Top News:
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Russell Martin: ‘I hate the Red Sox’ — NEW YORK — Adding fuel to baseball's bitterest rivalry, New York Yankees catcher Russell Martin said he hates the Boston Red Sox and would relish adding to their misery by helping to eliminate them from the playoffs during this weekend's series between the two teams.
Discussion:
ESPN.com and HardballTalk
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John Tomase / Clubhouse Insider:
Source: Sox made play for Mets' Capuano — Their wild card lead evaporating, the Red Sox are on the hunt for reinforcements, even if only for a game, in an attempt to make the playoffs. — According to a source with knowledge of the talks, the Red Sox have spent the better part of a week trying …
Discussion:
Boston Herald, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, WEEI, Over the Monster and MetsBlog.com
Matt Ehalt / ESPN:
Yanks' Cano would vote for himself for AL MVP — NEW YORK — There's one candidate in the American League MVP race that sticks out to Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano. — “MVP is tough right now, you got a lot of guys, but I would give my vote to myself,” Cano said. “You can see the numbers.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MLB
Bryan Hoch / Bombers Beat:
Russell Martin: “I hate the Red Sox” — Russell Martin didn't mince any words this afternoon, talking about how sweet it'd be to knock the Red Sox out of the postseason hunt by playing some serious spoiler this weekend. — “Anything to get the Red Sox out would be awesome for me,” Martin said.
Discussion:
It's About The Money
Joe McDonald / ESPN:
Source: Boston eyed Chris Capuano
Discussion:
Red Sox Monster, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Tiebreakers could come into play
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Associated Press
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
What if there's a tie? — As of this morning, the Red Sox …
Discussion:
FenwayNationWorld
ESPN:
Manny Ramirez seeks reinstatement — Manny Ramirez, upon learning he will not be able to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic because he's on MLB's inactive list, told ESPNdeportes.com Thursday that he will formally request reinstatement. — Ramirez said that upon reentry …
Discussion:
NESN.com, HardballTalk, Baseball Nation and MLB Rumors
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Dan Connolly / Orioles Insider:
Guerrero chasing Dominican hits record; wants to play few more years
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Espn.Com / MLB:
Source: Manny ineligible to join Dominican team
Discussion:
ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, NESN.com and HardballTalk
Fox Sports:
Sports closer to art than science — I won't be going to see “Moneyball.” The movie celebrates the plague ruining sports: sabermetrics. — That is not intended as a shot at Bill James, Billy Beane or Michael Lewis. — James (the inventor of sabermetrics) and Beane …
Discussion:
Crashburn Alley, THE BOOK, BBTF's Baseball Primer …, Deadspin and HardballTalk
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Joe Posnanski / Joe Blogs:
Moneyball The Movie — WARNING: I don't THINK there are any spoilers or plot giveaways here — I suspect most of you know that Moneyball The Movie is about the 2002 Oakland A's and their attempt to win with new baseball knowledge — but if you are the sort of person who likes to go into a movie …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Baseball America and THE BOOK
Associated Press:
Mets rally for six runs in 9th inning to top Cardinals — ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals blew a four-run lead in the ninth inning and hurt their wild-card hopes when shortstop Rafael Furcal misplayed a potential double-play grounder, allowing the New York Mets to rally for an 8-6 win Thursday.
Discussion:
Associated Press
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Cardinals Extend Lance Berkman
Discussion:
Baseball Nation and Yahoo! Sports
NY Daily News:
Yankees' Phil Hughes has MRI, may have herniated disc in back, could miss rest of season — CC Sabathia will take the ball to open the AL division series a week from Friday. But to do so on regular rest, he will have to make his final start of the season on Sunday with just three days off after Wednesday night's 127-pitch outing.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
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Rob Parker / ESPN:
Joe Girardi deserves a lot of credit
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley, YFSF and The LoHud Yankees Blog
Roger Mooney / Boston Herald:
Rays playoff chances take another hit
Discussion:
DRaysBay and Associated Press
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Posada's 2-run single gives Yankees AL East crown
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Associated Press and Boston Globe
Duk / Yahoo! Sports:
AP: Florida's Leo Nunez has been playing under an assumed name — Leo Nunez(notes) is apparently not who we thought he was. — The Associated Press reports that the Florida Marlins closer and Dominican native has been playing under an assumed name for all seven of his years in Major League Baseball …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
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Craig Calcaterra / HardballTalk:
The Marlins place Leo Nunez on the restricted list — There are no details yet, but the Marlins have placed pitcher Leo Nunez on the restricted list. He has left the team and has returned to the Dominican Republic, so he's clearly done for the year. — No word on what happened to cause this …
Discussion:
MiamiHerald.com, The Big Lead, MLB Daily Dish and Yahoo! Sports
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Agent: Oswalt not contemplating retirement — Right-hander feeling healthy, enjoying pitching for Phillies — PHILADELPHIA — Roy Oswalt had retirement on his mind in Houston and sounded undecided about his future in Spring Training. — “I'm going to play this year and see how it goes,” he said in February.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Associated Press:
Peacock and Morse lead Nats to four-game sweep of Phillies — PHILADELPHIA — Brad Peacock, making just his second major league start, pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings and Michael Morse hit a three-run homer to lead the Washington Nationals to a 6-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, completing a four-game sweep.
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
Jfay / Cincinnati Reds:
Jocketty says payroll will go up — Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said the Reds will in all likelihood increase their payroll for the 2012 season. — “Our preliminary projections are that we'll bump it up a little,” Jocketty said. “We're still working on the end number.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and Red Hot Mama
Associated Press:
Athletics beat first place Rangers, avoid series sweep — OAKLAND, Calif. — Coco Crisp hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning, and the Oakland Athletics beat the first-place Texas Rangers 4-3 on Thursday to avoid a series sweep. — The reigning AL champion Rangers began …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Associated Press
Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
2011 Pioneer League Top 20 Prospects — Despite its Rookie-advanced classification, the Pioneer League plays more like the short-season New York-Penn or Northwest leagues than its sister Appalachian League. Whereas Appy Leaguers average about 20 years in age, the other three leagues come in just north of 21.
Discussion:
True Blue LA and Red Reporter
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Sox, not free agency, on Buehrle's mind entering final start — CLEVELAND — The Chicago White Sox are the only team that Mark Buehrle has pitched for during his storied career that started in 2000, and he'll try to temper his emotions Tuesday night when he makes possibly his final start …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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