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4:35 PM ET, March 21, 2018

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Gabe Lacques / USA Today:
Is ‘bullpenning’ MLB's best path to 27 outs - or a gateway to ‘mediocrity’?  —  Finding the best path to 27 outs is perhaps baseball's most evolving and enduring puzzle.  Yet in many quarters, a permanent solution appears at hand.  —  “Some form of bullpenning,” Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto …
RELATED:
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Revived Gerrit Cole enjoying fresh slate with Houston Astros  —  SportsPulse: The Houston Astros looked primed to repeat as World Series champs.  Recent history suggests otherwise.  USA TODAY Sports  —  CONNECT  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — When agent Scott Boras met with Gerrit Cole for lunch recently …
Discussion: Brew Crew Ball
Tom Schad / USA Today:
Ex-pitcher Greg Reynolds, who broke hand punching naked LSD attacker, wins over $2 million  —  Former MLB pitcher Greg Reynolds believes his baseball career was cut short after he punched a naked man on LSD who was trying to break into his home in 2015.  —  On Monday, a California jury agreed …
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Shohei Ohtani, Angels undaunted by rocky spring: 'He's going to wow us,' says Mike Trout
Discussion: Bleacher Report
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Carpenter, Ozuna homer back-to-back in 13-6 Cards win  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Matt Carpenter and Marcell Ozuna, who will bat third and fourth this season for the Cardinals, hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning Wednesday.  By that time, the Cardinals already were well ahead …
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals bringing back ‘biggest arm in camp’ for Grapefruit debut  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • The Cardinals expected everything about Jordan Hicks' spring training to be quick — his fastball, his rise, his athleticism — everything except for his exit.  —  The pitcher who manager Mike Matheny referred …
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Kelly ready to prove his point in Memphis  —  • Carson Kelly, who rarely dodges a media request, was reported to have nothing to say late Sunday afternoon after being told he was being sent to Class AAA Memphis after a three-for-30 spring.  —  “I didn't want to go crazy,” …
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Cards notebook: Waino dominates Mets (minor leaguers); Reyes raring to go
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   No closer is no problem so far for Cardinals
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Mets' Jacob deGrom and Michael Conforto spend off day preparing for season  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — As most of their teammates enjoyed a day off Wednesday, Jacob deGrom and Michael Conforto played in a minors game at First Data Field in front of a crowd of roughly 150 players, executives and media members.
RELATED:
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Mets facing St. Louis Cardinals three times before season-opening series  —  The recent trend has been for the Mets to start the season with a division foe, but they will instead face the Cardinals next Thursday when the season opens.  —  While that pairing is certainly an intriguing matchup …
Discussion: Viva El Birdos
Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:   Mets righty Matt Harvey ready for season after best outing of spring training
Jose M. Romero / Associated Press:
Brewers — including Hank as The Beast — re-enact ‘The Sandlot’ in video  —  Even before the start of the season, the Milwaukee Brewers have their first hit.  —  Milwaukee released a 2-minute, 35-second video celebrating the 25th anniversary of the movie “The Sandlot” last weekend …
Discussion: Brew Crew Ball
Associated Press:
Rays' catchers using wristbands amid rotation experiment  —  PORT CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Major League Baseball made game-calling more difficult for catchers this winter when it changed the rules governing mound visits.  For backstops with the Tampa Bay Rays, things got even trickier …
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
A's shut down A.J. Puk with biceps issue  —  PHOENIX - A.J. Puk, the prized prospect projected to be in the A's rotation at some point this season, has been shut down with biceps soreness, according to a source.  —  Puk received an MRI and there is no indication that the left-hander …
Discussion: Mercury News and MLB Trade Rumors
Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:
Seung Hwan Oh gets work visa, to make Blue Jays debut  —  DUNEDIN — With the red tape out of the way, Seung Hwan Oh is finally ready to make his Blue Jays debut on Wednesday afternoon.  —  Actually, the South Korean right-hander has been ready for a couple of weeks, but without a work visa …
RELATED:
Alex Butler / UPI:
Russell Martin makes great catch, gets smacked in face by pole
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:
Jacoby Ellsbury is trying to be optimistic about his active return to the Yankees  —  TAMPA, Fla. - Jacoby Ellsbury hasn't conceded going on the 10-day disabled list to start the season, though that's where the Yankees are leaning.  —  Sidelined most of spring training due to a strained right oblique …
Thomas Boswell / Chicago Tribune:
Commentary: After bold, bland and cool, the Nationals' new manager says let's have fun  —  The Washington Post  —  The Washington Nationals have had a brash, audacious manger, Davey Johnson, who said, “World Series or Bust.”  They tried a bland middle-manager, Matt Williams, who pasted sampler slogans on the wall.
Mike Berardino / Twin Cities:
Source: Twins place Kennys Vargas on waivers  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. -Unable to find a suitable trade offer for Kennys Vargas, the Twins' have placed the switch-hitting slugger on waivers, according to a person with direct knowledge.  —  Designated for release or assignment on March 16, Vargas' 48-hour waiver period started on Tuesday.
Discussion: DRaysBay and MLB Trade Rumors
Eduardo A. Encina / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Orioles, right-hander Alex Cobb agree to four-year deal  —  SARASOTA, Fla. — With fewer than 10 days to go until Opening Day, the Orioles are nearing their biggest upgrade of the offseason: a deal with former Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Alex Cobb, according to an industry source.
Discussion: Baltimore Sun
RELATED:
David SchoenfieldESPN Senior / ESPN:   Alex Cobb fills a hole as Orioles try to keep up in AL East
Clark Spencer / miamiherald:
Jose Fernandez's death put into motion a series of events that still impact Marlins today  —  JUPITER  —  The death of pitching ace Jose Fernandez in 2016 triggered a series of costly roster decisions that the Marlins' new owners are having to contend with now.  —  There is no shortage of ‘what ifs’ with how it all played out.
Hunter Atkins / Houston Chronicle:
Astros' opponents feel like they have a license to steal  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Jay Bruce seized his opportunity to get away with thievery Monday.  Bruce - the Mets' 6-3, 225-pound right fielder, who had one steal last season - usually would not try to take second base …
Discussion: Federal Baseball
Chelsea Janes / Washington Post:
Where is Nationals reliever Koda Glover? … WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As the final days of spring training slide by, and necessary decisions about bullpen personnel slide nearer, Koda Glover remains momentarily irrelevant.  Once considered the Nationals' future closer, more recently considered …
Discussion: Federal Baseball
 
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 More News: 
Tim KeownESPN Senior / ESPN:
The Dominant 20: Bonds refused to be less than the best
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs narrowing roster options as bullpen watch resumes
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers' pitching prospect Matt Manning out with injury
Discussion: MLB Baseball News …
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:
Is this the Yankees 25-man roster that will break camp?
Kansas City Star:
“The Royal Way:” Explaining the franchise's philosophy
Courier-Journal:
Fantasy Baseball: A dozen sleepers you can draft in the late rounds to make a difference
Tampa Bay Times:
For starters: Rays vs. Red Sox
Tania Ganguli / Los Angeles Times:
Isaiah Thomas is open to staying with the Lakers even in a backup role
Discussion: FanRag Sports and NESN.com
 Earlier Picks: 
Jeff Fletcher / Orange County Register:
Can you guess what Mike Trout hasn't done this spring?
Dan Martin / New York Post:
Yankees' plan to help Gary Sanchez limit mound visits revealed
Discussion: baseballmusings.com
Rotoworld.com:
Jose Can You See?  —  San Diego Padres OF Jose Pirela might …
Cincinnati.com:
Reds 3, Padres 3  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — The Reds tied …
Discussion: Red Reporter
Associated Press:
Turner's broken wrist will not need surgery
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
Where else Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton cash could've gone
Detroit Free Press:
Next Slide  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers may leave Florida …
Discussion: Bless You Boys
 

 
From WeSmirch:

Tamantha Ryan / Page Six:
50 Cent's ex Daphne Joy accuses him of rape, physical abuse amid Diddy lawsuit drama — but he denies it

People:
Gypsy Rose Blanchard Announces Separation from Husband 3 Months After Prison Release

Jeff Conway / Forbes:
Olivia Colman Reflects On Her Beloved Career: ‘I Have Been Very Lucky’

 
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