Top News:
Christian Red / NY Daily News:
Team Rocket blasts off — Hendricks Sports Management, the longtime representatives of Roger Clemens, issued a rebuttal to Sunday's New York Times article in which four University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business professors disputed the value of the 45-page, 18,000-word statistical report …
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Newsday:
Trainer: Roger Clemens was at party — Roger Clemens' former trainer, Brian McNamee, is prepared to tell a congressional hearing Wednesday that he has a “vivid recollection” of the pitcher describing a scene at a party in Miami in 1998 that McNamee says he and Clemens attended.
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Jeter springs for stability — TAMPA - A ball takes two hops on green grass before a glove snares it. As he makes the ensuing throw, the man with the glove yelps, “Ouch!” — On most workdays for Derek Jeter, he is playing shortstop in front of 50,000 fans, a sizable television audience and a crowded press box.
Discussion:
Bombers Beat
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New York Post:WARMING UP TO BASEBALL — HARDBALL'S GUIDE TO SPRING TRAINING '08
Discussion:
Bronx Liaison
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Stadium talk highlights FanFest — Marlins fans also get a chance to see new, old faces — MIAMI — FanFest on Saturday was yet another reminder of how close the Marlins are to finalizing a new stadium deal that will secure the long-term future of the franchise in South Florida.
Discussion:
FishStripes
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Kevin Baxter / Los Angeles Times:
Baseball falters in Puerto Rico — Interest in the sport is steadily declining in the birthplace of Clemente and many others who became major league stars. — SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Enter Eduardo Figueroa's Mexican restaurant in Old San Juan and the first thing you notice …
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
At camp, all eyes will be on Santana — Prized acquisition's every move will be scrutinized, celebrated — The scars had begun to fade on their own. And they might have vanished without assistance in another four or five decades. Time takes its sweet time, doesn't it?
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Jason Beck / MLB.com:
For Tigers, the playoff chase begins now — Detroit hopes outlook on paper translates to success on field — DETROIT — The Tigers have been touted as one of baseball's best teams on paper since their trade for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis in December. This week, they'll finally start putting that team on the field.
Discussion:
TigerBlog
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Youkilis signs for $3 million — Team wraps him up for '08 and avoids arbitration again — KEVIN YOUKILIS: Versatility valuable to Sox (Jim Davis/Globe Staff) — FORT MYERS, Fla. - Coming off a season in which Kevin Youkilis earned his first Gold Glove - and backed …
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Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Youk/Sox agree to terms — Continuing their tradition of not going to arbitration with players in the Theo Epstein era, the Red Sox have agreed to terms with first baseman Kevin Youkilis. He'll make $3 million dollars this season on a one-year deal. — Youkilis had come in far from the number offered by the team.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Lofton could reunite with Baker in Cincy — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005. He appears weekly on the FSN Baseball Report and MLB on FOX. — Kenny Lofton played for Dusty Baker with the Giants in 2002 and the Cubs in '03 …
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Jason Beck / MLB.com:
MLB Ambassador Program visits Africa — Hold clinic during trip to build interest in game, scout for talent — Curtis Granderson wants to travel the world, and Major League Baseball's Ambassador Program is giving him a good start. In Africa, he saw a glimpse of players looking to get a start themselves.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
Terence Moore / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
No successor-in-waiting planned for Braves, Cox — Since the incomparable Bobby Cox is entering his 27th year as a manager in the major leagues, including more than two decades with the Braves, it's logical to wonder if his bosses are tempted to lose their minds.
Discussion:
ShysterBall
Bryan Tsao / Hardball Times:
THT round table: Erik Bedard — Seattle Mariners acquire Erik Bedard from the Baltimore Orioles for Adam Jones, George Sherrill, Chris Tillman, Kam Mickolio, and Tony Butler. — John Beamer: Make no mistake, the Mariners gave up a lot to acquire Berdard (this was a five for one swap) …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Jonathan Littman / Yahoo! Sports:
Judge in Bonds case skeptical of Novitzky — Before a jury gets to decide if it believes Barry Bonds, the judge in the case may decide whether she believes Jeff Novitzky, the lead BALCO investigator. — Susan Ilston, the highly regarded district judge in the Bonds perjury case …
Paul Hoynes / Plain Dealer:
Money not an issue with Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia, length of contract is — Now that the revised terms of Johan Santana's contract with the New York Mets have come out, the numbers aren't as bad as previously thought in terms of keeping C.C. Sabathia in Cleveland.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Healthy Patterson ready for full season — Nats righty ‘doing really well,’ threw 100 pitches on Monday — WASHINGTON — What would a healthy John Patterson mean to the Nationals in 2008? Quite a lot. They would like the right-hander to repeat his 2005 performance …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
