MLB Bullets Is Taking Its Time

Al keeps wanting me to write these articles quicker, but I really don't think it's a big deal.

• Showing that there are still hard feelings between the Yankees and Robinson Cano, public statements to the contrary, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long blasted Cano for not hustling to first base on every ground ball. He even went so far as to say "If somebody told me I was a dog, I'd have to fix that. When you choose not to, you leave yourself open to taking heat and it's your fault."
• Suffice to say, new Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon didn't appreciate Long's comments.
• Dayn Perry thinks Cano's lack of hustle is a good thing if it keeps him in the lineup more. Cano alluded to the risk of injury as a reason he doesn't run down the line like a bat out of hell.
• Ken Rosenthal thinks the whole controversy is silly and he'd take 25 non-hustling Robinson Canos on his team.
• Grant Brisbee says the fans get upset about these things because while we know we can't hit, field or pitch, we all think we could hustle if given the chance. He also thinks that there has to be a happy medium between Cano's lackadaisical jog to first base and Yasiel Puig's "I'm going to run through that wall and shout 'Hey Kool-Aid'" approach.
• In any case, Cano walked into Mariners training camp yesterday and said he plans to lead by example. So I'm guessing none of the Mariners will be running hard to first base this season.
• By signing Cano, the Mariners are signalling that the future is now. They'll worry about the final four years of the deal later.
• The Orioles signed the first of the "final five" free agents with qualifying offers by agreeing to a four-year contract worth $50 million with Ubaldo Jimenez.
• Eno Sarris says that Jimenez re-invented himself by relying less on the fastball and more on his splitter.
• Cliff Corcoran thinks Jimenez is a gamble, but one the Orioles had to take to stay competitive.
• Peter Gammons says that the deal means the Orioles are serious about winning now.
• Buster Olney agrees with Gammons in his ESPN Insider article ($).
• In another ESPN Insider article, Keith Law thinks this was a smart move by Baltimore. ($)
• Matt Snyder, on the other hand, thinks the Orioles made a bad gamble on Jimenez.
• Paul Hoynes writes that because of his inconsistency, the Indians really didn't want Jimenez back.
• Even though his first deal with the team was called off because of the results of his physical, Tyler Colvin could still end up signing with the Orioles on a minor league deal.
• Stephen Drew is still looking for a team and still wants $14 million a year. The Mets aren't interested.
• Jay Jaffe looks at where Drew might land. The Mets are still on his list.
• Newest Brewer Matt Garza got a larger offer from the Angels, but he was on vacation at the time and the Angels pulled the offer before he got around to considering it. Garza doesn't seem too upset about this.
• Obscure trivia alert: If Ryan Dempster's career is over (and it likely is), he'll retire as being tied for the most career wins for a pitcher whose career record is one game under .500.
• Brendan Ryan knows he's going to get booed every time he takes the field as the Yankees shortstop this season.
• Yu Darvish said that the Yankees paid too much for Masahiro Tanaka, but he clarified that he was only joking. Oh, you rascally Yu.
• Ken Rosenthal believes that the Red Sox strong farm system could help them to win their second straight title this season.
• That is "Sir" Xander Bogaerts to you. If the Netherlands are ever attacked by a swarm of enemy baseballs, Bogaerts will be there to protect them.
• Jonathan Bernhardt notes that the battle for the second base job with the Nationals could end up with Ryan Zimmerman moving to first base.
• Stephen Strasburg is learning to throw a slider.
• The Pirates are still looking for a first baseman, but they aren't interested in Kendrys Morales.
• Clint Hurdle is telling the Pirates to concentrate on "now" and not last season or the season to come.
• So far, Tim Hudson is enjoying being on the Giants.
• LaTroy Hawkins is the new Rockies closer. I seem to remember that not working out so well a long time ago. I can't remember where.
• Joe Mauer is preparing to be a first baseman, both mentally and physically.
• In the "Who could have predicted this?" category, the Dodgers new TV channel, SportsNet LA, doesn't have an agreement with any of the other non-Time Warner content providers. The Dodgers broadcasts may be unavailable to much of the Southland on opening day. (By the way, this is the big reason I've been quite cool to the idea of the Cubs getting their own channel.)
• Hanley Ramirez isn't thinking about being a free agent at the end of the season.
• Just how good is Diamondbacks outfielder Gerardo Parra's defense? Very, very good.
• Marlins players can now grow "neat" beards.
• I want one of these. Seriously, if there's anyone out there in Florida that can get me one, please. Yeah, I know I'm asking you to go to the Trop. As a consolation, you'll get to see a really good baseball team.
• Dusty Baker is unemployed. Still, he's keeping busy. He still wants a managing job, but he'll take any position in baseball right now.
• Tom Verducci lists nine teams that finished under .500 in 2013 that could make the playoffs this season.
• In 1969, Tigers star Willie Horton left the team for four days. He was protesting the lack of other African-American players on the team.
• There was a wild fight in Cuban baseball on Monday, with the hitter trying and thankfully failing to go Juan Marichal on the pitcher.
• Finally, there is no need to read all of the stories coming out of Spring Training this year. Jesse Spector has all of them right here for you to read now. Just make a few alterations and you're done.

The Iowa Hawkeyes Men's Basketball game at Indiana was postponed after an eight-foot beam fell on the stands a few hours before game time. (Warning: Video of falling debris.)

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.