Top News:
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Motte declines Cards' offer; Mayers, Martinez to pitch Saturday — JUPITER, Fla. • Former Cardinals closer Jason Motte, who was given his outright release on Thursday, has declined to join the Cardinals on a Class AAA Memphis contract and is pursuing other options …
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Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Munoz makes Cardinals; Voit, Bader go to Memphis — • Now that the Cardinals have solidified their position-player alignment for opening day by optioning outfielder Harrison Bader and first baseman Luke Voit to Memphis and telling utilityman Yairo Munoz and catcher Francisco Pena they were on the club …
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Vision is a concern for Pham; meanwhile, Gregerson is ailing — • It is said there is no perfect day in baseball, though the Cardinals have been enjoying a stretch of mostly good ones lately. — They beat the New York Mets 5-1 Friday behind what used to be staples in the game.
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
DeJong wants no repeat of recent Cards history at shortstop — JUPITER, Fla. • It is a cautionary tale, this shortstop position the Cardinals thought they had locked down last year. — Aledmys Diaz hit .300 with 17 homers and 65 runs batted in as a rookie for the Cardinals and made the National League All-Star team in 2016.
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals expect dramatic overhaul of coaching staff to impact standings — JUPITER, Fla. • Two of the coaches the Cardinals added this offseason were already in the dugout, and a third and fourth were on their way earlier this spring when Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer remarked on the group's collective résumé.
Dan Caesar / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Media Views: Cards to be prominent on revamped ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ — ESPN hasn't gone all-in yet with the Cardinals, but the Redbirds again are expected to be a prime component of the network's significantly retooled “Sunday Night Baseball” package, which includes Alex Rodriguez as an analyst.
Associated Press:
Giants' Madison Bumgarner breaks pitching hand on line drive in final spring start — San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner is hurt for the second straight year, breaking a bone in his pitching hand when hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas City's Whit Merrifield during a spring training game on Friday.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News … and McCovey Chronicles
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Associated Press:
Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright suspended 15 games under MLB's domestic violence policy — NEW YORK (AP) — Boston Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright has accepted a 15-game suspension under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy following his arrest on Dec. 8.
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Evan Drellich / MLB Baseball News, Scores …:
Wright suspended 15 games for violation of domestic-violence policy
Discussion:
Eagle-Tribune, FanRag Sports, Over the Monster, MLB Trade Rumors and Deadspin
Associated Press:
Pop top: Yankees' Judge could get time batting leadoff — TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Yankees slugger Aaron Judge could be used at times as a leadoff hitter this season. — The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year was at the top of the lineup and went 1 for 4 in a 5-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday.
Discussion:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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Matt Ehalt / NorthJersey.com:
Mets' Michael Conforto on track to return before target date — PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Michael Conforto had already left First Data Field on Thursday night when his manager called to ask him a question that the outfielder had been hoping he would hear before the Mets break camp Monday.
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Tyler Carey / WKYC-TV:
No surprises here: Corey Kluber named Opening Day starter for Cleveland Indians — LHP Ryan Merritt will also begin the season on the disabled list. — In what is certainly their least-surprising move this offseason, the Indians announced today that defending American League Cy Young Award …
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Kerry Crowley / Mercury News:
Madison Bumgarner suffers fracture, out indefinitely — SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.- With six days remaining until the start of the regular season, the Giants' pitching rotation is suddenly in shambles. — The latest blow came Friday, and it was the biggest. — Madison Bumgarner …
Discussion:
SBNation.com and Forbes
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Camp report: Brandon Woodruff has one rough inning in a Brewers' 4-3 loss to the Cubs — On the field: Rookie right-hander Brandon Woodruff made his final statement for a spot in the rotation with a five-inning stint against the Cubs, a game the Brewers dropped, 4-3, at Sloan Park in Mesa.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
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ESPN:
Ichiro Suzuki hit in helmet by pitch, exits spring training game — Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki took a pitch off the helmet in a minor league appearance on Friday in Peoria, Arizona, and had to leave the game. — He was helped to his feet by trainers but walked off the field on his own.
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Associated Press:
BASEBALL 2018: Beastly teams, Ohtani and make way for MVs — Just the thought of Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge in the same lineup sent fans into a frenzy. Come opening day, all of baseball will see which teams really have the muscle. — A season of haves and have-nots begins March 29 …
Discussion:
ESPN
Tom Jones / Tampa Bay Times:
Tom Jones' Two Cents on the upcoming baseball season — Tampa Bay Times columnist Tom Jones gives his Two Cents preview of the Major League Baseball season: — AL team that won't be as good as you think — Not many are expecting much from the Royals, but look for this franchise …
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Will the ‘World Series hangover’ haunt the Houston Astros? … You hate to pin your pennant chances on a concept that is more abstract than absolute, that is difficult to quantify and impossible to predict, but for American League teams trying to topple the juggernaut that is the Houston Astros, it may be their only hope.
Associated Press:
Nationals' Daniel Murphy likely to stay in Florida as knee rehab continues — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — All-Star second baseman Daniel Murphy is likely to remain behind in Florida when the Washington Nationals break camp. — Murphy had micro-fracture surgery on his right knee on Oct. 20 …
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Arizona Diamondbacks spring training - 2018 … Right fielder Steven Souza Jr. has a strained pectoral muscle and will be out a while. How long? The Diamondbacks say they aren't sure. And who will replace him? That, too, is something the Diamondbacks say they are still trying to figure out.
Discussion:
Sporting News, CBSSports.com and Baseball Prospectus
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Numbers game forcing Peter Bourjos to look elsewhere after leaving Cubs — Chicago Tribune — Outfielder Peter Bourjos' short stint with the Cubs at least had a memorable ending. — Bourjos hit a game-tying single Friday in the fifth inning of a 4-3 victory over the Brewers, only to be pulled for pinch-runner DJ Wilson.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs don't plan to push new closer Brandon Morrow — Chicago Tribune — Brandon Morrow's mind and arm have shifted gears over an 11-year career that has brought him to a high-profile role with the Cubs. — The chance to regain the closer duties he held during the infancy of his career …
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs' Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer get payback on Tommy La Stella — Chicago Tribune — Cubs President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer might have gotten the final say in the battle of pranks with infielder Tommy La Stella. — During the third inning of Friday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers …
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Surprise Five: Rangers might have found their opening for ‘Big Sexy’ — Not that anyone wants to leave Arizona, but the Texas Rangers will do just that Saturday afternoon following what should be their quickest Cactus League game. — It will be getaway day from spring training …
George Sipple / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers have No. 1 pick in 2018 MLB draft: 10 possibilities — Decisions, decisions. — In a year where there is no consensus choice on who to take with the first overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft, the Tigers are going to have to work hard over the next few months …
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
New faces on the horizon for White Sox — Chicago Tribune — Here's a look at three top White Sox prospects the club is counting on to hasten the rebuild. — Michael Kopech — After more than a year of hearing about the promise of Michael Kopech, White Sox fans should be able to watch …
