Top News:
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
It Seems as if Everybody Hates Alex Rodriguez — ANAHEIM, Calif. — According to some of his peers, Alex Rodriguez is a hypocrite and a “prima donna.” He is not the “Yankee type,” either, and he has “monopolized all the attention” since arriving in the Bronx in 2004.
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Joseph Smith / St. Petersburg Times:
Rays color analyst Kevin Kennedy helps thwart potential hi-jacking on flight — Rays television color analyst Kevin Kennedy was one of several passengers that helped save the day and subdue a potential hi-jacker on a red-eye Delta flight last night. — Kennedy, on a flight from L.A. to Tampa …
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Associated Press:
Rays TV analyst helps thwart terror plot on plane — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays broadcaster and former major league manager Kevin Kennedy says he was among a group of eight men that subdued a man who threatened to blow up an airplane. — A Delta Air Lines flight …
John Marshall / Associated Press:
Royals release Cruz, make 3 other moves — KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—Kansas City had one of the worst bullpens in baseball last year, a group that gave Royals fans an impending sense of doom with nearly every pitch. — When it started happening again this season, the Royals weren't going to put up with it for very long.
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AZ Snakepit
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Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Royals Release Juan Cruz, DFA Luis Mendoza — The Royals have released Juan Cruz and designated Luis Mendoza for assignment, reports Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star. The moves shake up the team's bullpen and open up roster spots for Brad Thompson and Bruce Chen.
Associated Press:
Red Sox hang on to beat Orioles — Jim Johnson walked Adrian Beltre with the bases loaded to force in the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning and David Ortiz [stats] hit his first homer of the season, leading the Boston Red Sox [team stats] to their ninth straight win over the Baltimore Orioles, 4-3 on Friday night.
Discussion:
Minor League Ball, Over the Monster, Boston Herald, Boston Globe, sox1fan.com and Yahoo! Sports
Jenny Vrentas / New Jersey Online:
Mets statistical analyst has seen growth and evolution of sabermetrics in MLB … Ben Baumer says his gig as the Mets statistical analyst was a direct result of the popularity of “Moneyball” early last decade. And in his seven seasons in that position, he has seen the sabermetrics movement expand and deepen.
Kate Hedlin / Yahoo! Sports:
Cleveland (7-8) at Oakland (10-7) — are working their way back from injuries that kept them sidelined for all of 2009. — Each pitcher walked away from his last start with reason for optimism. — Westbrook and Duchscherer will square off Friday to open a three-game series between the Indians and Athletics.
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Mets win, but concern about Maine — The Mets' starting pitcher had to leave after 3 2/3, because of his non-throwing arm — NEW YORK — John Maine's mood after the Mets' 5-2 win against the Atlanta Braves on Friday night could be summarized like this: What next?
Tony Jackson / ESPN:
Dodgers Manny Ramirez to 15-day DL with calf strain — The Dodgers have placed left fielder Manny Ramirez on the 15-day disabled list with a right-calf strain, an injury that caused him to miss two starts last weekend and flared up again as he legged out a base hit on Thursday night at Cincinnati.
Fox Sports:
Zambrano move shows Cubs are desperate — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005. He appears weekly on MLB on FOX. Follow him on Twitter. — Leaders frequently invoke the phrase, “Desperate times lead to desperate measures,” in times of urgency.
Fox Sports:
Angels see gap close in AL West — Ken Rosenthal has been the senior baseball writer for FOXSports.com since Aug. 2005. He appears weekly on MLB on FOX. Follow him on Twitter. — The rest of the American League West is closing the gap on the Angels. The other AL powers - the Yankees …
Luke Adams / MLB Rumors:
Rays Sign Ben Zobrist To Extension — 12:39pm: More specific financial details come from the Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune (via Twitter): Zobrist's contract guarantees him $18MM over three years, with club options for $7MM and $7.5MM in 2014 and 2015. The guaranteed $18MM may include …
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