Top News:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Mets come out on top in pivotal play — Lo Duca receives benefit of doubt on difficult call at the plate — NEW YORK — Paul Lo Duca wanted to see a replay, just to make sure he'd actually dropped the ball. His teammates needed no such confirmation. — Lo Duca and the Mets received …
Discussion:
THE BELTWAY BOYS
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Dave Sheinin / Washington Post:
In Comedy of Errors, Nats Aren't Laughing — NEW YORK, April 3 — Have so many people from so many sides — home, visitor, neutral — ever made so many mistakes on the same play? — Where do you even begin? With the third base coach who green-lighted his runner into making …
Discussion:
Capitol Punishment
Mike Fitzpatrick / Associated Press:
Nationals Get a Bad Break, Lose Opener — NEW YORK — With Billy Wagner looming in the bullpen, the New York Mets are going to be tough to catch in the late innings. Especially if they get this kind of help from the umpires. — Tom Glavine outpitched Livan Hernandez in a matchup of World Series MVPs …
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Notes: Nomar out with ribcage strain — First baseman likely to go on disabled list to recuperate — LOS ANGELES — The latest injured Dodger is first baseman Nomar Garciaparra, felled even before the season's first pitch with a strained intercostal (ribcage) muscle.
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Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers drop thrilling opener — Late Los Angeles rally falls just short on Opening Day — LOS ANGELES — Hours before Monday's first pitch and shortly after news of Nomar Garciaparra's injury, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti was only half-joking when he implied that a rainout wouldn't have been a bad thing.
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
McCarthy in Sox' '07 plans — Ken Williams didn't feel it was necessary to go into details or name teams, but the White Sox general manager did say pitchers Jon Garland and Freddy Garcia were closer to being traded this offseason than maybe they even know. — Then again, they weren't the …
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Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Under The Knife — Play Ball — Baseball's back. Kind of. I'm writing this as the Sox/Indians game is delayed by rain, so I'm not sure if we'll have an official game, but we do have an official injury. — The coverage early by ESPN2 was dominated by talk of the steroid investigation.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Joe Sheehan / Baseball Prospectus:Prospectus Today — NL Preview — The season starts …
Discussion:
JinAZ On Baseball and the Reds
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Shelton, Rogers lift Tigers past KC — Veteran starter gets 19th career victory over Royals — KANSAS CITY — Joel Zumaya heard his name called to enter the game and thought, "Holy smoke!" — Funny, the Royals had a similar reaction. — After Chris Shelton homered down both foul lines …
Discussion:
Roar of the Tigers
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Workout just the start for Nats — After getting in time on field, team faced strategy meetings — NEW YORK — The Nationals took the field at Shea Stadium late Sunday morning and had their usual hitting and fielding drills, which lasted about 90 minutes. But their day was far from over.
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Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Notes: Perez's release hits home — Teammates say they will miss fun-loving, energetic infielder — PHILADELPHIA — Word spread quickly through the Phillies clubhouse as if someone had died. Lower lips quivered and tears welled in the eyes of teammates wanted to say goodbye to Tomas Perez.
Discussion:
Baseball Toaster
Craig Burley / Hardball Times:
The Bill James Indicators — In his Baseball Abstracts, Bill James used to identify six "indicators" that would help predict whether a team would improve or decline in the following season. James would often talk about the indicators in his team comments; for example in the 1988 Abstract …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Notes: Andruw confident in club — Former Brave Glavine, Mets looking to end Atlanta's reign — LOS ANGELES — Tom Glavine played a large role in its creation and elongation. Now he finds himself as a member of a Mets team many believe has the best shot of ending the Braves' run on consecutive division titles.
Ed Eagle / MLB.com:
Pirates extend GM Littlefield's contract — Agreement runs for one additional year, through '08 season — MILWAUKEE — Pittsburgh general manager Dave Littlefield had an Opening Day to remember long before the Bucs ever took the field. — On Monday morning, the Pirates announced …
Discussion:
Romo Phone Home
Mike Scarr / MLB.com:
Lackey signs through 2009 — Pitcher says, 'It is nice for them to show the confidence in me.' — SEATTLE — John Lackey signed a $17.01 million, three-year deal with a club option for 2009 on Monday. — The right-hander avoided arbitration in January when he signed a one-year deal …
Mike Scarr / MLB.com:
Cabrera connects to win opener — Two-run single in ninth breaks tie; Vlad homers in first at-bat — SEATTLE — The Angels used a proven formula to set their 2006 season on a positive course. — Vladimir Guerrero provided some early power, while Orlando Cabrera's clutch …
Discussion:
6-4-2
MLB.com:
Erik Bedard, LHP (0-0, -.—) — Scouting Report: — McClung (7-11, 6.59 ERA in 2005) had a roller-coaster season in 2005, making several trips to Triple-A Durham in addition to starting and relieving at the Major League level. He finished his season on a high note when he held …
Discussion:
DRays Bay
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Second base: Drafting — Three strong years bear fruit, but questions follow — BRADENTON, Fla. — Mickey White, the Pirates' scouting director from 1999 to 2001, is a professional scout for the Florida Marlins these days, back in the bleachers eyeing raw talent.
Discussion:
Honest Wagner
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