Major League Baseball News and Rumors
NY Mets pitchers Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler's minor resemblanceWith the rain having curtailed the workout of the Mets’ pitchers Thursday, it seemed as good a time as any to pay a visit to “phenoms corner” in the back of the clubhouse, where Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler locker right next to each other, just to t… |
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Yankees GM Brian Cashman still counting on Michael Pineda, Dellin Betances as young arms for futureFeb 14
Michael Pineda and Dellin Betances are especially important at the moment because the Yankee farm system, while well-stocked at the lower levels, is practically void of major league-ready prospects at the moment. |
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Things Are Going ZimmoFeb 14
Richard Sandomir, nytimes.com Fred Wilpon, the Mets' principal owner, apparently coined a new word, zimmo, when speaking with the news media at spring training. |
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Red Sox president Larry Lucchino says he thinks the team's sellout streak at Fenway Park will end in April, a month shy of 10 years of a packed ballpark. |
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Associated Press, ESPN.com Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly looks at closer Brandon League and sees power and unpredictability. |
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Mike Oz, yahoo.com File this one away under Weird Things That Happen at Spring Training: The Washington Nationals got an unexpected guest Thursday during batting practice. And it wasn't a racing president. It was a fish. As the Washington Post tells us, an osprey was flyi… |
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Felix Hernandez will make $27 million in the final year of his new $175 million, seven-year contract with the Seattle Mariners, which includes a conditional eighth-year option should he need elbow ligament surgery during the length of the deal. |
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If the reality of suiting up with a new team had not yet set in for Kevin Youkilis, it certainly splashed in full color Thursday, when the new Yankees third baseman checked out his spring locker for the first time. |
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Richard Justice, MLB.com It's probably best to let fans of the Los Angeles Angels experience Josh Hamilton for themselves. Why spoil the ride? They think they know how much fun it's going to be. The thing is, they have no idea. |
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Mike Oz, yahoo.com Taking a cue from the Colorado Rockies, the Los Angeles Dodgers have announced their Triple-A affiliate Albuquerque Isotopes will use humidor balls at home game starting in 2013. The balls -- which counteract the elevation and lack of humidity in places… |
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Alden Gonzalez, MLB.com A historic rookie year set a high bar for Mike Trout, but he'll have help from Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols, who in turn will be energized by their young teammate. |
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Mike Oz, yahoo.com Contrary to what I've seen at least 10 people lament on Twitter today alone, the "Harlem Shake" dance craze isn't going anywhere just yet. As it pertains to baseball, we already showed you a bunch of college and high school teams that created … |
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TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols hopes to begin agility drills and light running in a couple of days to test his surgically repaired right knee. |
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Jane Lee, MLB.com A's right-hander Grant Balfour had right knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus Thursday afternoon, leaving Oakland without its closer for approximately four to six weeks. |
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Pat Borzi, nytimes.com Kevin Youkilis, who was acquired in the off-season to play third base, arrived early to Yankees training camp, eager to get the lay of the land. |
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- The Colorado Rockies acquired infielder Reid Brignac from the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday in exchange for a player to be named later and cash considerations. |
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Associated Press, ESPN.com The Minnesota Twins have signed left-hander Rafael Perez to a minor league contract with an invite to major league camp. |
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If another season is drawing near, the Red Sox must be breaking in a new shortstop. The revolving door that hasn't stopped since Nomar Garciaparra was traded on July 31, 2004, continues into another year, as veteran Stephen Drew is the latest to join th… |
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Bryan Hoch, MLB.com Thirteen months and a day have passed since the Yankees interrupted a quiet winter evening by acquiring Michael Pineda in a blockbuster trade, and they're still waiting to see the right-hander showcase his talents in a game that counts. |
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Todd Zolecki, MLB.com The Phillies would love for Ryan Howard to bounce back in 2013 and play like a younger, healthier version of himself, and Howard believes he is capable of that type of season if he focuses on the right things. |
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JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- The St. Louis Cardinals announced a three-year contract extension with general manager John Mozeliak on Thursday and exercised the 2014 option for manager Mike Matheny, hoping the pair will keep the team contending for the World Se… |
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Scott Merkin, MLB.com Left-hander John Danks completed his first spring bullpen session without any trouble on Thursday. The White Sox hurler continues to make progress in his rehab from last August's arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder. |
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Brian McTaggart, MLB.com Jason Castro's lack of a mentor and lost time because of injury means he's at camp trying to establish himself as a Major League starting catcher. And he's not doing it alone. |
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Orioles reliever Luis Ayala will decide by Thursday whether to accept an invitation to pitch for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. |
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Joey Nowak, MLB.com Bryce Harper arrived at Nationals camp Thursday, prepared for a potential position switch to left field and perhaps a new spot in the batting order, but the reigning NL Rookie of the Year Award winner's main focus is doing what he can to help Washington… |
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Terry Collins believes his public criticism of Ruben Tejada last February may have spooked a few extra players into reporting early for Spring Training in 2013. He's happy if it did. |
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Omar Infante's participation in the World Baseball Classic is now official, three weeks after it was expected he would join Venezuela's roster. Infante and manager Jim Leyland both confirmed he has been added to the squad. |
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Rhett Bollinger, MLB.com For Rich Harden, the thought of pitching with a healthy shoulder was too tempting to pass up. That's why the oft-injured right-hander signed with the Twins this winter. |
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Anthony DiComo, MLB.com Music, for Travis d'Arnaud, is like baseball in a way. Even these days, when he plays simply to pass the hours, he wants to be great. |
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Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com It's fair to say that many of the Yankees' key players are past the prime years of their careers, but it would be folly to assume that the perennial power won't be a factor in the loaded AL East in 2013. |
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Dick Kaegel, MLB.com Last season, Bruce Chen and Luke Hochevar were the top two starters in the Royals' rotation. This year, after the club completed its offseason upgrades, the two find themselves competing for the final starting slot. |
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Marty Noble, MLB.com Since the first time Tom Glavine nodded in the direction of David Wright in the summer of 2004 and said, "He gets it," compliments have come to Wright as good roles have come to De Niro and great songs came to Sinatra. |
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Mike Oz, yahoo.com Just when it seemed like Detroit Tigers' ace Justin Verlander's life was so perfect, alleged girlfriend/confirmed hottie Kate Upton goes on TV and says "I'm single." To a Detroit TV station. On Valentine's Day, no less. That's what you get for… |
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Alden Gonzalez, MLB.com One overlooked component of an Angels offense that figures to be among baseball's very best this season is the newfound -- and necessary -- flexibility Mike Scioscia now has at designated hitter. |
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Barry Bloom, MLB.com It's been one rough winter, following a very tough year for Padres right-hander Jason Marquis. After suffering season-ending injuries the past two years and dealing with the affects of Hurricane Sandy on his New York home, Marquis is back in the Padres'… |
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Mark Sheldon, MLB.com Several Reds had strong years as the team won the NL Central in 2012, and those players could take home good feelings about their personal performances. Catcher Devin Mesoraco was not one of those guys. After a rough rookie season, he took home lots of … |
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This week, Cliff Corcoran will break down what to watch in each team's camp as part of SI.com's spring training preview. Teams are listed by their order of finish from 2012. Note: The Big Prospect is a player who will be in major league camp but has not… |
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Richard Durrett, ESPN.com Elvis Andrus said his agent, Scott Boras, has talked with the Texas Rangers this offseason about the possibility of a long-term deal. |
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Tom Singer, MLB.com When the Pirates decided on Day 48 of Jeff Karstens' free agency to re-sign the veteran righty, he certainly drove a hard bargain, just because the club had not tendered him a contract. "Pittsburgh is the only place I wanted to be, he said, "a… |
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ESPN.com news services, ESPN.com Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he is "shocked" and "broken-hearted" that former Detroit closer Jose Valverde still has not signed with another team. |
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There's no doubt the Fernando Rodney has set a high bar for himself as far as repeating his performance this season, and manager Joe Maddon seems to be resigned to that fact. |
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With five Major League seasons under his belt, Evan Longoria is now one of the Rays' elder statesmen. The 27-year-old told himself coming into Spring Training this season that he would "do a better job at meeting the new guys and just making myself… |
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David Brown, yahoo.com (Warning: This post might include heavy product placement.) It's a story many young ballplayers from foreign countries frequently tell: No matter the amount of money they might carry, their confidence in English is so low when they come to the United St… |
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The White Sox, Royals, Indians and Twins enter spring training with their important questions, writes Cliff Corcoran, but the biggest one is: Can any of them catch the Tigers? |
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Mike Oz, yahoo.com Well, well, well, this week's Trevor Bauer saga just got a lot more interesting ... and rhymey. Making the rounds is a new song from Bauer's rap group, Consummate 4Sight called "You Don't Know Me," which has some sharply worded rhymes when you… |
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Richard Durrett, ESPN.com Texas Rangers pitcher Derek Holland plans on striking a more serious tone this season after meeting with club officials this offseason and getting advice on how to improve his overall game. |
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David Brown, yahoo.com In the short term, Mike Piazza is winning by getting people (like me) to buy his new book. In the long run, Piazza isn't doing his reputation any favors by calling out beloved Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, of all people, and casting him as… |
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Joey Nowak, MLB.com The official report date for pitchers and catchers to Nationals camp was Wednesday, and as the team gathered for a Thursday morning meeting, newly acquired closer Rafael Soriano was absent due to a visa issue. |
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John Schlegel, MLB.com While the closer role remains a no-brainer for many teams -- with rising stars such as the Braves' Craig Kimbrel and stalwarts like the Phillies' Jonathan Papelbon continuing to serve their teams well -- the ninth-inning man has become somewhat of an en… |
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Mark Townsend, yahoo.com Despite having no managerial or coaching experience to speak of entering his rookie campaign as skipper of the Chicago White Sox, Robin Ventura helped guide the Southsiders to 85 wins and a gut-wrenching second place finish in the American League Centra… |
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YEAOWWWWWW. It's not funny, guys. Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joel Peralta tried to give it the extra 2 percent while getting out of his car to grab some s... |
