Top News:
Monte Burke / The Owner's Box:
Special Report: Inside Baseball's Debt Disaster — (I wrote this story with my colleague, Nathan Vardi. Follow him here. The story will appear in the April 11 issue of FORBES, on newsstands this week.) — Inside Baseball's Debt Disaster … As the U.S. economy and financial markets strengthened …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, The Captain's Blog, USA Today, The Crawfish Boxes, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports and SBNation.com
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Kurt Badenhausen / Jock Rich:
Yankees Soar, Mets Plunge On List of Baseball's Most Valuable Teams — Baseball has emerged from the recession with a big bang. — The average MLB franchise is now worth $523 million, an all-time high and 7% more than last year. All of the league's teams rose in value except for three …
Discussion:
Royals Review, New Jersey Online, dockoftherays.com, It's About The Money, HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
David Murphy / Philly.com:
Oswalt struck in neck, X-rays negative — PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — The line drive screamed off the bat and headed directly toward Roy Oswalt. The veteran righthander spun to his left as he completed the follow through on his pitch, but could not avoid the ball.
Discussion:
Philly.com
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Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Oswalt appears OK after being hit by liner — Phillies right-hander suffers neck bruise, will receive X-rays — PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — It was a very scary moment, but the Phillies are hopeful Roy Oswalt is OK. — Oswalt was struck behind his right ear by a line drive off the bat …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Associated Press:
Phillies' Oswalt escapes injury after liner to neck — PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) — Knocked to the ground by a line drive to the neck, Roy Oswalt stayed down for nearly a minute. Then, he rose to his feet and walked off the mound on his own. — That was a good sign for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
David Schoenfield / ESPN:
Players to watch in '11: Derek Jeter — Give Joe Girardi credit: With his suggestion that Derek Jeter may no longer serve as the Yankees' full-time leadoff hitter, he's making a public acknowledgment that Jeter is no longer a star hitter. Now he should make the next move …
Discussion:
BronxBanterBlog.com and NoMaas.org
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Daniel Barbarisi / Wall Street Journal:
The Yankees' Guide to Media Survival
The Yankees' Guide to Media Survival
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily and HardballTalk
NY Daily News:
Yankees may need to send Jesus Montero to Triple-A as play behind plate dips during hitting slump — SARASOTA, Fla. - Jesus Montero, the can't-miss slugger, hasn't lived up to the hype in spring training, and it's starting to look as if the Yankees may not have a choice but to send him back to Triple-A …
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, BronxBanterBlog.com, Mike Silva's … and HardballTalk
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Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Mets option Turner, setting stage for Emaus — Product of Rule 5 Draft has edge in race to claim second base — JUPITER, Fla. — Justin Turner spent Wednesday morning cleaning out his locker at Digital Domain Park, tossing old wrappers and half-empty bottles into a nearby trash can.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue
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Rich Coutinho / MetsBlog.com:
Justin Turner optioned to Triple-A, hello Brad Emaus
Justin Turner optioned to Triple-A, hello Brad Emaus
Discussion:
Tedquarters, Amazin' Avenue and MLB.com
Darren Rovell / Sports Biz with Darren Rovell:
First Look: MLB Top Jersey Sales — One of the most popular lists I put out is the league jersey sales lists. The NBA and the NFL have been doing it for years, but today, Major League Baseball enters the fray. — So who is missing on the Top 10 list? — Well, Stephen Strasburg is not there.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Subway Squawkers, HardballTalk, lenNY's Yankees, The Mets Police and Mets Merized Online
New York Post:
Yankees Blog — TAMPA — Jorge Posada will turn 40 this season. This is not the end of the line, though. If all goes well in his new designated-hitter role, Posada wants to come back to the Yankees again in 2012. — If they don't want him back, Posada admitted, it would be difficult …
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, It's About The Money and River Avenue Blues
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Fox Sports:
BoSox must soon say tough goodbyes
BoSox must soon say tough goodbyes
Discussion:
Over the Monster, Boston Globe and MLB Rumors
Gregor Chisholm / MLB.com:
Elbow inflammation sends Morrow to DL — TAMPA, Fla. — Blue Jays starting pitcher Brandon Morrow will miss the start of the regular season because of inflammation in the flexor muscle of his right elbow. — Morrow felt discomfort in the elbow during his latest bullpen session.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley, Bluebird Banter and Yahoo! Sports
Darren Rovell / Sports Biz with Darren Rovell:
Coming to a Ballpark Near You — Food Network Branded Sandwiches — The Food Network has partnered with Delaware North Companies Sportservice to launch an innovative concession at eight Major League ballparks around the country this season. — The Red, White & Blue steak sandwich …
Discussion:
SBNation.com
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Orioles manager Showalter rips Epstein — The season hasn't even started yet and tempers are flaring in the American League East. But it's not between the Red Sox and Yankees. — Baltimore manager Buck Showalter had this to say to Men's Journal magazine: … Epstein has not yet issued a response.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Baseball America:
2011 Organization Talent Rankings — We present our annual organization talent rankings, evaluating each farm system based on its prospect-eligible players heading into the 2011 season. Our ratings consider both impact talent and overall depth and were developed by the Baseball America staff.
Discussion:
True Blue LA, River Avenue Blues, Seattle Times, MLB Rumors and Talking Chop
