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8:50 AM ET, February 18, 2010

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Excited Vazquez arrives at Yankees camp  —  Back in pinstripes, veteran concerned about only winning  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Just prior to Javier Vazquez's first season in Montreal, the Expos traded their defending National League Cy Young Award winner, Pedro Martinez, to the Red Sox …
RELATED:
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Notes from Day 1  —  There wasn't much breaking news coming out of Steinbrenner Field this morning.  The Yankees pitchers and catchers showed up, then some of them talked, then all of them left.  For a first day of spring training, it was pretty much exactly what you would expect.
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Girardi: “The expectation here is the same every year”  —  Just got back from the Joe Girardi press conference.  As expected, the bulk of the conversation was about attempting to repeat as World Series champions.  —  “The expectation here is the same every year,” Girardi said.
Discussion: BronxBanterBlog.com
Bryan Hoch / Bombers Beat:   Yankees pitchers and catchers, reporting for duty
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats win arbitration case with Bruney  —  Reliever will be paid $1.5 million; had requested $1.85 million  —  Reliever Brian Bruney lost his arbitration case Wednesday, meaning he will make $1.5 million in his first season with the Nationals instead of the $1.85 million he was seeking.
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Sources: Cards, Padres pursuing Lopez  —  Fox Sports  —  The Cardinals and Padres are among the four teams currently pursuing free agent infielder Felipe Lopez, multiple sources told FOXSports.com.  —  Lopez played for St. Louis in 2008, and the Cardinals' interest may be linked …
Discussion: MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals in no hurry to sign fill-in for Ryan
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Andy Martino / Philly.com:
Inside the Phillies: Unlike health, faith never lets Lidge down  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - Brad Lidge's defining characteristic is belief - in God, in himself, in the basic goodness of the world.  He feels that all suffering happens for a reason, and will always lead to better days.
RELATED:
Matt Gelb / Philly.com:
Lidge takes a hard look back
Discussion: Surfing The Mets
Brian Costa / New Jersey Online:
David Wright says he expects NY Mets to win NL East, go deep in playoffs … PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — David Wright doesn't share the low expectations some fans have for the Mets this year.  The third baseman said Wednesday he expects the Mets to win the National League East and make a run in the playoffs …
RELATED:
David Waldstein / Bats:
Wright Is Upbeat, an Early Sign of Spring
Discussion: Mets Merized Online
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Pulled teeth delay Greinke's workout  —  Bullpen session scrapped, but righty will throw Thursday  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Zack Greinke already has experienced the first bump of his 2010 spring.  Fortunately for Kansas City, it's nothing serious.  —  Early on Wednesday afternoon …
Discussion: Fanhouse MLB Blog
RELATED:
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Remoreseful Mark McGwire still denies steroids improved ability in impromptu press conference  —  JUPITER, Fla. - Mark McGwire was ready to talk when he made his official return to baseball as batting coach for the St.Louis Cardinals yesterday.  —  After a lengthy coaches meeting with manager Tony LaRussa …
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / Cardinal Beat:
McGwire talks hitting, talks “from the heart”, wishes to move on
Discussion: HardballTalk and Fanhouse MLB Blog
Josh Hermsmeyer / Rotoblog:
Free Player Injury Database  —  When I started working on Rotobase I knew I wanted to generate notes like the following: … However all the databases out there are either proprietary, or don't allow for easy access to the underlying data for analysis.  So, I started developing my own database, starting with 2009.
Chip / FanBlog: Astros:
Upon further review, Astros have an option with Paulino  —  Here's some news that could be a game changer for the Astros this spring: Felipe Paulino actually has one option left.  —  Previously, we had written here that Paulino was out of options.  It had also been discussed in Richard Justice's blog …
Discussion: The Crawfish Boxes
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Stark: Goodbye offseason, hello spring training  —  Leaving winter in the rearview mirror, and eyeing what awaits in Florida and Arizona  —  We're not sure what winter looked and felt like where you live.  But from where we live, in the tundra formerly known as Pennsylvania …
Discussion: Twinkie Town
Adam Rubin / Surfing The Mets:
Sore subject for Escobar  —  Reliever Kelvim Escobar recently experienced shoulder soreness and will be treated gingerly as Mets pitchers and catchers officially report Thursday.  Escobar experienced the trouble last month while ramping up for spring training and was examined by team doctor David Altchek.
Andrew Baggarly / Extra Baggs:
Giants, Freddy Sanchez have difference of opinion on why they kept his shoulder surgery quiet  —  We have our first controversy of the spring.  Sort of.  —  It might not be a big deal to you, but we reporters get irked when a player has a major surgery and it's hidden for more than a month.
Discussion: HardballTalk
David Waldstein / New York Times:
The Mets by the Numbers: Nothing Ever Adds Up to 3  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — With Yankees championship No. 27 safely behind him, Joe Girardi is now putting No. 28 on his back, gimmicky as that might seem.  He has not worn the official pinstriped version yet, but on Wednesday the new digits …
Discussion: The Good Phight and Bats
ESPN:
Theo Epstein: Daisuke Matsuzaka's back strain is not serious  —  Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein told a group of reporters on Wednesday morning in Fort Myers, Fla. that Daisuke Matsuzaka has what the team believes to be a mild back strain but that it would not prevent the pitcher from having a normal spring training.
RELATED:
Mark Bowman / Bowman's Blog:
Jurrjens relieved after receiving MRI results  —  Count Jair Jurrjens among the many members of the Braves family who gained a sense of relief on Wednesday morning, when MRI results showed that he isn't dealing with any structural damage in his right shoulder.
Discussion: Bottom9 Baseball
RELATED:
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:   Jurrjens encouraged by MRI results
 
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 More News: 
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Kuroda aims to recover from painful '09
Discussion: LA Times Sports Blog
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Numbers, numbers, numbers  —  One of the great things …
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
Reynolds, Upton deals on D-backs' radar
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Associated Press:
LHP Wandy Rodriguez, Houston Astros go to arbitration hearing
Allen Barra / Runnin' Scared:
Jerry Manuel Vows to Make Mets Spring Training About Actual Training
Discussion: HardballTalk
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Sale of Rangers remains ‘on schedule’
 Earlier Picks: 
Russell A. Carleton / ESPN:
Fire all the third-base coaches!
Discussion: THE BOOK and Lookout Landing
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Twins cringe at thought of nearly passing on Mauer
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
LOWELL BRACES HIMSELF FOR AN UNCERTAIN SPRING
Discussion: Full Count
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Inbox: Where should Padres hit Eckstein?
Chris Morris / News & Advance:
Former Major League pitcher Jim Bibby dies at 65
 

 
From WeSmirch:

Hailee Steinfeld / Beau Society:
This is 29!! — BEAU SOCIETY issue #064

Anna Young / New York Post:
‘Pulp Fiction,’ ‘The Mask’ actor Peter Greene found dead at 60 inside his NYC apartment

Deadline:
Is Helena Bonham Carter The First Guest To Check Into ‘The White Lotus’ For Season 4? - The Dish

 
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