Breaking News

Alex Rodriguez has officially lost his appeal and will be forced to sit out the 2014 Major League Baseball season. His 211-game suspension was reduced to 162 games, but A-Rod says it isn't over yet.

Wallace Matthews of ESPN first reported news of the arbitrator's ruling:

Joel Sherman of the New York Post noted how much the Yankees saved due to this decision:

The New York Yankees officially reached an agreement with lefty reliever Matt Thornton Friday afternoon.  

Jack Curry of the YES Network first reported the agreement, which is for two years and $7 million, on December 17.  

Updates from Saturday, Jan. 11

Richard Durrett of ESPN provides Derek Holland's description of what occurred:

After signing outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran this offseason, it was clear that the New York Yankees needed to make additional moves in order to make room.

It's a matter of when—not if—former MLB ace Greg Maddux will get inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The retired starting pitcher is eligible for the first time in 2014 and is almost universally viewed as worthy of being enshrined in Cooperstown as a first-ballot choice.   

From nearly fired to possibly on his way to being the Dodgers' longest-tenured manager since Tommy Lasorda, Don Mattingly's time on the bench in Los Angeles sure has had its fair share of peaks and valleys.

As tweeted by ESPN's Sportscenter, Mattingly and the Dodgers agreed to an extension on Tuesday, Jan. 7, completing at-times contentious negotiations that should nonetheless keep him in L.A. going forward. 

As was first reported this morning by Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue, former Cub Greg Maddux will not be voted into the Hall of Fame unanimously because of his omission on at least one ballot. However, the writer's explanation for why he left Maddux off the ballot is ridiculous. 

Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper is already a pretty big guy at 6'2'' and 230 pounds, but it appears that he just isn't satisfied.

According to Bill Baer from HardballTalk.com, Harper wants to get "as big as a house" before the start of spring training.  

I'm not a doctor or anything, but I'm pretty sure that's going to be hard to do.

Most people love sledding. Most people in Boston also love Fenway Park, the iconic ballpark for the Boston Red Sox.

Those people who love both now have a chance to combine the two. The ballpark has been transformed into Frozen Fenway, a place for kids (and adults) to go sledding and enjoy the great venue.

Hat tip to Busted Coverage for the find.

Los Angeles Dodgers phenom outfielder Yasiel Puig was arrested on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 28, in Collier County, Fla. for reckless driving—his second such charge of 2013. 

NBC 2 News in Florida has the report: