Top News:
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
New setback for Carpenter — JUPITER, Fla. • Cardinals co-ace Chris Carpenter returned to St. Louis on Tuesday to be further examined by nerve specialists after experiencing renewed symptoms associated with a bulging cervical disc. — Carpenter, who threw live batting practice Sunday …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Getting Blanked and Baseball Nation
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Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Berkman: Selig ‘extorted’ Astros into AL move — KISSIMMEE, Fla. — St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lance Berkman said Tuesday that Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig “extorted” new Houston Astros owner Jim Crane into changing leagues as a precondition of the sale of the franchise in November.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, HardballTalk, NESN.com and Ultimate Astros
Dominic Massa / WWL-TV:
Mel Parnell, N.O. native and former Red Sox pitcher, dies at 89 — NEW ORLEANS - Mel Parnell, the New Orleans native who went on to a star career in Major League Baseball as a starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, died Tuesday. He was 89. — Parnell spent his entire 10-year career with Boston, from 1947 to 1956.
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Yahoo! Sports, baseballmusings.com, Surviving Grady, HardballTalk, Over the Monster and NESN.com
Associated Press:
Orioles sign two-time All-Star left-hander Willis — SARASOTA, Fla. — Dontrelle Willis and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a minor league contract. — The 30-year-old lefty, who won 22 games in 2005, was released by the Philadelphia Phillies on March 16.
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Bats
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David Laurila / FanGraphs Baseball:
Q&A: Doug Glanville on Defensive Metrics — Had “The Fielding Bible” existed during his playing days, Doug Glanville would have graded out well among outfielders. As it is, the respected ESPN analyst has to settle for being one of 10 panelists who voted on this year's awards.
Discussion:
THE BOOK
Mike Puma / New York Post:
GM Alderson: Mets to stick with austerity plan — Mets on Twitter — PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets aren't rebuilding, they are going through an “evolutionary process,” according to general manager Sandy Alderson. And evolution doesn't speed up just because ownership no longer has a clawback lawsuit clouding its future.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and New York Post
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Shoppach goes deep in loss to Blue Jays — In bid to win rotation job, Bard yields three runs over five frames — FORT MYERS, Fla. — Kelly Shoppach launched his first homer and right-hander Daniel Bard was strong in four of his five innings during the Red Sox's 9-2 loss to the Blue Jays on Tuesday night at JetBlue Park.
Discussion:
Boston Globe and Over the Monster
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Strasburg sharp, bats held in check vs. Mets — Righty fans three, allows two hits, one run over five innings — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — If the Mets and Nationals have their way, youngsters Lucas Duda and Stephen Strasburg will square off plenty of times going forward in National League East play.
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Federal Baseball and Yahoo! Sports
Greg Johns / MLB.com:
Millwood, Iwakuma stake claims to roster spots — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Veteran right-hander Kevin Millwood bolstered his bid for a starting spot in the Mariners' rotation on Tuesday, while Hisashi Iwakuma pitched three innings of shutout ball in relief in what might foreshadow his immediate future for Seattle.
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner and Lookout Landing
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Royals Acquire Jason Bourgeois, Humberto Quintero — 5:36pm: Luhnow told reporters (including MLB.com's Brian McTaggart) that the player to be named later will be the “key component” of the trade (Twitter links). Astros Sr. Director of Social Media Alyson Footer says it'll be a while before that player is named, however.
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Seedlings to Stars, The Crawfish Boxes, Baseball America and Yahoo! Sports
Richard Durrett / ESPN:
Neftali Feliz exits with stiff shoulder — MESA, Ariz. — Texas Rangers right-handed starter Neftali Feliz did not come out to pitch for the fourth inning on Tuesday because of right shoulder stiffness. — The team said he will continue to be evaluated. — Feliz threw 49 pitches …
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball and Yahoo! Sports
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
A-Rod instrumental as Yanks' bats erupt — TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs to continue his productive spring as the Yankees batted around in a five-run fourth, defeating the Pirates, 10-3, in Grapefruit League action on Tuesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Sports Illustrated:
Johnny Damon's strange new role: the best player without a job … Opening Day, two weeks in the offing stateside, likely will be without Johnny Damon in the big leagues for the first time since 1995, when he was a 21-year-old prospect in the Kansas City Royals system.
Discussion:
Getting Blanked, The Yankee Analysts and MLB Rumors