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 …
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 …
Discussion:
soft hands
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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.
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Since Blowup, Schneider Has Rallied at — and Behind — the Plate — No one would argue that Washington Nationals catcher Brian Schneider has had an outstanding season. Yet General Manager Jim Bowden asked over the weekend, "What did he do the last two weeks?" — Indeed, Schneider is on the brink of salvaging the year.
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 …
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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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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Slipping Cedeno gets a rest — Infielder batting just .202 since break — PITTSBURGH — Ronny Cedeno is in danger of joining the ranks of Brooks Kieschnick, Hee Seop Choi and Bobby Hill as another highly touted Cubs prospect who couldn't learn to hit in the big leagues.
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
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 …
Discussion:
Romo Phone Home
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Zobrist's bunch descends on Chicago for Sox series — CHICAGO - Rookie shortstop Ben Zobrist is always in control on the field. — But he isn't sure what to expect tonight when he plays for the first time at Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field with at least dozens of friends and relatives making …
