Alex Reyes's Weakness Isn't That Strong

Cardinals pitching prospect Alex Reyes is putting up some gaudy numbers in High-A Palm Beach. Through seven starts, the 20-year-old owns a sparkling 1.78 ERA and an equally sparkling 1.80 FIP. FIPs below 2.00 don’t come around all that often, even in the minors. In fact, Reyes’s mark is the lowest among qualified pitchers in the Florida State League.

Fangraphs

Paper All-Star Ballots Being Retired By MLB

The only hanging Chads left in Major League Baseball this season will be any errant pitches left over the plate by the likes of Chad Billingsley, Chad Qualls and Chad Bettis. Major League Baseball is doing away with the paper punch ballots for All-Star voting that have been a fixture at ballparks (and sometimes drug stores) every season since 1970.

CBS Sports

Cliff Lee To Make First Spring Appearance Thursday

Any team in baseball that thinks it might need starting-pitching help this season might want to take a peek Thursday at the Phillies' Grapefruit League game against the Astros in Kissimmee.

Philadelphia Official Site

Red Sox, Cardinals, Or Dodgers Could Come Calling If Cliff Lee Is Pitching Well This Spring

If Lee's performance in the coming months matches his self-assurance, teams such as the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers could come calling for his services. Lee enters the 2015 season still owed $37.5 million on the 5-year, $120 million contract he signed before 2011, but is a proven pitcher (85-50 with a 2.89 ERA in 186 starts from 2008-13) with playoff success, too (7-3, 2.52 ERA in 11 postseason starts).

Philadelphia Daily News

Red Sox Made MLB Heavy Offer For Cole Hamels; Mystery Team Kicking Tires On Jonathan Papelbon; Alexander Guerrero Better Suited For AL Or Move To Outfield; Twins & Indians Could Be Possibilities For Allen Craig

General manager Ruben Amaro said last week that four teams had made offers for Hamels. One of them, according to a major league source, was the Red Sox. But what we’ve been able to piece together through various sources is that the package Boston offered was heavy on the major league side, trying to avoid giving up any of their top prospects. Suffice it to say, that won’t get you Hamels. The Phillies are insistent on prospects, and if they don’t get them now they’ll wait until the trade deadline when there might be more desperation by teams seeking to win.

Boston Globe

Phillies Sign Chad Billingsley To One-Year Deal

Philadelphia Official Site

Phillies Have Strong Interest In Chad Billingsley

The Phillies are showing serious interest in free-agent right-hander Chad Billingsley, a major-league source tells CSNPhilly.com.

CSN Philly

Alexi Ogando's Medicals Don't Look So Good

Alexi Ogando, RHP, free agent — He has had so many injuries and his shoulder medicals don’t look great, according to an American League executive. But once Ogando’s price lowers and he’s no longer holding out for a major league contract, teams will compete for his services. Ogando, 31, has been successful as a starter and reliever.

Boston Globe

Chad Billingsley Has Received Multiple Offers

Ken Rosenthal Twitter