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
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.
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
Farid / THE BELTWAY BOYS:
CHURCH'S "BODY LANGUAGE" EARNS HIM DEMOTION TO NEW ORLEANS — [March 29th] — It took me nearly sixteen months to dislike Jim Bowden. It took me only one day to hate him. — There are always going to be disagreements between management and fans as to who makes the team out of spring training.
Steve Popper / northjersey.com:
Mets give impressive rookie fifth spot in rotation — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The door to Willie Randolph's door opened at 8:50 a.m. and Aaron Heilman walked out, expressionless. A few minutes later, Brian Bannister walked in, the door closed and he came out shortly after, his head bowed and he took a seat at his locker.
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David Lennon / Newsday:Heilman sent to bullpen
Discussion:
New York Times, New York Post, Metsquire, Can't Stop The Bleeding and www.transplantedmetsfan.com
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.
Discussion:
Baseball Toaster
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Chris Needham / Capitol Punishment:
Boswell's An Idiot — Boswell has one of his big, sweeping columns that is written really purty and would make your great aunt wonder how Boz got to be so smart. But it's full of inaccuracies and distortions as Boz continues the sportswriter's tradition of distorting the facts to fit the hokey beliefs they already have.
Discussion:
The Nats Blog
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 …
Rob Rossi / PittsburghLIVE.com:
Pirates cut Bautista, 4 others — BRADENTON, Fla. - The Pirates got closer to their Opening Day roster limit today by making five moves. That leaves 30 healthy players in camp, with five cuts forthcoming before the team breaks camp this weekend. — Optioned to Class AAA Indianapolis …
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Bob Smizik / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Clear Channel interested in Pirates' rights — Broadcasting giant Clear Channel made it clear yesterday that it's interested in adding the Pirates to its radio sports lineup, which already includes the Steelers, Penguins and Pitt football and basketball. — KDKA holds the rights to Pirates games and has for more than 50 years.
Discussion:
Honest Wagner
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates Notebook: Jack anything but a hack in No. 2 hole — BRADENTON, Fla. — If the primary role of the No. 2 hitter is to deliver contact, as many believe, Jack Wilson might be having the greatest spring training in history. — Forget that he is batting .371. Or even that he has been effective in situational hitting.
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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