Top News:
Ryan Ford / Detroit Free Press:
Baseball Hall of Fame: A first look at the Class of 2019 first-timers — All the votes are in! On Wednesday, the Baseball Hall of Fame will announce the rest of the Class of 2018. Chipper Jones and Jim Thome are expected to make the Hall in their first year of eligibility …
RELATED:
Detroit Free Press:
Baseball Hall of Fame ballot: Decisions easier once PED cloud lifted — As a longtime member of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, Gene Myers, who retired in 2015 as sports director of the Free Press, has one of the roughly 425 ballots that will determine the rest of the Hall of Fame's Class of 2018.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing, Let's Go Tribe, New York Times and USA Today
Fox Sports:
Martinez rockets up Hall of Fame ballot as DHs gain respect — NEW YORK (AP) Edgar Martinez is rocketing up the Hall of Fame ballot, boosted 13 years after his final swing by new-age statistical analyses and campaigning. — His percentage of the vote more than doubled from 2015 to last year …
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Getting into baseball's Hall of Fame is hard. Voting isn't easy either. — First, let's make this clear: — Voting for the Hall of Fame is truly a cool thing. An honor. A privilege. A labor of love, from putting an X next to names of obvious choices, such as Chipper Jones and Jim Thome …
Discussion:
DRaysBay
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Sandy Alderson and Mets are confident that better health can turn things around in 2018 — Sandy Alderson said the Mets are monitoring the market for a possible second baseman, but there is a chance they will open spring training Feb. 14 without a move. With four starting pitchers coming …
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online and Amazin' Avenue
RELATED:
Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:
NY Mets' Jeff Wilpon understands fans are upset; says team does have payroll flexibility — NEW YORK — Jeff Wilpon knows Mets fans are upset. — Those who bleed blue and orange have been championing for ownership to get back to the days of spending like a big-market franchise.
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online and Amazin' Avenue
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
A-Rod doing double duty, adds ESPN's ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ gig to go along with his FOX duties — A-Rod is replacing Aaron Boone once again. — First, at third base in the Bronx. — Now, in the broadcast booth for ESPN. — Alex Rodriguez will be part of the Worldwide Leader's …
RELATED:
ESPN:
Alex Rodriguez to call games for ESPN on Sunday Night Baseball
Discussion:
Pirates Breakdown, Pinstripe Alley and FanRag Sports
Michael McCarthy / Sporting News:
Sources: Alex Rodriguez to work with both ESPN and Fox
Discussion:
Business Insider, MLB on Yahoo! Sports, Bleed Cubbie Blue, NESN.com, Halos Heaven, NBCSports.com, FanRag Sports and FenwayNation
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Stats defined Chipper Jones' Braves career — Chipper Jones is a Hall of Fame shoo-in. — The Atlanta Braves' top pick in 1990 retired in 2012 as one of baseball's best switch-hitters. Jones, who finished with 2,724 hits and 468 homers, hit above .300 from both sides of the plate.
Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:
New Blue Jays outfielder Grichuk expects to be a hit in AL East — While presumably ever grateful to be a major leaguer, there are two big reasons Randal Grichuk didn't mind being sprung from the St. Louis Cardinals. — Pegged as the Blue Jays everyday outfielder for 2018 …
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
Mary Kay Cabot / Plain Dealer:
Browns' John Dorsey indicates Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield are in the discussion at No. 1 — MOBILE, Ala. — Browns GM John Dorsey will meet with Wyoming's Josh Allen and Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield at the Senior Bowl, but has already indicated they're in the discussion for the Browns' pick at No. 1.
Discussion:
FanRag Sports and ProFootballTalk
ESPN:
Why does everybody love Vlad Guerrero so much? — Everything about Vladimir Guerrero was impossible. Maybe that's one reason everyone loved him. — It's a minor miracle that he escaped an impoverished childhood in the Dominican Republic to reach the majors.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Angels, Dodgers plan to extend protective netting for next season — The Angels and Dodgers plan to extend protective netting at their stadiums next season. — The teams are the latest to respond to an incident at Yankee Stadium last September, in which a girl was seriously injured when hit by a foul ball.
Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox announce spring training broadcast schedule — Chicago Tribune — Chicago White Sox fans will have the opportunity to watch 19 of the team's spring training games. — The Sox on Tuesday announced their 2018 spring training broadcast schedule, and six games will be televised from Arizona …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
RELATED:
Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune:
Five questions facing the White Sox with spring training approaching
Discussion:
South Side Sox
