Top News:
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Tensions flare between Cards, Nationals — JUPITER, Fla. • The Cardinals and Washington Nationals picked at an old scab Monday afternoon. When it was done, one pitcher was ejected, another admitted intentionally drilling a batter and a third had returned to the home dugout to challenge an opposing coach.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
La Russa and Riggleman feud, dugouts clear — JUPITER, Fla. — Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman and St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa were at the epicenter of a dugout-clearing brouhaha Monday at Roger Dean Stadium. — Cardinals reliever Miguel Batista hit Ian Desmond …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball, Cincinnati Reds and Yahoo! Sports
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Gaudin could be ticketed for Nats' bullpen — JUPITER, Fla. — On Sunday afternoon, Nationals right-hander Chad Gaudin pitched five solid innings in a Minor League Spring Training game, but the way manager Jim Riggleman was talking Monday, Gaudin is slated for the bullpen — if he is on the 25-man roster.
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Kawakami tries to shake off trade talk — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Kenshin Kawakami is still attempting to ignore the fact the Braves are looking to trade him. Instead, the Japanese right-hander has remained focused on preparing for the upcoming season without having any idea where he might be pitching.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
RELATED:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Braves Still Hoping To Deal Kawakami — The Braves are still hoping that Kenshin Kawakami draws interest from another team that's willing to take on a considerable portion of the $6.67MM he'll earn in 2011, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. Kawakami lost his rotation spot last June after losing his first nine decisions.
Dan Schlossberg / ThePostGame:
Chipper Chimes In On JFK Assassination: “Somebody High-Ranking In U.S. Gov't” — As the spring training days while away, conversations around the batting cage tend to wander away from the game. — Just recently, Atlanta Braves' star third baseman Chipper Jones took up a topic he's mulled seriously …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Fox Sports:
Report: Upton says he cops racial abuse — NewsCore — PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA. — Tampa Bay Rays outfielder B.J. Upton has revealed it is not unusual for him to receive racial abuse from the stands, MLB.com reported Monday. — Rays manager Joe Maddon had a fan removed …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers on lookout for pitching help — PHOENIX — The Brewers are still leaning toward filling their fifth-starter void from within, but club officials are also keeping an eye on the waiver wire and trade market — and on right-hander Shaun Marcum's stiff shoulder — in case outside assistance becomes necessary.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Associated Press:
Mets notes: Izzy on hold — Jason Isringhausen has impressed the Mets enough this spring to earn a spot in the bullpen, with the one caveat for the 38-year-old reliever - he has to prove he's healthy. — That took a blow Monday when the Mets revealed Isringhausen was shut down for a day and received …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com and NY Daily News
Mercury News:
Barry Bonds jury: lukewarm on baseball and BALCO — For all the worry about hype on the Internet, lawyers in the perjury trial of home run king Barry Bonds selected a jury Monday that is ambivalent about the former Giants superstar and relatively oblivious to the BALCO steroids scandal.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Tom D'Angelo / Fish Tank:
Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez expects right fielder Mike Stanton to play in big league game Thursday — Edwin Rodriguez believes right fielder Mike Stanton should be ready to return to a big league game on Thursday. — Stanton is DHing in a minor league game today and the plan …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Alonso, Cozart among eight players cut — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The deepest cuts of spring came through the Reds' clubhouse on Monday as eight players were told that they did not make the team. — None of the transactions were stunners, but several familiar names were on the list.
Discussion:
Mark My Word and Red Hot Mama
Jeff Pearlman / Wall Street Journal:
The One Met Their Fans Most Loved to Hate — This spring in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Mets loyalists are engaged in a tug of war over which player—the recently released Luis Castillo or the likely soon-to-be-released Oliver Perez—is the most loathed in team history.
Discussion:
Tedquarters, New York Post, NY Daily News, BBTF's Baseball Primer …, Amazin' Avenue and Mike Silva's …
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Mets release Oliver Perez
Discussion:
Mike Silva's …, Beyond the Box Score, USA Today, Faith and Fear in Flushing, Amazin' Avenue, MLB and Kranepool Society
Jenifer Langosch / By Gosh, It's Langosch:
Atkins released; Thomas, Nieve reassigned — Infielder Garrett Atkins has been unconditionally released by the Pirates, thereby ending his chances to make the team as a backup corner infielder. Atkins was apparently given the news on Sunday and was not in the clubhouse on Monday morning for comment.
Discussion:
Where Have You Gone … and Bucs Dugout
RELATED:
Colin Dunlap / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates release Atkins; Olsen could start year on DL
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout and MLB Rumors
