Top News:
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
Under The Knife — No Intro — No time for an intro—there's too much to cover tonight, so on to the injuries: — The big news of the day was the Eric Gagne announcement, as the Dodger closer heads back to surgery for nerve excision in his pitching elbow.
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Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Gagne surgery a success — Dodgers closer could return to action in two months — PHILADELPHIA — Friday morning surgery on Eric Gagne's right elbow nerve was termed a success by doctors and he could be back in action in two months, according to the Dodgers.
Discussion:
6-4-2
Steve Henson / Los Angeles Times:
Gagne Is Back on the Shelf — Dodger closer will have surgery today to remove nerve in the same elbow that gave him trouble last season. It's unclear how long he'll be out. — PHILADELPHIA — In a development that disappointed the Dodgers but did not catch them unprepared …
Yahoo! Sports:
Dodgers RHP Gagne to undergo elbow surgery Friday — LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Los Angeles Dodgers closer Eric Gagne will undergo a second operation on his ailing right elbow in less than a year. — Surgery to remove a nerve that was repositioned in his 2005 operation will take place on Friday …
Discussion:
The Good Phight
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Theme for Martínez Could Be From 'Rocky' — On its own, the fastball that rammed into Jose Guillen's upper arm in the fifth inning last night was merely an errant pitch, one that got away from Pedro Martínez. But by that point, Guillen had had enough.
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Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Nats Get Hit, Run Over by Mets — Martinez Plunks Guillen Twice, Benches Clear: Mets 10, Nationals 5 — NEW YORK, April 6 — When the second pitch hit Jose Guillen's shoulder, it was on, because Guillen doesn't like that kind of thing, and he already had been hit earlier in the night …
David Lennon / Newsday:From a no-hitter to no, no way — It all falls apart …
Discussion:
Metsblog.com
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Lee sets Saturday deadline for deal — If agreement isn't reached, talks will be tabled until postseason — CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee set a Saturday deadline to reach an agreement on a contract extension, saying if nothing is done he'll wait until after the season is over to resume talks.
Discussion:
The Catbird …
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Joedy McCreary / Associated Press:
Sheets strikes out five in rehab start for Double-A Huntsville — Sheets strikes out five in rehab start for Double-A Huntsville — PEARL, Miss. (AP) — Ben Sheets is getting back his confidence — and his fastball. — Regularly reaching the mid-90s on the radar gun …
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Baseball Toaster:
Chacon and Bacon — One of the keys to the Yankees' success this year will be the performance of Shawn Chacon, who makes his first start of the year tonight against the Angels. Much has been made out of the fact that Chacon's fantastic performance after being acquired by the Yankees last July …
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
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Marc Normandin / Baseball Prospectus:Prospectus Notebook — Royals, Yankees — KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Humidor griping steams up Rockies — With rolled eyes and shaking heads, Rockies pitchers found complaints about the humidor humorless. — After two games, the Diamondbacks and Rockies combined for 11 runs and no home runs, prompting grousing from Arizona players, who cited a handful …
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Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Notes: Phillips' days with Tribe over — Infielder to net Indians cash or prospect from Cincinnati — CLEVELAND — The Indians found interest for Brandon Phillips from a handful of teams. — But it was clear from the time they designated him for assignment last Saturday that the value received …
Thomas Heath / Washington Post:
Comcast Wants to Show Nats — Cable Co. Offers Plan To End Its Blackout — One day before the House Government Reform Committee holds hearings on why Washington Nationals games are not shown on Comcast, the cable carrier asked Major League Baseball to break its contract with the regional sports network that carries the team's games.
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Misschatter / Just A Nats Fan:A Hearing We Will Go! Comcast vs. MASN (MLB)
Discussion:
William F. Yurasko's …
Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Gonzalez more than holding his own — While Klesko recuperates, his replacement thrives — SAN DIEGO — Eric Young is reluctant to say it, knowing that the last thing you want to do is burden a young ballplayer with unrealistic comparisons. But the Padres' versatile …
Discussion:
Baseball Toaster
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Clement out to ground Birds — Boston (2-1) at Baltimore (2-1), 7:05 p.m. ET, Friday — He enters the season under the radar, the forgotten man in a rotation that includes Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield and David Wells. — But that suits Matt Clement just fine. He just wants to pitch.
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Trachsel faces new-look Fish in opener — Florida (1-2) at New York Mets (2-1), 7:10 p.m. ET — Here come the Marlins, hardly the team the Mets knew and defeated 10 times in 18 games last summer. None of that means much now. — "They're not the same team, we know that," David Wright said Thursday.
Bill Toland / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
A trip through the blogosphere — We feel really bad about having not mentioned Aldo Coffee's excellent blog until now. And we felt especially negligent because Aldo Coffee's blog was mentioned by the Kansas City Star: "Aldo Coffee, a single coffee shop in suburban Pittsburgh …
