Top News:
Kristie Ackert / NY Daily News:
Bartolo Colon allows seven runs to Rockies in Mets loss — Colon is the first Mets starter this season to not go at least five innings, a streak of 25 games that led the majors. — DENVER — At least it was short for Bartolo Colon. The veteran righty was hit early and often …
Discussion:
Newsday, New York Post, Metsblog, New Jersey Online and New York Times
RELATED:
Danny Abriano / Metsblog:
Game Recap: Rockies 7 - Mets 4 — Bartolo Colon was crushed in the opener of a four-game set in Colorado as the Mets (15-12) lost to the Rockies (17-13) by the score of 7-4 Thursday night >> Read the full recap and box score at SNY.tv. — Need to Know: Bartolo Colon got the start and struggled mightily …
Discussion:
sny.stats.com, Purple Row and ESPN
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Mets and Yankees Have Identical Records, if Not Identical Expectations
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, Purple Row, Newsday, Metsblog and ESPN
Mitch Abramson / NY Daily News:
Juan Lagares says he's ready to join an outfield platoon with Mets when he comes off DL
Discussion:
Metsblog, New York Post and ESPN
Associated Press:
Rays edge Red Sox in 1st game of doubleheader — BOSTON — David DeJesus had a solo homer and drew a bases-loaded walk, and Tampa Bay's bullpen pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings to lift the Rays to a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
Discussion:
DRaysBay, ESPN and Boston Globe
RELATED:
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Rules give Rays no say in playing doubleheader
Discussion:
DRaysBay and Over the Monster
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
For starters, Rays at Red Sox, on a long day at the park
Discussion:
Over the Monster
New York Times:
Baseball Shakes Up Its Investigative Unit — In the wake of the Alex Rodriguez doping case, which drew accusations of unethical behavior by Major League Baseball's top investigators, the league has fired some members of its investigative team and moved to restructure the unit.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Tim Dierkes / MLB Trade Rumors:
Braves To Extend Chris Johnson — 6:04pm: The deal is complete, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter), who says the contract is for three years and includes a club option. That means that Atlanta will buy out both of Johnson's final two arb-eligible seasons along with a free agent year …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Talking Chop, HardballTalk and CBSSports.com
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Kershaw whiffs nine in second rehab start — Likely to rejoin LA rotation next week, he allows one earned run in five innings — MINNEAPOLIS — With a likely return to the rotation next week in Washington, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw made his second Minor League rehab start Wednesday night …
Discussion:
The Strike Zone
RELATED:
Kevin Baxter / Los Angeles Times:
Zack Greinke is sharp again in Dodgers win; Clayton Kershaw could return soon
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Angels talk with developer about potential Irvine ballpark — The Angels, frustrated by talks with Anaheim over plans to keep the team at Angel Stadium, above, have met with the developer of the Orange County Great Park property to see whether the construction of a new ballpark might be feasible on the Irvine site.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and Halos Heaven
Canadian Press:
Wieters home run gives Orioles doubleheader sweep over Pirates — BALTIMORE — Matt Wieters led off the 10th inning with a home run off Stolmy Pimentel to give the Baltimore Orioles a 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates and a doubleheader sweep Thursday night.
Discussion:
Camden Chat, Bucs Dugout and MLB
Canadian Press:
Stanton, McGehee key rally, Marlins beat Braves for sweep — MIAMI — Giancarlo Stanton and Casey McGehee hit consecutive run-scoring singles off David Carpenter during a two-run rally in the seventh inning that led the Miami Marlins over the Atlanta Braves 5-4 Thursday night for a three-game sweep of the NL East leader.
Discussion:
Fish Stripes and CBSSports.com
Associated Press:
Robinson Cano has 2 RBIs as Mariners beat Yankees again — NEW YORK — Robinson Cano shrugged off the boos in his return to Yankee Stadium and walked away a two-time winner. — Cano doubled and drove in two runs to help the Seattle Mariners beat the New York Yankees 4-2 Thursday night behind …
Discussion:
Lookout Landing
Associated Press:
Blue Jays Beat Royals 7-3 to Avoid Series Sweep — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mark Buehrle pitched into the seventh inning, Juan Francisco and Colby Rasmus each went deep and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 Thursday night to avoid a series sweep.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter and TSN.ca
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Passionate Balsley brings out best in Padres' pitchers — Peavy among long line of hurlers to flourish under coach's guidance, influence — SAN DIEGO — It's difficult to know where Jake Peavy would be today had he not met Darren Balsley, who first was his pitching coach in the low levels …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Cliff Corcoran / Sports Illustrated:
One month down: Early MLB award contenders — One month into his third season Mike Trout is exactly where he ended his first two: in second place in the AL MVP race. — With the calendar turning to May, it is time for Awards Watch to get down to business.
Discussion:
Athletics Nation, The Strike Zone and ESPN
Rick Eymer / MLB.com:
Giants think Cain will return to mound Monday — SAN FRANCISCO — Giants manager Bruce Bochy scanned the field during Wednesday night's warmups to make sure right-hander Matt Cain wasn't trying to play catch somewhere. — Cain, who was scratched from Tuesday night's start after cutting …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and CBSSports.com
RELATED:
Associated Press:
This Date In Baseball — 1917 — Fred Toney of the Cincinnati Reds and Hippo Vaughn of the Chicago Cubs pitched a double no-hitter for nine innings, but the Reds won 1-0 on two hits in the 10th. Jim Thorpe drove in the winning run. — 1923 — Walter Johnson recorded his first shutout …
Discussion:
Pearly Gates
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Renteria optimistic about closer options — CINCINNATI — When a team has only had six save opportunities through most of the first month of the season, it's fair to assume closer options aren't first and foremost on the mind of a manager guiding a struggling team.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Landon Haaf / WFAA-TV:
Rangers unravel in 12-1 loss to Oakland — If you keep pulling the thread, eventually the whole thing will unravel, so the saying goes. — The Rangers did quite a bit of pulling in the first two games of their brief homestand, and the whole thing unraveled in the series finale against division leading Oakland.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
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