HDWEB: Let’s get awkward! Racist apologies, Jimmy Rollins conspiracies, and the saddest interview ever

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

• Dan Warthen apologizes for 'insensitive' remarks in Mets clubhouse - Amazin' Avenue
  "I didn’t mean to insinuate –- I know you’re not Chinese," Warthen said. He paused. "I thought it was a pretty good joke, though." <-- This is an actual quote from an actual apology. He thought calling someone (anyone) a chinaman was a pretty good joke. So much for apologies?

• Kris Medlen Emotionally Discusses Injury - Talking Chop
  Medlen gets emotional while discussing his probable surgery, being a dad and his teammates. Listen. I want you to click on this and listen, but I also want to warn you. You are not ready for this. This will tear you up like those videos of soldiers coming home and surprising their daughters in the classroom. Seriously, grab the tissues. Feel the emotion. If I wasn't rooting for him before, I am now.
  

• Just what are the Phillies doing with Jimmy Rollins? - The Good Phight
  "A healthy Jimmy Rollins is out of the lineup for a third straight day on Thursday, apparently mired deep in Ryne Sandberg's doghouse. The big, unanswered question is ... why?" John at TGP has a fantastic analysis of the situation here, and he has the why of it down to four variables which probably all have some amount of truth to them:

Sandberg says he wrote Rollins a big long text on Saturday and Rollins only responded with 'k'

— RAD GOGGLES DOG (@Phylan) March 13, 2014

• Jason Kipnis, Indians negotiating extension - SBNation.com
  All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis and the Cleveland Indians are in the process of negotiation an extension, following in the footsteps of outfielder Michael Brantley.

• MLB 2014 Odds: MVPs, CY Youngs, No-hitters and HR leaders - SBNation.com
  Fresh from the Twitter presses are the over-unders, odds and money lines for the 2014 MLB baseball season. The leaders in the MVP clubhouses won't surprise you, but the odds for no-hitters might.

• 2014 MLB Draft: Ervin Santana signings shakes up draft order - SBNation.com
  By signing Ervin Santana, the Braves have given up a first round pick to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for the rights for the pitchers services. With only two more eligible players left, the compensatory round draft order is almost complete.

• Braves sign Ervin Santana: Everything you need to know - MLB Daily Dish
  Did Atlanta panic? Did they overpay? Is Santana worth the draft pick? Does this actually fix their problem?

• Livan Hernandez will officially retire - SBNation.com
  After a 17-year MLB career and a few memorable postseason performances, Livan Hernandez is officially retiring from baseball.

• Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez shut down with shoulder soreness - SBNation.com
  The Phillies right-hander skipped a scheduled appearance on Wednesday due to a sore right shoulder.

• Stephen Drew free agency: Red Sox players no longer want to sign shortstop - Over the Monster
  While they clamored for Boston to sign Drew earlier in the off-season, they've moved on to a life without him.

• Not up to speed: CC Sabathia, Brandon Beachy among pitchers whose velocity is down this spring - SBNation.com
  Velocity decline is rarely a good sign for major league pitchers, and though it's still spring, Opening Day is less than three weeks away. Here is a rundown of pitchers whose velocity has dipped this spring and what that means for their 2014 outlook.

• Matt Garza gives up 10 runs in 1 2/3 innings, Brewers fall to Angels 12-2 - Brew Crew Ball
  Matt Garza's rough spring continued with 10 runs allowed in 1 2/3 innings as the Brewers lost to the Angels 12-2. Jonathan Lucroy and Aramis Ramirez provided the only runs for the Brewers.

• Spring training roundup: Scott Kazmir blanks Royals, Matt Garza implodes (again) - SBNation.com
  Two free agent starters see markedly different springs continue in Arizona.

• Troy Tulowitzki leaves game after getting hit by a pitch - Purple Row
  Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki left the team's game against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday after being hit in the leg by a pitch. Tulo walked off the field under his own power, but did so gingerly, according to the radio broadcast. Good news:

X-Rays on Tulo's left calf/fibula were negative. Diagnosed with bruise. Day to day

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) March 13, 2014

• Putting the brakes on the Grady Sizemore hype train - Over the Monster
  A healthy Grady Sizemore is not necessarily a productive Grady Sizemore.

• Zack Greinke begins long road back - True Blue LA
  Greinke, who on Wednesday made his first mound appearance since Feb. 27, could conceivably start three minor league games in Arizona in preparation for the regular season.

• White Sox make eight more Spring Training cuts - South Side Sox
  Charlie Leesman is officially out of the White Sox LOOGY battle. None of the other moves are that surprising.

• Brian McCann has already earned the respect and trust of Yankee pitchers - Pinstripe Alley
  McCann has been doing his homework to get to know the pitching staff, and it already seems to be paying off.

• The state of the Ranger rotation 19 days before Opening Day - Lone Star Ball
  Its 19 days before Opening Day. Do we have any clarity on the Texas Ranger rotation?

• Kevin Slowey, Carter Capps among pitchers vying for Miami's open bullpen spots - Fish Stripes
  MLB vet Kevin Slowey and reliever Carter Capps are among the handful of relievers who are pursuing spots in Miami's bullpen for the 2014 season.

• Miguel Sano Gets a New Elbow - Twinkie Town
  At least, "new" in the sense his ulnar collateral ligament is reattached to itself.

• Yankees Prospects: Examining MLB.com's top 20 by tools - Pinstripe Alley
  Examining MLB.com's top 20 Yankees prospects by tools

• Hunter Strickland throwing off mound at 75 percent - McCovey Chronicles
  Big righty is ahead of schedule in Tommy John rehab.

• Keep an eye on Jankowski - Gaslamp Ball
  Jankowski, originally selected by the San Diego Padres in the first round (44th overall) of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, has made quite the mark thus far. Drafted out of Stony Brook, Jankowski has been quite the asset for the organization.

• The Miami Marlins and the right approach to prospect management - Fish Stripes
  The Miami Marlins have developed a reputation for rushing prospects to the majors over the last few years. What is their philosophy on that matter and, given the success of some of their recent attempts, is it the right formula for the team?

• Clay Holmes to visit Dr. James Andrews - Bucs Dugout
  "That doesn't necessarily mean he'll have surgery, but pitchers don't go to Dr. Andrews to talk to him about about how healthy they're feeling."

• 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers Consensus Top 65 Prospects - Beyond the Box Score
  What is the consensus ranking for each of the Dodgers' top prospects?

• Noel Cuevas & the life of a minor leaguer in spring training - True Blue LA
  Dodgers minor league outfielder Noel Cuevas had his moment in the sun in his only major league at-bat so far this spring, hitting a three-run home run to beat the Royals 7-5 in Surprise.

• New York Yankees Top 20 Prospects for 2014 - Minor League Ball
  The Yankees farm system has significant strengths but also some questions that need to be answered. Deep pockets don't solve everything ... but they sure don't hurt.

• Times through the order revisited: GB and FB pitchers - Beyond the Box Score
  The times through the order penalty is a real effect that gives batters a significant advantage over starting pitchers during the pitcher's third time through the order. Is it dependent on a pitcher's tendency for allowing ground balls or fly balls?

• Three free agents who should have signed with the Astros - The Crawfish Boxes
  Edward looks at three players who signed with the wrong team this past winter.

• What to Expect Out of Ervin Santana - Talking Chop
  Just how good will the Braves' new starting pitcher be?

The success of the rotation still lies upon the shoulders of Julio Teheran and Mike Minor as the top end starters, and Alex Wood's potential is right there with both Teheran's and Minor's.

Having Santana and eventually Floyd fill in on the back end makes for a quality and reliable veteran back end, which again has plenty of value. Expect Santana to perform as a solid mid-rotation starter, and hopefully perform well enough to earn himself another qualifying offer this winter that gets the Braves the pick back that they lost.

• Learning the Language of the Clubhouse - The Hardball Times
  This confessional from Eno Sarris is honest, but good lord it will make you cringe. Hard.

Standing in the Royals’ clubhouse, I realized I wasn’t sure I knew what Eric Hosmer looked like. Whether it was because he was normally wearing headgear or that I hadn’t seen the Royals live yet that year, I was unsure.

I turned to Google image search, my trusty sidekick in moments like these. What followed immediately must be user error, however. I walked up to Eric Hosmer on the bike and said "You know, I’m Greek too! My father’s side." Woof.

Hosmer didn’t get it at first, but when he did, whoo boy. He laughed, so I laughed, but then he brought in Jeff Francoeur to join in the laughing, but, hell, I’ve laughed at myself most of my life, so I continued smiling even as more people joined in with the laughing at me, and the pointing and the barbs.

He doesn’t really look like Mike Moustakas! It was kind of funny! Sort of.

WE HAVE ARRIVED RT @LookoutLanding: Hisashi Iwakuma headspin dot GIF http://t.co/uCmG6feulH

— SB Nation MLB (@SBNationMLB) March 12, 2014

• Juan Uribe with a cut out of Hanley Ramirez the day after Hanley jumped out of Juans locker -- Reddit

• Old Style beer will continue at Wrigley Field - Bleed Cubbie Blue
  Confession: I've tried more beers than there are days in the year. Or drink more beers than there are days in the year. Whatever. The point: I've never tried Old Style. Is it any good?

• Mariners introduce 2014 commercials - Lookout Landing
  The new batch of commercials are out. Long live Brad Miller's lip quiver.

• Cat Man Beltran travels through time and space - Pinstripe Alley
  He made his disturbing appearance yesterday, but he's really been here the whole time. Quit fooling yourself.

• Have a beautiful day:

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images