The Dominican Republic's exciting 3-1 win over the United States has put the Dominican squad into the semi-finals of the World Baseball Classic and left the USA fighting for its tournament life. The States will face Puerto Rico on Friday in an elimination game to decide who will take the last semi-final slot. The Netherlands and two-time defending WBC champion Japan are the other two semi-finalists.
Here is the latest from around baseball tonight…
- Albert Pujols' knee issues this spring could be nothing, but as FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi notes, even the slightest sign of injury is worrisome to the Angels given their remaining $228MM investment in Pujols through the 2021 season.
- Red Sox prospect Jackie Bradley Jr. is enjoying a big Spring Training, though Rob Bradford and Alex Speier of WEEI.com outline the reasons why Bradley may not be on Boston's Opening Day roster.
- Major League Baseball wants a tougher, zero-tolerance drug policy while the Players Association is looking for a "two-tiered penalty system" that would be less harsh on players who took banned substances unintentionally, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports. The dispute could affect (or prevent) any changes to the drug policy when the terms are re-negotiated next offseason.
- Modern front offices are blending both analytical thinking with traditional scouting techniques, MLB.com's Paul Hagen writes.
