Breaking News

ESPN is reporting that the Boston Red Sox attempts to extend the contract of left fielder Jason Bay have stalled, and the team is backing away from the negotiating table.

Now what?

Last year, when the contract situation of Manny Ramirez became one of the ugliest situations between a team and a star player in recent memory, the team traded him in a blockbuster deal that brought in Bay from Pittsburgh.

Now, with Bay's contract expiring after 2009, the team faces the same situation this coming season.

On Thursday I mentioned that Jim Kaat would be returning to the broadcast booth with MLB Network for a few games this year, including the home opener at the New Yankee Stadium. But now we find out from Bob Raissman that he wanted to return to YES.

Jose Reyes is at it again. Already back from an early exit in the World Baseball Classic, he has resumed his support for the Mets to re-sign Pedro Martinez. Martinez, 37, is coming off a season to forget with the Mets. The right-handed Dominican player pitch just 109 innings last season and posted a dismal 5.61 E.R.A. "Unbelievable, unbelievable," said Reyes of Pedro. "He's fantastic. He's loose, comfortable on the mound. He threw a lot of strikes, bro. He throws hard, too. He looked great."

I didn't mention this yesterday when I originally posted the story, but Robinson Cano did not tell the Yankees about his injury before leaving for the WBC. Joe Girardi said, “It was a shock to me.”

Damaso Marte was injured while lifting weights on Tuesday, and Girardi was pretty upset about that.

I got an email today from the Yankees informing me that registration for the "Random Drawing for the Opportunity to Purchase Preseason Game and 2009 Regular Season Game Tickets Online" is now open.

Here's the link where you can read the official rules and register. You have from noon today to 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 17 to sign up. The drawing will take place on the 18th.

If your name is selected in the drawing then you will be able to purchase tickets.

I don't know if you know about this, I sure didn't, but there is a story about Brian Cashman and Jason Giambi in a soon to be released book about Roger Clemens. The book is called The Rocket That Fell to Earth and it's written by Jeff Pearlman. Here's more from the New York Times:

Story from BaltimoreSportsReport.com

Thirty-seven pitchers ventured south to sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida to attend spring training with the Baltimore Orioles. So far the rotation seems to be missing three spots. Jeremy Guthrie and Koji Uehara have filled the top two.

The unnamed 16-year-old rookie will have a chance to play tonight at George M. Steinbrenner Field due to last night's appeal by the New York Yankees.

The Yankees claimed it was unfair for him not to be involved in any spring training games. The league will allow the Canadian rookie to participate in two spring training games. Tonight he will start on the bench, but most likely will be placed into the lineup mid-game. He will wear No. 21 but his name will not be announced on the PA system due to MLB conditions. 

I was at his debut game in 2006, sitting through a five hour rain delay (that was actually the day that The Player to Be Named Later and I discovered how to get into Fenway without tickets, so we left and came back for the start of the game) to watch what was supposed to be the first game of a doubleheader.