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2:45 PM ET, March 23, 2018

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Coley HarveyESPN / ESPN:
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge batting leadoff Friday vs. Red Sox  —  TAMPA, Fla. — For at least one day, the New York Yankees have a new leadoff hitter: Aaron Judge.  —  The right fielder will bat first on Friday against the Boston Red Sox in a batting position that's normally occupied …
Discussion: Associated Press
RELATED:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Get to know a few of the new faces on the Cubs in 2018  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Here's a look at some of the new faces expected to boost the Cubs this season.  —  The Cubs coveted Darvish after realizing more than one year ago that it was going to be virtually impossible to re-sign Jake Arrieta.
Jake Becker / New York Daily News:
Aaron Judge hitting leadoff for Yankees vs. Red Sox lefty starter Brian Johnson  —  Aaron Boone will get his first look at Yankees leadoff hitter Aaron Judge on Friday.  —  Judge will be the first batter up for the Bombers in their afternoon spring training game against the Red Sox and lefty starter Brian Johnson in Tampa.
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Success hasn't turned Cubs from lovable to unlikable ... yet  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The parade has been over for 17 months now, but the legacy of the Cubs' championship season remains untouched as they prepare for the 2018 campaign.  —  The 13 remaining survivors of the '16 World Series roster …
Discussion: Brew Crew Ball
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:   Aaron Judge as the Yankees leadoff hitter? The experiment begins today
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Marcell Ozuna's big move: From Marlins anonymity to Cardinals catalyst  —  JUPITER, Fla. - Marcell Ozuna didn't want to leave Miami.  He didn't see the trade coming.  When first told he was going to St. Louis, the All-Star outfielder thought somebody was pulling a prank on him.
RELATED:
Scott Boeck / USA Today:
Through three teams and seven seasons, Ichiro Suzuki can't get rid of David Phelps  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — On a recent morning, David Phelps made his way across the Seattle Mariners clubhouse and noticed Ichiro Suzuki sitting at his locker.  —  No words were exchange.  No handshakes.
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Newest Cardinals are rounding into top form
Associated Press:
Former MLB star Jack Clark files for bankruptcy protection  —  ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jack Clark, who hit 340 home runs over an 18-year major league career, has filed for bankruptcy protection.  —  Clark's attorney, Al Watkins, said Friday that Clark and his wife, Angie, claimed in a federal court filing …
RELATED:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   NL preview: Is this Bryce Harper's last run with the Nationals?
Pat Grahamap / Pueblo Chiefton:   Rockies look to reel in playoff spot
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Rep. Peter King says he didn't know spending bill he voted for would make minor leaguers exempt from minimum wage laws  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — Hours after voting on the omnibus spending bill, which included a provision to strip away federal minimum wage and overtime protection for minor-league baseball players …
RELATED:
Ronald Blum / Associated Press:   Baseball players in minors expected to lose minimum wage protection
Tampa Bay Times:   Baseball players in minors to lose minimum wage protection
Matt Ehalt / Daily Record:
Mets season predictions: Strong season for pitchers, new homes for some position players  —  Coming off a disappointing 70-92 season, the Mets are hoping they will rebound in 2018 and make the playoffs for the third time in four years.  —  A new manager is in place in Mickey Callaway …
RELATED:
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Michael Conforto hits for cycle one day ahead of Grapefruit League debut
Discussion: Amazin' Avenue
Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:
Mets have tough decision to make with Zack Wheeler
Discussion: Amazin' Avenue
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Munoz, Pena make Cards' team; Gregerson has hamstring injury  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.  • The Cardinals nearly finalized their 25-man roster Friday morning when they optioned outfielder Harrison Bader, first baseman Luke Voit and righthanded reliever Josh Lucas to Class AAA Memphis.
RELATED:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Cardinals notebook: Motte may be headed to Memphis
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Sit back, relax and watch 'em grow: White Sox's rebuild ahead of schedule  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Every rebuild has its honeymoon period, and the White Sox currently are in the midst of theirs.  —  For the time being, few fans venturing out to Sox Park are going to complain …
Discussion: Baseball Prospectus
RELATED:
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
White Sox outfielder Ryan Cordell optioned to Triple-A Charlotte
Discussion: South Side Sox
Associated Press:
Will flip-flopping fielders be baseball's latest trend?  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — New Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler's progressive approach includes a strategy straight from a slow-pitch softball league.  —  Kapler plans to flip-flop outfielders in the middle of an inning …
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants starter Jeff Samardzija has shoulder pain, getting MRI  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — On the eve of breaking camp and going north, the Giants are dealing with a potentially serious setback in the one unit of the team that has the least experienced depth.  —  Starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija …
RELATED:
ESPN:   Giants' Jeff Samardzija (shoulder) likely headed to disabled list
Jerry CrasnickESPN Senior / ESPN:
The rookie and the veteran: Can opposite ends of the MLB manager spectrum both succeed?  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — A leadership experiment of sorts is playing out in Florida, where two baseball managers separated by 15 years and 2,107 big league games are setting their rosters and lining up their pitching rotations in advance of Opening Day.
RELATED:
Erik Boland / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Aaron Boone: No personal catchers for Yankees this season
Jorge Castillo / Chicago Tribune:
MLB tried to debunk ‘juiced balls’ theory amid historic home run spike.  Pitchers remain skeptical.  —  The Washington Post  —  Last July, Major League Baseball issued a memo to every player on all 30 clubs as a direct response to the conspiracy theories circulating about the most crucial component …
Mike Sherman / Tampa Bay Times:
20 years of the Rays' brushes with ‘celebrity’  —  ST. PETERSBURG — Some Rays, and their spouses, have been known for more than baseball.  Some celebrities have shown up to watch the Rays play.  Here are 20 of those connections:  —  • The Rays were featured prominently …
Bill Madden / New York Daily News:
Don Mattingly is keeping up morale amid bleak situation with Marlins  —  JUPITER, Fla. — “I never went into a ballgame thinking I was gonna lose.”  —  This was Don Mattingly the other day at Roger Dean Stadium as he observed his stripped-down Miami Marlins — who are in fact going to lose …
Discussion: Fish Stripes
Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:
The Rangers offseason starting pitching acquisitions have given up 18 runs in the last three days  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. - With Mike Minor's outing Thursday, the Rangers' trio of offseason rotation acquisitions completed their final Arizona assignments.  —  Here is how that went …
Evan Sernoffsky / San Francisco Chronicle:
Former 49er, Raider Aldon Smith arrested again in San Francisco  —  Former Raiders and 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was arrested by San Francisco police on Friday morning after violating a court order to stay away from a victim in an alleged domestic violence incident earlier this month.
 
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 More News: 
Tampa Bay Times:
For starters: Rays in action all over the place today
Jeff Miller / Los Angeles Times:
Angels expect Shohei Ohtani to make MLB debut against Oakland Athletics
Discussion: Red Reporter
Brett Bodner / New York Daily News:
SEE IT: Umpire ejects three players, manager and bench coach in Tigers-Phillies spring training game
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Christin Stewart making his case for playing time with Detroit Tigers
Stephen Gross / Morning Call:
Two of first six Phillies games will be live stream only
Discussion: Phillies Nation
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Joe Maddon hoping his pink flamingos — Ron and Ernie — fetch a fair price for charity
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Pedro Strop feels ‘great’ after first spring outing but waiting for Cubs' seal of approval
Dan Caesar / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Media Views: Some Cards games move from TV to Facebook
 Earlier Picks: 
Associated Press:
MLB notebook: Outfielder Davis, 37, makes roster for Indians
Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:
Another big night for young Blue Jays Bichette and Guerrero
Discussion: Bluebird Banter
Matt Breen / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Phillies' Jake Arrieta pitches two innings in spring debut
Discussion: MLB Baseball News …
Associated Press:
Brewers' Boone Logan to start season on DL with triceps injury
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Joe Maddon ecstatic over way players have bought into team-first mentality
Discussion: Bleed Cubbie Blue
John Fay / Cincinnati.com:
Roster comes into focus as Cincinnati Reds trim nine
Will Graves / Associated Press:
Pirates enter 2018 with retooled roster, modest expectations
 

 
From WeSmirch:

TMZ.com:
Kate Middleton Seen in New Video Enjoying Windsor Farm Shop with William

Richard Simmons:
I have some news to tell you.  Please don't be sad.  I am ....dying.  Oh I can see your faces now. …

Snejana Farberov / New York Post:
King Charles is not dead, despite Russian media ‘announcement’ forcing palace to scramble

 
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