Top News:
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Waino dazzling in five innings against Astros — Yes, it was only for five innings and, yes, it was an exhibition game. But the step by step progression of the 36-year-old Wainwright this spring has been palpable after critics and even supporters had wondered in the off-season what might …
RELATED:
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals' bullpen dominates Houston — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. • Starter Adam Wainwright was impressive enough for the Cardinals on Wednesday. The four pitchers who succeeded him virtually were unhittable. — Piggy-backing five scoreless innings by five relievers on Tuesday …
Ben Frederickson / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards' Wainwright is offline but on target — • Adam Wainwright will not read this story, at least not on the handy STLtoday app. — The Cardinals starter is in the midst of a self-imposed internet ban. — Well, sort of. — If he's not updating his Twitter followers on his attempts …
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Voit keeps his catcher's mitt ready in case of ‘emergency, emergency, emergency’
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Longtime aces Wainwright, Verlander clash
Longtime aces Wainwright, Verlander clash
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports
ESPN:
Former Red Sox manager John Farrell joins Reds as scout — The Cincinnati Reds have added John Farrell as a scout. — It will be Farrell's first job since the Red Sox dismissed him as their manager last October with one year left on his contract. He posted a 432-378 record over five seasons …
RELATED:
Dave Clark / Cincinnati.com:
Reds hire Farrell, ex-Red Sox manager, as scout — The Cincinnati Reds are hiring John Farrell as a scout, according to MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince. He's expected to report to Goodyear, Ariz., on Thursday. — The Boston Red Sox fired Farrell after the 2017 season. Farrell had managed the Red Sox since 20137.
Corpus Christi Caller-Times:
Minor League Baseball announces rules changes to go into effect in 2018 — Minor League Baseball announced three rules changes Wednesday that will go into effect for the 2018 season. — The most drastic change will come in extra innings, where a runner will be placed on second every inning beginning in the 10th.
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Extra innings to start with runner at 2nd base in minors — Extra innings throughout the minor leagues will start with a runner at second base. — In addition, the pitch clock that began at Triple-A and Double-A in 2015 will be lowered from 20 seconds to 15 when there are no runners on base …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Lookout Landing and Lone Star Ball
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers renew contracts of Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger … The Dodgers renewed the contracts of Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger on Wednesday, assigning the two young stars a salary after the players declined to agree to the team's offer. — The Dodgers renewed Seager at $605,000 and Bellinger at $585,000.
RELATED:
Steve Greenberg / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs' Kris Bryant wants to walk more, whiff less; says, ‘I want to be great’ — Sign-Up for our Newsletter … SURPRISE, Ariz. — It's been a while since Kris Bryant cried about being called out on strikes. Let's call it a little more than half a lifetime ago, in his native Las Vegas.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Fran Spielman / Chicago Sun Times:
Cubs and Tunney at odds again - this time over tent shielding player parking lot
Cubs and Tunney at odds again - this time over tent shielding player parking lot
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune:
Carson Fulmer chalks up dismal performance to ‘just a bad outing’ — Chicago Tribune — After each of his first three Cactus League starts — all losses — White Sox starter Carson Fulmer was able to find some positives. — Though nothing positive was evident in Fulmer's fourth effort …
RELATED:
Coley HarveyESPN / ESPN:
Aaron Judge to Manny Machado: 'You'd look pretty good in pinstripes, too' — One year after attempting to woo Giancarlo Stanton to his New York Yankees, Aaron Judge is trying to recruit another one of baseball's most feared hitters to add to his team's already dangerous lineup.
Discussion:
MLB on Yahoo! Sports and Associated Press
RELATED:
Dan Martin / New York Post:
Here's how little Yankees are paying the Baby Bombers
Here's how little Yankees are paying the Baby Bombers
Discussion:
HotNewHipHop.com, MLB Baseball News … and Pinstripe Alley
Associated Press:
Actor Jim Caviezel stands in for Royals coach Dale Sveum in photo — SURPRISE, Ariz. — Actor Jim Caviezel has played Jesus and golfer Bobby Jones on the big screen. On Wednesday, he portrayed Kansas City Royals bench coach Dale Sveum. — Sveum had a medical appointment for his stiff neck …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Associated Press:
Carlos Gonzalez: ‘Proud’ to play 10 years in Colorado, OK with free-agency try — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Carlos Gonzalez says he has no regrets about his first voyage into free agency. — “I'm glad I'm back. I'm wearing the same uniform I've been wearing for the last nine seasons …
NBC Sports Chicago / MLB Baseball News …:
Eloy Jimenez and other prospects sent to minors as White Sox make latest round of spring roster cuts — Despite returning from his injury layoff with a bang, Eloy Jimenez will not be starting the 2018 season in the major leagues. — As expected, he'll be heading to Double-A Birmingham …
Discussion:
South Side Sox, Brew Crew Ball and Chicago Tribune
RELATED:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Tim Lincecum on legacy, loss and identity: ‘I realized I care about baseball so much’ — SURPRISE, Ariz. — Tim Lincecum climbs into his black Porsche Turbo 911 this early afternoon, pulls out of the Texas Rangers' parking lot, drives past the security checkpoint, and there they are, waiting for him.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Willson Contreras getting his batting eye back after missing time to illness — Chicago Tribune — After missing a week because of a fever, Willson Contreras is making up for lost time. — So after a sluggish round of batting practice Tuesday, Contreras asked Jesus Feliciano …
Associated Press:
Martin Prado still recovering from knee surgery, will start year on DL — MIAMI — The Marlins say third baseman Martin Prado will begin the season on the disabled list while he recovers from right knee surgery. — Hamstring and knee injuries limited Prado to 37 games last year …
Neil Best / Newsday:
Ratings for Yankees spring training games on YES up 89 percent — The March 4 Rays-Yankees game averaged 145,000 viewers, the network's most-viewed spring training game in five years. — Even for television executives and ratings nerds, spring training baseball usually is a nonevent.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
ESPN:
Brewers C Stephen Vogt not expected back for Opening Day — The Brewers are not expected to have catcher Stephen Vogt for Opening Day after a second opinion on his ailing right shoulder revealed a strained capsule. — Vogt, 33, will be shut down indefinitely.
Chelsea Janes / Chicago Tribune:
As Nationals reassign Bryan Harper, could Bryce's brother still break into majors this year? — The Washington Post — No one expected Bryan Harper, brother of Washington Nationals superstar Bryce Harper, to crack the Nationals' opening day roster. That he played well enough to earn …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
Bob Brookover / Philly.com:
John Middleton's Phillies will never be cheap | Bob Brookover — The optic was not good, but it belied the truth. Yes, the Phillies arrived in spring training with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball and that is not where they belong. — Early in spring training …
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
ESPN:
Zack Greinke leaves Diamondbacks game with right groin tightness — Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zack Greinke left Wednesday's spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds with right groin tightness. — Greinke allowed one hit and zero runs, striking out two, in one inning before departing.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and AZ Snake Pit