Top News:
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Yanks expect Pettitte to start spring behind in prep … Andy Pettitte no longer has to go to Washington, and instead, he is scheduled to report to the Yankees' training camp in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday. But staff members expect that Pettitte will be behind in his preparation for the 2008 season …
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Joel Sherman / New York Post:
IT'S A SETUP — JOBA STARTS YEAR IN 'PEN — Joba Chamberlain will prepare during spring training as a starter, but will begin the season in the Yankee bullpen barring injury to any of the other five main rotation members, team officials confirmed to The Post.
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ESPN:
Report: Pettitte's affidavit supports McNamee's version of events — Andy Pettitte's affidavit helps to support Brian McNamee's version of events that the former trainer gave Roger Clemens steroids and HGH, Rep. Tom Davis told Newsday. — Although Pettitte won't testify at Wednesday's hearings …
Associated Press:
Congress hears experts on HGH, supplements — WASHINGTON — In the final warmup before the blockbuster hearing, Congress took aim at Rocky instead of the Rocket. — The House Committee that on Wednesday is expected to hear the differing viewpoints of Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee …
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Doctors: HGH alone doesn't help athletes — WASHINGTON - With the Roger Clemens-Brian McNamee showdown on deck, four doctors took the stand on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning to assert that human growth hormone (HGH) and B12 probably aren't worth the trouble. — The House Oversight …
Derek Jacques / Baseball Prospectus:Stupid Lawyer Tricks: Clemens and McNamee Go to Congress by Derek Jacques
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Twins pick up free-agent hurler Hernandez — 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. — Livan Hernandez, who lingered on the free-agent market far longer than anticipated, finally has found a new team.
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Associated Press:
Twins fill spot vacated by Santana with Hernandez — MINNEAPOLIS — Pitcher Livan Hernandez and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a $5 million, one-year contract. — Hernandez can earn an additional $2 million in performance bonuses. — The Twins are short on experience in their rotation …
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Rocker Claims Selig Knew of Steroid Use in 2000 — Word is coming into The Biz of Baseball that former MLB pitcher, and lighting rod, John Rocker made claims today that Bud Selig was aware of steroid use in MLB in 2000 after, as Rocker claims, he was made to test for them after his inflammatory comments in Sports Illustrated.
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Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Derek Jeter takes wait-and-see approach with Joe Girardi era — TAMPA - Derek Jeter knows Joe Girardi as a former teammate, a bench coach and a broadcaster, but not as a manager. So he's unsure how Girardi's regime will be different from Joe Torre's run as Yankee manager.
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Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Astros have veteran Chacon on radar — Club offers free-agent right-hander deal two days before camp — HOUSTON — The Houston Astros have made an offer to right-hander Shawn Chacon, one of a handful of free-agent pitchers still looking for work in the final stages of the 2007-08 offseason.
Evan Grant / Rangers:
Mench for the bench — Kevin Mench is coming back to the Rangers. Mench agreed to a minor league deal with the club on Tuesday afternoon. He'll fight for a backup outfielder's spot along with David Murphy, Nelson Cruz and Jason Botts. — Mench, 30, hit .267 for Milwaukee last year with a .746 OPS and eight homers in 101 games.
Scott Lauber / Phillies:
Feb. 12 — BENSON ON THE WAY? — CLEARWATER, Fla. — Just got off the phone with Kris Benson's agent, who says a deal between the free-agent right-hander and the Phillies may be struck within the next 24 to 36 hours. — Gregg Clifton told me he has been speaking with Phillies assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr …
Amy K. Nelson / ESPN:
Revitalized Crawford sees hope for Rays … SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Adam Dunn leaned over the skybox at the raucous 16th hole during the recent FBR Open and yelled out to PGA golfer and friend Steve Elkington, rousing him into making his putt. Elkington playfully acknowledged Dunn's taunts …
Ben Shpigel / Bats:
I'm Glad I Don't Play OF — God Bless Carlos Beltran. Or Andruw Jones. Or Aaron Rowand. Or any other center fielder who will be playing at the Mets' new stadium, Citi Field, next season and beyond. — The staff down here in Port St. Lucie was mandated to tear down the fence …
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