Top News:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees hyped on his debut: ‘There was definitely a buzz’ — TAMPA - It was just a meaningless exhibition game, the first of 32 for the New York Yankees in a long spring training, but then again, this one felt different. — This day, on a gorgeous Friday afternoon …
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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.
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.
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 …
Associated Press:
Alex Cora ‘not concerned’ Red Sox deal with J.D. Martinez not yet done — FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have still yet to finalize their contract with prized free agent J.D. Martinez. — Manager Alex Cora said after Boston's Grapefruit League exhibition opener against Minnesota …
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 …
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Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Florida shootings ‘hit home’ for many MLB players, some more direct than others — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - On a day when major league teams paid tribute to the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High by wearing caps with the school's initials, it wasn't hard to find players who could relate …
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Anthony Rizzo on Cubs wearing Stoneman Douglas caps: ‘Amazing the power (people) have’
Anthony Rizzo on Cubs wearing Stoneman Douglas caps: ‘Amazing the power (people) have’
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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, Royals Review, CBS Denver, CBS Philly, ProFootballTalk, Courier-Journal, FOX59, Deadspin, HotNewHipHop.com, The Ringer, Burnt Orange Nation, Bangor Daily News, NESN.com, USA Today, CBS Detroit, The Big Lead, DKPittsburghSports.com, Dallas Morning News, Testudo Times, KSNT-TV, The Clemson Insider and TMZ.com
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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.
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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
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 …
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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
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
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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
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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.
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Matt Breen / Philly.com:
Phillies' first Grapefruit game lineup and three things to know
Phillies' first Grapefruit game lineup and three things to know
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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.
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 …
Bob McManaman / Arizona Republic:
Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Christian Walker keeps running into walls at first base … CONNECT — Behind every door of Christian Walker's wild walk through the major leagues thus far, there has been a wall. Considering the position he plays and the four different organizations that …
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