Top News:
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Baseball's opening lines: Alex Rodriguez, Bobby Valentine and Yu Darvish among early stories — The stories to watch as MLB opens another season — Keep a close eye on Bobby Valentine as the new Red Sox skipper could have his hands full in Boston. — Now that the baseball season …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Crawford close to getting in a game — DETROIT — Carl Crawford's return from surgery on his left wrist is picking up steam in Fort Myers. — The left fielder continues to take batting practice on the field and is getting into an extended spring training game is “imminent” according to Bobby Valentine.
Discussion:
NESN.com
Anthony Odoardi / MLB.com:
Prince debuts home run trot twice vs. Red Sox — DETROIT — Coming into the season, some questioned if the large confines of Comerica Park might hurt Prince Fielder's power numbers. The jury is still out on that, but if the second game of the regular season is any indication, the Tigers' new slugger should be just fine.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Bless You Boys
Associated Press:
Nationals rally again, beat Cubs 7-4 — CHICAGO - Adam LaRoche homered and matched a career-high with four hits, and the Washington Nationals again rallied late against Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol, scoring five runs in the eighth to beat the Chicago Cubs 7-4 on Sunday.
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, Associated Press and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Duda's day: Slugger's two homers carry Mets — NEW YORK — Mets manager Terry Collins spent much of Spring Training lauding Lucas Duda, he of prodigious raw power but a noticeable lack of confidence and experience. What Collins envisioned for his right fielder was something like this.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Talking Chop and Amazin' Avenue
Associated Press:
Blue Jays Topple Indians 7-4 in 12 Innings — CLEVELAND (AP) — Rajai Davis hit a two-run double in the 12th inning, Toronto rallied for the second straight game against Cleveland's bullpen and the Blue Jays beat the Indians in extra innings again, 7-4 on Saturday.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and Bluebird Banter
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Joe Girardi and Joe Maddon play game of chess in bizarre Opening Day game between Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays — Managers save nothing and neither does Mo Rivera — Tampa Bay Rays' Carlos Pena watches the flight of the ball after hitting a grand-slam home run and might as well thank Joe Girardi for loading bases for him.
Discussion:
DRaysBay and the joy of sox
Associated Press:
Doug Fister exits with apparent injury — DETROIT — Detroit right-hander Doug Fister has left Saturday's game against Boston with a strain in his left side. — The Tigers led 2-0 when manager Jim Leyland and trainer Kevin Rand came out to the mound to check on Fister in the middle of an at-bat by Ryan Sweeney.
Discussion:
SI Tracking Blog
Associated Press:
Brandon Phillips mum on contract — CINCINNATI — Reds All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips is keeping quiet while closing in on a contract extension. — Phillips said on Saturday before a game against Miami that he's not going to discuss an extension that's been in the works since last season.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Colorado Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd addresses several issues on opening day — HOUSTON — The Rockies are going to score runs. Preventing them? That's a concern even for the man responsible for piecing together the opening-day roster. — “I thought there was a lot of trust …
Kristie Rieken / Associated Press:
Rockies get 5-3 opening day win over Astros — HOUSTON—Pinch runner Eric Young scored the go-ahead run on an error in the eighth inning and Troy Tulowitzki homered in the ninth to lift the Colorado Rockies to a 5-3 win over the mistake-prone Houston Astros on Friday night.
Discussion:
Purple Row
RELATED:
Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
For 10 Astros, Opening Day extra special
For 10 Astros, Opening Day extra special
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball and The Crawfish Boxes
Associated Press:
Hochevar Sharp in Royals' 6-3 Win Over Angels — ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Luke Hochevar took a shutout into the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals got solo homers from Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas against Dan Haren in a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
Discussion:
Royals Review and 6-4-2
Fox Sports:
Uecker mourns loss of 52-year-old son — MILWAUKEE (AP) — Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker's son Steve has died from complications related to San Joaquin Valley fever. — The Brewers issued a statement saying Steve Uecker passed away Friday at a hospital in Milwaukee. He was 52.