Top News:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Jason Varitek to announce retirement from baseball on Thursday — FORT MYERS, Fla. — Jason Varitek, a two-time World Series champion and the captain of the Red Sox from 2005-11, will announce his retirement here on Thursday, sources told the Globe today. — Varitek is expected to stay with the organization in some capacity.
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
'Tek supported: Teammates will miss captain — Sox players wish catcher happiness as he enters retirement — FORT MYERS, Fla. — Right up until word finally broke that Jason Varitek would formally announce his retirement on Thursday, his teammates half-expected they would walk into the clubhouse …
Discussion:
Boston Globe
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
‘Quiet’ is one word that says a lot about Gonzalez — FORT MYERS, Fla. - He is polite, aloof, and wildly talented. He is part Ted Williams, part Tim Tebow, and he doesn't care what we think. He's never going to get caught up in the noise of the Boston baseball experience.
ESPN:
Report: Red Sox's Varitek will retire Thursday
Report: Red Sox's Varitek will retire Thursday
Discussion:
Boston Globe, baseballmusings.com and Baseball Nation
ESPN:
Francona: Red Sox alcohol ban could backfire
Francona: Red Sox alcohol ban could backfire
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Over the Monster, VFTB, NESN.com, Deadspin, HardballTalk, Boston Herald and the joy of sox
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
AIRING IT OUT: ON THE MOUND AND OFF, JOSH BECKETT SEES NO REASON TO CHANGE
AIRING IT OUT: ON THE MOUND AND OFF, JOSH BECKETT SEES NO REASON TO CHANGE
Discussion:
ESPN, Red Sox Monster, Full Count and Over the Monster
Tony Jackson / ESPN:
Mattingly: Dodgers are Yanks of LA, not Angels — GLENDALE, Ariz. — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, who spent his entire 14-year career as a major league player with the New York Yankees, said Tuesday that despite the major offseason moves and high expectations …
Discussion:
True Blue LA
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Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Astros turn to Myers to be their closer — Veteran right-hander saved 21 games for Phillies in 2007 — KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Astros' search for a closer ended with a surprise announcement Tuesday morning. — Veteran right-hander Brett Myers, a starter in all but one of his 10 Major League seasons …
Discussion:
Ultimate Astros, Yahoo! Sports, Tag's Lines and The Crawfish Boxes
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Brian McTaggart / Tag's Lines:
Astros move Myers to closer — The Astros' search for a closer ended with a surprise announcement Tuesday morning. — Astros manager Brad Mills told reporters veteran starting pitcher Brett Myers would be moved into the closer role, a position he held with the Phillies in 2007.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, baseballmusings.com and HardballTalk
Chad Jennings / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Tuesday morning notes: Chamberlain on a full mound — For the first time since last season's Tommy John surgery, Joba Chamberlain pitched off a full mound this morning. He threw just 16 pitches, a typically light workload for a player getting on a mound for the first time.
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily and baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com:
Zumaya unsure if he will undergo surgery
Zumaya unsure if he will undergo surgery
Discussion:
Bollinger Beat and Twinkie Town
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
NY Mets' David Wright is unimpressed with Jeff Wilpon's ‘Underdog’ T-Shirt motivational tactics — Cartoon shirt gets under third baseman's skin — David Wright isn't thrilled with the “Underdog” T-shirt motivational ploy from ownership. — PORT ST. LUCIE — Can even Underdog save the Mets?
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MetsBlog.com
New York Post:
Hughes chosen one in Yankees rotation battle — TAMPA — We can pretend there is a competition going on for the Yankees' No. 5 starter spot, but that is what it is. Pretend. The WWE stages more realistic battles. — The Yankees are saying it is Freddy Garcia vs. Phil Hughes.
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily and It's About The Money
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Bryan Hoch / Bombers Beat:
Pettitte: I could still do this (but I won't) — plus camp photos
Pettitte: I could still do this (but I won't) — plus camp photos
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Carson Cistulli / FanGraphs Baseball:
Broadcaster Rankings (TV): #30 - #21 — Beginning in late November, we've spent much of the offseason asking readers to rate the television broadcast teams (on a scale of 1-5 for charisma, analysis, and then overall) for all 30 major-league clubs — with the intention, ultimately …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter, baseballmusings.com and HardballTalk
Joe Capozzi / Fish Tank blog:
Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen: Don't be bleeping late for the National Anthem — Manager Ozzie Guillen says he doesn't have many rules for his players, but he was adamant about one: Be on time for the singing of the National Anthem. — “Stand up for National Anthem and don't be late,” …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and NESN.com
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Freeman may miss two weeks with achy knee — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman might be sidelined over the next two weeks as he rests a right knee injury that he suffered during Tuesday morning's workout at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
D.J. Short / HardballTalk:
Scott Sizemore out for season with torn ACL in left knee — Scott Sizemore injured his left knee during a fielding drill on Saturday and the Athletics just announced that he'll miss the entire 2012 season due to a torn ACL. Jane Lee of MLB.com reports that the 27-year-old will be reevaluated in two weeks before surgery is scheduled.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, Athletics Nation and Yahoo! Sports
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Jane Lee / MLB.com:
Ka'aihue relishes new opportunity with A's
Kevin Goldstein / ESPN:
Free-agent fantasy — Would Trout, Harper and Moore get more on the open market than Darvish? — Baseball Prospectus — If there is one thing we learned from the $111.7 million (including posting fee) that the Texas Rangers spent on Yu Darvish this winter, it's this …
Discussion:
MLB, ESPN and Baseball Nation
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Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Harper, Trout, and Moore: Free Agents?
Harper, Trout, and Moore: Free Agents?
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and Dodger Thoughts
Marc Topkin / The Heater Feed:
Sternberg: “Pretty certain” Tampa Bay area can be viable long term — Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg spoke somewhat optimistically about the future of the franchise during his appearance at spring training today. — Sternberg said he was pleased with the work of Chuck Sykes …
Discussion:
Rays Index
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Reds Extend Sean Marshall — The Reds announced a three-year extension with lefty reliever Sean Marshall, which runs through 2015. The contract is worth $16.5MM, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal notes there's $2MM in performance bonuses each year, $1MM for games started and $1MM for games finished.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Baseball Nation, HardballTalk and Yahoo! Sports
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