Top News:
Wayne Drehs / ESPN:
Body language analyst breaks down Clemens, McNamee performances … ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The first verbal knife had yet to be thrown. Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee had yet to say a single word. And yet renowned body language expert Janine Driver already had jumped off her couch …
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Jonathan Lemire / NY Daily News:
News Web site poll shows that most readers don't believe the Rocket — An overwhelming majority of Daily News readers don't believe the Rocket. — Seventy-nine percent of the 1,200 readers who voted in a poll on our Web site as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday said they believed former trainer Brian McNamee …
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:Performances weren't enhanced by testimony
Discussion:
Boston Sports Media Watch
ESPN.com:
Sabathia: Contract talks can wait till season's end — WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia has tabled contract talks with the Cleveland Indians. — The Indians' pitchers and catchers reported Thursday to spring training in Winter Haven, Fla.
Discussion:
Bronx Liaison
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Joe Pawlikowski / MLB Rumors:
Sabathia, Indians Put Off Contract Talks — We know the Indians had been working with ace C.C. Sabathia on a contract extension over the course of the winter, but nothing has materialized. This morning, front and center on his official website (because some poacher has ccsabathia.com) …
ccsabathia52.com:
SPRING TRAINING 2008 STATEMENT — This off-season, through my representatives at Legacy Sports Group, I have discussed the possibility of a contract extension with the Cleveland Indians. At this time, we haven't been able to reach agreement. Now that the reporting date for spring training is here …
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Pitchers and catchers start to check in — Had a chance to speak to Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain so far this morning. — Hughes, as always, was measured and confident. He said he was shocked at the revelations about Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens but still feels the same way about them personally.
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Johan Santana pitches in at Mets camp — PORT ST. LUCIE - One day before pitchers and catchers officially reported, Johan Santana arrived at the Mets' spring-training complex on Wednesday afternoon and quickly got to work with an impromptu throwing session.
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Jayson Stark / ESPN:
At long last, spring training is upon us … CLEARWATER, Fla. — Well, it's that time again ... Time to pay way more attention to those Molina brothers than those Manning brothers. Time to zone in on George Sherrill instead of George Mitchell. Time to stop focusing on Byung-Hyun Kim's exhaustive search …
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Pap on Pap — While Jonathan Papelbon's not about to explore the wonderful world of starting (again), he did offer that he might take on Terry Francona's job this season. Reliever? Starter? Manager? — OK, maybe not. But that doesn't mean that Papelbon's not going to use …
Kat O'Brien / Newsday:
Pettitte, Wang otherwise occupied as Yanks report — TAMPA, Fla. - The Yankees have all kinds of questions about their starting rotation as they wait for pitchers and catchers to report to spring training today. Concerns about Andy Pettitte may dominate their thoughts …
MLB.com:
Mets sign outfielder Ben Johnson — FLUSHING — The New York Mets announced today they have signed outfielder Ben Johnson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. — Johnson, 26, batted .185 (5-27) with one double and one RBI in nine games last season with New York.
Discussion:
NJ.com
Howard Ulman / Associated Press:
Red Sox lefty setup man Hideki Okajima plays 'I've Got A Secret' — FORT MYERS, Fla. — Hideki Okajima smiled, raised one finger to his lips and said “secret” when asked about his new pitch. — A secret himself a year ago after 12 seasons in Japan, the Red Sox discovered …
Ben Shpigel / Bats:
First Step to One-Name Status — Time stopped here a little before 10:40 a.m. when Johan Santana made his way from a back field toward the six-pack — the six pitching rubbers outside the Mets' clubhouse — to pitch off a mound. Standing in the shade, Brian Schneider and David Wright stopped their conversation to watch.
Nate Silver / Baseball Prospectus:
Lies, Damned Lies — The Smoking Gun? — friendly — There has been a Dueling Banjos dynamic between two conflicting analyses that attempt to address the potential impact of performance enhancing drugs on Roger Clemens's career. One, put out by Hendricks Sports Management …
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Five story lines for Padres spring training — 1. Will they turn the corner? GM Kevin Towers said he will continue to explore trade options for a corner outfielder. The Padres have asked about three right-handed hitters: Pittsburgh's Xavier Nady and Jason Bay and the Chicago Cubs' Matt Murton.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Associated Press:
Clemens the topic at spring training — Torre, Piniella, Girardi and players discuss testimony — VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Joe Torre spent much of his day talking about Roger Clemens. So did Lou Piniella, Joe Girardi and dozens of major leaguers from Florida to Phoenix.
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