Top News:
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Josh Beckett's golf round after missing start is further proof the Red Sox aren't his top priority — They took the beer out of the clubhouse, but nothing changed. They switched the man in the manager's office, but he's no better. The rot in the Boston Red Sox organization runs too deep …
Discussion:
Joe Blogs, baseballmusings.com, HardballTalk, Baseball Nation and THE BOOK
RELATED:
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Edes: Beckett's postgame defiance says it all — His weak performance and postgame comments show he doesn't care, either … BOSTON — Josh Beckett has chosen sides. — On one side, everyone who cares so much about the Red Sox that they are even personally affected by the death of a public address announcer.
Discussion:
WEEI, Baseball Nation, Boston Globe, Boston Globe, FanGraphs Baseball, Fire Brand, Getting Blanked and the joy of sox
John Tomase / Boston Herald:
Josh Beckett, Red Sox off course — Pitcher ends up buried in the rough — + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email + Bio — Josh Beckett does not do contrition, which is fine. But if he expects Red Sox [team stats] fans not to tee off on him after he tees off on his day off …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Boston Globe, baseballmusings.com and Deadspin
Fox Sports:
Last-place Phillies: Buyers or sellers? — I don't care what Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. says — I'll believe his team is a seller when I see it. — But know this: — According to major league sources, at least one club — the Toronto Blue Jays …
Discussion:
Phillies Nation, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Fox Sports:
Hamilton's deal possibly short, sweet — If you think outfielder Josh Hamilton will sign a contract that sufficiently protects the Texas Rangers from any injuries and relapses that he might suffer, think again. — Hamilton need not make concessions when he likely would receive a massive …
RELATED:
Sam Miller / Baseball Prospectus:
People and Entities Out-Walking Albert Pujols — Pardon me for hitting this point again and again, but it's by far the most fascinating part of Albert Pujols' season so far. Anybody can go into a home run drought; the difference between a home run and a flyout is, what, the width of a cuticle?
Discussion:
6-4-2
Dan Hayes / North County Times:
PADRES: Cabrera's promotion on hold following arrest — If the Padres plan to promote minor-league shortstop Everth Cabrera, they might have to put those plans temporarily on hold. — The team confirmed on Thursday night that Cabrera, their Triple-A shortstop, was arrested in mid-March.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
NY Mets' Ike Davis trying to shake early-season slump, begins with massive home run in Philadelphia vs. Phillies — Slumping or surging, slugger puts life first — Ike Davis needs to hit a few more big flies to break out of his early-season slump. — “Hey.”
Discussion:
New York Times and Tedquarters
Brian Erni / MetsBlog.com:
7,999 and counting — Tonight will be the 8,000th game in Mets history. Provided the Marlins get a hit, it will also be the 8,000th straight game without a no-hitter. — Whatever opinion you may have of this odd streak, every Mets fan seems to have their own close call story.
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
The Next MLB Commissioner — A generation of fans, players, and front office personnel have only known one commissioner. Bud Selig has been in office for two decades, longer than anyone since the sport's first commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis. — But at some point …
Max Marchi / Baseball Prospectus:
The Stats Go Marching In — All About Velocity — Cooling off the radar guns … Everyone likes looking at radar guns. — I love finesse pitchers and junkball artists, probably because they look the most human to me. Nevertheless, my eyes gravitate toward the velocity reading after Aroldis Chapman throws his heater.
Discussion:
Getting Blanked and THE BOOK
Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
Chris Marrero suffers setback; injury updates on Chien-Ming Wang and Mark DeRosa — Setbacks in both his shoulder and his hamstring have delayed first baseman Chris Marrero's recovery from the torn hamstring he suffered this winter, Manager Davey Johnson said.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation and HardballTalk
Dave Campbell / Globe and Mail:
Alvarez leads Blue Jays over Twins — Henderson Alvarez pitched seven strong innings to win his third straight start for the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-2 over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night. — Alvarez (3-2) stretched his scoreless streak to 17 innings before second baseman Kelly Johnson's …
Discussion:
Twinkie Town and Bluebird Banter
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Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Blue Jays Sign Vladimir Guerrero
Blue Jays Sign Vladimir Guerrero
Discussion:
HardballTalk, FanGraphs Baseball, Baseball Nation and Bluebird Banter