Top News:
Mike Digiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Josh Hamilton meets with MLB officials about a disciplinary issue — Angels left fielder Josh Hamilton is meeting with Major League Baseball officials Wednesday about a disciplinary issue, and the team is bracing for possible penalties. — General Manager Jerry Dipoto confirmed that Hamilton …
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Bill Madden / NY Daily News:
Josh Hamilton meets with MLB after cocaine, alcohol relapse: source — Josh Hamilton, the slugging outfielder who seemed destined for baseball stardom but has been repeatedly sidelined due to substance abuse, was summoned to New York to meet with MLB officials Wednesday about a disciplinary issue.
Discussion:
ESPN and HardballTalk
Eye / CBSSports.com:
Angels' Josh Hamilton admits to relapse involving cocaine
Angels' Josh Hamilton admits to relapse involving cocaine
Discussion:
Globe and Mail and Texas Rangers Blog
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
Steinbrenner talks about futures of Cashman, Girardi and A-Rod — Clockwise from left: Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, general manager Brian Cashman, Alex Rodriguez and manager Joe Girardi — TAMPA — Take the hot seat away. No one is on it for the Yankees. It is only spring training, as owner Hal Steinbrenner sees it.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, CBSSports.com, The LoHud Yankees Blog and Sporting News Feed RSS
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Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
Sources: Yankees confident they can avoid paying A-Rod milestone bonuses
Sources: Yankees confident they can avoid paying A-Rod milestone bonuses
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors and HardballTalk
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
Hal Steinbrenner: ‘Cheap’ shots at Yankees are way off base
Hal Steinbrenner: ‘Cheap’ shots at Yankees are way off base
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Globe and Mail:
Blue Jays lose outfielder Michael Saunders with knee injury — Bad news has struck the Toronto Blue Jays with the news that new leftfielder Michael Saunders suffered a knee injury while shagging flies on Wednesday and will require surgery. — Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos delivered …
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports, MLB Trade Rumors, Lookout Landing and Sporting News Feed RSS
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Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Slugger brings charm to new clubhouse, confident that Majors' best outfield resides in San Diego — Outfielder Matt Kemp talks about the health of his hips and fresh outlook with the Padres as he prepares for the season with a new team — PEORIA, Ariz. — Spotting a familiar face …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Francisco Rodriguez Agrees To Terms With Unidentified Team — Veteran reliever Francisco Rodriguez has an agreement in place with an as-yet unidentified team, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports on Twitter. While Rodriguez's destination is not yet known, it is not the Marlins …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball and The Brewer Nation
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Arizona Diamondbacks' Yasmany Tomas goes to work at third base — At 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Yasmany Tomas emerged from the clubhouse and began to stretch with his teammates on the lawn at Salt River Fields. Under a bright blue sky and atop bright green grass, so began the first …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
Longtime A's second baseman Mark Ellis retires — Mark Ellis, who spent nine of his 12 major-league seasons with the A's, is retiring. — “It was definitely time,” Ellis told The Chronicle on Wednesday evening. “My kids are getting older and I kind of realized it was time to do something else.”
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, CBSSports.com, MLB Trade Rumors, Athletics Nation and NBCSports.com
Adam Rubin / ESPN:
Daniel Murphy: 'As of now, I'm a Met' — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Second baseman Daniel Murphy, the lone All-Star for the New York Mets in 2014, likely is headed for free agency next offseason. — Murphy indicated Thursday that he was open to in-season extension talks between the club …
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports and CBSSports.com
Rob Biertempfel / Greensburg Tribune-Review:
Pirates willing to consider high salary number to keep McCutchen — BRADENTON, Fla. — When Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton signed his $325 million contract in the offseason, it shook the financial landscape of baseball. — The aftershocks will be felt in the Pirates front office …
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, Bucs Dugout, MLB Trade Rumors, HardballTalk and CBSSports.com
David Murphy / Philly.com:
Slowly, Phillies enter analytics era — CLEARWATER, Fla. - Last week, Pat Gillick sat in the lobby of Bright House Field and said the “A” word. He did not scoff. He did not swear. He did not speak in tongues or smoke at the ears. The question was simple: What role …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and The Good Phight
Corey Brock / MLB.com:
Padres prospect a defensive standout, looking to improve at plate — Bud Black discusses Austin Hedges' development and maturity at camp and how the catching prospect can move up in the organization — PEORIA, Ariz. — Austin Hedges is well aware that after two grim offensive seasons in the Texas League …
David Brown / CBSSports.com:
MLB supports California bill that would ban tobacco at ballpark — David Ortiz rips into a package of chewing tobacco. (Getty) — A bill set to be introduced in the California state legislature would ban the use of smokeless tobacco in major league ballparks, an initiative that Major League Baseball says it supports.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports and Los Angeles Times
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
‘Swiss Army knife’ of Brewers' staff to be stretched out during Spring Training — Tyler Thornburg and Ron Roenicke discuss the right-hander's expected role with the Brewers' pitching staff this season — PHOENIX — Tyler Thornburg would love to settle into a set role.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
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Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Fiers not letting Stanton beanball affect pitching style
Fiers not letting Stanton beanball affect pitching style
Discussion:
Fish Stripes