Top News:
Jon Henley / Guardian:
Long lunch: Spanish civil servant skips work for years without anyone noticing — Joaquín García failed to show up for his job at the water board for at least six years - and possibly as many as 14 — Only when Joaquín García, a Spanish civil servant …
RELATED:
BBC:
Spanish civil servant off work unnoticed for six years — A Spanish civil servant who failed to turn up for work for “at least” six years has been caught after becoming eligible for a long service award. — Joaquin Garcia, 69, was fined €27,000 (£21,000; $30,000) after the award brought his long absence to light.
Discussion:
fox8.com
Nic Ortega / The Times:
Spain's absent civil servant wasn't missed for six years … A civil servant in Spain didn't turn up to work for six years but his absence was noticed only when he was due to collect a long-service award. — Joaquín García was fined €27,000 for absenteeism by a court in Cádiz …
ESPN:
ZiPS' Top 100 MLB prospects — Last Thursday, ESPN colleague Keith Law released his Top 100 prospects, his ninth such annual ranking for ESPN. This means it's time to put Keith's selections through the ZiPS wringer, testing his prospect rankings against the ZiPS projection system's data-driven, emotionless algorithms.
Discussion:
Bleacher Nation
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Baseball America:
Top 100 Prospects — SEE ALSO: Organization Talent Rankings SEE ALSO …
Top 100 Prospects — SEE ALSO: Organization Talent Rankings SEE ALSO …
Discussion:
Union-News, Todays Knuckleball, Over the Monster, Viva El Birdos, DRaysBay, FenwayNation, Pinstripe Alley, Federal Baseball, Let's Go Tribe, Talking Chop, Bleacher Nation, MLB Trade Rumors, River Avenue Blues, Full Count, Amazin' Avenue, Philliedelphia, True Blue LA, Lone Star Ball, Red Reporter and redsminorleagues.com
Jason Noble / Des Moines Register:
Grassley joins call to delay Supreme Court nomination — The Senate should not take up the nomination of a replacement for Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court until after the November presidential election, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said in a statement on Saturday.
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Gary Martin / MySanAntonio.com:
Senior U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia found dead at West Texas ranch — Associate Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead of apparent natural causes Saturday on a luxury resort in West Texas, federal officials said. — Scalia, 79, was a guest at the Cibolo Creek Ranch …
Discussion:
New York's PIX11
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
MLB win totals: How we see the 2016 season unfolding — From April through October, 30 major league teams will contest 2,430 games and pay out some $3.7 billion in player salaries in the hope they win a few more than they lose, catch a fortuitous bounce or two and - should everything break just right - find their way into the playoffs.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Lone Star Ball and CBS Chicago
Associated Press:
100-Win Cardinals Ready to Defend NL Central Title — ST. LOUIS — There was no way the St. Louis Cardinals could match the headline-grabbing activity of their biggest NL Central rival in Chicago, the team that was saw to it they were one and done last fall.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Not every team that's rebuilding should be accused of tanking — Here's the thing about “tanking,” which the owners reportedly discussed at their recent meetings, and which some will tell you is a scourge on baseball as we know it: — When teams such as the Phillies, Brewers and Braves go young …
Discussion:
Talking Chop and Baseball Essential
Patrick Redford / Deadspin:
Mookie Betts Drove A Golf Cart Right Into A Lake — Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts is an adept baseball man, as well as an extremely skilled bowler. What he's not good at is driving a golf cart, apparently. He and Travis Shaw went golfing this afternoon, and they got a bit more amphibious than they wanted to.
Discussion:
Over the Monster
Stefan Stevenson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers sign first baseman Ike Davis to minor league deal — Left-handed-hitting veteran has invitation to big league spring training — Davis played for Pirates in 2014 when Banister was coach — Hit career-high 32 home runs with 90 RBIs for Mets in 2012
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, Dallas Morning News, Lone Star Ball and Amazin' Avenue
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Rays' position battles heading into spring training — There are plenty of things Rays officials don't know as they head to Port Charlotte this week to open spring training. — Who from a group of inexperienced options led by Alex Colome will emerge as the primary setup man for closer Brad Boxberger?
Discussion:
Todays Knuckleball and DRaysBay
Adam RubinESPN / ESPN:
Jenrry Mejia first player to get permanent ban for 3rd positive PED test — NEW YORK — Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia made baseball history Friday, becoming the first player to be permanently suspended by Major League Baseball after testing positive again for a performance-enhancing substance.
Discussion:
Newsday, Faith and Fear in Flushing, Cincinnati.com, NBCSports.com and NPR
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Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Jenrry Mejia Gets Lifetime Ban After Third Positive PED Test
Jenrry Mejia Gets Lifetime Ban After Third Positive PED Test
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, MLB Daily Dish and NESN.com