Top News:
Associated Press:
Prominent names mentioned as possible Cubs' buyers — CHICAGO — Tribune Co. said it plans to sell the Chicago Cubs at the end of the 2007 baseball season, putting one of its most valuable assets on the block as it simultaneously announced Monday that real estate magnate Sam Zell was acquiring the media conglomerate.
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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Tribune accepts offer, will sell Cubs — Team will be sold at end of this season, company says — CINCINNATI — The Chicago Cubs opened the 2007 season Monday with a new manager, a new center fielder and the prospect of a new owner in 2008. The message to the team is that it's business as usual.
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Phil Rosenthal / Chicago Tribune:
Tribune to sell Cubs — The Chicago Cubs, who open the 2007 baseball season today, will have a new owner in 2008. — Tribune Co., which announced this morning that it was accepting a plan from Chicago billionaire Sam Zell to go private, also announced its intent to sell the Chicago Cubs baseball team …
John Harper / NY Daily News:
8th is enough for Randolph — Willie shrugs off unnecessary bullpen gamble — ST. LOUIS - In case you're wondering, Willie Randolph did know it was the eighth inning. He did know that was rookie Joe Smith, less than a year removed from pitching for Wright State University, and not Aaron Heilman, on the mound.
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:Milledge's Bat Turns Up Heat on Ice-Cold Green
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
David Amsden / New York Magazine:
Mr. Clean — He's young! Rich! Handsome! Able to throw out a runner at first while flashing a killer smile! David Wright is the perfect New York sports star—almost too perfect. — D — avid Wright is not a very good bowler. He would like you to know this …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Mets Fever, metsgrrl.com, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Shea Nation and Mets Prospects
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
38 not so special — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Worse than Ellen DeGeneres's first night hosting the Oscars. Worse than Arsenio Hall's first shot at late-night television. Worse than Patriots coach Clive Rush's first press conference, when he was nearly electrocuted.
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Chris Jenkins / Associated Press:
Milwaukee 7, LA Dodgers 1 — MILWAUKEE (AP) — Ben Sheets started the season in dominating style. — Sheets gave up an early home run, then retired his next 22 batters in a two-hitter Monday that led the Milwaukee Brewers over the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-1 in their opener.
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Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers' offense limited in opener — LA starter Lowe struggles in four innings of work — MILWAUKEE — For the first time in franchise history, the Dodgers opened the season in Wisconsin on Monday and played like strangers in a strange land. — They did nothing particularly …
Bob Dart / Palm Beach Post:
Marlins find plenty of positives after season's first win — WASHINGTON — Big hits. . . . Big smiles all around in the Marlins' clubhouse. — Coming off his Rookie of the Year season, shortstop Hanley Ramirez grinned when informed that he's on a pace to steal 324 bases.
RELATED:
Andrew Seligman / Associated Press:
Cleveland 12, Chi White Sox 5 — CHICAGO (AP) — Grady Sizemore set the tone for the Cleveland Indians with his first swing. — Sizemore homered off Jose Contreras on the game's second pitch, and the Indians added four more runs in the first inning on their way to a 12-5 victory …
RELATED:
Jay Jaffe / Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Hit List — Preseason Edition — If it's Opening Day, it's time for the first edition of the Hit List. Few things in baseball generate as much controversy as preseason predictions, particularly when they contrast with what happened the season before.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
J. C. Bradbury / New York Times:
What Really Ruined Baseball — WITH an off-season that included Mark McGwire's rejection by Hall of Fame voters, Barry Bonds's continuing problems and accusations that Gary Matthews Jr. of the Angels had obtained human growth hormones, it's hard not to think about the influence of performance-enhancing drugs this opening day.
Associated Press:
Hernandez out for Orioles with oblique strain — MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Baltimore Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez was scratched from the lineup Monday because of a strained left oblique muscle. — The Orioles, who were in Minnesota to play the Twins for their season opener …
Paul Duggan / Washington Post:
Balking at the First Pitch — Bush's Skipping of Opening Day May Perpetuate a Ritual's Slow Decline — This is a baseball story, so let's get right to the stats. — Today is Washington's 65th Opening Day since 1910, when William H. Taft gave us a tradition: the ceremonial first pitch by the president.
