IT’S A MADD MADD WORLD. . .

Word around the Cactus League is that Trevor Story and the Rockies have privately agreed to part ways, either by a midseason trade or free agency at the end of the season. Story apparently is not interested in re-signing in Colorado and the Rockies are extremely reluctant to enter into another Nolan Arenado-type longterm contract with their new franchise player…

It looks like Felix Hernandez’s career may be finished, slightly short of the Hall-of-Fame. The 3 4 -year-old Hernandez, who was vying for a spot in the Orioles’ rotation, exited last Tuesday’s game with right elbow discomfort and even before that had shown noticeably decreased velocity. A King Felix comeback with the moribund Orioles was a longshot anyway, as he hasn’t pitched well (1 5 -2 7 , 5 .4 2 ERA) since 2 0 1 6 . He will go down as one of the most dominant pitchers of his time — two ERA titles, eight straight 2 0 0 -plus innings seasons, six All-Star selections and a Cy Young Award in 2 0 1 0 — but his overall win total of 1 6 9 leaves him far short of Cooperstown… There’s been much noted recently of Brett Gardner needing just 1 1 2 more games to pass Tony Lazzeri for 1 5 th on the Yankees’ all-time games played list and four triples to pass Mickey Mantle and Bill Dickey for ninth on that list, which brings to mind an egregious omission on the Yankees’ part. How is Lazzeri, a Hall-of-Famer and their all-time greatest second baseman, not in Monument Park? Just asking, Hal.