Top News:
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Red Sox Notes: Bard, Lester, Padilla — The last time the Red Sox played a regular season game, they lost to the Orioles and the 2011 season ended in heart-breaking fashion. They'll look to start the 2012 season off with a win when they take on the defending AL Central champions in Detroit this afternoon.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, baseballmusings.com and Detroit Free Press
RELATED:
Peter Schworm / Boston Globe:
Sox fans hope for a team they can love — Walking by Fenway Park on a sublime spring day, Susie Adams could feel the anticipation in the air, the promise of a new season. Opening Day, baseball's blessed return, was nearly here. — But like many Red Sox fans who still wince at the memory …
Discussion:
DRaysBay and Surviving Grady
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Choice words — Valentine settles on Aceves as closer in Bailey's absence — Alfredo Aceves is excited about the chance to be the Red Sox' closer. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff) — DETROIT - There will be no closer controversy for the Red Sox. Before Andrew Bailey was out of surgery on Wednesday …
Discussion:
The Soxaholix
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Valentine names Aceves the closer
Discussion:
Dan Shaughnessy Watch, Red Sox Monster, Baseball Nation and the joy of sox
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yanks add catcher Stewart, option Cervelli — TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees completed a deal on Wednesday to address their organizational catching depth, acquiring veteran Chris Stewart from the Giants in exchange for right-hander George Kontos. — Because Stewart is out of Minor League options …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley, Bleeding Yankee Blue, Replacement Level … and The LoHud Yankees Blog
RELATED:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Garcia fans four as Yanks wrap up spring
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue and Pinstripe Alley
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yanks add catcher Stewart, option Cervelli
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Baseball Prospectus, Pinstripe Alley, McCovey Chronicles, Baseball Nation and Baseball America
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Indians hope Sizemore can return in June — CLEVELAND — The Indians are holding out hope that Grady Sizemore will be able to help them at some point this summer. If the sidelined center fielder does return to the lineup, it will not be until the first week of June at the earliest.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Batter's Box Interactive … and SI Tracking Blog
RELATED:
Mike Kerwick / NorthJersey.com:
Mets hoping new Citi Field dimensions help team's hitters, appease fans — It is one line of type, six telling words. Ordinary and eloquent, it offers a portrait of an at-bat in minimalist detail. — J. Bay flied out to left. — Burrow inside those six words and you will learn so much more …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, New Jersey Online and MetsBlog.com
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
Rest of baseball catching up with big spenders — NEW YORK—The rest of baseball is starting to catch up with the big spenders. — The Miami Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels all had hefty boosts in payroll during the offseason along with the Tampa Bay Rays …
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated
Marc Topkin / The Heater Feed:
Friday lineup, with a few surprises — The Rays set their lineup for Friday's opener against Yankees LHP CC Sabathia, and it has a few surprises: — Jennings cf — Zobrist rf — Longoria 3b — Keppinger DH — Rodriguez ss — Johnson 2b — Pena 1b — Molina c — Joyce lf
Discussion:
DRaysBay
Steven Wine / Globe and Mail:
Lohse, Cardinals spoil Marlins' debut in new ballpark — The sellout crowd in the Miami Marlins' new ballpark cheered the introduction of their starters, who were accompanied by women dressed as Latin showgirls. There was another roar for Muhammad Ali, who delivered the first pitch.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos, Fish Stripes, MLB Daily Dish and Associated Press
RELATED:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Monster deal gives Albert Pujols ‘extra chip on my shoulder’
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Rays Claim John Gaub — The Rays have claimed left-hander John Gaub off of waivers, the Cubs announced. The Cubs also announced that they placed right-hander Marcos Mateo on the 60-day disabled list to create 40-man roster space. — Gaub, 26, appeared in four games for the 2011 Cubs …
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
MLB.com's digital guide to the new season — As Opening Week got under way in Major League Baseball, Commissioner Bud Selig said: “This sport has never been this popular. It has never been like this.” That is very apparent at MLB.com, where fans are diving into technology and baseball with passion.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Sources: Jon Niese, Mets reach deal — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — New York Mets left-hander Jon Niese has agreed to a five-year, $25 million deal with two team options that can raise the value to $52 million, according to two sources. — The completion of the contract is pending a physical.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, MLB Daily Dish, New Jersey Online, Baseball Nation, Bats, MLB Rumors and Mets Merized Online
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Aaron Gleeman / HardballTalk:
Mets sign Jon Niese to five-year, $25.5 million contract
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, Yahoo! Sports and baseballmusings.com
Chicago Tribune:
Mayor Emanuel: Wrigley renovation talks in ‘final stages’ — Others say they don't know of any imminent deal — Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday declared he's in the “final stages” of talks on a plan to renovate historic Wrigley Field, catching off-guard stakeholders from the North Side to City Hall to Springfield.
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, Yahoo! Sports, Bleed Cubbie Blue and Field of Schemes
