Top News:
Jorge L. Ortiz / Chillicothe Gazette:
Elder Felix Hernandez ready to return to throne as Mariners ace: 'I'm still King Felix' — SportsPulse: The Houston Astros looked primed to repeat as World Series champs. Recent history suggests otherwise. USA TODAY Sports — CONNECT — PEORIA, Ariz. - Felix Hernandez …
RELATED:
Coley HarveyESPN / ESPN:
Giancarlo Stanton makes spring training debut for Yankees — TAMPA, Fla. — Giancarlo Stanton had every reason to feel a little nervous Friday afternoon as he made his highly anticipated spring training debut with a new team that's full of lofty expectations.
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:
Gleyber Torres thrilled to be back on the field, in Yankees 2B competition — Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018 Pete Caldera/NorthJersey.com — TAMPA, Fla. - Playing in a game for the first time since last June, rookie Gleyber Torres said he felt comfortable, confident and “excited for this opportunity” to win the Yankees' second base job.
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees hyped on his debut: ‘There was definitely a buzz’
ESPN:
MLB teams wear hats to honor high school shooting victims — Spring training got off to a solemn start as MLB teams wore hats to honor Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were fatally shot nine days ago. — Stoneman Douglas baseball coach Todd Fitz-Gerald …
RELATED:
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:
And The Valley Shook, FanRag Sports, CBS Denver, Royals Review, CBS Philly, ProFootballTalk, Courier-Journal, Deadspin, FOX59, HotNewHipHop.com, Burnt Orange Nation, The Ringer, NESN.com, Bangor Daily News, CBS Detroit, USA Today, The Big Lead, DKPittsburghSports.com, Dallas Morning News, Testudo Times, KSNT-TV, The Clemson Insider and TMZ.com
RELATED:
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.
RELATED:
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.
Discussion:
Fish Stripes
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals in no hurry to label closers
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
Associated Press:
Francisco Liriano agrees to 1-year, $4 million deal with Tigers — TAMPA, Fla. — Detroit agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract with left-hander Francisco Liriano, giving the Tigers added pitching depth. — The 34-year-old was 6-7 with a 4.62 ERA in 18 starts last season with Toronto …
RELATED:
Detroit Free Press:
Next Slide — TAMPA — With the addition of left-hander Francisco Liriano, who signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers on Friday afternoon, the team designated left-handed reliever Jairo Labourt for assignment. — Labourt, 23, came to the Tigers in their 2015 trade deadline deal with the Blue Jays for left-hander David Price.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
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.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and Talking Chop
RELATED:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Notes: Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain get to stop talking about being Brewers and go play — PHOENIX - Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich weren't on the same field Friday but made their debuts as the Milwaukee Brewers played split-squad games to open Cactus League play.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
RELATED:
Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Phillies pitcher Francisco Rodriguez still has the desire to return to the once-great K-Rod form — DUNEDIN, Fla. - The career of Francisco Rodriguez should have ended last July when he was released by Washington. The Nationals were the second team to dump him in three week.
RELATED:
Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Phillies' first Grapefruit game lineup and three things to know
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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 Baseball News …, DRaysBay, FanRag Sports and MLB Daily Dish
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Oakland found closer in Treinen, part of bullpen revamp — MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Oakland found its closer in Blake Treinen last summer, and its bullpen transformation continued when it acquired offseason targets Yusmeiro Petit and Ryan Buchter this winter. — For a team that had 25 blown saves …
Associated Press:
Back tightness delays Carpenter's spring debut for Cards — JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Cardinals manager Mike Matheny isn't sure when first baseman Matt Carpenter will make his Grapefruit League debut. — Carpenter is battling back tightness. For the time being, he is in the hands …
Associated Press:
Rasmus makes new start with Orioles after baseball break — SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Colby Rasmus is making a new start with the Baltimore Orioles after taking an eight-month break from baseball. — Rasmus signed a minor league contract with the Orioles this week, after abruptly leaving the Tampa Bay Rays in midseason.
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.
