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11:25 AM ET, February 17, 2019

Ballbug

 Top News: 
Buster Olney / ESPN:
If Bryce or Manny go to Philly, they'd better get dirty  —  A word of advice for Manny Machado and Bryce Harper if one of them winds up taking the Philadelphia Phillies' money: Be prepared to get very, very dirty.  —  EDITOR'S PICKS  —  For they will have signed on to live in a city devoted to the rawest of competitors.
RELATED:
Mark Fischer / New York Daily News:
Bryce Harper is close to signing, someone says for 1,000th time  —  Rumors that suggest Bryce Harper is close to signing are like promises from your lover claiming they've finally changed.  —  Harper hasn't, and chances are they haven't, either.  Yet we hear both out each time because, well, we can't help ourselves.
Discussion: New York Post and Cubs Insider
Chris Boghossian / Chicago Tribune:   If Manny Machado signs with the White Sox, he instantly would become Chicago's best player, according to these rankings
Scott Boeck / Des Moines Register:
Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: MLB players will strike barring change
Bill Madden / New York Daily News:   Mickey Callaway is not the only NL East manager who'll be under the microscope
Pete Caldera / Daily Record:
After Luis Severino's deal, are Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez next for long-term contracts?  —  Luis Severino talks about his four-year contract extension with the Yankees on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019  —  TAMPA, Fla. - Luis Severino's mom phoned on Friday, asking how her son's arbitration case went.
RELATED:
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:   Yankees' Brian Cashman stands up to Jacoby Ellsbury critics
George A. King III / New York Post:
Severino agreed to new Yankees deal before things could get ugly
Discussion: MLB Trade Rumors
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:   Luis Severino is glad he never heard ‘bad’ Yankees trash talk
George A. King III / New York Post:
New father Dellin Betances will report to Yankees early next week
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Yankees GM Brian Cashman with a big tease at spring camp: 'We're never a finished product'
Discussion: Pinstripe Alley
Associated Press:
Ichiro Suzuki back in Mariners camp at 45 with chance to play at home  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — Ichiro Suzuki fluidly went through a variety of stretches on the floor in the Seattle Mariners clubhouse even before going onto the field.  Once outside, he smoothly went through fielding, hitting and baserunning drills.
RELATED:
Ryan Divish / The Charlotte Observer:
At age 45, Ichiro prepares for a trip home to Japan with Mariners  —  At a distance, he looked like just like anyone else in a Mariners' uniform in the Saturday afternoon sunshine.  —  In fact, he moved better than the average player, running a little bit harder and faster than most.
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Aaron Boone once ‘smack-talked’ CC Sabathia long before they were Yankees  —  Aaron Boone remembers the first time he saw CC Sabathia.  —  A star with the Reds back on July 13, 2001, Boone was impressed with Cleveland's young fireballer.  —  “The first time I faced him …
RELATED:
Bradford Doolittle / ESPN:   Does CC Sabathia have a Hall of Fame future?
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:   CC Sabathia will let others talk up his Hall of Fame credentials, he just wants another World Series title
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals notebook: DeWitt is open to rule change conversations  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • It remains to be seen which of baseball's proposed rules changes will become reality this season or next, but Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak …
RELATED:
Associated Press:   Cardinals expect Marcell Ozuna to be ready Opening Day
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Cards have numbers in LH relievers
Andy McCullough / Los Angeles Times:
Farhan Zaidi is reshaping Giants' future to resemble recent past  —  When the pitchers and catchers of the San Francisco Giants reported to camp a few days ago, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi assembled the group for a meeting.  —  During a decade with the Oakland Athletics …
Discussion: MLB Trade Rumors
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Casey Mize thriving at Detroit Tigers camp with ‘big league mentality’  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Casey Mize wants to clarify something.  —  He has heard the narrative building around Tiger Town, the Detroit Tigers' spring training home, about how he's the first one at the complex every morning.
ESPN:
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. shows up early, rakes in BP  —  After showing up a day early to spring training, the Toronto Blue Jays' top prospect couldn't help but make a splash.  Expectations for the son of Hall of Fame outfielder Vladimir Guerrero were already set high before Vladdy Jr. hit …
RELATED:
Rob Longley / Toronto Sun:   Vlad Guerrero Jr. makes a strong first impression at Blue Jays camp
Evan Woodbery / MLive.com:
Nicholas Castellanos is still a Tiger.  How does he feel about that?  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers right fielder Nicholas Castellanos, seated in front of his locker with a cup of coffee clutched in his hands, spoke to reporters for the first time Sunday morning about the most unusual offseason of his career.
Discussion: MLB Trade Rumors
David Schoenfield / ESPN:
Dustin Pedroia determined as ever to contribute for Red Sox  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — The first thing you need to know about Dustin Pedroia's left knee is that it will never be 100 percent again.  —  “It ain't even my knee.  It's somebody else's, bro,” the Red Sox second baseman said Friday …
Discussion: NBCSports.com
RELATED:
Justin Leger / NBCSports.com:
Working with Pedro Martinez, Tyler Thornburg ready to prove himself to Red Sox
Dave Clark / Cincinnati.com:
Jameson Taillon named Pittsburgh Pirates' Opening Day starter vs. Cincinnati Reds at GABP  —  We don't know yet which pitcher will be the Cincinnati Reds' Opening Day starter.  But we know the Pittsburgh Pirates will start Jameson Taillon at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park on March 28 in the Reds' home opener.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
'It's an honor': Veteran lefty Cole Hamels is taking his new leadership role seriously  —  Photos of the Cubs at spring training at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz., before the 2019 season.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Cole Hamels admitted he had thoughts about becoming a free agent shortly …
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals sharpen swings, meet new coach in visit to Carpenter's Frozen Rope Ranch  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • New hitting coach Jeff Albert and returning shortstop Paul DeJong ended up on the same flight to Dallas, so the two Cardinals shared a rental car and started a conversation on their 80-mile drive south.
 
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 More News: 
Ed ‘RockDaMullet’ Santos dies / Associated Press:
Short-handed Long Beach can't hold off UC Davis down the stretch
Tom Haudricourt / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Notes: Healthy again, Brewers right-hander Zach Davies puts frustrating 2018 behind him
Discussion: MLB Trade Rumors
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Ronald Acuna reiterates desire to stay at leadoff
ESPN:
Giants agree to deal with Cameron Maybin
Discussion: Talking Chop
Chris Nelsen / Detroit Free Press:
Ex-Detroit Tiger Justin Verlander wants to pitch until he's 45. Here's his plan
Discussion: MLB Baseball News …
 Earlier Picks: 
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Andrus arrives to Rangers camp with Beltre update. Is he regretting decision to retire?
Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
Loss of DJ LeMahieu, CarGo means the Rockies will need to find new leaders in 2019
Discussion: MLB Trade Rumors
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
No, the Braves aren't in talks with Craig Kimbrel
Discussion: Talking Chop and Associated Press
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs reliever Junichi Tazawa expected to arrive Monday
Discussion: MLB Trade Rumors
 

 
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Ryan Gajewski / The Hollywood Reporter:
Melissa Barrera on Getting Fired From ‘Scream’ and the Controversy That Followed

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

 
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