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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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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Jim Molony / MLB.com:
Little action upon roster deadline — With Rowand lost for season, Phillies consider adding Pierre — This might be the calm before Thursday's deadline storm, but with two days to go until the deadline for teams to add players who will be eligible for postseason play, there was little action on the waiver wire front.
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
