Top News:
Steve Gilbert / MLB.com:
McCarthy faces hitters for first time since injury — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — For the first time since being struck in the head by a line drive on Sept. 5, D-backs right-hander Brandon McCarthy faced a batter Monday in a live batting-practice session. — As with most of his teammates …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and CBSSports.com
RELATED:
Dave Cameron / FanGraphs Baseball:
Diamondbacks Acquire Tony Campana's Base Stealing
Diamondbacks Acquire Tony Campana's Base Stealing
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, AZ Snake Pit, Getting Blanked, MLB Daily Dish and Beyond the Box Score
MLB.com:
Cubs acquire pair of pitching prospects from Arizona for outfielder Tony Campana
Cubs acquire pair of pitching prospects from Arizona for outfielder Tony Campana
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Diamondbacks Acquire Tony Campana
Diamondbacks Acquire Tony Campana
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Beyond the Box Score and Baseball America
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Alfonso Soriano: No trade as long as Cubs are contending — MESA, Ariz. — Monday afternoon, in a grassy spot between a baseball field and the Cubs' row of spring bullpen mounds, a few young Cubs players set up a series of platforms ranging from a foot high to about 3 feet high.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Jesse Rogers / ESPN:
Alfonso Soriano open to trade … MESA, AZ. — Alfonso Soriano says he wants to win with the Chicago Cubs, but if the team falls out of contention — and the Cubs are expected to struggle again after 101 losses last season — Soriano would be interested in being traded.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, VFTB, MLB Injury News, CBSSports.com, HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Adam McCalvy / Brew Beat:
Brewers have checked on Carp — Mariners general manager Jack Zdurencik told me tonight that he was engaged with a “good number” of teams about Mike Carp, the outfielder-first baseman designated for assignment last week, and was closing on a trade. — “I would say there's a good chance …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, MLB Injury News, CBSSports.com and MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Joe McDonald / ESPN:
Cornerstone at the hot corner? — Budding third baseman Middlebrooks sees himself with Red Sox for long term — FORT MYERS, Fla. — Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks was sitting at his locker and putting his uniform on when teammate Dustin Pedroia leaned in close. — “You see my guy?”
Discussion:
NESN.com, Boston Herald and Over the Monster
RELATED:
Joe McDonald / ESPN:
Still testing the limits?
Still testing the limits?
Discussion:
Over the Monster, NESN.com, Surviving Grady and Boston Globe
Dan Shaughnessy / The Boston Globe:
No chance Jacoby Ellsbury is staying with Red Sox
No chance Jacoby Ellsbury is staying with Red Sox
Discussion:
Dan Shaughnessy Watch
Conor Glassey / Baseball America:
Top 100 Prospect Tidbits — • Of the 1,146 players to be on a Top 100 Prospects list from 1990-2009, 1,020 (89 percent) made the major leagues. — • Top 100 Prospects players have won 29 MVP awards, 19 Cy Young Awards and 38 Rookie of the Year awards.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Fox Sports:
Can Bucs finally end The Streak? — BRADENTON, FLA. — Another spring at Pirate City, and we're still talking about The Streak. — The Pirates have finished with a losing record 20 years in a row. It is the longest slog of ineptitude in major U.S. professional sports.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Discussion:
MLB Injury News, MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk, Metsblog and MLB Rumors
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Francona can live with K's as long as runs follow — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — There could be a steady breeze in Cleveland this summer and Lake Erie might not be the only thing to blame. The Indians are anticipating a high volume of strikeouts from their hitters this season.
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe and WaitingForNextYear
Fox Sports:
Pirates' Martin to try shortstop in WBC — BRADENTON, FLA. — Russell Martin is a catcher. He's a good one, too, beginning his first season as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. — Martin, 30, has played nearly 1,000 games in the major leagues — not one as a shortstop.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness, NY Daily News and CBSSports.com
John Harper / NY Daily News:
Yankees will have to sign Robinson Cano, and hope he turns out more like Derek Jeter than Alex Rodriguez — Cano is the only Yankees player in his prime at the age of 30, if the Bombers plan is to stay competitive rather than rebuild, their only choice is to re-sign him
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Garza to get MRI, may miss start of season — MESA, Ariz. — Whether Matt Garza will start the season in the rotation is now in question because of his left lat strain. — “We're not going to rush this guy, that's for sure,” general manager Jed Hoyer said.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, CBSSports.com and CBS Chicago