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1:50 PM ET, April 18, 2014

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Teixeira expected in lineup on Sunday  —  ST. PETERSBURG — First baseman Mark Teixeira played three innings in a Minor League game on Thursday at the team's complex in Tampa, Fla., and is expected to return to the big league lineup on Sunday against the Rays.  —  “He had a really good day,” manager Joe Girardi said.
Discussion: SI Wire, CBSSports.com and HardballTalk
Albert Chen / Sports Illustrated:
Ranking the 10 best pitching rotations in MLB this season  —  Fresh off his first Cy Young, Max Scherzer leads a strong Detroit rotation into the 2014 season.  —  DETROIT — Max Scherzer had a good offseason.  He collected his Cy Young Award; married his college sweetheart, Erica May …
Discussion: The Strike Zone
Scott Eden / ESPN:
MLB: Puig's journey from Cuba  —  With Puig was Yunior Despaigne, then 24.  A former national-level Cuban boxer and a friend of Puig's from their teens, Despaigne had spent the previous year recruiting Puig to defect, under the direction of a Cuban-born resident of Miami named Raul Pacheco.
Ryan Lawrence / Philly.com:
Cole Hamels poised to return to rotation  —  In the last 2 days, the Phillies have watched the two pitchers atop their rotation post two of the team's top pitching performances of the young season.  Cole Hamels looks plenty ready to join the party.  —  In what was very likely …
Discussion: HardballTalk and CBSSports.com
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Nathan records save; dead arm feels ‘livelier’  —  DETROIT — When Joe Nathan talked about dead arm last week, he also talked about how quickly it can come back to life.  That resuscitation seems to have started.  —  “Today was more how I felt, being able to finish,” Nathan said Thursday …
Discussion: HardballTalk
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Jeremy Jeffress Elects Free Agency  —  Blue Jays right-hander Jeremy Jeffress has rejected an outright assignment and elected free agency, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).  Additionally, Jeffress is expected to sign with a new club within 24 to 48 hours, according to Passan.
Canadian Press:
Shields strikes out 12 for first win; Royals sweep Astros  —  HOUSTON - James Shields struck out 12 in eight innings and the Kansas City Royals completed a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros with a 5-1 win on Thursday night.  —  Shields (1-2) gave up one run and four hits, all singles.
Discussion: The Crawfish Boxes
Rob Neyer / Fox Sports:
Rational behavior: Why system is rigged against young pitchers  —  Usually when it seems like there's a rash of something, it just seems like it.  —  All these elbow injuries lately, though?  It's an actual rash.  In recent seasons, top high school pitching prospects have essentially …
Discussion: The Crawfish Boxes
Associated Press:
Sizemore's scoop caps Yankees' triple play  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Sean Rodriguez of the Tampa Bay Rays has grounded into a triple play for the second time in his career.  —  The Rays had runners on first and second in the second inning Thursday night against the Yankees.
Discussion: Pinstripe Alley and ESPN
Canadian Press:
Ryu leads Dodgers past Giants to avoid series sweep  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Hyun-Jin Ryu stretched his road scoreless streak to 26 innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1 Thursday to avoid a sweep.  —  Ryu (3-1) struck out three and walked one on a season-high 112 pitches …
RELATED:
Mark Saxon / ESPN:
Hanley Ramirez misses game
Discussion: True Blue LA
Sports Illustrated:
Duke's freshman forward Jabari Parker sits down with Sports Illustrated's Jeff Benedict to make his decision whether to stay in school or declare for the NBA draft.  —  After losing in the NCAA tournament, I needed to clear my mind.  I was incredibly disappointed and blamed myself.
Associated Press:
Lester Leads Red Sox Past White Sox 3-1  —  CHICAGO — Jon Lester pitched eight sharp innings and David Ross hit a tiebreaking RBI double in Boston's two-run ninth, leading the Red Sox to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.  —  Lester (2-2) allowed one run and seven hits …
Anthony DiComo / MLB.com:
Through hitting system, Mets aim to build winner  —  Players are evaluated, rewarded based upon adherence to club's metric  —  NEW YORK — About a week before Mets camp drew to a close in Florida, staffers gathered the team's hitters into a meeting room and laid out the organization's offensive philosophy …
Discussion: Amazin' Avenue and ESPN
 
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 More News: 
Mike Bresnahan / Los Angeles Times:
Kobe Bryant takes off for France before Lakers season ends
Associated Press:
Franklin Morales Helps Rockies Beat Padres 3-1
Plain Dealer:
No comeback for Tiger first base coach Omar Vizquel: Cleveland Indians chatter
Discussion: MLB Daily Dish
csnphilly.com:
Cole Hamels likely to pitch vs. Dodgers next week
Discussion: The Strike Zone and MLB Daily Dish
 Earlier Picks: 
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Aviles, Bourn speak on importance of Robinson
Discussion: Let's Go Tribe
Kristie Ackert / NY Daily News:
Dillon Gee dominates as Mets complete sweep of Diamondbacks with 5-2 win
Discussion: New York Post and Metsblog
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
NJ Negro Leagues park gets landmark status
Discussion: MLB Rumors
Associated Press:
Julio Teheran tosses 3-hitter in blanking of Phillies
 

 
From WeSmirch:

Tamantha Ryan / Page Six:
50 Cent's ex Daphne Joy accuses him of rape, physical abuse amid Diddy lawsuit drama — but he denies it

People:
Gypsy Rose Blanchard Announces Separation from Husband 3 Months After Prison Release

Jeff Conway / Forbes:
Olivia Colman Reflects On Her Beloved Career: ‘I Have Been Very Lucky’

 
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