Top News:
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Ozuna to DH against former team in Cardinals' spring opener — JUPITER, Fla. • Former Miami Marlins star Marcell Ozuna is playing, sort of, against his former teammates as the Cardinals open their exhibition baseball season Friday here against the Marlins.
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Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals in no hurry to label closers — JUPITER, Fla. • The Cardinals' bullpen this year likely will be comprised of seven relievers at the start of the season but could have eight at any moment, if manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Mike Maddux deem the concept worthy.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Two Van Slyke homers give Marlins 6-4 win over Cardinals — JUPITER, Fla. • Outfielder Oscar Mercado, in his first game wearing a Cardinals uniform, singled twice, scored a run and made a strong catch in right field Friday although the Cardinals lost their exhibition baseball opener to the Miami Marlins 6-4.
Yahoo Sports:
Exclusive: Federal documents detail sweeping potential NCAA violations involving high-profile players, schools — Documents and bank records obtained in discovery during the federal investigation into the underbelly of college basketball detail in meticulous fashion the expenditures …
Discussion:
FanRag Sports, And The Valley Shook, Royals Review, CBS Denver, ProFootballTalk, Courier-Journal, Deadspin, DKPittsburghSports.com, Associated Press, KSNT-TV, Burnt Orange Nation, HotNewHipHop.com, NESN.com, CBS Detroit, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, The Big Lead, Dallas Morning News, Testudo Times, The Clemson Insider and TMZ.com
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Brent Honeywell injury could be worst Rays news yet — PORT CHARLOTTE — It might have seemed that things couldn't get worse for the Rays after an opening week of spring training that included the dumping of two veterans to harshly negative reviews, including from their own players …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, DRaysBay and FanRag Sports
RELATED:
Detroit Free Press:
Photos: Tigers vs. Yankees in exhibition — Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire (15) wears the cap of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School baseball team, the Stoneman Douglas Eagles, before the exhibition game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, to honor the victims of Feb. 14's attack in Parkland, Fla.
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Bill Madden / New York Daily News:
Rays, Marlins disorder is unfair to fans and other small-market teams that are trying to win — TAMPA — The three-team trade that brought infielder Brandon Drury to the Yankees and sent Tampa Bay Rays favorite Steven Souza Jr. to Arizona has served to further emphasize the tale of two teams …
Discussion:
Minor League Ball
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Jacob Shafer / Bleacher Report:
Marlins' and Rays' Embarrassing Selloffs Show MLB Can't Survive in Florida
Marlins' and Rays' Embarrassing Selloffs Show MLB Can't Survive in Florida
Discussion:
Pirates Breakdown, FanRag Sports, MLB Baseball News … and MLB Daily Dish
Bob McManaman / Arizona Republic:
Arizona Diamondbacks spring training - 2018
Arizona Diamondbacks spring training - 2018
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Detroit News:
Next Slide — Lakeland, Fla. — Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire did something after the game Thursday that he would very rarely do in the regular season. He made a point of personally complimenting the home-plate umpire. — “Helluva job, very nice,” he said to Jen Pawol, one of two women umpiring in professional baseball.
Discussion:
Sporting News
RELATED:
R.J. Anderson / CBSSports.com:
Jen Pawol, one of two women umpires in professional baseball, calls first MLB action
Jen Pawol, one of two women umpires in professional baseball, calls first MLB action
Discussion:
Detroit News
Steve Buffery / Toronto Sun:
Lighter, stronger Morales craves bounce-back year with Blue Jays — DUNEDIN — Some Blue Jays are fan favorites: Kevin Pillar, Marcus Stroman, Josh Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki ... it's a pretty big list. — Kendrys Morales is not on that list. — Not because he isn't a good guy, or anything like that.
Discussion:
Bluebird Banter
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals eager to see Martinez take ‘Bull’ by the horns — JUPITER, Fla. • The message was taped to Carlos Martinez's locker in the Cardinals' clubhouse and it didn't contain a single word. — The piece of paper stuck there had two pictures, juxtaposed.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs say keeping core of young position players intact ‘a big part of our identity’ — Chicago Tribune — After raising the likelihood in October of a trade to acquire impact pitching, President Theo Epstein managed to keep a core of prized young players together that Cubs fans may treasure …
Jerry CrasnickESPN Senior / ESPN:
While the rest of MLB goes young, the Giants are doubling down on players in their 30s — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The San Francisco Giants sold out 530 straight games before their streak ended in July, and they feel obliged to put a competitive product on the field for all those die-hard ticket holders by the bay.
Toronto Sun:
MLB pulls plug on runner-on-second rule for spring games — TAMPA, Fla. — A proposal collapsed that would have put a runner on second base to start the 10th inning of spring training games, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
Tom Verducci / Sports Illustrated:
MLB to Mandate That Baseballs Are Stored in Air Conditioned Room for 2018 — In a potential effort to combat the surge in home runs, MLB is mandating that each team store balls in an air conditioned and enclosed room for 2018. — PHOENIX — For the first time, Major League Baseball …
Discussion:
The Comeback and MLB Baseball News …
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Dominic Smith scratched from Mets lineup before first spring training game — PORT ST LUCIE — Dominic Smith was scratched from the lineup for the Mets' first spring training game Friday, and the first baseman says he wasn't given a reason why. — Smith added that he is not injured.
Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox injury news: Micker Adolfo out at least 6 weeks, Carlos Rodon won't pitch in any spring training games — Chicago Tribune — On the day the White Sox took the field for their first Cactus League game, they made news off of it. — General manager Rick Hahn announced Friday …
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers put 5 games on KTLA; no DirecTV deal expected this season — For the fifth consecutive year, the Dodgers will be off the air in a majority of Southern California homes. — The team and its television partner announced Friday that five games will be shown on KTLA (Channel 5).
David Haugh / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Hope still shines for Corey Ray after disappointing year in Brewers system — Chicago Tribune — Stillness surrounds the bungalow at the end of Bloomfield Drive, where the rattling wind chimes break the silence to announce a gentle breeze keeping temperatures unseasonably cool.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Braves' hitting leaders return who could carry team in 2018 — The nucleus of Freddie Freeman, Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis led the Braves (or were tied for the lead) in 15 categories on offense last season. Inciarte made the All-Star game, and Freeman appeared on his way to MVP consideration …
ESPN:
Angels' Shohei Ohtani to make spring debut as pitcher Saturday — Multitalented Japanese pitcher/hitter Shohei Ohtani will make his spring training debut for the Los Angeles Angels on the mound against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. — “I feel that this is a big step forward,” Ohtani told reporters Thursday, via an interpreter.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven