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.

Progress stalls on Cain's contract talks  —  The chances of the San Francisco Giants signing right-hander Matt Cain to a contract extension before Opening Day are rapidly diminishing.  —  Cain's representatives spoke Wednesday with Giants officials, and the two sides failed to make progress toward a deal …

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.

Cohen has strongest Dodger bid, plans to hire Tony La Russa  —  PHOENIX - Hedge-fund billionaire Steve Cohen emerged Wednesday as the strongest bidder to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers, and plans to hire Tony La Russa to a key front-office position, according to two Major League Baseball officials familiar …

NY Mets third baseman David Wright learns he has muscle tear, still expected to be ready for Opening Day  —  MRI reveals tear of muscle on left side of rib cage  —  David Wright is optimistic he'll be ready to face the Braves at Citi Field on April 5.  —  PORT ST. LUCIE …

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.

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?

Kershaw dominant as Ellis, Kennedy go deep  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. — By the time Clayton Kershaw took the mound Wednesday, the reigning Cy Young Award winner already had a three-run lead, and that was plenty.  —  The Dodgers ace posted zeroes and his offense kept bashing in a 9-1 Los Angeles victory …

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.

Baker's elbow a concern again for Twins  —  CLEARWATER, FLA. - Scott Baker's throwing elbow has become a concern for the Twins again.  —  Baker would have pitched Thursday, when the Pirates come to Fort Myers, Fla., but his inability to get loose in a B game against Pittsburgh last Saturday raised some red flags.

MLB players, staff eager for new iPad release  —  PHOENIX - Opening Day is regarded as a holiday of sorts in baseball.  But for many major league players and personnel, Friday's release of the new iPad is cause for celebration.  —  The tablet has ingrained itself into the fabric of the game …

NY Mets pitching prospect Matt Harvey impresses again in outing Wednesday  —  Righthander's blazing fastball on display against minor leaguers as team brass watches  —  NY Mets' fireballing prospect Matt Harvey reaches as high as 96 mph on radar gun Wednesday.