Top News:
Bob Raissman / NY Daily News:
Michael Kay rips Joe Torre, but not on YES Network — Why was Michael Kay treading lightly on Alex Rodriguez and jolly-stomping Joe Torre? That is the question a caller to Kay's ESPN-1050 Tuesday soiree asked. — The inquiry agitated Mr. Kay. — "There are things about Joe Torre …
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Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:
Exhibition games vs. Yankees set for Dolphin Stadium — Joe Girardi will get his final tuneup for his first year as New York Yankees manager against his old team. — The Yankees play the Marlins on March 28 at 7:05 p.m. and March 29 at 6:05 p.m. at Dolphin Stadium to close both teams' exhibition schedules.
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
Brian Cashman says Robinson Cano will stay at second base — Brian Cashman says he hasn't started the process of landing a third-base replacement for Alex Rodriguez, but the Yankee GM insisted he doesn't expect to ask second baseman Robinson Cano to make the move across the diamond.
Clark Spencer / MiamiHerald.com:
A-Rod in Marlins' future? — Florida's Larry Beinfest would not discount the idea of Alex Rodriguez playing in his hometown in 2008. — AIM cspencer@MiamiHerald.com — A-Rod to the Marlins? — Although it's a long shot, don't dismiss him entirely. — Five days after Alex Rodriguez opted …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Jeff Jacobs / Hartford Courant:
A New York Fielding Drill For Girardi — Joe Girardi ended the formal portion of his introductory press conference with a rhetorical question. — "How am I different than Joe Torre?" said the new manager of the most famous franchise in sports. "Give me a chance and you'll find out.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Posada-Girardi rift? Not really; he should be back — There's a buzz working its way through the media, if nowhere else, that Jorge Posada doesn't want to play for Joe Girardi. That the Mets have hope, after all, in recruiting the lifelong Yankee over the Triborough Bridge.
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Girardi Will Wear Goal on His Back: No. 27 — The mission statement is summarized in the two numerals that will follow Joe Girardi wherever he goes. The uniform number of the Yankees' new manager is 27, and the reason is rhetorical. — "How many have they won?" Girardi said, knowing that the answer is 26.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Bill Plaschke / Los Angeles Times:
McCourt and Colletti still have work to do — If the Dodgers don't significantly improve their roster, Joe Torre will be little more than a gaudy trinket. — Hiring Joe Torre to manage the Dodgers is like hanging a masterpiece in a tool shed, installing leather seats in a jalopy, buying designer shoes for a dog.
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
ON DAY ONE, JUMPY JOE SHOWS SOME FIGHT — JOE Girardi called being named Yankee manager his "dream job" and insisted "this is where we (he and his family) wanted to be. This is where we wanted to end up." — Which is interesting since even after the Yankees offered him the "dream job …
Andrew Ryan / Boston Globe:
Fans catch treat at Varitek home — NEWTON - This Halloween, Jason Varitek gave trick-or-treaters something infinitely more valuable than a king-sized Snickers bar. The Red Sox captain sat in a lawn chair at the top on his driveway and handed out autographs, signing baseballs, hats, shirts …
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Bruce Jenkins / San Francisco Chronicle:
So who's in line to pay A-Rod? — (10-30) 19:46 PDT — Mix a weak-minded narcissist with a conniving, slime-covered agent and you get Sunday night at the World Series: a shameful bit of upstaging that not only exposed the true colors of Alex Rodriguez and Scott Boras, but actually damaged their cause.
Discussion:
Bats
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Red Sox Monster:
YouTube goodness: Dice-K's high school no-no — What do you do when baseball season's over? — Well, besides for playing "Choose Your Own Adventure" with Alex Rodriguez, how about peeping the video of Daisuke Matsuzaka's famed high school no-hitter? After seeing this …
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
It's official: Dodgers hire Torre — Ex-Yankees skipper brought in to replace Little in LA — LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers made it official on Thursday, hiring future Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre to replace Grady Little, who resigned on Tuesday. — Why Joe Torre?
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MSNBC:
Bonds would boycott Hall of Fame over asterisk — If Hall displays HR ball with asterisk, slugger won't step inside Cooperstown — NEW YORK - Barry Bonds would boycott Cooperstown if the Hall of Fame displays his record-breaking home run ball with an asterisk. — That includes skipping his potential induction ceremony.
Discussion:
Deadspin, FanHouse, Bugs & Cranks, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Quo Vadimus, Mostly Mets and The Big Lead
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Reliever Zumaya to miss first half of '08 — Righty has surgery after sustaining injury during evacuation — DETROIT — Thankfully, Joel Zumaya did not lose his home or his family in the San Diego wildfires. Whether he lost his fastball should be trivial by comparison, but after a freak accident …
Discussion:
The Daily Fungo
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Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com:
Macha interested in managing Pirates — Former A's skipper has deep roots in Pittsburgh area — PITTSURGH — While the Pirates front office remains tight-lipped as they proceed with a search to hire a new manager and key front office personnel, there is no hiding that the organization's search for a new skipper is in full swing.
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Marlins to face Yankees, former skipper — Club takes on AL East squad at Dolphin Stadium in March — MIAMI — The Marlins will get an early taste of the Big Apple in 2008. — Before opening the 2008 regular season on April 1 against the New York Mets at Dolphin Stadium …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Rocks consider Jennings' return — Part of the charm of a World Series' run is that there are fewer winter roster wrinkles to iron out. The Rockies will likely have to add just one new starter, and could pursue an old rotation member, Jason Jennings. — Colorado general manager Dan O'Dowd confirmed …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
