Top News:
Sports Illustrated:
Look at me, I can be ... center field — I stopped by Brewers camp on my way through the Cactus League last week and couldn't help but be impressed with emerging star Bill Hall. For those of you who aren't familiar with Hall, it's because he came out of nowhere in 2006 …
Discussion:
Cub Town
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Flexible Soriano gives Cubs, Piniella options — MESA, Ariz. - It's all but official: Alfonso Soriano will be the Cubs' center fielder. — FOX Bite — Videos — FOX Spotlight: Piniella, Pt. 1 — Lou Piniella traded in his FOX broadcasting job and returned to the diamond with Chicago.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Soler waived as strange trip ends — VIERA, Fla. - Alay Soler's difficult journey to Flushing has reached a dead end. — The Mets released the Cuban defector last night, the Daily News has learned. Soler, pitching in relief of Chan Ho Park yesterday, allowed two runs on three hits …
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Howard Megdal / Gotham Baseball:
Inside Shea: Dreams of Soler, RIP — Former Mets General Manager Jim Duquette's dream of Alay Soler as the Mets' number-four starter died today when Soler was released by the team. — The cause of release was likely a fastball that never moved as fast as advertised, as well as Soler's reported inability to have just one Pringle.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Notes: Rockies put faith in Iannetta — Lopez's release shows club ready to bank on rookie — TUCSON, Ariz. — It's cool for a young player to realize that players he grew up watching are as nice as they are good. Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta is an even bigger fan of Javy Lopez.
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Notes: Humber turns it down a notch — Righty focuses on getting outs rather than nailing down job — WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — The mantra of every young player is "try not to do too much." They all speak it in some manner, and a few of them even accomplish it. Philip Humber hadn't been among the few.
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:Needing One Starter, Mets Measure Park Against Prospect
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
Roberts, O's agree to two-year deal … JUPITER, FLA. // After about seven weeks of discussions, the Orioles have agreed in principle to a two-year contract extension with second baseman Brian Roberts that, barring a trade, will keep him in Baltimore through the 2009 season.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Associated Press:
New Nats stadium on schedule for 2008 opener — WASHINGTON — Come April 2008, Ryan Zimmerman might become the first player in major league history to hit a home run into a cherry tree. — A grove of cherry blossoms behind the left field bleachers is one of the latest additions to the plans of the Washington Nationals stadium.
Associated Press:
Rose says reinstating him would please fans — CINCINNATI (AP) - Pete Rose said his fans would likely be "elated" if baseball reinstated him. — "Everything should be for the fans," Rose said Tuesday before a preview party celebrating Saturday's opening of a special exhibit in his honor at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Mailbag: Predicting the Nats' '07 record — Nationals beat reporter Bill Ladson answers fans' questions — What do you think of the Nationals' Spring Training so far? Every time I look, the opposing team has scored a lot of runs. How concerned should we be?
Discussion:
The Nationals Enquirer
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:Notes: Hill turns in 'tremendous' outing
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Welcome to the comeback — PHOENIX - Technically it still was Monday morning in Maryvale (though the sun was in mid-afternoon form) and Eric Gagne, off elbow and back surgeries, was on the mound and pitching well into the 90s. — That would be to Cole Gillespie, currently wearing No. 96 for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Discussion:
Dodger Thoughts
Will Carroll / Baseball Prospectus:
A Tale of Two Closers — It's my mom's birthday today, one of those special "zero" ones. She doesn't read my column, probably never has, and actually doesn't like baseball, so I won't spend too much time saying things she won't read. I will thank all of you, people who don't know her and for the most part …
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Juan C. Rodriguez / Sun-Sentinel:
Former Marlin Castillo may be on move again — FORT MYERS - The only thing that's changed is the uniform. — A season removed from the trade that sent Luis Castillo from the Marlins to the Minnesota Twins, the All-Star second baseman greeted his former teammates with a two-hit performance from the leadoff spot on Monday.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Stats Geek: Pirates aren't a bad bet in weak division — By Brian O'Neill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — I wouldn't know a Bodog if one bit me in the wallet, but this online betting concern, bodog.com, puts the odds of the Pirates winning the World Series at 70 to 1. — That's relatively kind.
Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Hustling Zambrano hits the ground running — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Carlos Zambrano has always had a flair for the dramatic, but his pileup coming out of Turn 2 at Scottsdale Stadium sent a scare through the Cubs on Monday. — The Cubs' Opening Day starter tattooed a first-inning pitch from San Francisco Giants veteran Matt Morris.
Associated Press:
Mariners demote Parque after rough spring — PEORIA, Ariz. — Pitcher Jim Parque was reassigned to the minor leagues by the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday after allowing nine earned runs in his last two spring training outings. — Parque is trying to make it back to the majors …
