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9:15 AM ET, February 23, 2010

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
The big question  —  Sox wonder if Papi can regain his pop  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. - You look at him and listen and you want to believe.  You want to turn back the clock to 2006 when he hit 54 homers and knocked in 137 runs.  You want to remember the golden days when it seemed like every hit was a walkoff wonder.
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Ortiz a lean, mean fighting machine  —  Warning: This is the standard “Aging player reports to camp in great shape” story.  Take it for what it's worth, which isn't much.  If being in shape meant you could play baseball, Jack LaLanne would have been another Willie Mays.
Discussion: sox1fan.com
John Tomase / Associated Press:
David Ortiz: I'm very excited about this season
Discussion: Boston Herald and Boston Globe
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Montero puts on a show  —  Chan Ho Park held a press conference in South Korea, A.J. Burnett pitched to Jorge Posada in the bullpen and CC Sabathia snapped off sliders for the first time.  It wasn't exactly a slow day in spring training, but as camp was breaking up, much of the buzz centered on Jesus Montero.
RELATED:
Joe Pawlikowski / FanGraphs Baseball:
Chan Ho Park and the Amazing, Unsustainable Home Run Rate  —  A glance at Chan Ho Park's 2009 statistics can mislead.  None of his aggregate stats stand out.  His 4.43 ERA ranked below league average, a 96 ERA+, and his 9.1 hits per nine and 3.6 walks per nine led to an inflated 1.40 WHIP.
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Phils' Sardinha arrested on DUI charge  —  Ex-Reds, Tigers catcher in camp as non-roster invitee  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Clearwater police arrested Phillies catcher Dane Sardinha early Monday morning for allegedly driving under the influence.  —  The Phillies said they are aware of the arrest, but declined comment.
Discussion: HardballTalk
Charles Odum / Associated Press:
Hank Aaron applauds Mark McGwire's apology  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP)—Former career home run king Hank Aaron says Mark McGwire should have a clear conscience after his recent admission he used performance-enhancing drugs as a player.  —  Aaron said other players still harboring similar secrets also should come clean.
Discussion: USA Today
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Aaron: McGwire should have a clear conscience
Discussion: Yahoo! Sports
Brian Costa / New Jersey Online:
What Sandy Koufax told NY Mets pitchers Oliver Perez, John Maine and Johan Santana … Audio: Sandy Koufax  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — For the second time in a week, Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax stopped by the Mets' spring training complex Monday and watched several pitchers during bullpen sessions.
Discussion: MetsBlog.com
Russell A. Carleton / Baseball Prospectus:
That Peak Age Thing, Part 2  —  Last week, I looked at the question of when hitters hit their peak and came away with the very unsatisfying answer of “it depends.”  Good hitters peak later.  Even leaving aside the usual cries of “treat everyone as an individual!” there are different peak ages in the aggregate among different groups.
RELATED:
Matt Swartz / Baseball Prospectus:
Evaluating Multi-Year Deals
Discussion: THE BOOK
RELATED:
Dylan Hernandez / LA Times Sports Blog:
Manny Ramirez predicts this is his final season with the Dodgers
Discussion: True Blue LA and HardballTalk
Associated Press:
Johnny Damon officially becomes a Tiger: “This is where I wanted to be”  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — To Johnny Damon, the Detroit Tigers were the right team.  —  “This is where I wanted to be,” he said Monday after completing his $8 million, one-year contract.  “The Tigers were my first choice.
Chico Harlan / Nationals Journal:
The battered, bruised and repaired shoulder of Jesus Flores  —  I just filed a story on Jesus Flores, a catcher with an irrepressible good nature and, right now, a very worrisome shoulder.  He also had lots to say, and plenty I wanted to print.  Only problem: The story was given an 800-word allotment …
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Burnett eager to work with Posada  —  A.J. Burnett blames himself for last season's controversy about who should catch who.  —  “It all went back to when I was right,” Burnett said.  “If Jorge was going to catch me or not, it would be irrelevant because when my mind's right, then everything is a lot easier for Jorge.”
Discussion: Bottom9 Baseball
Adam Rubin / Surfing The Mets:
Beltran says no ill will, plenty of progress  —  Carlos Beltran arrived and said he's on target for a return on the prescribed timetable, which was 12 weeks from the mid-January surgery.  It took him a week to get over flap with Mets, but said there are no hard feelings.
RELATED:
Sports Illustrated:
Re-balanced and re-loaded Red Sox ready for another run … FT. MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox badly wanted to re-balance their team, and they have done that in a big way, remaking the left side of their infield and outfield and turning their overall defense from a so-so one into a superb one.
Andy Martino / Philly.com:
Werth arrives with future in limbo  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - If forced to select one word as the theme for his 2009 season, Jayson Werth might choose finally.  As in, he finally played a full season without a detour to the disabled list.  He finally produced statistics worthy of the expectations …
Discussion: Surfing The Mets
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Inbox: Should Strasburg start in Minors?  —  Beat reporter Bill Ladson answers Nats fans' questions  —  I'm concerned about promoting Stephen Strasburg to the Major Leagues so quickly.  I'd like to see him learn how to pitch for a season or two in the Minors first.
 
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 More News: 
Jeff Sullivan / Lookout Landing:
Jim Bowden Talks To Theo Epstein, Jon Daniels, Dayton Moore …
Discussion: Hardball Times and Just A Nats Fan
Erik Boland / Newsday:
E-Boland and the Bombers  —  Yankees news, commentary …
Discussion: TYU and The iYankees Blog
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Inbox: Examining the Branyan effect
Discussion: Plain Dealer, CastroTurf and MLB Rumors
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Lannan decides to switch agents
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Gaston faces challenges in skip's last year
Discussion: Bluebird Banter
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
A few notes from today's workout
Discussion: Yahoo! Sports and NESN.com
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Pierzynski realizes this could be final year with Sox
Discussion: Jorge Says No!
 Earlier Picks: 
Brad Lefton / Seattle Times:
Kenji Johjima is comfortable back home in Japan
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Bradley arrives in Mariners camp, finds new friend in Griffey
Discussion: Yahoo! Sports
Todd Zolecki / The Zo Zone:
Ready to Go  —  The Phillies' first full squad workout is tomorrow and everybody is here.
Discussion: We Should Be GM's
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Pedroia comes out swinging
Discussion: HardballTalk
 

 
From WeSmirch:

CNN:
CNN political commentator Alice Stewart dies

Kimberlee Speakman / People:
Taylor Swift Performs Surprise Mashup of Three ‘1989’ Songs at 89th Eras Tour Show

Bryan Alexander / USA Today:
‘Dumb and Dumber’: Jeff Daniels feared flushing away his career with infamous toilet scene

 
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