Check out Mini-Ballbug for simple mobiles or Ballbug Mobile for modern smartphones.
4:55 PM ET, March 17, 2019

Ballbug

 Top News: 
ESPN:
Yankees CF Hicks (back) to miss opening series  —  New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks told ESPN's Coley Harvey that he will miss Opening Day due to the lower back injury he has been dealing with.  —  Hicks said he will not play in the opening series against Baltimore Orioles …
Discussion: Sporting News and MLB Trade Rumors
RELATED:
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Aaron Hicks misfortune creates massive Yankees ripple effect  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Aaron Hicks is not going to be ready for the first weekend of the season.  —  The center fielder needed a second cortisone shot for lower back discomfort on Sunday, meaning he will not have time to be ready …
New York Daily News:   Aaron Hicks to miss Opening Day series in latest Yankees blow
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Time running out for Aaron Hicks and more Yankees injury developments
Cindy Boren / Chicago Tribune:
Philly being Philly as fans hurl threats at pitcher who struck Bryce Harper  —  The Washington Post  —  An errant pitch left Phillies fans hurling dire threats and garden-variety invective at Trent Thornton after he struck the ankle of their prized free agent Bryce Harper mere days into his career in Philly.
RELATED:
ESPN:   Harper returns as DH following HBP on ankle
Associated Press:   Bryce Harper, Phillies can breathe huge sigh of relief
Mark Fischer / Baltimore Sun:
Phillies fans send pitcher death threats after Bryce Harper injury scare
Discussion: Sportsnet.ca and Associated Press
Don Brennan / Toronto Sun:
Blue Jays acquire pitcher from Kansas City, Travis has knee surgery  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — There was plenty of news from Blue Jays camp Sunday morning.  —  First, the team announced the hard-luck story of Devon Travis is continuing, as the second baseman had surgery to repair a torn meniscus …
RELATED:
Connor Byrne / MLB Trade Rumors:
Blue Jays Acquire Jason Adam; Devon Travis, Mark Leiter Jr. Undergo Surgery
Discussion: Bluebird Banter
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Aaron Judge demolishes a 4-man outfield
Discussion: MLB Baseball News …
Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
Seager ‘absolutely’ set for opener, Roberts says  —  GLENDALE, Ariz. — Corey Seager, who spent most of the 2018 season recovering from major elbow surgery, will “absolutely” be ready by Opening Day, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday morning.
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Goldschmidt will hit second; Carpenter out with back tightness  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Paul Goldschmidt, who hit 17 homers, drove in 40 runs and batted .349 while hitting second in Arizona's lineup for 47 games last season, will make his first appearance in that spot this spring on Sunday.
Discussion: MLB Baseball News …
RELATED:
Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   Goldschmidt will hit second for first time with Cardinals
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Gorman's homer ignites Cards' rally vs. Nationals  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.  • A young Cardinal who has captured the imagination of an entire fan base heard the news like any 18-year-old would in 2019: from Twitter.  —  Nolan Gorman had returned from the back fields of Roger Dean Stadium …
RELATED:
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:   What competition for Cards' bench roles reveals about O'Neill's strong grip on roster spot
ESPN:
What you need to know about MLB's new rules  —  MLB and the MLB Players Association have agreed to a deal that will enact several new rules starting in the 2019 and 2020 seasons.  Here are some of the most notable rule changes and what they might mean for the game, both on and off the field.
Tom Withers / Associated Press:
AP Source: Indians, former All-Star OF Carlos Gonzalez agree to minor deal  —  The Indians have been in need of outfield help since Michael Brantley signed with Houston.  —  CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the agreement says free agent outfielder Carlos Gonzalez intends to sign …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Baseball notebook: Harper sits out with sore foot
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Teheran impresses again in third spring start  —  The Braves will hope this Julio Teheran shows up in Philadelphia.  —  Teheran, the likely opening-day starter, was sharp in a split-squad 7-4 loss against the Astros on Sunday.  The righty attributes his impressive spring to working …
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Phillip Ervin hits 3-run homer, Anthony DeSclafani sharp in Cincinnati Reds' 5-2 win over Texas Rangers  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Phillip Ervin and Tucker Barnhart hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning and the Reds rolled to a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday at Goodyear Ballpark.
Discussion: Red Reporter
RELATED:
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:   Why it can be difficult for the Cincinnati Reds to use platooned lineups in the NL Central
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Column: From a 3-batter minimum to only 1 trade deadline: Will these rule changes improve baseball?  —  Chicago Tribune  —  In the never-ending search to persuade millennials to pay more attention to the national pastime, Major League Baseball and the players union announced a slew of new rules …
Discussion: Beyond the Box Score
Jim Armstrong / Star Tribune:
Ichiro hitless as Mariners beat Yomiuri 6-4 in exhibition  —  TOKYO — Ichiro Suzuki's struggles at the plate have followed him to Japan.  —  Ichiro went hitless in three at-bats on Sunday when his Seattle Mariners beat the Yomiuri Giants 6-4 in an exhibition game ahead of their MLB season-opening series against the Oakland A's.
Discussion: Lookout Landing
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Miller wasn't bad, but knows he must be better.  Which ‘simple’ tweak will get him there?  —  That was the kind of weather that people should expect when they come to spring training.  —  Brilliant sunshine, the kind that makes outfielders miss routine flyballs (that happened twice Saturday …
ESPN:
Hinch suspended 1 spring game for ump issue  —  Major League Baseball has suspended AJ Hinch for one spring training game after the Houston Astros manager was ejected from a recent game and called umpire Angel Hernandez “unprofessional” and “arrogant” afterward.
Discussion: MLB Baseball News …
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Minter, O'Day likely to start season on DL  —  Braves relievers A.J. Minter and Darren O'Day will likely open the season on the injured list, manager Brian Snitker acknowledged Sunday.  —  The Braves were optimistic through spring that both arms, crucial to the later innings …
Deesha Thosar / New York Daily News:
Mets lineup must carry early results into regular season  —  JUPITER, Fla. - The Mets productive spring training offense has the burden of proving it's not a fluke.  —  Manager Mickey Callaway recently said we'll be seeing more and more of the Mets regular lineup as Grapefruit League games come to a close.
RELATED:
Deesha Thosar / New York Daily News:
Robinson Cano shares bygone Yankees lessons in Mets clubhouse
Discussion: MLB Baseball News …
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Yankees top prospect Florial sees surreal camp abruptly end  —  TAMPA — One of the brightest young players in major league camp this spring had his camp cut short Saturday.  —  Estevan Florial, the Yankees' top prospect, suffered a non-displaced fractured in his right wrist after hitting it against the outfield wall.
RELATED:
Daily Record:   Yankees slugger Aaron Judge's response to a four-outfield alignment? Hit another home run
 
 Archived Page Info: 
This is a snapshot of Ballbug at 4:55 PM ET, March 17, 2019.

View the current page or another snapshot:


 
 See Also: 
Ballbug: site main
Ballbug River: reverse chronological Ballbug
Ballbug Mobile: for phones
Ballbug Leaderboard: Ballbug's top sources
 
 Subscribe: 
Ballbug RSS feed
 
 
 More News: 
Evan Grant / Dallas-Fort Worth Sports News:
Joey Gallo has mild groin strain, status for season opener is uncertain
Jack Thompson / Associated Press:
‘I tried to do too much’: Eloy Jimenez admits pressing to make the opening-day roster
Discussion: Chicago Tribune
Ryan Hannable / WEEI:
Red Sox officially announce Opening Day starter
Discussion: Over the Monster
Tom Kuebel / Arizona Sports:
D-backs and Cubs break attendance record at Salt River Fields
 Earlier Picks: 
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Yankees meet with MLBPA head over work stoppage fears
Tom Haudricourt / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Cory Spangenberg has demonstrated versatility in the infield and outfield in Brewers' spring camp
Don Brennan / Toronto Sun:
Jays Cheapseats: Grichuk an unlikely leadoff hitter, but he'll give it a go
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Diamondbacks playing coy on naming Opening Day starter
Discussion: South Side Sox
 

 
From WeSmirch:

Miranda Siwak / Us Weekly:
50 Cent Is ‘Going for Sole Custody’ of His Son With Daphne Joy After She Was Named in Diddy Lawsuit (Exclusive)

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’

 
Sister Sites:

Techmeme
 Top news and commentary for technology's leaders, from all around the web
Mediagazer
 Top news and commentary for media professionals from all around the web
memeorandum
 What US political commentators are discussing online right now
WeSmirch
 The top celebrity news from all around the web on a single page