Top News:
Sam Farmer / Los Angeles Times:
NFL plans to stage its draft next month in a studio setting rather than Las Vegas — Las Vegas is off for next month's NFL draft. No celebrations along the Strip. No boats navigating players across the Bellagio Hotel fountain to the stage. All that was scuttled in reaction to the coronavirus outbreak.
Discussion:
Pro Football Rumors, Las Vegas Review-Journal, ProFootballTalk and New York Post
Marly Rivera / ESPN:
Yankees' Aaron Judge says rib improving, also had collapsed lung — New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge told reporters Friday that his fractured rib is improving, and he also disclosed that he suffered a partially collapsed lung. — Two weeks ago, manager Aaron Boone said a fractured rib revealed …
RELATED:
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Yankees Provide Update On Aaron Judge Injury — Yankees star Aaron Judge was limited this spring by a mysterious upper body ailment that was ultimately diagnosed as a stress fracture in his rib. Today, the team updated his outlook, as MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reports (Twitter link).
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Gabriel Burns / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Leo Mazzone recalls readying Braves pitchers for shortened 1995 season — Major League Baseball's opening day would've been five days from Saturday. Instead, baseball - like the rest of the world - sits stuck in a waiting pattern due to the coronavirus outbreak. — Eventually, baseball does hope to begin a truncated season.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Rick Stroud / Tampa Bay Times:
How the Bucs got Tom Brady to leave the New England Patriots for Tampa Bay — The behind-the-scenes story of the Buccaneers landing the greatest NFL free agent of all time. — Updated Yesterday — TAMPA — It was last Wednesday evening, the first day of the new league year, when the Bucs called Tom Brady.
Discussion:
ProFootballTalk, New York Post and Sports Illustrated
Kyle Glaser / Baseball America:
MLB Announces Minor Leaguers Will Receive Spring Training Allowances — Update (6:45 pm ET): The story has been updated to include the base amount of the allowance teams are providing eligible minor leaguers. — Major League Baseball announced Thursday afternoon that minor leaguers …
Discussion:
Denver Post, Federal Baseball, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Sportsnet.ca, Brew Crew Ball and True Blue LA
RELATED:
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
Coronavirus Pandemic Creates ‘Disaster Situation’ For Some MiLB Teams — This past offseason was considered to be the toughest most Minor League Baseball teams had ever faced. Roughly a quarter of all MiLB teams were on the chopping block in an MLB proposal that headlined negotiations between MLB …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Beyond the Box Score and FanGraphs Baseball
Bobby Nightengale / Cincinnati.com:
Eugenio Suárez, injured Cincinnati Reds making progress during novel coronavirus hiatus — In a typical spring training, this is usually one of the busier times for managers in camp with Opening Day a few days away. Rosters are being finalized. Regular starters are playing full games.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Braves Option Touki Toussaint — The Braves optioned right-hander Touki Toussaint to Triple-A Gwinnett, per the league transactions log at MLB.com. He'd pitched well during spring before the league shutdown. Over 8 2/3 frames, he yielded a pair of runs on two hits and three walks with eight strikeouts.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and Talking Chop
Tim Healey / Newsday:
Mets vs. Marlins series in Puerto Rico canceled — A pandemic-related inevitability became official Thursday. — The Mets' series against the Marlins in San Juan, Puerto Rico — scheduled for April 28-30 — has been canceled, Major League Baseball announced.
ESPN:
Red Sox's Chris Sale to undergo Tommy John surgery — Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale will undergo Tommy John surgery, Chaim Bloom, the team's chief baseball officer, announced Thursday. — The surgery will keep Sale from pitching this season, the start of which has been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, Twinkie Town, MLB Trade Rumors and baseballmusings.com
Carlos Collazo / Baseball America:
How Scouting Departments Are Handling Life Without Baseball — In a typical year in the middle of March, scouting departments are in midseason form. Area scouts are working down preference lists and running out to get extra looks on players who have taken a step forward, or keeping an eye on a few players they have under the radar.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley