Top News:
Will Leitch / GQ:
Is Baseball Ready for Bryce? — Dear MLB: Please don't muzzle the most entertaining prospect since Babe Ruth. Thank you, fans everywhere — “F**k!!!” This is Bryce Harper—the erstwhile pastime's answer to LeBron James, Mozart child prodigy of the great game.
Discussion:
Washington Post, HardballTalk, baseballmusings.com, Nats Enquirer, Oriole Post and THE BOOK
Paul Casella / MLB.com:
Shortstop Signed Through 2015, With Club Options For '16 And '17 — The Royals agreed to a multiyear extension with shortstop Alcides Escobar on Thursday, signing the middle infielder for four guaranteed years through the 2015 season with club options for each of the following two years.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and baseballmusings.com
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Royals Extend Alcides Escobar — The Royals announced that they signed shortstop Alcides Escobar to a four-year extension through 2015. The deal with the Wasserman Media Group client includes club options for 2016 and 2017. The contract guarantees Escobar $10.5MM through 2015, Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star tweets.
Discussion:
Royals Review, MLB Daily Dish and HardballTalk
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Wang strains hamstring while fielding vs. Yanks — Nats right-hander stumbles attempting to record out at first base — VIERA, Fla. — Nationals right-hander Chien-Ming Wang left Thursday's game against the Yankees in the third inning after falling down while running toward first base after fielding a ground ball.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Associated Press:
Nats' Wang leaves game with strained hammy — VIERA, Fla. — Washington Nationals pitcher Chien-Ming Wang left Thursday's start in the third inning with a strained left hamstring after colliding with Russell Martin of the New York Yankees. — Wang fielded a slow roller by Martin and tried to make the play at first base.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Associated Press:
Norris Grand Slam in Ninth Lifts A's — SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Oakland manager Bob Melvin wasn't surprised by Jemile Weeks' power display. — Weeks homered from both sides of the plate, Cliff Pennington added four hits and Derek Norris capped a five-run ninth inning with a grand slam …
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Verlander fans eight, Tigers rally to top O's — LAKELAND, Fla. — Justin Verlander struck out eight of the 14 Orioles batters he faced but still found himself on the short end for much of Thursday afternoon before Gerald Laird's two-run single paced a three-run sixth in a 4-2 win for the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Bless You Boys and Camden Chat
Associated Press:
Reyes Gets 1st Look at Mets as Opponent — JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Jose Reyes stepped into the on-deck circle, turned toward the New York Mets' dugout and bowed. — Hard feelings, nowhere to be found. — The Miami Marlins shortstop faced his former team for the first time Thursday …
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' bullpen picture still fuzzy — MESA, Ariz. — What will the Chicago Cubs do with Travis Wood if he doesn't make the rotation? — Would Wood go to Triple-A Iowa and start if he doesn't make it, or take a bullpen spot? — “That's going to be an interesting decision for that long guy as well …
Dan Lependorf / Hardball Times:
Is there a better way of comparing players between historical eras? — How do we compare players from different eras of baseball to each other? We can't just compare raw numbers, since baseball today is a wildly different game than baseball was in 1920. Was Barry Bonds' best season stronger than Babe Ruth's best?
Discussion:
THE BOOK
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Tampa Bay Rays' Hellickson shrugs off theory he was more lucky than good — Jeremy Hellickson says he knows he'll have to make some adjustments to hitters to continue his success in the majors. — Times] — PORT CHARLOTTE — Lucky would be winning the lottery.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, FanGraphs Baseball, DRaysBay and baseballmusings.com
New York Post:
Blue Jays quietly becoming threat to Yankees — DUNEDIN, Fla. — Imagine what the Rays would look like with the finances to keep all of their best players. — Now stop imagining. Because it is happening. Unfortunately for the Rays, it is not in Tampa Bay. Heck, it is not even in this country.
Discussion:
Globe and Mail, Bluebird Banter, Baseball Nation, Drunk Jays Fans and MLB.com
