Top News:
Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Rays keep Gomes, send Cantu down — Former starting second baseman asks for trade after demotion — ST. PETERSBURG — Jonny Gomes is on the team, Jorge Cantu is not. — That's how it went down early Saturday morning when the Devil Rays pared down their roster to 25.
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Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Cutdown day stuns pitchers … ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays were full of surprises Friday. — They shocked Seth McClung by telling him that he contractually could, and would, be sent to the minors. They similarly stunned Chad Orvella, who was demoted despite allowing only one run all spring.
Jeff Goldberg / Hartford Courant:
For Tavarez, Starting Job Comes As Major Relief — PHILADELPHIA — All along this spring, Jonathan Papelbon's heart was in closing, not starting, and last week he got his wish. — All along this spring, Julian Tavarez said his heart was in starting, not closing. Thanks to Papelbon, Tavarez got his wish, too.
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Associated Press:
Johnny Pesky, Mr. Red Sox, loses spot in dugout — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Boston Red Sox icon Johnny Pesky will have to leave the dugout during games this season because of a major league rule that limits the number of coaches allowed in uniform. — Red Sox manager Terry Francona said the team …
Joseph Santoliquito / MLB.com:
Red Sox homer past Phillies — Ramirez, Pedroia, Drew, Youkilis deliver long balls — RED SOX 6, PHILLIES 5 — Red Sox at the plate: Manny Ramirez, Dustin Pedroia, J.D. Drew and Kevin Youkilis all homered, responsible for five of Boston's six runs. Youkilis' homer was a two-run shot, the other three were solo blasts.
Dan Rosenheck / New York Times:
No Reason to Use a Designated Hitter Who Doesn't Hit — "Moneyball" was supposed to have taught baseball a lesson. — A 2003 best seller by Michael Lewis, the book recounted how Billy Beane, the general manager of the low-budget Oakland Athletics, won a string of division titles by assembling …
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Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Lies, darn lies ... and baseball statistics? — The inexact science of player evaluation is being changed by a new emphasis on statistical analysis, though character, and scouting, still count with many old-school types. — If you're a serious baseball fan, you know Ernie Broglio.
Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:
Grit goes long way — Erstad's old-school work ethic impresses new Sox teammates — ATLANTA — With Darin Erstad, what you see is literally what you get: Toughened scruffy-growth-of-beard exterior, jaw-jutting determined look, forward-slant walk and all-out run.
Discussion:
South Side Sox
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Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
One decision left for opener: Pods or Ozuna? — ATLANTA — Ozzie Guillen still needs to be make one last decision, and the White Sox manager said he plans to make it official today. — With Cleveland starter C.C. Sabathia now declaring he's healthy enough to be on the mound Monday …
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com:
Notes: Brewers' double-vision in left — Veterans Mench and Jenkins will platoon in left field — FRISCO, Texas — As planned since the start of Spring Training, the Brewers will enter the regular season by platooning Kevin Mench and Geoff Jenkins in left field.
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Janie McCauley / Associated Press:
A's Loaiza could start season on disabled list — SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Oakland right-hander Esteban Loaiza was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday for the second time in three days and might begin the season on the disabled list with tightness in his right shoulder blade.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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R. Thomas Umstead / Multichannel News:
'Extra Innings' Negotiations Play On — Down to their last out, Major League Baseball and In Demand Friday were still trying to hammer out a last-minute deal to for cable to distribute the league's "MLB Extra Innings" out-of-market game package. — The parties have been under pressure from Sen. John Kerry (D.-Mass) to close a deal.
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Zambrano's deal appears nearly sealed — Hendry optimistic he'll beat deadline — LAS VEGAS — Negotiations over Carlos Zambrano's contract extension heated up Friday with a face-to-face meeting between general manager Jim Hendry and the pitcher's agent, Barry Praver.
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Joe Sheehan / Baseball Prospectus:
Wrapping Up the Countdown — I should reiterate a point I made Thursday: there's as much parity in baseball right now as at any time in history. I didn't intend to have this mass of teams clustered in the 80s in wins, but when I sat down to do my runs projections—not PECOTA's, my own …
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Basic logic points to Indians being better … WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — They scored more runs than the Red Sox. They pounded more extra-base hits than the Yankees. Their starting pitchers threw more innings, and had a better strikeout-walk ratio, than that vaunted rotation in Detroit.
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Baseball Analysts
