Top News:
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Ortiz returning for tests — He cites heart problem again; Red Sox get routed by Oakland — OAKLAND, Calif. — A season slipping away took another crushing turn last night, even before a ragtag team of Red Sox was beaten, 9-0, by the Oakland Athletics. — About 20 minutes before the first pitch …
Discussion:
Surviving Grady, Keep Your Sox On In Brooklyn, The Sports Frog, Bronx Banter and The Soxaholix
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Tony Massarotti / Boston Herald:
Boston slugger Ortiz sent home for more heart tests — OAKLAND, Calif. - Slightly more than a week after being admitted to Mass. General Hospital with an irregular heartbeat, Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz suffered a recurrence of the problem last night and will return to Boston today for additional testing.
Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:
Pena lives a dream in debut: Bad back lands Lester on DL — OAKLAND, Calif. - Growing up in Haverhill and starring at Northeastern, Carlos Pena always dreamed of the day he would pull on a Red Sox jersey. — The dream was fulfilled last night, when the veteran first baseman was called …
David Heuschkel / Hartford Courant:
Ortiz The Big Concern — Heading Home As Precaution — OAKLAND, Calif. — Just when you think it couldn't get any worse for the Red Sox, guess what? It has. — Nothing has come easy on this West Coast trip, and the team continued a nosedive Monday night with a 9-0 loss to the Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.
David Heuschkel / Hartford Courant: Looking For More Power — Pena Called Up From Pawtucket, Starts At First Base
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals' Escobar out for season — Outfielder expected to be ready for start of Spring Training — WASHINGTON — Nationals center fielder Alex Escobar had an MRI on his right shoulder on Monday and it revealed that he has a tear in his right labrum and will have surgery within the next seven to 10 days.
Discussion:
Nationals Baseball Fan
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Mailbag: Zimmerman for Gold Glove — Beat writer Bill Ladson answers Nationals fans' questions … Comparing Ryan Zimmerman to Brooks Robinson needs to stop immediately. How on earth can you compare 16 Gold Gloves to a rookie year in the bigs? You can't, I can't and even as much as I respect manager Frank Robinson, he can't.
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Rangers: from so close to so long — Season of opportunity dashed by intangibles and inconsistency — ANALYSIS: Sunday afternoon showers sent the Rangers scrambling for cover. They went deep, deep, deep under cover. — Less than 24 hours after falling nine games behind Oakland in the AL West …
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
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NY Daily News:
Jax sees A-Rod upside — There figures to be plenty of boos waiting for Alex Rodriguez at the Stadium tonight. That is what happens to players who struggle the way A-Rod has, going 2-for-20 with 14 strikeouts during the Yankees' six games against Seattle and Anaheim last week.
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Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
A Whiff of Futility, and Rodriguez Can't Breathe Easy — Alex Rodriguez went 10 years without striking out four times in a game. Then he did it last month in Toronto, and again Friday night in Anaheim. Naturally, Rodriguez's inner competitor did not take this well.
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Aching Webb stumps Padres — PHOENIX - The Padres needed a big game from their offense last night. They didn't get it and suffered another defeat in a rival's ballpark where they seldom win. — Padres newcomer Russell Branyan hit two solo home runs, including one that went an estimated 456 feet …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
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Sam Borden / NY Daily News:
Pavano a pain in wreck — Pitcher hides accident and injury as Cashman fumes — Carl Pavano's mouth was the last thing the Yankees had to worry about. — Until now. — The Yankees announced yesterday that the constantly injured $40 million pitcher was in a car accident while rehabbing …
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John Perrotto / Beaver County Times & Allegheny Times:
Randa, Burnitz possibly GM's last mistakes — Jeromy Burnitz and Joe Randa represent all that went wrong with what might have been Dave Littlefield's final off-season as the Pittsburgh Pirates' general manager. — Littlefield gave Burntiz a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2007 …
Steve Henson / Los Angeles Times:
Greenspun Has Sympathy but No Solutions, Yet, for Lines — Fans exasperated by the long concessions lines at Dodger Stadium can get in line behind Marty Greenspun, the senior vice president in charge of business operations. — Greenspun recognizes the problem and has been visiting other stadiums for solutions.
Discussion:
Dodger Thoughts
Baseball America:
1. Philip Hughes, rhp, Double-A Trenton (Yankees) … IN THE TEAM PHOTO … THE NOT-SO-HOT SHEET … BLAST FROM THE PAST … HELIUM WATCH
Discussion:
Baby Bombers
