Top News:
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Get used to this roster … ST. PETERSBURG - For all the time the Devil Rays have invested in trade talks, they might not make any deal. At the point of spring when trade talks are heating up, the Rays seem more likely to stick with what they have. — "We continue to touch base with teams …
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DRaysBay
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates Notebook: Grabow is resting his injured left elbow — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Pirates have a potential problem in their bullpen because left-hander John Grabow currently is unable to pitch because of inflammation in his left elbow. — Grabow, who last season stranded …
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Notes: Abreu injures shoulder vs. Astros — Promising prospect out 2-4 weeks with moderate bone bruise — VERO BEACH, Fla. — Promising Dodgers infielder Tony Abreu will be out two to four weeks with a moderate bone bruise to his left shoulder suffered when he dived headfirst into second base …
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Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
McCourt says new spring home on track — Team chairman says move to Arizona likely for 2009 — VERO BEACH, Fla. — The Dodgers are "on track" for their anticipated 2009 move into new Spring Training facilities in Arizona, club chairman Frank McCourt said Saturday.
Mike Lupica / NY Daily News:
A-Rod has short circuited — Alex Rodriguez thought he would be more than a star here. He thought he would be the good guy. Not greeted as a baseball liberator at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees were way too good for that, even if they were already three seasons away from winning …
Richard Durrett / Dallas Morning News:
Time for Rangers to perform — Three pitchers vying for No. 5 spot enter a key stretch — rdurrett@dallasnews.com — PEORIA, Ariz. - Welcome to the final phase of the chase for the No. 5 spot in the Rangers rotation. — Manager Ron Washington said starting today …
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Baseball Musings
Maureen Mullen / MLB.com:
Papelbon solid in first spring start — Red Sox only able to produce one run as they fall to Reds — REDS 2, RED SOX 1 — Red Sox at the plate: Wily Mo Pena went 2-for-3 with a double. Manny Ramirez doubled for his only hit, while five other Sox batters added singles.
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Fenway Blogger
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Sheff rips Torre, Yankees — CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Detroit Tigers are Gary Sheffield's seventh team and the slugger says many of those clubs made him feel "like family." — But his last team, the Yankees, are "strictly a business," Sheffield says in a recent Q&A with ESPN.com that discusses his upcoming book.
Associated Press:
Rockies' Francis, manager suspended — NEW YORK (AP) — Colorado Rockies pitcher Jeff Francis and manager Clint Hurdle were suspended by the commissioner's office Friday for their roles in a dustup with the San Diego Padres this week. — Francis was suspended for five regular-season games …
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Bad Altitude
Fox Sports:
Stats mean little in Spring Training — If you take a gander at the Spring Training statistics from any year, you'll find some interesting things. — As of Wednesday, for instance, we find that Mets shortstop Jose Reyes is batting only .125, while the Nationals' Shawn Hill has a 2.00 ERA after three starts.
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It's Mets For Me
Mychael Urban / MLB.com:
Piazza's three RBIs not enough for A's — A's catcher hits first homer of spring; Kennedy allows five runs — BREWERS 11, A'S 4 — Brewers at the plate: Leadoff man Rickie Weeks singled to open the game and started a string of six consecutive hits for Milwaukee, including an RBI single …
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Catfish Stew
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Vargas taking nothing for granted — Not guaranteed No. 5 spot, Brewers righty out to impress club — PHOENIX — Brewers manager Ned Yost has spent parts of the last week insisting that his starting rotation is not set in stone. — But Claudio Vargas, the frontrunner for the only spot remotely …
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Lofton brings winning attitude to Texas — Veteran outfielder seeks that elusive world championship — SURPRISE, Ariz. — Kenny Lofton belongs in another era, one where bunting, basestealing and getting on base were far more important and a higher priority was placed on manufacturing runs.
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Notes: Wright still 'excellent' — Young shooting to return Wednesday; Teixeira doing better — SURPRISE, Ariz. — As far as Jamey Wright is concerned, this spring has gone as well as he possibly could have expected. — "I'm going out there and pounding the strike zone," Wright said.
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Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:
Piniella alters Cubs' game plan — Manager unlikely to play for 1 run in early innings — TUCSON, Ariz. — On the cold days, with the wind blowing in at Wrigley Field the last few years, you could count on Dusty Baker playing for one run in the first inning.
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Baseball Musings
Maureen Mullen / MLB.com:
Dice-K delayed by downpour — Righty throws just 34 pitches vs. Dodgers before rainout — VERO BEACH, Fla. — With a torrential downpour — rare at this time of year in Florida — inundating Vero Beach on Friday afternoon, submerging the dugouts, flooding the press box and soaking virtually every person …
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