One year ago this morning we woke up to the news of Nick Adenhart’s death. As Lyle Spencer of MLB.com reports, the Angels are still working through it all. “The shock … I don’t think you ever get over the shock,” Jered Weaver said. “Any time you bring it up, it’s there.” The Angels will…

Bronson Arroyo allowed just four hits in eight innings of one-run ball Thursday against the Cardinals despite taking an early Colby Rasmus comebacker off his calf, but got stuck with a no-decision and said afterward that his leg was “not real good.” Hopefully he can make his next start, because Thursday’s gem kept Arroyo on…

Blue Jays 3, Rangers 1: On the scale of unexpected and dramatic comebacks, Vernon Wells starting the season with four homers in three games falls somewhere south of Bruce Wayne donning the cape and cowl after a decade in retirement in The Dark Knight Returns, but somewhere north of Steely Dan releasing “Two Against Nature”…

ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin chatted Thursday with a “source with knowledge of [Carlos] Beltran’s progress” and learned that the Mets outfielder is just about to start a running program. Once Beltran is able to run sprints and travel the bases without discomfort, it will only be a week or two before he is cleared…

Bronson Arroyo had an impressive 2010 debut on Thursday, holding the Cardinals to just one run and four hits over eight innings of work.  He did sustain an injury along the way, though, according to CNATI.com’s C. Trent Rosecrans.  The 33-year-old right-hander was nailed in the left calf with a Colby Rasmus comebacker in the…

With the minor league season starting today, Baseball America has released a list of where its top 100 prospects will open the season. Among those skipping levels this year are Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon and Astros right-hander Jordan Lyles, both of whom are moving from low-A ball right to Double-A. It’s not surprising in either…

The 2010 Blue Jays probably won’t end up being known for their pitching or their defense (or their offense, for that matter), but the team came within a Jason Frasor blown save of sweeping the Rangers to open the season. Three games in, the Rangers have just two guys hitting their weight. Vladimir Guerrero, who…

It’s not just my imagination that we’ve had more than our usual share of weird plays these first few days, is it? With the A’s up 4-0 on the Mariners in the eighth inning and Travis Buck on first Thursday, Cliff Pennington dropped down a bunt that bounced off the glove of third baseman Jose…

Target Field: Where the only thing that isn’t green are the seats: The ballpark has been awarded silver-level certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Twins announced Thursday that their LEED score of 36 points is the highest for an outdoor baseball facility in the United States.…

Now, to answer your question about steroids, wouldn’t you like to ask Roger Maris how he feels about steroids? Or Babe Ruth how he feels about steroids? Or Hank Aaron, you could probably ask how he feels about steroids. Because those guys all lost records because of people who supposedly took steroids. So that’s a…

I spent the last 20 minutes reading Masters coverage in which sportswriters talk about how wonderful it is that Player X is leading Player Y because we know a lot about Player Y’s sex life and disapprove of it.  Thank God for day baseball. Best game of the early going today: Reds-Cardinals.  It was a…

I’m guessing there’s a pretty sizable overlap between Mets fans and Jersey Shore fans, so when you guys are finished with the daily “GTL” routine check out this amusing commercial featuring David Wright and “The Situation”: What’s more amazing? Wright already has as many homers as he hit through May 2 last season or The…

Rosenthal pretty much sums up my exact thinking when it comes to the collusion stuff from the past couple of days when he says: Do I think baseball teams engaged in collusion to hold down free-agent salaries? Probably. Do I think the players’ union can prove that the teams engaged in such an illegal conspiracy?…

After designating him for assignment last week and apparently finding no takers via trade, the Pirates released Ramon Vazquez today. Pittsburgh signed Vazquez to a two-year, $4 million deal last offseason, but he hit just .230/.335/.279 as a part-time player and then struggled this spring following winter knee surgery at age 33. With the Pirates…

Jimmy Rollins was on Dan Patrick’s radio show yesterday. He’s always a great interview. Very thoughtful. Despite the reputation he (unfairly) got early in his career, he’s pretty self-deprecating too. And, based on his comments when asked about why the Phillies traded Cliff Lee, very candid: That, I have no idea. I’m sure we could…

Jarrod Saltalamacchia missed the final month of last season following surgery for Thoracic Outlet Sydrome, which causes neck and shoulder problems due to a rib pushing against a nerve. Now he’s headed to the disabled list again, but this time around upper back soreness is to blame. Saltalamacchia injured his back Monday, presumably before delivering…

If you’re into this sort of thing, I’m going to be on the Paul and Tom Show at at HotStove.com at 2pm this afternoon talking about all manner of things baseball. Be there or be square. Or not. I can’t really make you do anything.

People complain all the time, but why on Earth would the Florida Marlins want to do things like pay money to bolster their bullpen or spend money on marketing and fan appreciation stuff in order to fill even a quarter of the seats in their ballpark? Especially when even without doing that they are baseball’s…

UPDATE: Gallardo gets a five-year deal (including 2010) with a sixth-year team option, so the Brewers potentially bought out his first two seasons of free agency. 11:45 AM ET: Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers “are believed to be closing in on contract extension” with Opening Day starter Yovani Gallardo.…

Sure, the team has only played twice so far and already got Tuesday off, but with the Dodgers playing this afternoon following a game last night manager Joe Torre has given regulars Manny Ramirez, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier, Casey Blake, and Blake DeWitt the day off. That means Reed Johnson, Brad Ausmus, Garret Anderson, Jamey…