Top News:
Susan Slusser / Oakland Athletics:
A's A.J. Griffin to get second opinion; elbow issue not improved — Shutting A.J. Griffin down for more than a month does not seem to have resolved the discomfort the A's starter was feeling. The right-hander will get a second opinion on his elbow from Dr. Thomas Mehlhoff in Houston next Tuesday.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and HardballTalk
RELATED:
Ian O'Connor / ESPN:
Pineda's folly could sink the season — Fenway's funny scene won't be so funny if Yankees miss playoffs by one game — BOSTON — Just in case Michael Pineda never makes it as a New York Yankee, he decided to prep himself for a second career as a stand-up comic.
Discussion:
NY Daily News, Red Sox Monster and Associated Press
RELATED:
Erik Boland / Newsday:
Joe Girardi lashes out at ESPN camera, files a protest
Joe Girardi lashes out at ESPN camera, files a protest
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues
David Waldstein / New York Times:
Yanks' Pineda Ejected After Pine Tar Is Spotted
Yanks' Pineda Ejected After Pine Tar Is Spotted
Discussion:
Surviving Grady and Associated Press
Rachel Axon / USA Today:
Woman files lawsuit saying she was raped by Reds P Alfredo Simon — A woman who says she was raped by Cincinnati Reds pitcher Alfredo Simon in April 2013 filed a civil lawsuit in Washington D.C. Superior Court on Thursday. — The lawsuit was filed under a pseudonym, Jane Doe.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, CBSSports.com and Red Reporter
Mick Swasko / redeyechicago.com:
Wrigley's 100th birthday cake uneaten, disposed by Field Museum; Cubs ‘disappointed’ — Wrigley and the Cubs had their birthday cake, and now it's in the trash. — The 400-pound Cake Boss-created birthday cake for Wrigley's centennial was a spectacle at Wednesday's celebration.
Discussion:
ESPN, Extra Mustard, HardballTalk, New Jersey Online and Sports Illustrated
Associated Press:
Donaldson Leads A's Past Astros 10-1 — HOUSTON — Josh Donaldson hit a pair of two-run homers to help the Oakland Athletics cruise to a 10-1 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday night. — It was the first career multihomer game for Donaldson, who connected in the first inning and pushed …
Discussion:
Athletics Nation, Associated Press and TSN.ca
MLB.com:
Darren Oliver appointed as Texas Rangers Special Assistant — Recently retired major leaguer will focus on pitching assignments — The Texas Rangers today announced that longtime major league pitcher Darren Oliver has been appointed as a Special Assistant to the General Manager.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Enrique Rojas / ESPN:
Sosa to ‘clear it up,’ sad to miss Cubs party — The Chicago Cubs feel like Sammy Sosa owes them an apology, and the former slugger told ESPNDeportes.com on Thursday that he's willing to sit down with the club to make amends. — “I think there is something that has to be resolved” he told ESPNDeportes.
Discussion:
NESN.com and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Canadian Press:
Colon, Mets shut down Cardinals in matinee — NEW YORK — Chris Young homered to start New York's comeback and slumping Curtis Granderson singled in a run as a pinch hitter as Bartolo Colon and the Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 Thursday to send Lance Lynn to his first career loss in April.
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue and Viva El Birdos
Joshua Green / Businessweek:
John Henry and the Making of a Red Sox Baseball Dynasty — It's Opening Day at Fenway Park, more than an hour before game time, and the seats are already jammed. No surprise here. Boston Red Sox fans feed on emotion. Today's capacity crowd skipped work and school for the chance to mainline …
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings and ESPN
Associated Press:
Miguel Cabrera, Max Scherzer lead Tigers by White Sox — DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs, Max Scherzer struck out 10 and the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago White Sox 7-4 Thursday. — Cabrera hit a pair of two-out singles for his RBIs. Rajai homered, doubled, singled and drove in two runs.
Discussion:
South Side Sox and ESPN
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Headley strains calf during at-bat, exits in second — WASHINGTON — Padres third baseman Chase Headley left Thursday's game against the Nationals after he came out of the box awkwardly during a second-inning at-bat. — The official word on his injury was a strained right calf …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
New York Times:
Up Close on Baseball's Borders — Steve Rushin of Sports Illustrated has called the line running through Connecticut that separates Yankee fans and Red Sox fans the Munson-Nixon line. Mr. Rushin came up with the name — in honor of the late Yankee catcher Thurman Munson …
Bernie Pleskoff / MLB.com:
Brewers could have Rule 5 gem in lefty reliever Wang — I remember sitting in the crowded room at the 2013 Winter Meetings Rule 5 Draft. I had a fairly good sense of almost every potential player who could be selected early that morning. — The Brewers selected Wei-Chung Wang, a left-handed pitcher from the Pirates organization.
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings