Top News:
NY Daily News:
Yankees' two losses to Mets would not have gone over well with George Steinbrenner — TAMPA — It is an accepted premise — except, of course, when it came to George Steinbrenner — that spring training games are mostly meaningless and that none of the players' performances, good or bad, are anything worth getting all worked up about.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley and HardballTalk
RELATED:
Jared Diamond / Wall Street Journal:
Mets Try New Trick on Defense: Predicting Where Ball Will Be Hit
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
Lagares batting ninth? Why Mets think it'll work
Lagares batting ninth? Why Mets think it'll work
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, ESPN and New Jersey Online
Associated Press:
Reds get Dan Johnson from Astros — GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Cincinnati Reds acquired first baseman Dan Johnson from the Houston Astros on Thursday for a player to be named or cash, one of two trades involving minor leaguers. They also sent infielder Devin Lohman to the Philadelphia Phillies for a player to be named or cash.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
RELATED:
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Minor Moves: Harris, Lohman, Boggs — Here are the day's minor transactions, updated as we go: — The Rays have released outfielder James Harris, MLBTR has learned. Harris was a supplemental first-round pick in the 2011 draft, taken 60th overall by Tampa and signed for a (then under-slot) bonus of $490K.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
MLB.com:
Duo combines for five hits and four RBIs in tie against A's — 3/25/15: Carlos Gomez hits a home run to left field on the first pitch he sees from Sonny Gray — PHOENIX — Carlos Gomez hit a leadoff home run and logged RBIs in each of the first three innings as the Brewers knocked around A's Opening …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
RELATED:
Ryan Lawrence / Philly.com:
Victorino would welcome Hamels to Boston — FORT MYERS, Fla. - Cole Hamels will almost certainly take the mound in a Phillies uniform on Opening Day, 2 weeks from yesterday, at Citizens Bank Park against the Boston Red Sox. — Spring training trades - particularly spring training blockbuster trades - are extremely rare.
Discussion:
Boston Herald, Over the Monster, CBS Boston, HardballTalk, The Big Lead and NESN.com
Associated Press:
Johnson Has 3 Hits to Help Braves Beat Pirates 7-5 — BRADENTON, Fla. — Josh Harrison led off the game with a home run that ended Wandy Rodriguez's scoreless streak at 12 innings, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-5 Thursday. — Chris Johnson had three hits …
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN.com:
Marlins' Cosart: ‘Caught off guard’ by probe … JUPITER, Fla. — Miami Marlins pitcher Jarred Cosart said Thursday that he was “caught off guard” by the firestorm surrounding his alleged sports gambling activities and is cooperating fully with a Major League Baseball investigation.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online and Miami New Times
RELATED:
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Jarred Cosart subject of MLB probe
Jarred Cosart subject of MLB probe
Discussion:
Fish Stripes, Yahoo Sports and baseballmusings.com
David Just / Chicago:
Cubs' Ricketts reveals Wrigley renovation might take extra year — Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts revealed Wednesday that the Wrigley Field restoration project will take an extra year to complete. — The first of four scheduled offseason phases began in the fall of 2014 and the project …
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, Bleacher Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, Sporting News Feed RSS and CBS Chicago
Associated Press:
Cabrera, Martinez and Cespedes Homer for Tigers in Win — LAKELAND, Fla. — Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Yoenis Cespedes each homered for the Detroit Tigers in 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. — Cabrera connected off Tommy Hunter in the sixth …
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Jeter's replacement already earning eye-popping praise from Yankee vets — FOX Sports — Look familiar? Actually, Didi Gregorius' defense is already earning praise Derek Jeter's never received. — I walked into the Yankees' spring complex with no preconceived notions about what I wanted to write.
Discussion:
USA Today, HardballTalk, CBSSports.com and BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Padres Claim Jandel Gustave From Royals — The Padres have claimed hard-throwing right-hander Jandel Gustave off waivers from the Royals, reports Josh Vernier of 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City (Twitter link). Gustave had been with the Royals in camp after being selected from the Astros …
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
Meghan Montemurro / delawareonline:
Sizemore ‘forgotten man’ so far this spring — CLEARWATER, Fla. - Grady Sizemore has become a bit of a forgotten ballplayer with the Phillies this spring. — The Phillies made bringing back Sizemore a priority, signing him to a one-year, $2 million contract in mid-October.
Discussion:
CBSSports.com