Top News:
Jon KrawczYnski / Globe and Mail:
Red Sox manager Valentine already tweaking rival Yankees — Bobby Valentine has only been wearing a Boston Red Sox uniform for about two weeks and he's already taking a few jabs at the archrival New York Yankees. — Many thought that the outspoken manager's arrival in Boston could add …
Discussion:
Associated Press
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Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Valentine lauds Varitek for going after A-Rod … FORT MYERS, Fla. — New Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine got the 2012 rivalry with the Yankees going early Tuesday. — He took a little shot at captain Derek Jeter and then took a poke at another Yankee when asked to assess Jason Varitek, the catcher who will retire Thursday.
Discussion:
Boston Globe
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Jason Varitek to announce retirement from baseball on Thursday
Jason Varitek to announce retirement from baseball on Thursday
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Lookout Landing, Over the Monster, FanGraphs Baseball, Red Sox Monster, Surviving Grady, Hardball Times, New York Times, VFTB, Yahoo! Sports, Pinstripe Alley, Associated Press, The Soxaholix, Cursed To First, MLB Daily Dish, MLB Rumors, Baseball Nation, Full Count, Deadspin and the joy of sox
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Beckett angry about ‘snitches’ with Red Sox
Beckett angry about ‘snitches’ with Red Sox
Discussion:
Red Sox Monster, ESPN and Full Count
George A. King III / New York Post:
Joba throws off full mound at Yankees camp — TAMPA — It's only 5 inches higher than the half-mound Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain had been throwing off, but it represented a much larger step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. — Tuesday morning in a George M. Steinbrenner Field bullpen …
Discussion:
It's About The Money and River Avenue Blues
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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
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:
Yahoo! Sports and 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, Tag's Lines, The Crawfish Boxes and Yahoo! Sports
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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:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and baseballmusings.com
ESPN.com:
Collector in Braun case says he followed rules — A man identifying himself as the collector who took Ryan Braun's urine samples last fall said he followed the same protocol with the Milwaukee Brewers slugger as he had with hundreds of previous samples. — In an email sent Tuesday to ESPN …
Discussion:
NESN.com
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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:
Sliding Into Home, It's About The Money, Bronx Baseball Daily and River Avenue Blues
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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, HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
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
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
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Service Time Considerations For Top Prospects — Timing the debuts of top prospects is essential for MLB teams. No club wants to expose a player to top competition before he's ready, but keeping a player in the minors when he could be contributing at the big league level is hardly appealing either.
Discussion:
Red Reporter
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, Yahoo! Sports and Athletics Nation
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Jane Lee / MLB.com:
Ka'aihue relishes new opportunity with A's