Top News:
Curt Schilling / 38 Pitches:
My shoulder — Speculation is rampant right now. I see the Sox just released a statement. — At the time we negotiated the 2008 contract I passed all physical exams and testing, as well as the MRI the club required me to take. I knew in my heart of hearts that the extra time I was giving …
RELATED:
Tony Massarotti / Clubhouse Insider:
Schilling Issue Serious — Roughly a week before pitchers and catchers are due to report to spring training, the Herald has learned today that right-hander Curt Schilling has a significant shoulder injury that could end the veteran right-hander's season and is causing tension and friction between the player and club.
Discussion:
Fox Sports, Yahoo! Sports, River Ave. Blues, MY BASEBALL BIAS, Pinstriped Scranton, Barstool Sports, Defensive Indifference, SawxBlog, Hot Stove New York, MetsBlog.com, Over the Monster, NJ.com, Yankee Stadium Insider Blog, iYankees, ShysterBall, Yankee GM Blog, Around the Majors, The Chuck Knoblog, MLB Rumors, The Metwork and Bronx Liaison
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Yanks to keep Stadium's hallowed name — Team announces its rejection of corporate appellation — NEW YORK — No one does the Yankees as well as the Yankees. No professional sports franchise carries itself so consistently, so majestically and, at the same time, so simply.
RELATED:
Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
You Can't Buy the Naming Rights, but Call It the Billion-Dollar Ballpark — The old Yankee Stadium cost Jacob Ruppert and Tillinghast Huston $2.5 million to build and $100 million (or so) for the city to rebuild. The cost to replace it is now about $1.2 billion — not $930 million ($830 million and financing) as originally estimated.
Discussion:
MY BASEBALL BIAS
Associated Press:
Cost of Yankees' new upscale stadium hits $1.3B — NEW YORK — The new Yankee Stadium will have party suites, a members-only restaurant, a martini bar and a price tag to match all the luxury — $1.3 billion, up from the original estimate of $1 billion. — “We tried to reflect a five-star hotel …
Discussion:
iYankees
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates take a look at Colon in Dominican — But team not yet seen as suitor for free-agent starter — The Pirates are one of three teams scouting former Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon in the Dominican Republic, but there was no indication yesterday that their interest extended beyond window-shopping.
Discussion:
Honest Wagner
RELATED:
David Lennon / On the Mets beat:
Mets settle with Church for $2 million — The Mets avoided arbitration with outfielder Ryan Church today when the two sides agreed on a one-year worth $2 million. Church had asked for $2.45 million; the Mets had initially countered with $1.75 million. That leaves Oliver Perez …
Discussion:
New York Post
RELATED:
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Santana Easily Navigates Bumper-to-Bumper Coverage — Johan Santana entered the Diamond Club at Shea Stadium to a song played by the Mexican rock band Maná, one of his favorite groups, and then waited in the front row as one famous Santana was used to introduce another.
RELATED:
Ian Begley / NY Daily News:
Pedro's cockfighting comes home to roost — Animal rights groups are accusing Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez and Hall of Fame hurler Juan Marichal of fowl play after both were shown attending a cockfight in the Dominican Republic in a video posted on YouTube last week.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Photos presented in bid to discredit Clemens — Clemens Addresses Media After Deposition — WASHINGTON — Roger Clemens crisscrossed Capitol Hill, hoping a handshake and a smile would help his cause. His accuser, Brian McNamee, brought two photos showing syringes and vials …
RELATED:
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
Texas Rangers' Young welcomes Ryan's addition — Shortstop says ‘it will only help’ to have Hall of Famer join Rangers — egrant@dallasnews.com — In seven seasons and one week with the Rangers, Michael Young has seen them come and go. He's played for four managers and three general managers …
David Gassko / Hardball Times:
It's the Hardball Times Season Preview 2008! — About a year-and-a-half ago, I spent a good number of hours trying to convince Dave Studeman that publishing book a year wasn't enough, that in addition to The Hardball Times Annual, our annual review of the previous season …
Steve Kelley / The Seattle Times:
New Mariner R.A. Dickey committed to knuckleball — Every major-leaguer thinks he can throw a knuckleball. Watch the players in front of the dugout before a game dueling with their knucklers, trying to handcuff each other with their best butterflies. — Bret Boone threw one before games.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Outfielder Gonzalez officially a Marlin — Veteran completes physical, will make $2 million in 2008 — MIAMI — Finalized at last. — A week after reaching agreement on a contract deal, free agent Luis Gonzalez is now officially a Florida Marlin. — The veteran outfielder successfully completed …
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Fields clarifies himself on talk of retirement — Josh Fields is supposed to be preparing for what could be a career-changing spring training, not doing damage control. — But the White Sox' third baseman-in-waiting was left explaining comments that appeared in the Thursday edition of the Tulsa (Okla.) World.
Discussion:
Baseball Digest Daily
John Manuel / Baseball America Prospects Blog:
Pirates Hire BA's Kline — For the second time this offseason, a major league organization has hired a member of the Baseball America editorial staff to fill a position on its scouting staff. — The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Wednesday the hiring of Chris Kline as an area scout.
Discussion:
Where have you gone …
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Marlins bring back Super Saturdays — Caravan under way as club prepares for Saturday's FanFest — MIAMI — Attending a Saturday night game at Dolphin Stadium in 2008 once again will feature an event-like atmosphere. — For the second straight season, the Marlins will showcasing Super Saturdays …
Discussion:
FishStripes
