ryan / Distinguished Senators:
Boo Bowden, Yay Sheinin — Here I was trying to be positive. Me yesterday: … Jim Goddamn Bowden today: … Me yesterday: … Jim Goddamn Bowden today: … Church will be back, and I guess we could have a contest to guess if it'll be owing to Watson's ineffectiveness, Guillen's injuries, a Soriano trade, or Other.
Discussion:
Nationals Farm Authority
Dexys Midnight / The Nats Blog:
An absolute freaking laughingstock — That's paraphrasing SuperNova from my cell phone conversation with him on my drive home tonight after I informed him that the Nats sent their second best position player from last year (after Nick Johnson) to the minors.
Discussion:
District of Baseball
Chris Needham / Capitol Punishment:
What Do 50 At Bats Mean? — The team is going to defend Ryan Church's demotion by pointing to his .200 batting average in spring training. Just for the hell of it, let's look at the 2005 season, and see what 50 AB samples get us. — I'm using Baseball Musing's wonderful day-by-day database …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Church among latest cuts — Outfielder surprised by move; Watson wins center-field spot — VIERA, Fla. — Nationals outfielder Ryan Church was stunned when he found out that he was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans on Tuesday afternoon. — The Nationals also sent right-hander Jason Bergmann …
Steve Popper / northjersey.com:
Heilman victim of his own success — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Aaron Heilman is not prone to emotional displays, so the slow, quiet speech was as close to a blown fuse as he might ever show. — But it was still easy to see the disappointment and frustration in the face of the 27-year-old …
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David Lennon / Newsday:
Heilman sent to bullpen — JUPITER, Fla. — The bullpen phone rang for Aaron Heilman shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday, when the pitcher formerly known as the Mets' No. 5 starter was called in to the manager's office and told that his job title had changed. — Brian Bannister soon followed …
Discussion:
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Chris Snow / Boston Globe:
Here are the outs in Red Sox lineup — SARASOTA, Fla. — The actual 25-man roster won't be submitted until it has to be, which is Monday, Opening Day itself. But the decisions have been made, the affected players told as much, the composition of the 2006 Red Sox effectively set.
Mike Kiley / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs to launch own Marshall plan — MESA, Ariz. — The revolving door got the best workout of all Tuesday at Cubs camp. — Erratic right-hander Todd Wellemeyer was traded to the Florida Marlins for two minor-league pitchers. Outfielder Marquis Grissom retired, opening a spot on the roster …
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
For Many Teams, Small-Ball Efforts Are Being Richly Rewarded — Welcome to the era of baseball on a budget. It's time for brains and judgment to have their day, not just juice and financial muscle. This period in the game's history is just beginning and none too soon.
John Delcos / The Journal News:
Second-base job falls to Hernandez — JUPITER, Fla. — The Mets' Opening Day roster is gradually coming into focus. — On the day manager Willie Randolph decided on Brian Bannister as his fifth starter, it also became clear second base would go to another rookie — Anderson Hernandez.
T.J. Quinn / NY Daily News:
Rocker brushes back Glavine over snubs — Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker said he didn't want to be "pigeonholed" as a bad boy last night, but then he took a few shots at onetime teammate Tom Glavine on the "Daily News Live" show on Sportsnet New York.
Discussion:
A New York Mets Blog
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Joint Posting / The Baseball Analysts:
Two on Two: 2006 AL East Preview — Today, the Two on Two previews move from one coast to the other (sorry, Texas). Left to right across your computer screen. With us today to discuss the AL East are Cliff Corcoran of Bronx Banter and Patrick Sullivan of The House That Dewey Built.
Discussion:
YanksBlog.com
Darren Rovell / ESPN:
MLB to formally celebrate if Bonds passes Aaron … NEW YORK — Major League Baseball will in some way formally celebrate Barry Bonds as the home run king should the San Francisco Giants slugger break Hank Aaron's all-time home run record. — "There will likely be ads, either national or local …
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