Top News:
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Your Morning Phil: Beras, Soler, Braun — Talking baseball: 1. Uh, oh. This could get ugly. One source in the Dominican Republic has reported that The Next Big Thing in Latin America, outfielder Jairo Beras, has agreed to a $4.5 million deal with the Texas Rangers, and the signing raises questions.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Fox Sports:
Braun should have quit while ahead — Turns out, The Collector has a name. And a reputation. And a story. — The PR battle Ryan Braun lamented is raging anew. For this, he has himself to blame. — I don't know if Braun knowingly used the synthetic testosterone that showed up in his October urine test.
Fox Sports:
Sources: MLB playoffs expanding in 2012 — Baseball's playoffs will expand from eight to 10 teams, starting this season, according to major-league sources. — The sport's new collective-barganing agreement stipulated that additional wild cards would be added in each league no later than 2013.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, MLB Rumors, Lookout Landing, NESN.com and YFSF
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Burnett to Pittsburgh for exam on injured eye — Newly acquired pitcher hurt in freak bunting accident — BRADENTON, Fla. — A.J. Burnett is bound for Pittsburgh, where he will undergo additional medical examinations Thursday on his injured right eye. — Burnett bunted a ball …
RELATED:
Bob Brookover / Boston Herald:
Phillies awaiting word on Ryan Howard's Achilles injury — CLEARWATER, Fla. — No news was the only news Tuesday on Ryan Howard's visit to Baltimore-based foot surgeon Mark Myerson. — The Phillies first baseman left camp Monday for a follow-up visit during which Myerson was also going to examine …
Discussion:
Phillies Nation
RELATED:
Matt Gelb / Philly.com:
Howard sidelined indefinitely — CLEARWATER, Fla. — Ryan Howard has indeed suffered a setback in his recovery from Achilles surgery and will be sidelined indefinitely following a procedure to clean an infection from his original wound. — Foot specialist Mark Myerson performed a …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Bobby Valentine mocks Derek Jeter's ‘flip’ play, revels over how Jason Varitek ‘beat up’ Alex Rodriguez in 2004 — New Red Sox manager continues to tweak the Yankees — Jason Varitek and Alex Rodriguez duke it out during 2004 game at Fenway Park. — It took Bobby Valentine 10 years to get back into a major league dugout.
Discussion:
the joy of sox
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Alex Speier / WEEI:
JASON VARITEK AND THE TRADE THAT CHANGED A FRANCHISE
JASON VARITEK AND THE TRADE THAT CHANGED A FRANCHISE
Discussion:
Over the Monster, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk, baseballmusings.com and Lookout Landing
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Valentine lauds Varitek for going after A-Rod
Valentine lauds Varitek for going after A-Rod
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Deadspin and Boston Globe
Jon Krawczynski / Associated Press:
Valentine already tweaking the Yankees
Susan Slusser / Oakland Athletics:
Miguel Tejada says he wants to return to the A's — Late last night, I spoke to Miguel Tejada, who won an MVP while playing shortstop for the A's in 2002, and Tejada told me his fondest desire is to return to the team that gave him his first start. — “I would love it,” Tejada told me by phone from Florida.
Discussion:
ESPN.com, Baseball Nation, HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and Deadspin
Doug Glanville / ESPN:
Appreciating Chipper Jones — Longtime Atlanta Brave has been killing opponents softly for a long, long time — Baseball locker rooms are full of debates. Players often debate the best slider in the game, the best infield grass, maybe even the best postgame spread.
Discussion:
MLB
Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
Davey Johnson's history lesson — The other day, Davey Johnson wanted to share a batting tip he had learned from an old player. Standing around the batting cage, he had a conversation with Danny Espinosa and Ian Desmond about the importance of timing. Johnson's story, just in case, needed a brief prologue about the source.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Dgoold / derrickgoold:
The Promised Pujols Cartoon … This entry was posted in baseball, cartoons, journal, journalism, project 365+ by dgoold. Bookmark the permalink.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer … and baseballmusings.com
Mark Saxon / ESPN:
Mark Trumbo cleared for activity — TEMPE, Ariz. — Los Angeles Angels slugger Mark Trumbo was cleared to begin running and working out more aggressively at third base, a development that could give the team a more powerful look this season. — Trumbo entered spring training rehabilitating …
Danny Knobler / CBSSports.com:
Nationals camp report: Harper decision might make all the difference — Harper needs to show the Nats he is well worth keeping around for the start of the season. — VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals say it's all about winning now. — They say it in a way that makes you think they believe it.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com