HDWEB: Home plate and ball-on-crotch collisions

Good morning HDWEB'ers, it's February 25th and Ervin Santana still doesn't have a job. Here's everything you need to know.

If you have ideas or suggestions, send 'em my way at @justinbopp.

• Rule to limit home-plate collisions finally adopted - The new rule states runners attempting to score can no longer deviate from their direct pathway to the plate to initiate contact. In addition, catchers cannot block the pathway of the runner attempting to score unless they already have the ball. Remember why this is necessary, folks. (video NSFL -- you have been warned!):

• Mike Trout contract extension: Angels could pay star OF over $30 million per season in final years - The extension the Angels are discussing with Mike Trout could give him the highest single-year salary in history in the final year of deal. If you're in the Trout-needs-a-billion-dollars camp like I am, then you need to know he'd have to play for 33 years to get what he deserves. Not enough, Angels!

• Rangers news: Ron Washington awarded contract extension; Matt Harrison gets good news - Washington, who is the club's all-time winningest manager, saw his contract extended through 2015 on Monday.

• Ervin Santana rumors: Rockies have checked in on free agent righty - Colorado's interest might depend on the health of Jhoulys Chacin. You know who hasn't checked in on Ervin? The Royals, that's who.

• Mike Minor surgery the latest in rich history of baseball junk catastrophes - The Braves' ace needed some extra time for recuperation after a very personal surgery. By personal we mean his thing. His urethra. Sounds like it hurts. Rather than have you google the surgery and gross yourself out, we've compiled a number of satisfying ball-on-balls GIFs. Here's one:

• Jason Kipnis, Indians could begin contract extension talks - Kipnis is one of the game's top second basemen and likely won't come cheap.

• Dodgers refuse to name starting pitchers for Australia trip - True Blue LA -- Eric Stephen reports from spring training:

GLENDALE -- The long-presumed assumption that the Dodgers would have Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke start their opening two regular season games in Australia is becoming more and more in doubt with each passing day.

Manager Don Mattingly on Monday refused to name a starter for the March 22-23 games at Sydney Cricket Grounds. "We're not going there. We haven't announced a starter yet. We haven't been close to being clear with that yet," Mattingly said. "We have four guys getting ready for Australia."

• Spring training 2014: MLB opens schedule with two exhibition games - The Yankees and Tigers help us welcome baseball back with a pair of games this afternoon.

• First injury of the spring? If you had Brandon Morrow you win - Bluebird Banter

• Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez to miss Thursday's game, could begin season in minors - The Phillies' $12 million Cuban investment may begin the season in the minor leagues. Panic time?

• Cubs Spring-Training Complex Aerial Views - Bleed Cubbie Blue -- Al has some neat photos of the posh new Cubs spring training complex. It's beautiful.

• Verlander throws live BP, full lineup set - Bless You Boys -- Justin Verlander is feeling like his old self and the full lineup for the first spring training game has been released.

• Tanaka living up to the hype early on at spring training - Pinstripe Alley -- Brian McCann and Austin Romine rave after seeing Tanaka in action. There's no way he actually lives up to the hype, right?

• Top 20 Organization Prospect Lists for 2014: Thru 2/24/2014 - Minor League Ball -- Here's an updated menu for the Top 20 Organization prospect lists through February 24, 2014

• Top 25 Mets prospects for 2014 - Amazin' Avenue -- Amazin' Avenue's prospect rankings for the 2014 season.

• Best & worst of Giants minor leaguers in the last 999 days - McCovey Chronicles -- Semi-meaningless stats that are fun to look at now and forget about later.

• Tigers Top 30 Prospects: #18 Javier Betancourt - Bless You Boys -- Javier Betancourt is an advanced middle infield prospect with a good hit tool.

• The Other 15: Tyler Lyons - Viva El Birdos -- Editor's Note: The Other 15 is a multi-part series analyzing 15 players on the Cardinals 40 man roster who are long shots to head north with the team for opening day.

• The best and worst defenders face off - Beyond the Box Score -- What would it look like if we pitted the league's worst glove men against the best defenders baseball has to offer?

• How Nelson Cruz will affect the Orioles lineup - Camden Chat -- What are the Orioles getting in Nelson Cruz?

• Are the Yankees finally learning their lesson? - Pinstripe Alley -- It's possible, I guess. Learning what lesson, though? Because if it's learning the costs of megacontracts (like A-Rod's) at the expense of signing aging stars (Carlos Beltran, Brian Roberts...), then maybe they learned the wrong lesson. Jason argues that they are at least making strides:
  

• The Mariners and the opposite field - Lookout Landing -- "Last week, we took a look at the opposite-field exploits of Mariners outfielder Dustin Ackley. This week, let's expand the scope of our analysis to the whole team... and beyond." Must-see chart of the day:

• Right handed power: A potential dividing line - Beyond the Box Score -- What is the line that defines a right handed power hitter?

• Joe Maddon's biceps now selling Flex Packs - DRaysBay -- "Get your Flex On!" This is amazing and another reason you should vote for Maddon in our sexyface contest:

Billboard via the Tampa Bay Rays Facebook Page

• Minor-league team features bacon hats - The social-media strategy is questionable because no one on the Internet cares about cured meats, but they'll give it a shot.

• Tim Lincecum's mustache in high resolution - McCovey Chronicles -- You will click on this. You will count the facial hairs. All of them. Afterward you will look at how I fixed his sad mustache just by using his eyebrows.

• Determining the true (read: most attractive) face of MLB -- Let's drop the popularity contest shtick and figure out what really matters: who's prettiest in the majors.

• Have a beautiful day: