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MLB: BASEBALL AMERICA ARTICLES

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Baseball America

News and Features from Baseball America

1. College Top 25 Chat: March 25

Aaron Fitt took readers' college baseball questions on March 25.

2. Ask BA

Did righthanders Michael Wacha (Cardinals) and Jose Ramirez (Yankees) boost their stocks with their spring-training performances? Which pitchers have been the most successful after having Tommy John surgery?

3. Top 25 Tracker: March 25

What happened over the past week up to March 24.

4. College Top 25: March 25

Five new teams joined the Baseball America College Top 25 including Georgia Southern, making it's first appearance since 1990.

5. College Weekend Preview: March 21-23

This week's Weekend Preview looks at five unlikely underdogs in this weekend's games.

6. Zunino Builds On Father's Foundation

As far back as he can remember, Mike Zunino was hanging around ballparks, tagging along with his father Greg, a scout with the Marlins back then.

7. Football Fever Leaves Towson's Baseball Team Reeling

Towson's baseball team is reeling after news that the program will be shut down.

8. Athletics Trade Parker To Brewers For Byrd

The Athletics' busy offseason continued with the trade of 2009 fifth-rounder Steve Parker to the Brewers for righthanded reliever Darren Byrd, who spent last season in Double-A.

9. Prospects/Draft Chat With Jim Callis

Jim discussed potential draftees in his March 20 chat.

10. Pinder Makes Mark As Potential First Rounder

Virginia Tech junior third baseman Chad Pinder has become accustomed to flying under the radar. He did it in high school, when he wasn't a highly scouted prospect and graduated without being drafted. And he has continued to do so as a key contributor to a Hokies program that doesn't traditionally churn out premium draft talent. In fact, Virginia Tech has the fewest draft picks in the Atlantic Coast Conference over the past 10 years (20, tied with Duke).

11. Bullpen Delivers Dominican Championship

Riding a pitching staff that gave up just two runs in its last 44 innings, the Dominican Republic won its first World Baseball Classic championship.

12. Sooners Pack Quite The One-Two Punch

It's easy to see why Dillon Overton and Jonathan Gray are best friends. Both have easygoing, gregarious personalities. They like to laugh, and to make others laugh.

13. Minor League Parks Drive Performance

Isotopes Park in Albuquerque will use a humidor this season in an effort to become less hitter-friendly. Even if they succeed in scaling back offense, the park still will play differently than parks at lower elevations and with thicker, more humid air. That diversity of ballpark context adds a layer of fascination to the minor leagues.

14. California League Presents Variety Of Challenges

The Mariners skipped Taijuan Walker past High Desert and straight to Double-A last season, begging the question: Has the California League's reputation as a hitter-friendly circuit prompted organizations like the Mariners to skip their frontline pitching prospects over the league?

15. Trap's View: Eye In The Sky

Paul Trap has an idea for expanding instant replay in baseball.

16. College Top 25 Chat: March 18

Aaron Fitt answered college questions on March 18.

17. Ask BA

Could Loganville (Ga.) HS outfielder Clint Frazier be the next Mike Trout and/or the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft? Where would Rubby de la Rosa rank among Red Sox prospects if he were eligible? How did the Royals take Luke Hochevar with the top choice in the 2006 draft?

18. Pawelek Pops Back Up As Dutch Team Reliever

All things considered, Mark Pawelek would rather be a baseball player. After all, he's tried working customer service as a gas station. He's tried being a door-to-door salesman. And he's tried baseball player.

19. College Top 25 Tracker: March 18

All of the happenings from the past week of college baseball.

20. College Top 25: March 18

Preseason No. 1 North Carolina continued its run atop the Baseball America College Top 25 rankings with an ACC series win against Miami.

21. Ochinko Still Catching On For Jays

22. Ramirez Won't Be First Option For Yankees

A lot of things would have to go wrong for Yankees righthander Jose Ramirez to surface in the major leagues this season.

23. Bringing Heat Not Necessary For Boston's Hernandez

Red Sox righthander Chris Hernandez doesn't light up the radar gun, but he's managed to have success without relying on velocity.

24. Wait Is Over For Orioles' Urrutia

The wait for Henry Urrutia is over, and it took just seven months.

The Cuban outfielder, who agreed to terms with the Orioles last July, obtained his work visa and was able to leave Haiti. He arrived in Miami in late February and took his physical in Sarasota.

25. Puerto Rico Goes On Without Vazquez

A WBC notebook focuses on Puerto Rico going on without top pitcher Javier Vazquez and in the draft era, and the Dominican Republic's reliance on its hard-throwing bullpen.

26. Emotion, Absentees Don't Explain Team USA's WBC Exit

Team USA has taken a lot of criticism for its performance in the World Baseball Classic. Is any of it justified?

27. Japan Gets Comfortable With Pressure

Japan keeps its focus on winning the next WBC game, rather than worrying about winning a third straight Classic title.

28. Semifinal Berth Represents Next Step For Honkbal

The Netherlands once was just happy to compete in major international tournaments. Now it expects to do well, and reaching the World Baseball Classic semifinals was just a natural progression.

29. WBC Finals Preview: Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is the surprise semifinalist with a win over the U.S.

30. WBC Finals Preview: Dominican Republic

Previewing the Dominican Republic team as it readies for the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

MLB: N.Y. TIMES BASEBALL COVERAGE

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NYT > Baseball

1. Yankees 3, Red Sox 0: Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka Shuts Out Red Sox and Beats Chris Sale

Tanaka threw a three-hitter in the first complete game for a Yankee since he had one in August 2015, and Matt Holliday drove in two runs to help defeat Boston.

2. Braves 7, Mets 5: Mets Lose Noah Syndergaard, Yoenis Cespedes and Still Another Game

Syndergaard, the ace of the Mets’ pitching staff, was scratched from his start on Thursday. Then Cespedes, the team’s leading slugger, went down, too.

3. At Jackie Robinson Museum, a Timeless Mission Will Live On

A groundbreaking took place for the museum, which founders hope will inspire a new generation to battle barriers. It is set to open in spring 2019.

4. Who Is Eric Thames? Brewers Slugger Is on Pace to Hit 81 Homers

After three years in South Korea, he returned to the U.S. and now hits a lot of dingers for the Milwaukee Brewers.

5. A Texas-Size Prospect Lifts the Rangers

Joey Gallo — all 6 feet 5 inches and 235 pounds of him — has been filling in admirably for the injured Adrian Beltre.

6. Braves 8, Mets 2: Mets’ Fog Still Doesn’t Lift in a Loss to the Braves

The Mets have lost nine of their last 10 games after Robert Gsellman gave up a career-high five earned runs.

7. Yankees 3, Red Sox 1: Aaron Judge Powers Yankees Over Red Sox

In his first trip to Fenway Park, on his 25th birthday, Judge hit the first pitch he saw for a homer and tumbled into the stands for a highlight-reel catch.

8. An African Player Reaches the Majors

Gift Ngoepe, who was born and raised in South Africa, was promoted to the big leagues by the Pirates. Dovydas Neverauskas, the first Lithuanian in the majors, was optioned.

9. Rainout Gives the Battered Mets Another Day Off

Yoenis Cespedes and Travis d’Arnaud were originally back in the lineup for a team that has been struggling.

10. Derek Jeter and Jeb Bush Are Said to Move Closer to Purchase of Marlins

A group including Jeter and Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and presidential candidate, is said to have reached an agreement in principle to buy the Miami Marlins.

11. Yankees-Red Sox, a Grizzled Rivalry, Gets a Fresh-Faced Makeover

Mainstays such as Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz are gone, providing the next generation of players an opportunity to write a new chapter in an old feud.

12. Daniel Murphy’s First-Inning Grand Slam Powers Nationals Past Slumping Mets

Murphy continued to torture his former team, as his homer off Zack Wheeler gave Washington all the runs it needed to complete a three-game sweep at Citi Field.

13. On Baseball: Homer-Hitting Mets Can Blast, but Fail to Bloop

The major leagues’ second-best team at hitting home runs hasn’t been able to put enough runners on base for its sluggers.

14. Pirates 2, Yankees 1: An Ex-Yankee, Ivan Nova, Spins a Win for the Pirates

Nova has flourished since he was traded to Pittsburgh last summer.

15. Before Crouching Behind Yankees’ Plate, Austin Romine Brushes Away Adversity

Romine, a second-round draft pick in 2007, surprised himself by making the big-league roster last season. Now he’s awed others with his play in Gary Sanchez’s absence.

16. Yankees 11, Pirates 5: Yankees Get First Taste of Chris Carter’s Tantalizing Power

A pinch-hit three-run homer by Carter was his first of the season, one year after he tied for the N.L. lead with 41. He’s on a one-year deal with the Yankees.

17. Nationals 3, Mets 1: Listless Mets Drop Another One to the Nationals

The high point for the Mets’ offense came in the sixth inning, when the monumentally struggling Jose Reyes worked out a walk.

18. Extra Bases: From Red Storm Backcourt to Reds’ Rotation

Amir Garrett, who has made three quality starts for Cincinnati this season, honed his competitiveness playing basketball for St. John’s.

19. Patching Together a Lineup, Mets Come Apart Against the Nationals

With players dealing with injuries up and down the roster, the Mets held their own against Washington until Jeurys Familia walked in the winning run in the 11th inning.

20. Yankees Stumble Against the Pirates in an Unfriendly Setting

Laden with the burden of sending their pitchers to hit in a National League park, the Yankees lost in Pittsburgh and lost some of their recent momentum.

21. On Baseball: Daniel Murphy’s Keen Eye Bolsters a Nationals Pillar

Murphy, an expert in the analytics of hitting, saw that Ryan Zimmerman was getting too many ground balls after hard hits. A slight change in Zimmerman’s launch angle did the trick.

22. Smokeless Tobacco Is Gone From the Ballpark, if Not the Clubhouse

Major League Baseball supports local bans on smokeless tobacco, but a number of players said they viewed them as an invasion of personal rights.

MLB: GENERAL BASEBALL NEWS

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MLB: CBS SPORTS BASEBALL COVERAGE

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MLB: BASEBALL FANTASY NEWS

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MLB: MLB.COM NEWS

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MLB News Index

1. The World Theo-ries: Cubs at Red Sox!

Theo Epstein was first hired as a general manager in Boston three days before Thanksgiving in 2002, almost 15 years ago now, and at that precise moment, the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs were the two-sided coin of baseball heartbreak.

2. Tanaka records 'Maddux' to outduel Sale

Masahiro Tanaka got the best of an exquisite pitchers' duel against Chris Sale in a Thursday night thriller at Fenway Park, leading the Yankees to a 3-0 victory over the Red Sox. Neither team had an extra-base hit.

3. Nats remain hot, win behind 11-run frame

The Nationals came through Denver knowing they wouldn't have Max Scherzer or Stephen Strasburg to quiet the first-place Rockies, but Gio Gonzalez became the latest to halt the Colorado bats while leading Washington to an unprecedented ninth win to cap a 10-game road trip as the Nats ran away to a 16-5 win Thursday.

4. M's Motter ends game with grab on tarp

Taylor Motter has turned into a bit of a rock star in the early going this year for the Mariners as the new super utility man who keeps providing timely hits, but the versatile rookie with the flowing hair added his glove to the equation Thursday.

5. Scherzer aims to keep Nats rolling on MLB.TV

After capping a near-perfect road trip in which they posted the highest winning percentage on a 10-plus-game road trip in franchise history, the Nationals will be back home tonight, welcoming the National League East-rival Mets to Nationals Park.

6. Carp's walk-off slam caps Cards' wild rebound

With his first career grand slam on Thursday afternoon, Matt Carpenter completed an 11-inning, 8-4 come-from-behind win in which the Cardinals scored all of their runs off the Blue Jays' bullpen. The victory, which evened this Interleague set at a game apiece, came in the first game of a split doubleheader at Busch Stadium.

7. Blue, sky: Umpire catches mask on popup

Blue, sky: Umpire catches mask on popup

8. A's Graveman gets runaround on double play

A's Graveman gets runaround on double play

9. Robinson Museum breaks ground in NYC

Commissioner Rob Manfred joined Rachel and Sharon Robinson at a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday morning in lower Manhattan to mark the start of construction on the Jackie Robinson Museum. The 18,500-square-foot space at 75 Varick Street will honor the late Hall of Famer, who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball when he started for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, and played an active, pioneering role in the civil rights movement.

10. Top 100 Draft prospects: Trio separates from pack

Six weeks before the Twins exercise the No. 1 overall selection in the 2017 Draft, three players have separated themselves from the rest of the pack.

11. Cubs at Sox: Best matchup in sports?

For much of their existence, the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox were defined by their inability to win titles. That's changed now.

12. Statcast of the Day: Lindor bests Devenski

Francisco Lindor could not hide his smile when told how far his home run soared on Thursday night. The Indians shortstop keeps insisting that he is not a power hitter, but he sent a pitch from Astros reliever Chris Devenski over the seats in center field and into the Progressive Field bullpens.

13. Play Beat the Streak for a shot at $5.6 million

Are you ready to break baseball's toughest record? $5.6 million goes to the first person to get a 57-game hitting streak. Play MLB.com's most popular free game now.

14. Dodgers erupt in 10th to earn split with Giants

Andrew Toles and Justin Turner contributed RBI singles to a tiebreaking four-run surge in the 10th inning as the Dodgers outlasted the Giants, 5-1, on Thursday at AT&T Park. The traditional rivals split the four-game series.

15. Phils hook Marlins for sixth win in a row

Jeremy Hellickson adeptly worked out of a pair of two-baserunner jams in consecutive innings Thursday, earning the Phillies a 3-2 win and a rain-shortened two-game sweep of the Marlins, extending their winning streak to six

16. Ten facts to know about Red Sox, Cubs

As the Cubs and Red Sox face off in Boston this weekend, make sure you're smarter than all your friends with Statcast's 10 facts to know about the series.

17. See them now: MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects

Check out MLB Pipeline's newly updated list of the Top 100 Prospects in the game.

18. 'Tired arm' causes Syndergaard to be scratched

The Mets have scratched Noah Syndergaard from Thursday's start against the Braves with what manager Terry Collins deemed a "tired arm." Matt Harvey will start in his place.

19. Start your own season by purchasing R.B.I. Baseball

Start your own season by purchasing R.B.I. Baseball

20. Lindor's homer lifts Tribe past Astros in finale

Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor is one of the game's most talented young players, and he reminded the Astros of that Thursday. Lindor's two-run, go-ahead homer in the seventh powered the Indians to a 4-3 victory over the Astros in the series finale at Progressive Field.

21. Joe Blogs: The return of Dallas

Everything went wrong for Dallas Keuchel in 2016. But just as fast as his mojo left him, it's back in a big way this season.

22. Miller has strained tendon, partial UCL tear

D-backs right-hander Shelby Miller has been diagnosed with a strained flexor tendon and a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament.

23. Trout trade? He's too good for it to happen

Mike Trout is the best player in baseball. He's also the most untradeable. That's not to say the other 29 teams wouldn't love to call the Angels' superstar their own, but given his age, talent and contract status, it's impossible to imagine a scenario in which any club could make an offer that Los Angeles general manager Billy Eppler couldn't refuse.

24. Cespedes likely DL-bound with pulled hamstring

Yoenis Cespedes' return to the Mets lasted barely more than a game. Cespedes pulled up lame at second base after doubling to open the fourth inning Thursday, eventually limping off the field alongside trainer Ray Ramirez.

25. Patience is approach for Lindor, Correa

They were born near each other, made their debuts within a week of each other, finished first and second in the 2015 American League Rookie of the Year Award race, play the same position, took the field next to each other for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic and had this fun little moment on the basepaths Wednesday.

26. Selig makes 'overwhelming' pre-induction visit

At some point, the whole thing became almost more than Bud Selig could get his mind around. "I didn't think anything could overwhelm me," he said. "But this is overwhelming."

27. Bumgarner set to ease into shoulder rehab

Left-hander Madison Bumgarner will officially start his recovery from his dirt-bike accident when he launches his rehabilitation program Friday.

28. Owings homers twice to back Walker's 11 K's

Taijuan Walker matched his career high with 11 strikeouts, as the right-hander led the D-backs to a 5-2 win over the Padres on Thursday night at Chase Field.

29. Mahle follows perfect game with six scoreless for Pensacola

Tyler Mahle's chances of throwing his second straight perfect game came undone just two batters into his start on Thursday. The Reds' No. 10 prospect still was plenty good, tossing six dominant frames to extend his scoreless innings streak to 19 2/3 for Double-A Pensacola.

30. Pujols ties Palmeiro at 16th on all-time RBI list

Angels slugger Albert Pujols notched his 1,835th career RBI in Thursday night's 2-1 win over the A's at Angel Stadium, moving into a tie with Rafael Palmeiro for 16th place on the all-time MLB list.

31. Yankees to bring Didi back from DL on Friday

Didi Gregorius is expected to return to the Yankees' lineup on Friday, making his season debut as the club opens a three-game series against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium.

32. Torrid start puts Harper in elite company

Call him Mr. April. When you're in company with The Sultan of Swat and The Splendid Splinter, you need your own nickname.

33. Adams leads Cards to twin-bill sweep of Jays

After stunning the Blue Jays with eight late-inning runs to steal a victory in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader, the Cardinals' offense continued rolling early in the nightcap to build a lead Toronto couldn't fully chip away. St. Louis completed the doubleheader sweep with a 6-4 win to pull back to .500.

34. Suzuki's 3-run homer lifts Braves to win

Landing at LaGuardia Airport this week with a six-game losing streak in tow, the Braves needed something to jolt them out of their recent malaise -- and quickly. The Mets gave it to them in the form of their own miserable week, which included a pair of defeats and the losses of their two biggest stars.

35. Gray looks sharp in Triple-A rehab start

For the second time in his professional career on Thursday night, Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray started for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. The Smyrna native and former Vanderbilt standout earned the 9-2 win against the New Orleans Baby Cakes, pitching six innings, allowing two hits and no runs, while striking out seven on Throwback Thursday at First Tennessee Park.

36. Nailed it! Carpenter's slam could be catalyst

Before Thursday's doubleheader against the Blue Jays, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny toyed with the idea of moving Matt Carpenter out of the three-hole as a means to potentially jump-start the first baseman's bat. Matheny eventually opted against the switch, yet he ended up with the desired result anyway.

37. Hot wire: 10 players to pick up in fantasy

Could your fantasy team use more power? What about steals? Runs, RBIs or wins? Regardless of your holes, the fantasy waiver wire has a plug or long-term fix to pick up today.

38. Angels' two-run first enough for sweep of A's

Albert Pujols and C.J. Cron drove in one run apiece to back a solid outing from Ricky Nolasco, propelling the Angels to a sweep of the A's with a 2-1 win in Thursday night's series finale at Angel Stadium.

39. Jason Motte, recently signed by the Braves, had his 4 1/2-year-old daughter shave his beard off

Motte has 4 1/2-year-old daughter shave his beard off

40. Thames' tear unsurprising to childhood coach

The hitting guru was in the middle of a lesson when 12-year-old Eric Thames knocked on his door. Thames had run the three miles to Joe Bettencourt's San Jose, Calif., home with bat in hand, just as he would do the next day and the day after that, and for years after that, until Thames was old enough and strapping enough that Bettencourt suggested it might not be the best idea for a young man to be running city streets with a baseball bat.

41. Urias shows poise in impressive '17 debut

The Dodgers won't know until October if their experiment to limit Julio Urias' innings truly succeeds. But so far, so good. In his intentionally delayed 2017 debut on Thursday, the 20-year-old Urias pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed only one run, after which teammates turned his no-decision into a zany 5-1 win in 10 innings over the Giants.

42. Blue Jays plan to activate Sanchez Sunday

Blue Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez is nearing a return and will likely be activated from the 10-day disabled list in time for a start vs. the Rays on Sunday afternoon. Sanchez has been out since April 14 with a blister on his right middle finger. He threw a bullpen session on Thursday and will pitch off a mound again on Friday before receiving final clearance to start against Tampa Bay.

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MLB: SPORTS ILLUSTRATED COVERAGE

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SI.com - MLB

SI.com is the league leader in original in-depth coverage of professional, local, college and international sports. And we're updated continuously, delivering the level of rich in-depth coverage Sports Illustrated fans demand, at the speed of CNN.

1. College World Series Game 1: Vanderbilt piles nine early runs, holds on to win

Vanderbilt exploded for a nine-run third inning and then barely held on for a 9-8 Game 1 win vs. UVA.

2. LaRoche homer pushes Nats to blank Brewers

3. Adams, Lynn power Cardinals to shutout of Rox

4. Guthrie baffles Dodgers as Royals take opener

5. Watch: Orioles' Davis walks off ChiSox with HR

Chris Davis had been scuffling, and with lefty Chris Sale on the mound, it was a perfect night for the Orioles first baseman to ride the pine. He didn’t get the entire night off, however. Manager Buck Showalter called his number in the bottom of the ninth, and Davis delivered a walk-off three-run homer.

6. Lind, Stroman help Blue Jays hammer Yankees

7. Tulowitzki, Bautista captains at ASG HR Derby

NEW YORK (AP) - Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays and Troy Tulowitzki of the Colorado Rockies will be the captains for the Home Run Derby at the All-Star game.

8. Lessons From The Captain

On SI Now, Indians first baseman Nick Swisher discusses what he learned playing alongside Derek Jeter in New York.

9. MLB Power Rankings: Athletics stay on top, Reds start to climb

Oakland swept the first-place votes and is No. 1 again in the Power Rankings, but two NL Central teams are rising.

10. Big-spending Yankees winning with cheap pitching

Their big-money players are struggling, but cheap pitchers are keeping the Yankees in contention.

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MLB: YAHOO SPORTS COVERAGE

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MLB on Yahoo! Sports - News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

Comprehensive Major League Baseball news, scores, standings, fantasy games, rumors, and more

1. Power Rankings: Yankees move into top 10

Don't look now, but Aaron Judge and the Baby Bombers are right on the heels of the Orioles and Red Sox in the AL East.

2. Orioles walk it off in wacky 11 inning affair, defeat the Rays 5-4

The Orioles snatched the rubber game away from the Rays, scoring two in the 11th, capped by a Seth Smith walk-off walk. If you havent taken to calling 2017 Oriole, Seth Smith, Dad yet, you should try it on.

3. Buchholz apologizes to Phillies for injury, hopes he can return this season

Manny Machado’s slide is lingering Dustin Pedroia would have been in the lineup on Tuesday had the Red Sox played a game that was rained out, manager John Farrell said. Despite more rain Wednesday, the Red Sox were poised to get the game in. But Pedroia was not in the lineup, his left ankle and knee still bothersome. Farrell said he hoped to avoid Pedroia entirely Wednesday, and that the rainy conditions at Fenway Park contributed to the decision. “After some work he did yesterday here before the game, or the would-be game, felt like there was still some lingering symptoms there,” Farrell said. “With the wet grounds tonight, I wasn't going to take any further risk for potential mis-footing to

4. Regulars in lineup continue to scuffle, Giants end up with series split

SAN FRANCISCO — The momentum generated by Christian Arroyo and Michael Morse late Wednesday night lasted just a few hours. By the end of this four-game series, the Giants were left with a harsh reality: Even with two injections of new blood, they are not hitting. Arroyo drove in another run Thursday, but that was it for a lineup that couldn’t support Matt Moore’s effort. The bullpen, which had kept Bruce Bochy’s guys in close games all series, finally broke in the 10th. The Dodgers walked away with a 5-1 win and a split of a series that was rather uninspiring for both sides. After scoring 10 runs on the last road trip, the Giants scored just eight during the four games against the Dodgers.

5. Pirates rookie Gift Ngoepe becomes first African-born player in MLB history

The Pittsburgh Pirates have made history twice this week. On Monday, they promoted Dovydas Neverauskas to the big leagues, making him the first Lithuanian-born player in MLB history. On Wednesday, the Pirates called up Gift Ngoepe to the big leagues, making him the first African-born player in league history.

6. Noah Syndergaard scratched from start due to 'tired arm'

There could be some bad news coming for the New York Mets, and for anyone who loves powerful, dominant pitching. Noah Syndergaard, the Mets’ long-haired towheaded ace, is dealing with a possible injury to his pitching arm. He’s been scratched from his

7. With White Sox hitters' support, Jose Quintana picks up first win of 2017

The White Sox starting pitcher is famously left wanting for run support nearly every time he takes the mound. It put Quintana in position for his first win of the season, which he officially earned when things went final a few innings later. It was a good time, Quintana said after the 5-2 victory on the South Side.

8. Curses! Two-time curse buster Theo Epstein returns to Boston

It’s a different Theo Epstein who returns to Fenway Park Friday with the Cubs for the first time since a contentious departure as general manager of his hometown Red Sox in the fall of 2011. “I think I’ve definitely grown up a lot, at least I hope I have,” Epstein, 43, said as he arrived in Boston for a weekend series that promises to be a media circus under the bright lights of national broadcasts Saturday and Sunday. Whether that’s part of an admitted evolution as a baseball executive that helped lead to the right pieces coming together as quickly as they have for the Cubs, that newest World Series ring is his third in 14 years running baseball operations for two of the most storied franchises in the sport. The two from the Red Sox are from the Bambino curse-buster in 2004 and from 2007.

9. Washington Nationals take eighth of last nine on road trip with 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies...

Daniel Murphy singled off Colorado Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood to start the top of the second and one and two-out walks to Jayson Werth and Tanner Roark, respectively, loaded the bases in front of Adam Eaton, who sent a ground ball through the right side to drive in two runs for an early 2-0 lead. Trea Turner homered with one out in the fifth, and after a walk to Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run blast to right-center field to put the Washington Nationals up 5-0 early in what ended up an 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies. The top five hitters in the Nationals lineup were a combined 13 for 24 with 10 runs scored and 11 RBIs, taking their eighth game in the last nine and second straight in Coors Field.

10. Fantasy Baseball Prospects Report: Lewis Brinson, Jose Berrios the latest to stash

It's been an eventful week, as far as prospect call-ups go. Two of my five on the verge indeed graduated to the majors, with Cody Bellinger getting the call Tuesday and Julio Urias making his inevitable return Thursday. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants introduced their third baseman of the future, and while Christian Arroyo may not profile as an immediate contributor in single-season leagues, any prospect who's good enough to start in the majors is of great significance in dynasty leagues. So now what? Yoan Moncada remains the most obvious prospect to stash, but it's so obvious that he's already 75 percent owned in CBS Sports leagues. The call-up buzz has been surprisingly minimal during this

11. Orioles minor league pitching filled equally with surprises, disappointments in 2017

Cody Sedlock has continued to dominate at Frederick, but minor-league pitching hasnt been perfect in the Orioles system this year. The Orioles dont have the minor-league talent that grabs the attention of the national media, but theres plenty to track on a nightly basis for Buck Showalter and the major-league staff. Heres a look at each minor-league squad, focusing on the pitching performances thatve been put on down on the farm.

12. Clay Buchholz apologized to the Phillies for getting injured

MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reports that starter Clay Buchholz is at Citizens Bank Park for Wednesday night’s game against the Marlins. The timetable for his recovery is three to five months, but most are expecting him to miss the rest of the season since the Phillies aren’t legitimate contenders. According to Zolecki, Buchholz apologized to GM Matt Klentak “and others” — presumably other front office staff and/or his teammates — for getting injured.

13. Yankees made 1 April statement: Can they now make another?

BOSTON — Sure, it’s early. Anything that happens in April is early. Anything that happens before Memorial Day, if we’re being honest, is early but April … well, April is awfully early. It’s crazy early, absurdly early. Just so we’re in agreement on that. Still … Isn’t it refreshing to use that word as a way to manage enthusiasm rather than as a way to temper anxiety? Isn’t it better to be — just picking a team at random here — the Yankees, winners of 13 of their first 20, playing .650 ball in a year when it was believed they’d do very well to play at .500, when they have to keep yelling over the blare of joyous postgame playlists “IT’S TOO EARLY TO GET TOO FULL OF OURSELVES!” as a couple of them

14. Felix Hernandez heads to DL after 'dead arm' outing in Detroit

Felix Hernandez lasted all of two innings on Tuesday night as the Detroit Tigers clobbered the Seattle Mariners, 19-9 at Comerica Park. It took Hernandez 48 pitches to get six outs and he gave up six hits, four runs and two walks in the process. Seattle’s ace struck out just two.

15. Precautionary days for Ben Zobrist boost Javy Baez playing time

PITTSBURGH — So much for that dilemma about getting Javy Baez regular playing time at second base. Manager Joe Maddon showed again Wednesday that he plans to rest and preserve Ben Zobrist for what the club expects to be another seven-month season. Zobrist, who was out of the lineup for three games last week because of soreness in his lower back, was on the bench again ahead of a scheduled day off even though he told Maddon he was fine to play. “I’m being respectful from his back’s perspective,” Maddon said. “Give him two days down, it sets him up for [the weekend series in] Boston. Coming off that stiff back a couple of days ago, why do I want to put him in another stiff-back mode?” Zobrist already

16. The Garcia and Garcia Show: Avisail, Leury keep swinging as White Sox complete sweep of Royals

You probably couldnt have predicted this before the season started: that a pair of Garcias would be leading the offensive charge for the surging White Sox. Avisail, whos earning way-too-early virtual MVP chants on Twitter on a nightly basis, delivered the biggest blow Wednesday, breaking a short-lived 2-all tie with a two-run blast to center field to put his team back in front for good. Leury added his own solo shot an inning later to make it a 5-2 score, the eventual final in the South Siders win over the visiting Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field.

17. Judge, Severino carry Yankees past Red Sox, 3-1

18. Joey Gallo has become the utility player the Rangers were hoping Profar would be

Kevin Sherrington, sports columnist for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered questions about the Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks and more in a live chat Wednesday. Here are some highlights. Who do you think has been the Rangers best everyday player so far? Kevin Sherrington: A couple of weeks ago, I would have said Mazara, but he's tailed off a little bit. Elvis is hitting well, but he's still making too many mistakes in the field. Part of the Rangers' problem this season is that most of the position players have not played well. The best story line is how well Gallo has played in place of Beltre. But they need improvement across the board. Could Profar be the man out when Beltre

19. Giants lineup: Bochy places Arroyo right behind Posey vs Dodgers

After recording his first hit in the big leagues, the Giants are making Christian Arroyo into Buster Posey's protection vs. the Dodgers.Los Angeles Dodgers (10-11)1. Cody Bellinger (L) LF2. Corey Seager (L) SS3. Justin Turner (R) 3B4. Adrian Gonzalez

20. Game 20: Mets vs. Braves, 7:10 p.m. on SNY

The Mets (8-11) open a shortened two-game series against the Braves (6-12) at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m. The Mets, who were off on Monday and were rained out on Tuesday, were swept in a three-game series by the Nationals over the weekend. The Mets have lost four straight games and eight of their last nine to fall to fourth place in the N.L. East -- 5.5 games behind the first place Nationals. ... The Mets are 4-8 at home this season. ... The last time the Mets were three games under .500 was April 12 of last season, when they were 2-5. ... The Mets opened this season by winning 2 of 3 games against the Braves at Citi Field. Who is starting tonight for the Mets? Right-hander Robert Gsellman, (5.09

21. Through 20 games, the Blue Jays struggles are real

Before Tuesday night, the Toronto Blue Jays were a struggling, underperforming team that was running out of time to right the ship. Because no one was talking about the Blue Jays’ pathetic start anymore, they were talking about the greatest home plate tag anyone has ever seen. Coghlan’s slide was one of the things that helped the Jays win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, and they needed it badly.

22. Didi Gregorius’ return presents a Yankees lineup test for Girardi

BOSTON — When Didi Gregorius is activated from the disabled list Friday night, Joe Girardi will try and figure out where the left-handed hitting shortstop fits best into the Yankees’ lineup. “I don’t know. I started going over it with some guys and I am going to have a flight and all day [Friday] morning to think about it,’’ Girardi said of adding Gregorius into the lineup against Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman. Since Gregorius developed into a run producer last season when he hit .276 with 20 homers and 70 RBIs, he isn’t going to hit in the lower third of the order. “I am going to have to make an adjustment now that Didi is coming back because you figure he is going to hit somewhere in the

23. MLB Power Rankings: Rockies and Diamondbacks giving us wild, wild NL West

Given that we haven't even gotten to May, broad, sweeping conclusions about teams can be folly, but we can start to kind of figure out what teams got off to slow starts and seem like they probably aren't going to have good seasons. I think the Toronto Blue Jays fit the bill there. The Kansas City Royals probably do, too, as I predicted heading into the year. How about the San Francisco Giants ? They won the World Series in 2014 and then made the playoffs last season with a similar nucleus. They needed to shore up the bullpen in the offseason and added closer Mark Melancon . Sure, there were holes (left field, where a 52-year-old Barry Bonds seems like he'd be an easy upgrade), but overall,

24. Jim Thome isn't crushing awesome homers anymore, but he's still getting his 'baseball fix'

“Hitting home runs is a lot of fun,” says Jim Thome, one of the most qualified people in history to speak on the topic. “I miss competing, but I don’t crave it. It’s not something where everyday I go, ‘oh my gosh, I’ve got to compete.'” Thome finished a long and successful playing career in 2012 with 612 homers and a stellar .956 OPS on his resume. These days, he only swings a bat if he’s working with his 9-year-old son, Landon. He doesn’t take batting practice anymore, and outside of a single “throwback” exhibition game a couple of years ago, he hasn’t had any real chance to sock dingers since he hung ’em up. Now 46, the five-time All-Star told USA TODAY Sports that he gets his “baseball fix”

25. Washington Nationals recall Matt Grace; place Koda Glover on 10-Day DL with left hip impingement

Matt Grace is back in the majors, called up to help out of the Nationals bullpen with Koda Glover going on the 10-Day DL with a left hip impingement. With two games remaining on the ten-game, three-city road trip that started last week in Atlanta, GA, then moved to New York and on to Colorado, the Washington Nationals are a bit beat up. Dusty Baker was asked after the 15-12 win if he might have to call up reserves to help his bullpen.

26. Theo Epstein returns to Boston — and his fingerprints are everywhere

The Cubs invade Fenway Park this weekend for a series that many believe will be a World Series preview. Cubs players Jon Lester, John Lackey and Koji Uehara lead the large contingent of former Red Sox employees, which obviously also includes President Theo Epstein, the man who helped end the two most famous droughts in sports. Epstein's return will be the most hyped aspect of the series, which will be televised nationally Saturday afternoon on FS1 and Sunday night on ESPN. Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, a vital cog on Epstein's '07 championship team in Boston, said it's a homecoming that shouldn't be missed. "Obviously I'm sure he's very proud," Pedroia said. "He has done things in baseball

27. Cardinals keep drilling on defense

If Mike Shildt is making a list of fundamentals the club needs to address, and checking it twice, then the Cardinals’ new quality control coach should add an asterisk by the errant pickoff in Tuesday’s ninth inning. That was the pregame focus just hours before it happened. In what’s become a continuing effort to correct chronic defensive issues and other loose widgets in their game, the Cardinals have scheduled spring training-like drills for the regular season. On Tuesday, before a loss littered with errors, outfielders took the field to work on cutoff throws, and then pitchers and first baseman Matt Carpenter went through a series of pickoff drills. Manager Mike Matheny stood in as the runner,

28. Gary Sanchez to begin rehab assignment on Monday

Chris Carelli, SNY.tv Leadoff hitters are typically a key to a team's success. In the Yankees' case, they've jumped out to an 11-7 record despite left fielder Brett Gardner's incredibly poor start at the plate. Is it too early to look at the future without the Yankees' home grown outfielder and is it too late to receive a good return in a trade? Gardner is hitting .182 with a .318 on-base percentage, .236 slugging percentage and a 68 wRC+ (runs created per plate appearance where 100 is average) in 66 plate appearances on the young season. However, Gardner's troubles go all the way back to the second half of the 2015 season. The moment Gardner returned from his first All-Star game, he began to

29. Padres look to split series with Diamondbacks Thursday

PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks are planning to install an offense-tamping humidor at Chase Field later this season, expected to be operational in June. San Diego Padres third baseman Ryan Schimpf might not approve. He certainly was not consulted. Schimpf, who made his major league debut June 14 last year, has five of his 24 career homers at Chase Field. The latest, a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning Wednesday, pulled the rug out from under the Diamondbacks and enabled the Padres to break a three-game losing streak in an 8-5 victory. Schimpf has made 28 plate appearances at Chase, where his on-base-plus-slugging percentage now stands at 1.319. He has 25 total bases in 26 at-bats

30. Rangers slugger Gallo showing he's more than just big bopper

Joey Gallo has hit the hardest homer in the majors this season - and some of the longest. The young slugger who went to spring training not even knowing if he'd make the Texas Rangers roster to start this season has now played all 22 games in place of injured third baseman Adrian Beltre. ''For me, the home runs are going to be there,'' Gallo said.

31. Can pitcher Dylan Unsworth be South Africa's next major leaguer?

While growing up in South Africa, where baseball is pretty far down in the hierarchy of sports, Dylan Unsworth often played catch with his father, just as so many kids do in the Americas. The Unsworths used a little different style though. "He would throw underhand to me, and I would throw overhand to him, so it was a little weird," said Unsworth, pointing out that his father did so because he was a good softball pitcher. "He wasn't really the fastest pitcher, but his control and command were outstanding. And that's definitely my strength, so I'm taking after him a little bit." A prospect in the Seattle Mariners' system, Unsworth is hoping to become the second player -- and first pitcher -- from

32. Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Dodgers call up Cody Bellinger, Patrick Corbin shines

Cody Bellinger has a boomstick, and he's bringing it to Los Angeles. The Dodgers' 21 year-old first baseman of the future was called up Tuesday to help the team in the outfield. It's a position he's capable of filling even if his longterm fit is most likely to be at first base. Of course, where he plays is far less important than what he does with the bat. Bellinger was ranked as the No. 7 prospect by Baseball America largely due to his prodigious power. He's hit 61 home runs since the start of 2014 in 1,100 plate appearances. That pace did not slow at the start of 2017 with a .343/.429/.627 slash line in Triple-A. There won't be too many prospects called up in 2017 that generate the type of

33. Cub Tracks Drops The Ball

CUBS LOSE! Those darn baseball gods love meatloaf...slim pickin’s in the ninth. “They were never lovable.” – Anonymous White Sox fan, about our favorite team Tuesday, Cub Tracks considered such things as gamma rays and dark matters, and also baseball, Bruce Banner. The less said about the Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, the better, Paul Zindel. It’s a travel day off for the Cubs, who are over the hump and headed into Fenway for a weekend set after taking two out of three from the suddenly hapless Pirates. Lester strode to the mound, and then, two innings later, Lester Strode to the mound. Willson Contreras needs to stop watching how Francisco Cervelli holds the ball. That was the pivotal play, to

34. Pirates hope to improve defense as they travel to Miami

The Pittsburgh Pirates hope to improve their play in the field as they prepare to face the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park this weekend. Pittsburgh (9-12) opens a three-game road series against the Marlins on Friday, and the Pirates will have to improve their defense if they want to make a move out of the cellar in the National League Central.

35. Tanaka outduels Sale and Yankees beat Red Sox, 3-0

BOSTON - Masahiro Tanaka pitched a three-hitter to outduel Chris Sale and earn his first shutout since 2014, and the New York Yankees beat Boston 3-0 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory over the rival Red Sox. Tanaka (3-1) struck out three and threw only 97 pitches for his fifth career complete game and his 10th win in 11 decisions dating to last season. Aaron Hicks had two hits and scored twice, and Matt Holliday had two hits and two RBIs. Tanaka retired the last 14 batters he faced and only allowed one runner to reach second base. Sale (1-2) allowed three runs - two earned - and eight hits in eight innings, striking out 10 and walking none. He joined Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens

36. Adam Wainwright has looked a little bit better

It’s a harsh reality check when we, as fans of the St. Louis Cardinals, are forced to accept a two earned-run, five-inning start by former ace Adam Wainwright as “a little bit better.” Yet, as Wainwright creeps ever closer to the age of 36, this level of performance is an unfortunate inevitability, even if a Hall of Fame pitcher believes he will “reinvent himself and get people out.” Frankly, even the very best pitchers — and Wainwright certainly is one of the very best to ever don the Birds on the Bat — eventually decline to a point where retirement is nothing more than a formality. All that being said, Wainwright isn’t retiring (and the 2017 Cardinals cannot afford him to). On a more positive note and as already alluded to above, Wainwright did look a little bit better against the Brewers in his last start — also known as the smallest sample size possible for a starting pitcher.

37. Altuve out of Astros' lineup a day after collision

Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch knew Jose Altuve wanted to be in the lineup Wednesday night. ''I took it out of his hands by taking him out of the lineup before we got to the ballpark today,'' Hinch said. Altuve crashed into right fielder Teoscar Hernandez while the two were chasing a popup in the eighth inning of Houston's 4-2 win.

38. Tigers' fielding, K-Rod, hitting not good enough in 2-1 loss to M's

Collins' gaffe in field led to M's run, but his three-hit day helped score another; K-Rod's ninth spoils solid pitching Tyler Collins made a mistake. Playing in centerfield in the top of the sixth inning this afternoon, the mistake was another miscommunication. This time, rightfielder Jim Adduci was his tag-team partner. The two have only played two games in the outfield together and on this shallow fly ball to right-center, they collided. Nelson Cruz, who should have been walking back to the dugout, was suddenly standing on second base. Shortly thereafter, the Tigers had fallen behind. BOX SCORE But Collins made up for his mistake in earnest the next half inning, doubling off the right-center

39. MLB Wednesday scores, highlights, news, updates: Orioles walk off, Mets keep sliding

Wednesday offers us a full slate of MLB action, so let's keep track of all the big moments on and off the field ... Final scores Milwaukee Brewers 9, Cincinnati Reds 4 (box score) Chicago White Sox 5, Kansas City Royals 2 (box score) Phillies 7, Marlins 4 (box score) Indians 7, Astros 6 (box score) Pirates 6, Cubs 5 (box score) Braves 8, Mets 2 (box score) Mariners 8, Tigers 0 (box score) Yankees 3, Red Sox 1 (box score) Orioles 5, Rays 4 in 11 (box score) Toronto Blue Jays at St. Louis Cardinals - PPD Rangers 14, Twins 3 (box score) Nationals 11, Rockies 4 (box score) Padres 8, Diamondbacks 5 (box score) Giants 4, Dodgers 3 (box score) Angels 8, Athletics 5 (box score) O's win on walk-off walk

40. D-backs' Shelby Miller has partial UCL tear; Tommy John an option

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Shelby Miller has a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament and is evaluating whether to have Tommy John surgery or to rehab the injury through non-surgical options. Miller, who also was diagnosed with a flexor strain, said he would speak by telephone with Dr. James Andrews, who was the last doctor to evaluate his MRI. Miller, though, said all three doctors to look at the MRI came back with the same diagnosis. "It sucks," Miller told reporters, according to azcentral.com. "It's not good news. You never want to be put in this kind of situation and never would you think that it would happen to you. It is what it is. It's just one of those things that you

41. Shoemaker gets 1st win since head injury, Angels top A's 8-5

Matt Shoemaker thought only about his team, not how far he had come personally since a line drive that hit off the right side of his head and led to brain surgery last September. Shoemaker battled through five innings for his first victory since that injury, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 8-5 on Wednesday night. ''Wins are always great, but the satisfaction is that we won,'' Shoemaker said.

42. Atlanta Braves News and Links: Big night for Braves offense

BRAVES NEWS The Braves got off to a hot start on Wednesday, plating five runs in the first inning and sending starter Julio Teheran to the plate before he took the mound. That early lead would be more than enough for Teheran, who pitched into the seventh inning, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts. Brandon Phillips exited the contest after an apparent groin strain in the second, but after the game Brian Snitker told reporters that his second baseman is day-to-day and is expected back in the lineup by Friday. In case you missed it, the Braves High-A affiliate Florida Fire Frogs scored 22 runs on Tuesday, with several of the club’s top prospects playing a large role in the onslaught.

43. Tigers luncheon: GM Al Avila says season has gone as expected, so far

Brody Lutz didn't fold under pressure. Standing a few feet from Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera at Wednesday's 12th annual Detroit Economic Club Tigers luncheon, the 10-year-old from Birmingham seized the opportunity to meet one of baseball's greatest hitters. Brody, wearing a No. 24 Cabrera jersey, was in the hallway outside the MotorCity Casino Hotel ballroom looking at Tigers memorabilia when his idol strolled past. "I was like, 'Hey, Miggy,' " said Brody, who attended the event with his mother, Beth Lutz. "He's like, 'Hey, can I sign your ball? Can I sign your stuff?' I was like, 'Yeah, sure.' " Brody, Sharpie on hand, watched in amazement as Cabrera signed the back of his jersey and a

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1. Spring setbacks thwarting NL contenders

Spring setbacks thwarting NL contenders

2. Are the Rockies and Diamondbacks turning the NL West upside down?

Are the Rockies and Diamondbacks turning the NL West upside down?

3. 2 for 1: A's Graveman turns rare double play

2 for 1: A's Graveman turns rare double play

4. Bethancourt to focus on pitching in Triple-A

Bethancourt to focus on pitching in Triple-A

5. Sources: Mets' Cespedes expected to go on DL

Sources: Mets' Cespedes expected to go on DL

6. D-backs' Miller has UCL tear; surgery possible

D-backs' Miller has UCL tear; surgery possible

7. More players shelved with 10-day DL in place

More players shelved with 10-day DL in place

8. Beardless Motte back in majors with Braves

Beardless Motte back in majors with Braves

9. On draft night, Masahiro Tanaka emerges a surprise No. 1 over Chris Sale

On draft night, Masahiro Tanaka emerges a surprise No. 1 over Chris Sale

10. The Red Sox have a big (Papi) absence in their offense

The Red Sox have a big (Papi) absence in their offense

11. Real or not? Indians-Astros show some strategy; Terry Collins watch begins

Real or not? Indians-Astros show some strategy; Terry Collins watch begins

12. Olney: Is this the best Bryce Harper we've ever seen?

Olney: Is this the best Bryce Harper we've ever seen?

13. Anthony Rizzo's road to stardom began with Red Sox

Anthony Rizzo's road to stardom began with Red Sox

14. Vote: What is Theo Epstein's greatest accomplishment?

Vote: What is Theo Epstein's greatest accomplishment?

15. Breaking down MLB's jersey name game

Breaking down MLB's jersey name game

16. A catcher's dilemma: How much longer can Buster Posey stay behind the plate?

A catcher's dilemma: How much longer can Buster Posey stay behind the plate?

17. Moneyball? Try Powerball. Even the A's are swinging away

Moneyball? Try Powerball. Even the A's are swinging away

18. Aaron Judge writing his own chapter in Yankees-Red Sox rivalry

Aaron Judge writing his own chapter in Yankees-Red Sox rivalry

19. Attention, Red Sox: Don't sleep on the Yankees

Attention, Red Sox: Don't sleep on the Yankees

THE LATEST CONTEST WINS & THE GROWING #1-TITLES!

CONTEST-WATCH - OUR LATEST #1-FINISH IN A DOCUMENTED HANDICAPPING CONTEST:

We are the ONLY sports service in the history of ther world to finish with over 70% winners in BOTH college football (73.47%) and the NFL (70.7%) in the same year.

We have 321 #1 catgory finishes in documented sports service national handicapping contests - more than anyone has ever had.

WE FINISHED #1 IN THE 2013 MLB BASEBALL POST-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE SPORTS EYE IN MOST NET PROFIT WON.

* WE FINISHED #1 IN THE 2012 NFL FOOTBALL REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP AT BOTH THE SPORTS MONITOR & THE SPORTS EYE IN MOST NET PROFIT WON AND WE WON 70.8%.

* WE FINISHED #1 IN THE 2012 COLLEGE FOOTBALL REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP AT BOTH THE SPORTS MONITOR & THE SPORTS EYE IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES, WITH 73.47%:

#1 IN WIN PERCENTAGE (73.47%); #1 IN RETURN-ON-RISK WITH 43.14%; #1 IN MOST NET PROFIT WON; #1 IN TOTALS WITH AN AMAZING 24-4 RECORD, ETC.

* WE FINISHED #1 IN THE ULTIMATE CONTEST THERE IS FOR SPORTS SERVICES: THE 2012 COMBINED FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE SPORTS MONITOR, WITH A REMARKABLE

9+% WIN OVER THE 2ND-PLACE SERVICE (AND THERE WERE 125 SERVICES IN THIS CONTEST!). WE HAVE A COMBO WIN % OF ABOUT 72%. IN 27 YEARS OF TSM, NO SERVICE

HAD EVER WON THIS CONTEST BY MORE THAN 4%. aND OVER THE LAST DECADE THE AVERAGE WIN WAS BY 0.9%. AND WE WON BY 9+%.

* WE ALSO BECAME THE VERY FIRST SERVICE EVER IN THE 27 YEARS OF THE SPORTS MONITOR (TSM) TO FINISH WITH OVER 70% IN THE SAME YEAR IN BOTH COLLEGE FOOTBALL (73.47%)

AND NFL FOOTBALL (70.8%). iN SPITE OF THE LYING THIEVES WHO CLAIM TO WIN 80% ALL THE TIME (AND ARE NEVER MONITORED IN A LEGITIMATE CONTEST), NO ONE HAD EVER DONE THIS.

We win the 2011 NFL-Ex Football Contest @ The Sports Monitor in 2 divisions: Most Bankroll Won, Totals & Most Net Winners, Totals.

We win BOTH the 2011 NHL Hockey Contest @ The Sports Monitor & the Titanium Award (our 14th) @ The Sports Eye. See our Award Notifications HERE.

We win the 2011 NFL Football Contest (Post-Season) Titanium Award (our 13th) @ The Sports Eye. See our Award Notification HERE.

We win the 2010 College Football Contest (Regular-Season-totals division) @ LVSM. See our Award Notification HERE.

We win the 2010 NFL-Ex Football Contest @ LVSM - back-to-back. See our Award Notification HERE.

We win several more Handicapper-of-the-Week Awards at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor. We have 40 of these. See our Award Certificates HERE.

We win the 2009-10 NBA Basketball Post-Season Titanium Award (our 12th) at The Sports Eye. See our Award Notification HERE.

We win the 2009-10 NBA Basketball Post-Season Contest - in every possible category - at LVSM.

We win 10 more Handicapper-of-the-Week Awards - all in a row - at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor. We have 33 of these. See our Award Certificates HERE.

We win May 2010, April 2010 & March 2010 Handicapper-of-the-Month Awards at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor. See our Award Certificates HERE.

We win the 2009-10 NBA Basketball Regular-Season (Top Win-%) at LVSM.

We win the 2009-10 College Basketball Post-Season Titanium Award (our 11th) at The Sports Eye. See our Award Notification HERE.

We win the 2009-10 College Basketball Post-Season Handicapping Championship at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor. See our Award Certificate HERE.

We win the 2009-10 College Basketball Regular-Season Handicapping Championship at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor. See our Award Certificate HERE.

We win the 2009 College Football Regular-Season Handicapping Championship at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor. See our Award Certificate HERE.

We win the 2009 NFL Pre-Season Handicapping Championship at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor. See our Award Certificate HERE.

We finish #1 in the NBA Playoffs Championship Contest at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor (category: Best Win-%, All Sides)

We finish #1 in the 2009 NHL Playoffs Championship Contest at The Sports Monitor (category: Best Win-% (minimum 10 plays), Best Bets)

We finish #1 in the 2009 NHL Regular-Season Championship Contest at The Sports Monitor (category: Best Win-%, All Sides)

We finish #1 in the 2009 NBA Regular-Season Championship Contest at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor (category: Best Win-%, All Sides)

We win the 2009 NFL Post-Season Handicapping Championship at the Las Vegas Sports Monitor. See our Award Certificate HERE.

321: WE HAVE THIS MANY #1-CATEGORY FINISHES IN DOCUMENTED HANDICAPPING CONTESTS

106	FOOTBALL	WE HAVE THIS MANY #1-FINISHES IN THIS SPORT
72	BASKETBALL	WE HAVE THIS MANY #1-FINISHES IN THIS SPORT
42	BASEBALL	WE HAVE THIS MANY #1-FINISHES IN THIS SPORT
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9	SOCCER	WE HAVE THIS MANY #1-FINISHES IN THIS SPORT
45	SPECIAL AWARDS	WE HAVE THIS MANY #1-FINISHES IN THESE

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You will get your plays by an emailed report -

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Daily cost = just $7+/day

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BASEBALL PACKAGES: NAME & ITEM CODE PRICE DESCRIPTION

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THE PLAY-OF-THE-DAY, MLB, FULL SEASON (BAS-MLB-POD-FULL SEA) WE BEAT OUT 130 SERVICES IN THE LAS VEGAS MLB CONTEST AND WE LEAD 193 SERVICES AS TOP PROFIT SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS CONTEST FOR ALL OF 2016 You will get your plays by an emailed report - or you can call us #1 IN THE WORLD OVER 193 HANDICAPPERS AT THE SPORTS WATCH	$1095	(PLAYS OF THE DAY MAY BE MONEY-LINE SIDES OR TOTALS) Includes every Play-of-the-Day through the World Series. WE'VE FINISHED #1 IN 43 NATIONAL HANDICAPPING MLB CONTESTS - MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE...EVER. ON TOP OF 193 HANDICAPPERS AT THE SPORTS WATCH. INCLUDES ALL PLAYS-OF-THE-DAY! Daily cost = just $4+/day SAVE $2735 off the daily rate for the 30- week full-season! THE VERY BEST rate - NEW - LOWEST rate EVER! OUR MOST POPULAR MLB SPOT-PLAY PACKAGE! This is top-selling package, year- after -year, next to our combined college & NFL package.

THE PLAY-OF-THE-DAY, MLB, FULL SEASON

(BAS-MLB-POD-FULL SEA)

WE BEAT OUT 130 SERVICES IN THE LAS VEGAS MLB CONTEST

AND WE LEAD 193 SERVICES AS TOP PROFIT SERVICE IN LAS VEGAS CONTEST FOR ALL OF 2016

You will get your plays by an emailed report -

or you can call us

#1 IN THE WORLD OVER 193 HANDICAPPERS AT THE SPORTS WATCH

$1095

(PLAYS OF THE DAY MAY BE MONEY-LINE SIDES OR TOTALS)

Includes every Play-of-the-Day through the World Series.

WE'VE FINISHED #1 IN 43 NATIONAL HANDICAPPING MLB CONTESTS - MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE...EVER.

ON TOP OF 193 HANDICAPPERS AT THE SPORTS WATCH.

INCLUDES ALL PLAYS-OF-THE-DAY!

Daily cost = just $4+/day

SAVE $2735 off the daily rate for the 30- week full-season!

THE VERY BEST rate - NEW - LOWEST rate EVER!

OUR MOST POPULAR MLB SPOT-PLAY PACKAGE!

This is top-selling package, year- after -year, next to our combined college & NFL package.

ADVERTISE ON OUR HOME PAGE HERE ADVERTISE ON ALL OTHER PAGES HERE SPORTS BOOK OFFER: Get a $50-$150 credit ( details here ).

Our phone hours every day: 9 AM - 5 PM (Eastern U.S. time) Toll-free 1-888-AKMENS-1 (1-888-256-3671)
Cell: 1-863-244-2131 * Local: 1-863-593-3379
Our address: 701 Bumby Lane, Wauchula FL 33873

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