Top News:
Bill Plaschke / Los Angeles Times:
Column On Vin Scully's first opening day in retirement, he engaged in ‘that other national pastime, paying bills’ — Shaking the sleep out of their old ballpark, awakening their urgency to end a title drought, the Dodgers majestically opened the 2017 baseball season Monday afternoon with a perfect two-part greeting.
Discussion:
Fox Sports and NESN.com
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Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers' opening day: Clayton Kershaw ($33 million) vs. Padres ($28 million) — Clayton Kershaw has started six times on opening day. He never has lost. On Monday, he makes what could be his most unusual start on opening day. — When Kershaw faces the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium …
Discussion:
SI.com, Gaslamp Ball, USA Today, sandiegouniontribune.com, NESN.com and True Blue LA
Maury Brown / Forbes:
Here's The 2017 Opening Day Payrolls For All 30 MLB Teams, Total Tops $4 Billion — With the 2017 Major League Baseball season getting underway with three games on Sunday, clubs turned in their 25-man rosters, and with it, their Opening Day payrolls. Based on figures from The Associated Press …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter, Bleacher Nation, Royals Review and Crain's Cleveland Business
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
MLB Opening Day: Clayton Kershaw, Stephen Strasburg take mound for season's start — The full-fledged opening of the baseball season evokes a similar excitement to the start of a long-distance race, where the competitors know they're in for an endurance test but still can't wait to get going.
Discussion:
True Blue LA, Yahoo Sports and baseballmusings.com
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Noah Syndergaard exits with blister, Mets unload in seventh inning to shut out Braves 6-0 on Opening Day — In six innings Monday, Noah Syndergaard gave the Mets fans hope and then reminded them just how fragile that hope can be. The ace threw six scoreless innings before he was forced …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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Associated Press:
Cabrera, Syndergaard lead Mets past Braves 6-0 in opener … NEW YORK — Noah Syndergaard is off to a blistering start — and that could be a concern for the New York Mets. — The hard-throwing ace pitched six sharp innings before leaving with a blister, Asdrubal Cabrera singled home …
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing
Marc Carig / Newsday:
Mets ace Noah Syndergaard ready for Opening Day start
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue and Talking Chop
John Ourand / SBD Articles:
Sources: Romo To Land With CBS; Could Replace Simms As Top Analyst … Tony Romo will be a TV analyst with CBS next season, according to sources. A deal has yet to be signed, but CBS and Romo have reached a verbal agreement. The Cowboys QB is expected to replace Phil Simms as the net's top game analyst …
Discussion:
Pro Football Rumors, The Big Lead, ProFootballTalk and NESN.com
Marc Carig / Newsday:
Mets' Steven Matz says he has strained flexor tendon in left elbow — The official reason for Steven Matz's latest stint on the disabled list is “left elbow inflammation.” But the Mets lefthander said doctors have diagnosed him with a strained flexor tendon in his elbow.
Discussion:
metsdaddy.com and Amazin' Avenue
Associated Press:
Trumbo's 11th-inning homer lifts Orioles over Blue Jays 3-2 … BALTIMORE — Five months later, the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays reprised their winner-take-all postseason showdown. — The stakes weren't as high, yet the drama was palpable and the game was eerily similar.
Discussion:
Camden Chat
David Pinto / baseballmusings.com:
Games of the Day — The Pirates visit Fenway Park as Gerrit Cole takes on the Red Sox and reigning Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello. Cole is coming off a down year in which injuries limited his playing time and led to his walk and home run rates going up.
Discussion:
Over the Monster and Beyond the Box Score
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Jim BowdenESPN / ESPN:
The No. 1 concern of every MLB general manager
Discussion:
Over the Monster, Minor League Ball, Pinstripe Alley, Dan Shaughnessy Watch and Federal Baseball
Peter King / SI.com:
Paul DePodesta: The Brain Behind the Browns Rebuild — Cleveland's crafty chief strategy officer plays coy when pressed on how he plans to help the franchise return to relevancy. But here are a few clues into the Browns' draft strategy. Plus items on Adrian Peterson visiting the Pats …
Discussion:
FanRag Sports, ProFootballTalk, Atlanta Falcons blog and Pro Football Rumors
Roger Mooney / Tampa Bay Times:
Jake Odorizzi: Rays' best pitcher of 2016 looks to another season of consistency — ST. PETERSBURG — A dozen or so reporters and cameramen crowded around Chris Archer's locker Friday, a throng so thick it spilled to the adjoining locker, which belongs to Jake Odorizzi.
Zach Buchanan / Cincinnati.com:
Reds could live or die by rookie pitchers in 2017 … CONNECT — The 2017 rotation was looked a lot different in January. It looked more veteran. — Homer Bailey and Anthony DeSclafani were supposed to be healthy, not felled until June with elbow problems.
Discussion:
Minor League Ball
