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On-Base Perception

Newsday's new all-encompassing baseball blog on the Yankees, Mets, MLB and more from around the sport.

Robinson Cano leaves Scott Boras, signs with new agency headed by Jay-Z

Robinson Cano looks on during batting practice before

Photo credit: Getty Images

Will Robinson Cano be in an Empire State of Mind when negotiating his next contract?

The soon-to-be free agent will now be co-represented by Roc Nation Sports, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter’s full-service sports management company, and CAA Sports. The formation of Roc Nation Sports -- and the signing of Cano as a client -- was officially announced Tuesday morning.

Cano was formerly represented...

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Probable Yankees Opening Day lineups

Boston Red Sox third base coach Brian Butterfield,

Photo credit: AP

Here are the probable lineups for Monday's Opening Day game between the Yankees and the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium:

RED SOX

Jacoby Ellsbury CF

Shane Victorino RF

Dustin Pedroia 2B

Mike Napoli 1B

Will Middlebrooks 3B

Jonny Gomes DH

Jarrod Saltalamacchia C

Jackie Bradley Jr. LF

Jose Iglesias SS

Jon Lester P

YANKEES

Brett...

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Vernon Wells' spring stats may be a red herring

Veteran outfielder Vernon Wells, who was traded to

Photo credit: AP

Don’t put much stock in spring training stats, says one of baseball’s most well-worn axioms. It’s like viewing stats through funhouse mirrors. Sample sizes are simply too small to draw sweeping conclusions of skill.

And yet it’s almost impossible to exhibit the self-control not to use spring-generated information to prognosticate.

Two scouts recently expressed confidence in new Yankee...

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Yankees and Mets on the bubble: How you voted

David Phelps delivers a pitch in the fifth

Photo credit: AP

Throughout spring training, we asked you to vote on whether or not certain Mets and Yankees players that were "on the bubble" would make the team.

With the 2013 season just a few days away, here's how you voted (along with the part where we must tell you that these results are the furthest thing from scientific.)

YANKEES   TOTAL VOTES "IN" VOTES (%) "OUT"...

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Yankees name Vidal Nuno James P. Dawson Award winner

Vidal Nuno delivers a pitch in the first

Photo credit: AP

The Yankees named pitcher Vidal Nuno the 2013 James P. Dawson Award winner Monday in a pregame ceremony before taking on the Pittsburgh Pirates at Steinbrenner Field. The award is given out annually to a rookie who puts up an outstanding performance during spring training.

The 25-year-old lefthander allowed only one earned run in 14.2 innings pitched over seven appearances. He also went 1-1...

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Yankees release 1B/OF Juan Rivera

Juan Rivera hits a double in the fifth

Photo credit: Newsday/Audrey C. Tiernan, 2002

The Yankees have cut backup first baseman/outfielder Juan Rivera, Newsday's Erik Boland reports.

Rivera said he was told that he was cut so that the Yankees could hold on to outfielder Ben Francisco and first baseman Lyle Overbay. Both Francisco and Overbay were signed during the middle of spring training.

Rivera, who played for the Yankees from 2001-03, rejoined the club in January...

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Yankees acquire pitcher Sam Demel off waivers from Astros

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Sam Demel looks at

Photo credit: AP, 2011

The Yankees have acquired pitcher Sam Demel off waivers from the Houston Astros, the team announced Wednesday.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees have designated fellow righthanded pitcher Danny Otero for assignment.

Demel made only one appearance at the big-league level last year as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. In one relief inning of work, the 27-year-old righthander...

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Yankees sign Lyle Overbay

Lyle Overbay of the Arizona Diamondbacks bats during

Photo credit: Getty Images

The Red Sox trash is the Yankees treasure.

The Yankees announced they signed Lyle Overbay to a minor league contract just hours after Boston released the first baseman to avoid having to pay him a $100,000 bonus.

Overbay, 36, hit .220 (9-for-41) with five runs, one double, two triples and seven RBIs in 19 spring training games for the Red Sox.

A new collective bargaining agreement...

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Yankees on verge of acquiring Vernon Wells from Angels

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Vernon Wells, center, celebrates

Photo credit: AP

The Yankees are on the verge of acquiring outfielder Vernon Wells from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Newsday's Anthony Rieber has confirmed.

Wells, 34, is owed $42 million over the next two years. He also has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he would have to accept any move.

Last season with the Angels, he his .230 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs in 77 games. In his 14-year career,...

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Yankees sign Chien-Ming Wang to minor-league deal

Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang winds up in the

Photo credit: AP

The Yankees are turning to an old friend to help shore up their rotation.

The team announced Saturday that they reached an agreement with righthander Chien-Ming Wang on a minor-league deal.

The 33-year-old Wang was a key contributor for the Yankees from 2005-08, when he went 55-26 with a 4.16 ERA and 310 strikeouts. He won 19 games in both 2006 and 2007, the first Yankee pitcher since...

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Baseball highlights

Vote

Which New York baseball manager is most likely to not return in 2014?

Joe Girardi (Yankees) Terry Collins (Mets) Both will be back in 2014 Both will be gone after 2013

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