Top News:
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
If Yanks ask Posada, he'll tell 'em Joba should stay in the bullpen — TAMPA - Joba Chamberlain is being treated as a starting pitcher this spring, but one of the Yankees' veteran leaders believes the decision to take the flamethrower out of the setup role is a big mistake.
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Joe Lapointe / New York Times:
Transition Continues for Igawa and Yanks — TAMPA, Fla. — Even the wealthy Yankees are wary of wasting $46 million on one player, so they are not about to give up on Kei Igawa, the left-handed pitcher from Japan who was a disappointment in 2007, his first season in the United States.
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Wrapping up the second day of camp — Joe Girardi spent 30 minutes after the workout meeting with Kei Igawa. “Just trying to get to know him,” Girardi said. — The manager said that Igawa would compete for a starting role. — Routine second day in camp. Half the pitchers threw in the bullpen.
Boston Herald:
NY's Posada believes Rocket — Jorge Posada has a close relationship with both Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, but the Yankees catcher sided with Clemens - who claims that he never took steroids or human growth hormone. — “If he said he never took it, I'm believing him 100 percent,” …
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New York Post
Mark Feinsand / New York Daily News Blogs:Mussina takes Hughes, Kennedy under his wing
Discussion:
Scott Proctor's Arm
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Carlos' Belt: Mets are best in East — PORT ST. LUCIE - The most soft-spoken Met made the biggest noise at camp so far with a pronouncement Saturday that should make him public enemy No. 1 in Philadelphia, leapfrogging Terrell Owens and J.D. Drew. — After revealing that he'll likely miss …
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing, Phillies Nation, Babes Love Baseball, We Should Be GM's and The700Level.com
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Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets limping into spring — PORT ST. LUCIE - They may be the newly self-declared “team to beat” of 2008, but the Mets continue to be gimpy this spring. — Carlos Beltran, who had surgery on Oct. 3 to clean out both knees, has yet to run full-throttle and may not participate in games until late in the Grapefruit League season.
Discussion:
The Ropolitans
ESPN:
Yankees' Cashman ‘not proud’ of highest payroll — The New York Yankees had a record payroll of $218.3 million in 2007. It's not going down this season, although GM Brian Cashman says he would like to rein it in. — “We are high,” Yankees GM Brain Cashman said in an interview with ESPN 1050 New York's Andrew Marchand.
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NY Daily News, River Ave. Blues, New York Daily News Blogs, Bronx Liaison and Sliding Into Home
Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
Tulo gets in some ribbing — TUCSON — Last spring, rookie Troy Tulowitzki had to take it. This year, as a rich, budding star, he's dishing it out. — Saturday, Tulo's target was third baseman Garrett Atkins. — “Atkins doesn't do much over there,” Tulowitzki said with a sly grin.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Middle infield intrigues Acta — Belliard, Guzman, Lopez to battle for two starting spots — VIERA, Fla. — Nationals manager Manny Acta said the most intriguing competition this spring is between middle infielders Ronnie Belliard, Cristian Guzman and Felipe Lopez.
Discussion:
Bugs & Cranks
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John Mazor / New York Post:
STUDY CLAIMS JETER IS WORST FIELDING SHORTSTOP IN BASEBALL — How's this for junk science - even with three Gold Gloves, Yankees captain Derek Jeter has been labeled the worst fielding shortstop in baseball. — But the numbers prove it, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania …
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Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Pujols is feeling fine — JUPITER, FLA. — Albert Pujols' problematic right elbow feels fine now, and the Cardinals' irreplaceable slugger believes he can curb any soreness in his injured limb this spring, this season — and beyond. — Ligament willing, of course.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
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George A. King III / New York Post:
URINE THE RIGHT PLACE! — Major League Baseball has increased the number of players from each team to be drug tested this spring. — In other years, MLB would test a handful of players during spring training. Yesterday at Legends Field, 28 Yankees were required to give urine samples to testers.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
NY Daily News:
Gotta treat Rocket like you do Barry, sez Rev. Al — The Rev. Al Sharpton says federal investigators probing Roger Clemens' alleged steroid use must hold the hurler to the same standards applied to slugger Barry Bonds. — “When I see a contrast between how you treat a Clemens and how you treat a Bonds …
Discussion:
New York Post
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Notes: Torres lured by ... sausages? — Despite thoughts of retirement, righty happy with new team — PHOENIX — And you thought they were just a midgame diversion. It turns out that the Brewers' racing sausages played a role in landing reliever Salomon Torres.
