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
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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:
Federal Baseball, Amazin' Avenue, ESPN and New Jersey Online
Brady Aiken / The Players' Tribune:
A Fresh Start — Yesterday, I had Tommy John surgery to fix my left arm. I'm obviously extremely disappointed. I wanted to let my pitching speak for itself, but now there are going to be new distractions. For that reason, I wanted to be the one to tell people what's happened and make this a fresh start.
Discussion:
Baseball America, ESPN.com, MLB Trade Rumors, HardballTalk, SBNation.com and Ultimate Astros
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.
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Brew Crew Ball
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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
Associated Press:
Hernandez Throws 6 Sharp Innings in Mariners' Loss to Royals — PEORIA, Ariz. — Felix Hernandez pitched two-hit ball for six innings in his longest outing of the spring Thursday as a split squad of Seattle Mariners lost to the Kansas City Royals 3-0. — Hernandez, the ace who led the AL with a 2.14 ERA last season, gave up one run.
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
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Associated Press:
Potential Yankees Starter Warren Has Another Solid Outing — PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Adam Warren isn't assuming he will earn a spot in the New York Yankees' pitching rotation. — “I haven't been told anything yet,” Warren said Thursday after another solid performance during a 6-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Associated Press:
Rain Helps Cards' Wainwright Clean Up Tough Outing vs Miami — JUPITER, Fla. — St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright gave up four runs, including a solo homer by Giancarlo Stanton, in 3 2-3 innings Thursday before a rain delay ended his outing in a 5-3 loss to the Miami Marlins.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
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:
baseballmusings.com, USA Today, HardballTalk, CBSSports.com, BBTF's Baseball Primer … and MLB Trade Rumors
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:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Bleacher Nation, Sporting News Feed RSS, CBSSports.com and CBS Chicago
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, Miami New Times and MLB
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
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 …
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The Crawfish Boxes