Top News:
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Ankiel frontrunner for Nats' center-field job — VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals announced recently that center field is up for grabs. But if the season were to start Friday, Rick Ankiel would be the Opening Day center fielder. — The competition in center field is between Ankiel, Roger Bernadina and Nyjer Morgan.
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats considering Broderick for long relief — VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals have to make decisions soon on right-handers Brian Broderick and Craig Stammen. — Entering Friday's action, Broderick, who is a Rule 5 Draft pick from the Cardinals, has allowed one run in 8 2/3 innings.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Riggleman anticipating Zimmerman's return — VIERA, Fla. — Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said he hopes third baseman Ryan Zimmerman can begin baseball activities later this week and appear in games sometime next week. Zimmerman has missed the last four games with a left groin strain.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Pudge, Espinosa scratched from lineup — VIERA, Fla. — Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez and second baseman Danny Espinosa were scratched from Friday's lineup against the Cardinals. Rodriguez is still nursing a calf injury, while Espinosa is nursing a right foot injury. The injuries are not considered serious.
NY Daily News:
Martino: Castillo woes run skin deep — PORT ST. LUCIE - Luis Castillo batted .302 in 2009, and played through injuries while many of his Mets teammates spent their summer on the disabled list. He was proud of this, and was stunned on Opening Day last year, when Citi Field fans booed him during introductions.
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Michael Baron / MetsBlog.com:
Mets release Luis Castillo — After Luis Castillo was released, Sandy Alderson spoke with reporters, and you can hear that conversation by clicking play below: — During the interview, Alderson essentially said: — A variety of things went into the decision to release Castillo, but he wanted to see how he looked this spring.
Discussion:
Phillies Nation, MichaelGBaron.com and SNY
David Murphy / Philly.com:
Phillies Notebook: Polanco, Lidge improving; Utley sees specialist — CLEARWATER, Fla. - First, we'll give you the good news, at least as it is viewed from the Phillies' perspective. Placido Polanco, who left Tuesday's game against Toronto with a hyperextended elbow, is set …
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Buster Olney / ESPN:
The spring pain report
Discussion:
Chicago Breaking Sports, JSOnline and HardballTalk
Mark Saxon / ESPN:
Los Angeles Angels reliever Scot Shields announces retirement — One of baseball's best middle relievers of the last decade announced his retirement Friday. — Scot Shields, who pitched all 10 of his major league seasons for the Los Angeles Angels, was pitching on an aching left knee …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Tony Jackson / ESPN:
2011 spring training: Don Mattingly: Los Angeles Dodgers' Casey Blake may start year on DL
Discussion:
True Blue LA and Mike Scioscia's tragic illness
Ramona Shelburne / ESPN:
Spring training 2011: Los Angeles Angels' Kendrys Morales: Ankle still inflexible, inflamed
Discussion:
Bleacher Report
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Final: Tigers 8, Red Sox 3 — Game over: Tigers 8, Red Sox 3 — Sloppy, poorly pitched game for the Sox, who also left seven runners on base. Now off to Port Charlotte. — Another reason spring stats are screwy: Sox have two games today, the Tigers and Rays had one. — Middle of the 9th: Tigers 8, Red Sox 3
Discussion:
Over the Monster and MLB.com
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Still crazy after all these years
Discussion:
Surviving Grady and Vanity Fair
Geoff Baker / Seattle Times:
Ichiro donates more than $1.2 million to Japanese quake victims — Word got out today that Ichiro, who has yet to comment on last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami in his native Japan, has donated 100 million yen to Red Cross relief efforts. — The yen has fluctuated wildly since …
Discussion:
USA Today, Bleacher Report, HardballTalk and NESN.com
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Burnett's outing a challenge, but outlook positive — DUNEDIN, Fla.— The warning signs for one of A.J. Burnett's bad afternoons had already been flashing when the Yankees right-hander was smoked in the seat of his pants by a scorched line drive. — In the past, as anyone …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
New York Mets' Fred Wilpon, Jeff Wilpon, Saul Katz facing $1 billion lawsuit from Irving Picard, trustee for Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme — The trustee looking to recover funds from victims of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme officially wants more than $1 billion from New York Mets owners.
Fox Sports:
Giants can't hold this phenom back — SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — There was a time, not long ago, when Giants manager Bruce Bochy would turn in his chair in his Scottsdale Stadium office and look at the wall behind him. And look. And look. — On the wall is a list of prospective Giants for the coming season.
Discussion:
El Lefty Malo
Jfay / Cincinnati Reds:
Chapman, closer of the future? — The Reds' long-term plan with Aroldis Chapman has always been to make him a starter. — And that still may be where Chapman, the 23-year-old Cuban, ends up. — But Reds general manager Walt Jocketty mentioned another possible role for Chapman for the first time: Closer.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Redleg Nation
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Joe Torre will return to the Bronx, make an appearance at Yankees Old-Timers' Day this season — TAMPA - Joe Torre is headed back to the Bronx. — No, the man who led the Yankees to four World Series titles isn't planning a return to managing, but he revealed Thursday that he will attend …
Discussion:
The Captain's Blog and HardballTalk
Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com:
McGee might find some save opportunities — TAMPA, Fla. — When it was clear the Rays would develop lefty Jake McGee as a reliever this spring, he said he wanted to close. Manager Joe Maddon doesn't think that would be such a bad idea, even if he's not quite ready to hand the job to the 24-year-old.
Discussion:
SBNation.com
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