USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale writes the Yankees yesterday "suddenly had a buzz in camp" after the return of 3B Alex Rodriguez. Observers said that the fewest number of fans "in decades have shown up to their workouts." Additionally, the Yankees "have not sold out a spring training game." Nightengale: "Strangely enough, one year after they got all they could out of Derek Jeter's final season, the Yankees' brightest attraction might well be a 39-year-old steroid-stained slugger" (USA TODAY, 2/24). In N.Y., Joel Sherman notes Rodriguez answered questions from the media yesterday for around eight minutes while he "leaned against a parking lot gate outside the minor league complex." Sherman: "Can you imagine any other player the Yankees would let fend for himself with 35 reporters without sending even one media relations employee over to help at such a delicate time?" (N.Y. POST, 2/24).
HEY YAWKEY WAY: In Boston, Abraham & Speier cited sources as saying that the contract of Red Sox GM Ben Cherington has been "extended" through at least '16. The exact duration of the contract "is not known." Cherington said, "I have a contract. I’m in good shape. There’s no issue." Red Sox COO Sam Kennedy: "I don’t know all the general managers personally in baseball but I know a lot of them. Ben ranks right up there if not as the best then as one of the very best in the game. He’s got the full confidence and support of ... everyone in ownership. He’s extremely well-regarded internally and externally" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/22).
THE ARTE OF SILENCE: Angels Owner Arte Moreno on Friday said negotiations with the city of Anaheim on a new lease for Angel Stadium are going "nowhere." He added that there have been "no talks for months." In California, Fletcher & Marroquin noted the Angels "have a window" from '16-19 "to get out of their lease," otherwise it will run through '29. One of the "most contentious negotiating points both sides were discussing would have allowed Moreno’s development firm to lease the stadium’s parking lots for $1 annually over 66 years." City and team officials have said that "at least part of the revenue generated by the development would go toward" $150M in infrastructure improvements (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 2/21).
