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Baseball Today: Friday, March 30

The world of baseball, as viewed through a local lens . . .

WE PREDICT . . . Baseball Prospectus says the Red Sox will finish second to the Yankees with a 91-71 record. They have a 35 percent chance of winning the division and a 13 percent chance of winning the wild card (baseballprospectus.com) . . . Old friend Allan Wood is also beginning to piece together preseason projections on his Joy of Sox blog (joyofsox.blogspot.com) . . . As for the Journal's baseball staff, Steven Krasner already has made his calls. Check back in the next day or two for Sean McAdam and Joe McDonald (projo.com).

EVERYTHING FOR A REASON: Those of you who say the Red Sox are gambling with Jonathan Papelbon's health and should just go out and get a closer -- the way you'd go out and get a carton of milk at the corner convenience store -- haven't been paying attention to the market for relief pitchers. One of the most sought-after last winter was Eric Gagne, and -- surprise, surprise! -- he's starting the season on the disabled list. (Dallas Morning News)

BUT WHAT'S THE REASON FOR THIS? Why is MLB kicking Johnny Pesky out of the Red Sox dugout? (Boston Globe)

STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH: According to commissioner Bud Selig, the state of the union is strong. (foxsports.com) . . . And, according to Selig, the chances of the out-of-market Extra Innings cable TV package being anywhere other than on DirecTV are about equal to the Devil Rays' pennant chances (Associated Press)

TRY THE VEAL, AND DON'T FORGET TO TIP YOUR WAITRESS: Pete Rose knows how to work a room, and he sure knows his audience. Or maybe you didn't know that, because of all the nice Red Sox fans he's met, he wishes Cincinnati had lost the 1975 World Series. (Hartford Courant)

OLD FRIENDS: Some of Ugueth Urbina's old Marlins teammates are saddened by his recent conviction for attempted murder (Miami Herald) . . . Andy Marte will bat ninth for the Indians, and general manager Mark Shapiro hopes the hotshot prospect, acquired from the Red Sox in the Coco Crisp deal, will "be the beneficiary of low expectations" (mlb.com) . . . Rheal Cormier appears to be on the trading block (cincinnati.com) . . . The daily Byung-Hyun Kim update: The Orioles turned down the Rockies' proposal of a Kim-for-Todd Williams trade (foxsports.com). Imagine, B.K. back in the A.L. East.

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 7:15 AM to Martone | Permalink | Comments 1