Ballbug: Wild Pitch Helps Nats Beat Reds 3-2 in 10 Innings (Associated Press)

Associated Press:

Damon says he's close to signing with Indians — CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians are close to signing veteran outfielder Johnny Damon to help awaken their struggling offense. — The club has been in talks to finalize a deal with the 38-year-old Damon, who is 277 hits shy of 3,000.

Discussion: SI Tracking Blog and Associated Press

Discussion: baseballmusings.com

C. Trent Rosecrans / CBSSports.com:
Johnny Damon excited to join Indians

Discussion: Baseball Nation and NESN.com

Mike Axisa / MLB Rumors:
Indians To Sign Johnny Damon

Discussion: Baseball Nation, Boston Globe, MLB Daily Dish and HardballTalk

Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:

Pat Burrell Retires — APRIL 12th: The Phillies have announced that Burrell will sign a one-day minor league contract and retire with the club that originally drafted him. The retirement ceremony will be held on May 19th. — JAN. 30th: Pat Burrell is retiring, MLBTR has learned.

Discussion: Crashburn Alley and SI Tracking Blog

Burrell grateful for chance to retire with Phillies — Even on the last day of his playing career, wearing a San Francisco Giants uniform in a game against the Colorado Rockies, Pat Burrell found himself thinking about the Phillies. — He had already decided this would be it.

Discussion: Phillies Nation

MLB.com:
Pat Burrell to officially retire as a Phillie

Discussion: Fish Stripes and The Good Phight

Associated Press:

Wild Pitch Helps Nats Beat Reds 3-2 in 10 Innings — WASHINGTON (AP) — Ryan Zimmerman scored on Alfredo Simon's wild pitch with two outs in the 10th inning, helping the Nationals extend their best start since moving to Washington with a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.

Gio Improves — Gio Gonzalez saved his best for his home debut in Washington as he shuts out the Reds for seven innings. It was an impressive outing as Gonzalez allowed just two hits while walking none and striking out seven. This is the third start in a row in which the Nationals starter did not allow a run.

Discussion: Red Reporter

Associated Press:
Votto's 4 Hits Help Reds Rally Past Cards 4-3

Discussion: Viva El Birdos and baseballmusings.com

NY Daily News:

David Wright could return to NY Mets lineup on Friday against Philadelphia Phillies, according to Terry Collins' gut feeling — Wright fitted for splint on fractured pinkie before Mets' 4-0 loss — David Wright can't get on field but he takes it all in as Mets fall on 50th anniversary of franchise's first game.

Discussion: HardballTalk

Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
NY Mets' Jason Bay boils over and gets thrown out in Wednesday's 4-0 loss against Washington Nationals

Discussion: Amazin' Avenue, Associated Press and MetsBlog.com

Anthony Rieber / Newsday: Ike Davis relieved to get his first hit

Associated Press:
Strasburg Outpitches Santana in Messy Matchup

Discussion: Federal Baseball

Barry Petchesky / Deadspin:

10 Years Of Newspapers Declaring That Mariano Rivera Is Too Old — On Friday, Mariano Rivera blew the save. It was the 73rd blown save of his career, and one of many from baseball's opening weekend. Predictably, it brought out the old standby storylines: Is this it for Mariano Rivera?

Discussion: The Yankee Analysts, HardballTalk and River Avenue Blues

Associated Press:

Boesch Leads Tigers to 7-2 Win Over Rays — DETROIT (AP) — Brennan Boesch drove in four runs on his 27th birthday, leading the Detroit Tigers to their fifth win in six games to start the season, 7-2 over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. — Drew Smyly gave up a run in four-plus innings in his major league debut.

Discussion: DRaysBay, Bless You Boys and FanGraphs Baseball

Ian Browne / MLB.com:

Beckett, Red Sox hope to win back trust of fans — Starter aware of responsibility in taking ball for home opener — BOSTON — It's hard to imagine all the developments that have taken place since the last time the Red Sox played a baseball game at Fenway Park. — First came the collapse, and it was both epic and historic.

Discussion: Boston Globe and Red Sox Monster

Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:

Braddock placed on temporary inactive list — CHICAGO — Promising Brewers left-hander Zach Braddock is back on Triple-A Nashville's temporary inactive list, where he spent the second half of last season while receiving treatment for personal issues. — Braddock, a key piece of the Brewers' bullpen …

Discussion: Brew Beat

Andy / High Heat Stats:

Comparing 2012 offense to 2011 (it's crashing and burning, folks) — Here's a quick look at offensive numbers in 2012 vs 2012. Both are through the first 142 games of each season. — (First number is 2011, second number is 2012, all are on a per-game basis):

Discussion: HardballTalk

Alex Pavlovic / Boston Herald:

Rockies pound Tim Lincecum, Giants, 17-8 — DENVER—Tim Lincecum had four inches cut off his famous locks before Wednesday's game and joked that he was trying to look like Tom Cruise in “Mission Impossible—Ghost Protocol.” — Lincecum's ensuing start was no blockbuster, more of an epic box office bomb.

Discussion: baseballmusings.com and Purple Row

Associated Press:

Royals' Jeff Francoeur delivers pizza to A's fans — OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Pizza delivery, courtesy of Jeff Francoeur. — The Kansas City Royals' right fielder had 20 personal pizzas delivered Wednesday to a small but animated group of Oakland Athletics fans in section 149 of the Coliseum.

Discussion: baseballmusings.com

Associated Press:

Halladay, Phillies Beat Marlins — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Roy Halladay's presence was a bigger obstacle for the Miami Marlins than Ozzie Guillen's absence. — Halladay threw seven sharp innings and the Philadelphia Phillies broke out of their offensive slump, beating the Marlins 7-1 …

Discussion: Fish Stripes, Phillies Nation, The Good Phight and baseballmusings.com

Discussion: SI Tracking Blog and ESPN.com