Top News:
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Initial report on Wang — Chien-Ming Wang threw 91 pitches today in Tampa today, 70 for strikes. — I'm still gathering the details in terms of hits and runs, but he struck out 11 without a walk and was averaging around 91 with his fastball. — Wag pitched in an extended spring training game …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, The Sommer Frieze, River Avenue Blues, A DIE HARD YANKEES FAN and Generation Third
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Bryan Hoch / Bombers Beat:
Wang pitches seven innings in Tampa — Skipped for this weekend's series at Fenway Park, struggling Yankees right-hander Chien-Ming Wang instead pitched seven innings in an extended Spring Training start on Thursday in Tampa, Fla. — Wang allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits …
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
David Singh / MLB.com:
Identity crisis for newcomer O'Day — Rangers righty wears Gabbard jersey after joining team — TORONTO — To say Darren O'Day's Wednesday was a whirlwind of a day would be a massive understatement. — The right-handed reliever began the day looking for work, and by the end of it …
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Kathy Vetter / Foul Territory:
Gabbard traded — The Rangers have traded left-hander Kason Gabbard to Boston, the team who traded him for Eric Gagne in 2007, for cash considerations. The Red Sox have assigned him to Triple-A Pawtucket and are expected to send him to extending spring training.
Jeff Wilson / Texas Rangers:
Kason Gabbard traded — The Rangers have traded left-hander Kason Gabbard to Boston, the team who traded him for Eric Gagne in 2007, for cash considerations. The Red Sox have assigned him to Triple-A Pawtucket and are expected to send him to extending spring training.
Discussion:
Boston Globe
Mike Puma / New York Post:
BIG PAPI TO JOBA: DON'T THROW AT US — BOSTON — If young Joba Chamberlain misbehaves tomorrow night, he might face a spanking from someone else's Papi. — With Chamberlain scheduled to start for the Yankees in the opener of a three-game series against the Red Sox, David Ortiz yesterday …
Adam Rubin / Surfing the Mets:
Uh-oh: Cardinals 5, Mets 2 ... Jerry to shake up lineup — Now what? Well, after the Mets lost to the Cardinals, 5-2, on Wednesday night to fall two games under .500, Jerry Manuel plans to shake up his lineup. Well, shake it up for a day, anyway. — Carlos Beltran will move to third …
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Adam Ronis / Newsday:
Carter: Interest in Mets job was a ‘mistake’ — Gary Carter received a lot of criticism for expressing his interest in the Mets managerial job last season when Willie Randolph still held the position. Almost a year later, Carter realizes he made a mistake.
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Chicagosports / Hardball:
Cubs' Piniella lays down the law to Milton Bradley — Milton Bradley entered Lou Piniella's office at 10:17 a.m. Thursday morning, with a white towel wrapped around his waist and a blue towel covering his head. — Bradley wasn't hiding from the paparazzi, but did not want to advertise his visit to Piniella's office.
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Inside the 2009 Forbes MLB Franchise Valuations — Now in their 12th year, Michael K. Ozanian and Kurt Badenhausen have published the 2009 MLB franchise valuations for Forbes, and with it, the downturn in the economy has cast its shadow across the league. — The 30 clubs are valued …
Discussion:
Generation Third
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Sun-Sentinel:
Q&A: Marlins' Wes Helms talks about his love for kickboxing — Being a major leaguer is accomplishment enough for most people, but Marlins' reserve infielder Wes Helms has another notch on his belt — actually it's the belt itself. Helms has a black belt in kickboxing, which he took up in 1995 to improve his agility.
Associated Press:
Bush takes no-hit bid into 8th, Brewers beat Phillies — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Dave Bush held Philadelphia hitless for 7 1-3 innings before pinch-hitter Matt Stairs homered off the foul pole, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Phillies 6-1 Thursday. — Bush became the sixth pitcher …
Associated Press:
Harang, Votto lead Reds over Zambrano, Cubs — CHICAGO (AP) — Aaron Harang allowed only one unearned run over seven innings and Joey Votto homered, doubled twice and singled Thursday, leading the Cincinnati Reds over the sloppy Chicago Cubs 7-1. — The Reds went 7-3 on their first road swing …
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Florida's fire sales are history — With a new park opening in 2012 and loads of young talent, the Marlins are here to stay — We all know what happened the last two times the Florida Marlins put together teams like this. — The 1997 World Series champs were calling the moving vans …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Ken Belson / New York Times:
Fans Say New Home Ignores Old Mets — Where have you gone, Tug McGraw? Apparently, to the windswept left-field entrance of Citi Field. — The Mets have taken a lot of heat from fans angry about the ticket prices and the obstructed views at Citi Field. A vocal minority of fans …
Discussion:
The Mets Police
