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ESPN.com’s Jorge Arangure reports that former A’s general manager and MLB vice president of baseball operations Sandy Alderson has been hired to “reform the league’s Dominican Republic office.” According to Arangure the job’s focus will be “further preventing age and identity fraud and performance-enhancing drug use” among the prospects who can begin signing with big-league…

Jeremy Renner was seemingly the only person involved with The Hurt Locker not to take home an Oscar last night, but as seemingly everyone in my Twitter feed pointed out at least he still looks like a dead ringer for Jake Peavy (or perhaps at this point Peavy looks like a dead ringer for him):…

Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that Albert Pujols has been scratched from today’s lineup after receiving chiropractic treatment on his sore lower back. Pujols remained at the Cardinals’ spring training complex and told reporters that he feels good enough to potentially be back in the lineup as soon as tomorrow. “It’s…

Brian Costa of the Newark Star Ledger talked to New York Thyroid Center co-director Robert McConnell about Jose Reyes’ overactive thyroid gland: I wouldn’t think he should be inconvenienced for more than a few weeks or a month or so. This should have absolutely no long-term affect on his career. Depending on the level of…

MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick reports that Braden Looper “is doing all he can to stay in shape at home near Chicago, waiting for an acceptable offer” from the Dodgers (or another team, in theory). Los Angeles was linked to Looper throughout the offseason, particularly once their other starter targets like Joel Pineiro and Jon Garland signed…

Today’s practice was a costly one for the Indians, who lost both reliever Jason Grilli and outfield prospect Jordan Brown to leg injuries during the same workout. Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that “Grilli’s leg was immobilized as he was taken off the field” after suffering the injury during an agility drill.…

Huston Street has been unavailable for game action since his shoulder began hurting after throwing batting practice last week, but the Rockies’ closer was able to play catch from 120 feet today and even threw 15 pitches off flat ground. “We just want to make sure we get a couple good days under our belt,”…

Billed as a big-bat third baseman when the White Sox spent $10 million to sign him out of Cuba last offseason, Dayan Viciedo “certainly appears to be gradually making his move across the diamond” according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. Viciedo still considers third base his primary position after playing there almost exclusively at Double-A last…

Jose Reyes was removed from yesterday’s lineup when his physical exam “raised a small concern with doctors.” He skipped the game, went in for some additional blood work, and was cleared to return a few hours later. However, he was again scratched from today’s lineup and is now reportedly headed back to New York to…

UPDATE: Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times confirms that the Rays have interest in Blalock on a minor league deal. 4:44pm: Two weeks ago Matthew named Tampa Bay and Florida as the best remaining fits for Hank Blalock, and sure enough now SI.com’s Jon Heyman reports that the 29-year-old free agent is indeed deciding…

After just one week of spring training Brian Giles told MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick that his oft-injured right knee hasn’t responded as well he’d like: Not as much as I’d like at this point. It’s just okay. Obviously, I’ll give it a few more days. It’s not where I want it to be. I’ll see if…

Despite varying reports about his health status Kelvim Escobar seems likely to begin the season on the disabled list, so the Mets have smartly added another right-handed reliever by signing Kiko Calero to a minor-league contract. Calero is 35 years old and also has a lengthy history of arm injuries, but the fact that he…

Carlos Lee missed the Astros’ spring training opener today and will also be absent for Friday’s game because he’s attending the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. He got manager Brad Mills’ blessing, of course. And this is not, as they say, his first rodeo. Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle reports that Lee is “an…

Bobby Abreu left the Yankees as a free agent about 16 months ago, but just recently sold his New York condo for a whopping $5.1 million. I’m a lifelong Minnesota, so that seems like an insanely high price for a place that’s only 2,444 square feet, but the condo is apparently in an up-scale neighborhood…

Just one vote kept Joe Mauer from joining Albert Pujols as a unanimous MVP last season and Tyler Kepner of the New York Times recently spoke to Keizo Konishi of the Kyodo News about why he cast his ballot for Miguel Cabrera instead. In addition to going into some convoluted logic about the Twins’ lineup…

Brett Cecil has been scratched from his scheduled spring training debut today after cutting his left thumb in what pitching coach Bruce Walton called “a kitchen-type accident.” That could mean Cecil sliced his thumb cutting bagels or it could mean he got into a brawl with Gordon Ramsay, because so far no further details have…

This afternoon the Diamondbacks officially announced their six-year, $51.5 million deal with Justin Upton. Here are the year-by-year salaries: Signing Bonus – $1.25 million 2010 – $500,000 2011 – $4.25 million 2012 – $6.75 million 2013 – $9.75 million 2014 – $14.25 million 2015 – $14.5 million Essentially the Diamondbacks have pre-paid around $21 million…

Huston Street’s shoulder began hurting after throwing batting practice Friday, so the Rockies’ closer won’t appear in a game until next week at the earliest: It’s not a major deal. But it’s not minor, either. They are just extra cautious when you have a month before the season starts. We don’t have a timetable, but…

Lou Piniella has recently begun referring to Kosuke Fukudome as “The Fook,” which I think is absolutely fantastic. Asked how he came up with the new nickname, the manager replied: “I like the name. It’s easy to say.” Through his interpreter Fukudome signed off on the nickname and then Piniella talked about his expectations for…

Yesterday the Cactus League held its annual kickoff breakfast, but Jim Walsh of the Arizona Republic reports that the White Sox, Reds, Angels, and Dodgers boycotted the event to protest a proposed “Cubs tax” on league-wide ticket sales that would help build the Cubs a new spring training facility. Angels spokesperson Tim Mead explained that…

Kevin Slowey missed the final three months of last season after wrist surgery to, as he describes it, “cut down some tendons and pull out some tissue and bones that were no longer necessary and just kind of floating around in there.” His recovery process included around four months of rehab, but even now Slowey…

The knee problem that kept Lance Berkman from working out yesterday has been diagnosed as a left knee contusion, with team doctor David Lintner deeming the injury “not serious” and Berkman returning to action this morning. Bernardo Fallas of the Houston Chronicle reports that Berkman had a “limited workout” that included taking a few swings…

Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports that Freddy Sanchez “almost certainly will not be ready for Opening Day” and “is likely to begin the season on the disabled list” following January shoulder surgery that the Giants initially tried to keep secret. Sanchez was first said to be “questionable” for Opening Day, but…

UPDATE: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the six-year deal is worth exactly $51.25 million. 1:40pm: FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal reports that the Diamondbacks are close to signing Justin Upton to a long-term contract worth around $50 million. From the wording of Rosenthal’s report it sounds like the deal covers six years, including this season, so the Diamondbacks…

While the Nationals decide whether or not last year’s No. 1 pick Stephen Strasburg needs any time in the minors, the Mariners are definitely sending No. 2 pick Dustin Ackley to the minors and he’s also learning a new position. Ackley played primarily first base at the University of North Carolina after undergoing Tommy John…