Pena delivers opener win in extras

DETROIT -- The Trey Hillman era began with an extra-inning victory on Monday afternoon.

The Royals, in Hillman's debut as manager, defeated the Detroit Tigers in 11 innings, 5-4, in the season opener on Monday as a record crowd of 44,934 watched at Comerica Park.

Tony Pena Jr.'s looping two-out single in the 11th scored John Buck to break a 4-4 tie against Tigers reliever Denny Bautista. That came after center fielder Brandon Inge threw out Mark Teahen at the plate as he tried to score from second on Buck's single.

Carlos Guillen's 400-foot home run led off the Tigers' eighth inning against reliever Brett Tomko, forging a 4-4 tie.

The heavily hyped, multi-muscled Tigers lineup banged away at Royals starter Gil Meche. In his six innings, they had eight hits, including three doubles and a home run off the him, but they scored just three runs.

The homer came from Miguel Cabrera, making his Detroit debut. The former Florida Marlins slugger hoisted a 2-1 pitch into the left-field stands to lead off the Tigers' fifth, making it 3-0.

It could have been worse. Jose Guillen, the Royals' new right fielder, showed his strong arm by gunning down Magglio Ordonez at the plate to end the third inning. The Tigers had the bases loaded with one out in the fourth but got just one run, on Meche's walk to Gary Sheffield.

Hillman must have been having flashbacks to his last game in Japan, when his Nippon Ham Fighters lost in a perfect game thrown by the Chinuchi Dragons in the Japan Series.

In Hillman's first game managing the Royals, his new charges went three innings against Justin Verlander without a hit. Finally, with two outs in the fourth, Billy Butler stroked a single to left field -- the Royals' first hit of the season.

They didn't score until the sixth when, after Mark Grudzielanek lined a single to right, Alex Gordon pulled a 3-1 pitch into the right-fields seats for a two-run homer.

Verlander was pulled in the seventh after Teahen walked and Ross Gload singled. Reliever Jason Grilli surrendered a score-tying single to Buck. Pena was unable to bunt and bounced into a force out.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland switched to left-hander Bobby Seay, who got Joey Gathright, in the game for injured David DeJesus, to line out.

Again Leyland changed relievers, to righty Aquilino Lopez, and Grudzielanek's liner to right scored Gload for a 4-3 lead.

Homers, Webb pace D-backs

CINCINNATI -- Brandon Webb was in midseason form on Opening Day as he pitched the D-backs past the Reds, 4-2, on Monday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.

Webb, who won the 2006 National League Cy Young Award and finished second in the balloting last year, allowed two runs on three hits and walked four over six innings. The right-hander struck out six and threw 90 pitches.

The D-backs relied on the solo home run for most of their scoring. Chris Young smashed a homer into the upper deck in left in the third, Eric Byrnes followed one out later with a blast to center and Jeff Salazar hit a pinch-homer into the bullpen in right in the seventh.

The Reds' lone runs came in the fourth inning when Ken Griffey Jr. drew a leadoff walk and scored when Brandon Phillips laced a liner to center that skipped past Young for a triple. One batter later, Adam Dunn grounded out to second to score Phillips.

Aaron Harang took the loss for the Reds. The right-hander allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on three hits over six innings.

Rain postpones Yanks' Opening Day

NEW YORK -- Reggie Jackson was pacing the Yankees' clubhouse on Monday morning, his left arm assigned to uncork one more ceremonial toss on the big diamond in the Bronx.

The cadet glee club and color guard from the United States Military Academy at West Point unloaded a sport-utility vehicle on East 161st Street, preparing to unfurl a giant American flag across the outfield and cue up the national anthem for a flyover from two U.S. Navy F-18 Hornets.

The planes never came, but the rains did. Ongoing showers and a bleak weather forecast prompted the postponement of Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, the 84th and final season at the current facility.

The game between the Yankees and Blue Jays will be played instead on Tuesday, with a scheduled start time of 7:05 p.m. ET. The starting pitchers, Chien-Ming Wang of the Yankees and Roy Halladay of the Blue Jays, are still scheduled to pitch in their respective clubs' first games of the season.

"The fans have always been great -- hopefully they'll come back tomorrow," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. "Everyone gets excited, and you have butterflies and those kinds of things. You want to get the games under way, and you want to get the first one under your belt. It's disappointing, but we couldn't have played today."

Fans holding paid tickets for Monday's game may use them for Tuesday's rescheduled game or exchange them for tickets to any other game, subject to availability. Because limited tickets are available for Yankees home games during the 2008 season, fans are being highly encouraged to use their tickets on Tuesday.

Tickets can be exchanged at the Yankee Stadium Advance Ticket windows (open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and until the seventh inning of any regularly scheduled home game.

A full house was expected in the Bronx for the scheduled tilt, and first pitch had been set for 1:05 p.m., but the tarpaulin never left the playing field. Yankees manager Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman inspected the outfield at 2 p.m., and an official decision was delivered at 2:25 p.m.

The postponement was the first of a Yankees home opener since April 7, 2003, against the Twins, a snowout. Tuesday's rescheduled game will mark the second night home opener in Yankees history; the first was a 9-2 win on April 3, 2005, against the Red Sox.

"You know that in April and May, you're going to go through some days like this," Girardi said. "You're just going to have bad weather. I'm just happy that it's not snowing."

The Yankees and Blue Jays are scheduled to play a three-game series in New York on opening week, meeting again on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. and on Thursday, also at 7:05 p.m.

The Yankees went through what would be considered a light workout on Monday, hitting in the underground cages and stretching in the clubhouse. Word filtered down at about 12:30 p.m. that the game would be delayed, and players were informed only a few minutes before an announcement was delivered to fans.

"It's April in New York, and it's very unpredictable," Alex Rodriguez said. "You always want to get the game in. The season has a lot of challenges; this is the first one."

D-backs' Davis has thyroid cancer

PHOENIX -- The D-backs' excitement about the 2008 season opener was tempered on Friday when they learned that left-hander Doug Davis had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Davis is expected to make his scheduled exhibition start on Friday night and probably will make a couple of regular-season starts before undergoing surgery. He was scheduled to start the club's third game of the year, on Thursday in Cincinnati.

Davis, club officials as well as a doctor will hold a press conference following Friday's game.

Davis, 32, is one of the more popular players in the Arizona clubhouse. His teammates appreciate the hard work he puts into his between-starts program, including extensive video and statistical scouting.

D-backs players were understandably surprised by the news and most declined to comment until after they were able to learn more and until after Davis spoke following the game.

"Obviously, we're all in his corner," closer Brandon Lyon said. "We haven't gotten a chance to sit down and talk to him about it. All of us are just going to support him any way we can."

Davis was acquired by the D-backs from the Brewers in November 2006, and the Phoenix-area resident promptly signed a three-year, $22 million extension that runs through 2009.

"Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with him," D-backs manager Bob Melvin said.

A durable pitcher, Davis was 13-12 with a 4.25 ERA in 33 starts in 2007. It was the fourth straight season in which he posted double-digit wins and pitched 192 or more innings.

Beckett trying to stretch himself out

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After his morning workout Friday at the Red Sox's Minor League complex, right-hander Josh Beckett said he feels healthy and that getting back into the rotation is a matter of stretching himself out. But he reiterated that multiple starts in July and August are more important than one start in April.

"I think that's basically it, [getting stretched out]," Beckett said. "I don't know what they're planning on doing, but [I'm] just trying to get stretched out right now."

Beckett has been in touch with manager Terry Francona, pitching coach John Farrell, rehab coordinator/assistant trainer Mike Reinold and pitcher Jon Lester during the Sox's trip to Japan and now Los Angeles. He watched the series with the A's in Tokyo early in the morning. Beckett said that baseball and breakfast was an odd combination.

"I didn't see the first part [of the games]," he said. "I don't get up quite that early. But I usually saw from the fourth inning on. I think it was weird, actually, watching them play a baseball game that early in the morning. But talking with some of the guys, I guess it was a pretty good experience."

It hasn't been easy for the Red Sox's ace to be away from his team, watching the games on TV.

"Absolutely," Beckett said. "That's our family this time of year. And you see people, whether it be somebody struggle or see somebody do something good and you want to shake their hand, whatever, [or] you want to pick somebody up when they don't do what they wanted to do. But it is tough."

Although Beckett has had several stints on the disabled list in his career -- including last season, when he missed two starts in May after tearing the skin on his right middle finger -- he has never started a season on the DL until now, which is causing him some frustration.

"It is [frustrating], but at the same time, I know what we're trying to do. It's not my first go-round. I know it's a long season. Like I said two weeks ago, the most important thing is not my April 1 start, [and] it's not my April 10 start. I think exactly what I said [is] 'It's not my April 10 start, it's my July and August starts,'" Beckett said, emphasizing the plural "starts." "I know what we're trying to do. We're not trying to win one game here or one game there. We're trying to do bigger things than that."

While the back spasms that caused him to miss his March 8 start against the Marlins and the lower back tightness that landed him on the 15-day DL have subsided, Beckett said a back injury can worry a pitcher. He went on the DL in 2004 with a strained lower back. But it was his right hip that also caused him concern recently.

"[The back problem] worried me just from the standpoint of I'd never felt anything like that," he said. "I tore an intercostal muscle [in 2004]. It was more frustrating than this was, because it heals when it heals. There's no way to rehab an intercostal muscle. ... But the back injury, it worries you if it's something major, but fortunately for me, it was just one of those things that you slip a little bit and your back catches. I think it was probably more of a good thing that my back caught like that. I think actually what ended up happening was it protected my hip more than anything. And now that's kind of where we're at with the rehab, because after we got the back problem to go away, my [right] hip was what was bothering me."

Beckett was 20-7 with a 3.27 ERA in 2007, the Majors' only 20-game winner and first since 2005. He said he feels he's farther along in his routine than pitch counts may indicate. He made a Minor League start for Double-A Portland on Thursday. He is scheduled to make another start Tuesday in an intrasquad game at the complex.

"Well, I threw four innings yesterday," Beckett said. "I threw 47 pitches and 33 of them were strikes. I don't think a lot of people do that in the first [Spring Training] outing. I think for me it's much more accelerated, because it's not like I came into Spring Training without throwing. I'd thrown seven or eight bullpens before Spring Training. I'd already built up to about 55 pitches. So it's not like I had to start completely over. I had the base built."

Beckett does not minimize the work he is able to do facing Minor League hitters.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "People always make a big deal out of who you're facing. But there's a lot of those guys that I faced yesterday that'll probably end up playing in the big leagues. That's kind of what happens. People that are playing at Double-A generally at least get a taste of the big leagues. So their approach may be different, but I played in Double-A one year, and I've played against a lot of guys in the big leagues that I played against in Double-A."

Told that Triple-A Pawtucket manager Ron Johnson -- for whose club Beckett made a start Saturday -- was impressed by his approach to that start and was glad the younger players could see his drive, Beckett agreed.

"I'm definitely trying to accelerate this," he said. "I want this to be more accelerated than maybe my pitch count shows. I just do the same thing on the day I pitch no matter what. I want the guys all to be behind me, whether I'm pitching for a Double-A team or pitching for an A-ball team. You want those guys behind you. You want them to want to dive for that ball in the hole or you want them to be hungry and go out and score a couple of runs in the first inning. So I think it is a good example for the young guys, because those are the guys you want to have your back."

Although he is eligible to come off the DL on April 2, which is the team's off-day between series in Oakland and Toronto, Beckett is not yet sure of a schedule.

"We're going day-to-day still," Beckett said. "Like I said, the most important thing is not my April 4 start or [April] 3 start. It's later on. So if I need to go to Pawtucket or go to Greenville or whatever to have one more start, we're going to do what's best for the club and what's best for me later on down the road."

Health insurance

TOKYO -- The A's got a dominant start from right-hander Rich Harden and a three-run homer from outfielder Emil Brown on Wednesday as Oakland topped the Red Sox, 5-1, at Tokyo Dome to salvage a split in the two-game Opening Series Japan 2008.

Harden, who was limited to seven appearances by a variety of right arm injuries in 2007, powered his way through the vaunted Red Sox lineup on the way to six innings of three-hit work with nine strikeouts and three walks.

"Rich showed tonight against the World [Series] champions how good he is and how much we need him," A's manager Bob Geren said. "Tonight, he pitched the way we know he can, and we're hoping to get 30-plus more of those."

The right-hander gave credit to his signal-caller for keeping him focused during his six dominant innings, during which he showed a lively fastball, splitter and changeup that had Red Sox batters out of sorts all night.

"My catcher, Kurt Suzuki, called a great game," Harden said.

"[Harden] had an overpowering fastball," Red Sox manager Terry Francona added. "When he even got in hitters' counts, he threw his offspeed, his split. He kept us off-balance. That was a very explosive game that he pitched."

With or without the assistance of his batterymate, it was apparent early that Harden wasn't fazed by the unique atmosphere around him in Tokyo Dome.

"It did feel a little different pitching in Japan," Harden said. "It felt almost like a playoff game. But you just got to treat it like any other start."

With one impressive start already in the books, Harden could match last season's total of four by mid-April.

"I've had some bad luck the last couple of years," the right-hander said. "But it was great to be out there. You've got to focus on the team and put [the injuries] behind you."

Haunted by injuries that landed him on the disabled list in each of the past three seasons, Harden didn't allow a hit until Mike Lowell's one-out single in the fourth.

Against the most potent 1-2 combination in baseball, Harden was at his best most of the night.

He held David Ortiz hitless in two at-bats, with a walk and a strikeout. Manny Ramirez struck out in the first and fourth innings.

"We had a meeting before the game with Kurt Suzuki and [pitching coach] Curt Young, talking about how we wanted to pitch them," said Harden. "Kurt Suzuki called the game. We really effectively mixed up our pitches."

The only blemish on his line came courtesy of Ramirez, who hit a two-out solo homer deep into the left-field bleachers in the sixth.

"I want to give Rich credit," Ramirez said. "He pitched a great game. He's got a nasty split, his slider was working. He's got it all."

"Manny hit a split out later on, but [Harden's] stuff was phenomenal, as was his location," Francona added.

Oakland took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a two-out RBI single by Chris Denorfia, whose line drive to right field scored Bobby Crosby, who had doubled to open the inning.

An inning later, after Boston starter Jon Lester issued a leadoff walk to Daric Barton and surrendered a bloop single to Mike Sweeney, Brown launched his first homer in an A's uniform to left-center field.

It was sweet redemption for Brown, whose baserunning blunder between second and third in the 10th inning Tuesday cost the A's a chance at tying the game off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon.

"It's a great opportunity," Brown said. "To be wanted makes you feel more comfortable when you play. It relaxes you a little bit and lets your ability come out."

The trio of Santiago Casilla, Keith Foulke and Alan Embree each threw a scoreless inning, holding the Red Sox to two hits and allowing Geren to rest closer Huston Street, who threw 1 2/3 innings in Tuesday's loss.

"We have three guys at the end of the game who have all closed games," Geren said. "One [reason] is safety. Huston did pitch [in] two innings [Tuesday] night, and it is March. And Embree and Foulke pitched well [Tuesday] night."

The A's headed home immediately after the game for their annual three-game exhibition series with the Giants, with games Friday and Sunday in San Francisco and Saturday at McAfee Coliseum.

"Nobody was looking past today," Geren said. "You have last night, which was a heartbreaker, and today you're just trying to get even."

The game was played in front of a sellout crowd of 44,735.

"The crowd was loud and the intensity was there, so it was great," Brown said. "We were all into it because the fans were into it."

"Thanks a lot to the fans," added Harden. "It's been a great experience playing here in Tokyo, and thank you to everybody."

The Red Sox and A's square off again on Tuesday in Oakland's U.S. home opener at McAfee Coliseum.

Moss, Manny fuel comeback

The 24-year-old outfield prospect from Loganville, Ga., had to travel all the way to the Far East to club his first Major League homer. However, the timing was nothing short of perfect and the hit was the definition of clutch.

In fact, it was downright storybook stuff. Brandon Moss -- who wound up propelling the Red Sox to a 6-5, 10-inning victory over the A's on Tuesday -- wasn't even supposed to play on Opening Day. But when J.D. Drew came down with lower back tightness in the hours leading up to the game, Red Sox manager Terry Francona turned to Moss.

The kid responded with one out in the top of the ninth inning, bashing a 2-2 changeup from Athletics closer Huston Street over the right-field wall to tie the game at 4. Moss became the first Boston player since Ben Steiner in 1945 to hit his first Major League homer on Opening Day.

"I felt great, especially since it was my first home run," said Moss. "It felt great. That's something you dream of, hitting a game-tying home run in the ninth inning."

And Manny Ramirez, who has had countless big hits in his impressive career, added another, lacing a two-out, two-run double to right-center in the top of the 10th to put the Sox in front for good.

While Moss was the definition of a surprise hero, Manny was just being Manny. He drove in four in the contest and took home the hero of the game check for $10,000, which translated into one million yen.

"That's going to be some gas money. I love it," said Ramirez.

Without the equalizer by Moss, Boston would have been out of fuel before Ramirez got chance.

"That was a big lift for our team," said Francona. "You can't really script that. It certainly played a big part in our win."

Ramirez was every bit as big. With a runner on second and two outs in the 10th, A's manager Bob Geren had the unenviable choice of picking his poison. He walked David Ortiz intentionally and Ramirez made that decision backfire, rifling a double high off the wall.

It was a wild first international opener for the Red Sox. Daisuke Matsuzaka took a no-decision in his homecoming, giving up two hits and two runs, but walking five and striking out six over five laborious (95 pitches) innings. Hideki Okajima thrilled his fans by earning the win. In fact, he became the first Japanese pitcher to win a Major League game played in Japan. Jonathan Papelbon hung on for an adventurous save.

t was a rough night for Street, who suffered the dreaded closer combo of a blown save and a loss.

"The inning before that, I told Alex Cora, 'Man, I want to face that guy.' And I did," said Ramirez.

Why would Ramirez have such an urge to face an established closer?

"That's my mentality," Ramirez said. "Every time I go to the plate, I want to face anyone that's there."

Ramirez had also been heard from earlier in the game, slamming a two-run double to left in the sixth that tied the game at 2. Moss also came up big in that sixth, roping a two-out RBI single against Oakland starter Joe Blanton that gave the Sox their first lead of the night.

But that bit of hitting heroics was offset when Oakland's Jack Hannahan belted a two-run homer to right against Kyle Snyder with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth.

Former Sox relievers Alan Embree and Keith Foulke held that slight 4-3 lead for Oakland and presented the save opportunity for Street, but Moss ruined that bid.

"He had made me look really bad on the changeup before," said Moss. "I was way out in front. Once I got back to 2-2, I thought, 'He's probably going to throw that changeup right here because I missed it two pitches ago.' I just tried to see it up and wait back a little longer."

Moss didn't learn he was playing until just before pregame introductions.

"[I found out] three to four minutes before they announced the lineups," said Moss. "Maybe even less than that. It was right before. I didn't have much time to feel anything. I was like, 'OK, when do I run out?'"

In an instant, Moss had to shift from spectator mode to starting mode.

"I was shocked," said Moss. "I saw J.D.'s BP and he looked great. I didn't know anything was going on. I was just sitting there talking. They were like, 'You might be starting.' I was like 'Oh, OK.'"

The story coming into the game was the celebrated return of Matsuzaka to his native land. But the Boston right-hander certainly didn't look like he was enjoying the comforts of being back at Tokyo Dome in his first couple of innings. In fact, the A's worked him for 30 pitches in the first. Mark Ellis, Oakland's No. 2 hitter, belted a solo homer to left-center to make it 1-0. Thanks to two walks and a hit batter, Matsuzaka put himself in position to surrender another run on Bobby Crosby's fielder's-choice grounder.

An inning later, Matsuzaka again was a bit of a mess, giving up a single and two walks to load the bases with two outs. But he made the pitch he needed to, striking out Jack Cust to get out of it unscathed.

"I didn't feel that anxious in the early part of the game, but I think I was a little bit overly cautious because of my tendency to start slow," said Matsuzaka. "From my next start on, I'd like to be a little bit more assertive in the early innings."

As for this game, all the asserting was done by the M&M boys -- Moss and Manny.

"Hey, he's a professional hitter," Ramirez said of Moss. "That's why he's here."

But it took a twist of fate -- or better yet, an untimely tweak of Drew's back -- to get Moss into the role of co-star.

Pettitte's back throwing wrench in plans

TAMPA, Fla. -- While Andy Pettitte settles for simply playing catch,
the Yankees are preparing contingency plans in case their projected
No. 2 starter is not available to make his first appearance of the
season.

Pettitte has been sidelined since Thursday with back spasms, an issue
that hampered his progress last spring as well. The 35-year-old
left-hander has said that he does not believe this occurrence is as
serious as it was last year, but he is still unsure if he will be able
to throw in a scheduled bullpen session on Wednesday.

"I just can't get on the mound until I don't feel anything when I get
over my front side," Pettitte said. "We'll start with playing catch
and see how I feel. I think I'll know when I wake up if I can throw
off the mound or not. You never know."

Pettitte played catch with pitching coach Dave Eiland for about five
minutes on Monday, popping 47 tosses at a distance of 60 feet. He said
he still feels tightness across his lower back on both sides, despite
having been administered anti-inflammatory medication.

If he can get in a game by Friday, Pettitte would be available to
pitch on April 2 against the Blue Jays, but if not, that projected
start would be in jeopardy.

"It's definitely taking me a little bit longer than I thought it would
when I originally hurt it, and that's definitely frustrating,"
Pettitte said. "I don't think it's anything other than a muscle
spasm."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that Pettitte would not be scheduled
for an MRI since the club believes it is just a muscular issue, and
the club appears to be ruling out a stint on the disabled list.

"I don't think so, unless I do something stupid," Pettitte said. "They
definitely have not mentioned that at all, so I don't think it's even
in their minds. If it's not in their mind, it's definitely not in my
mind."

Girardi said he took Pettitte's brief catch session as a positive sign.

"If you can play catch, it means it's not too painful and the back
spasms are relaxing," Girardi said. "You see back spasms pop up pretty
regularly during Spring Training because of increased intensity from
what the workouts are during the offseason."

Girardi said that the Yankees' plan now is for Pettitte to be ready to
throw a side session on Wednesday, which would allow him to pitch in a
Minor League game on Friday in Tampa.

The Yankees have plenty of options to accommodate delaying Pettitte's
2008 debut, thanks to an off-day after the season opener on March 31.
One plan being floated is that Mike Mussina could start on April 2
against Toronto, on regular rest, allowing Pettitte to pitch the
Yankees' fourth or fifth game of the season that weekend against the
Rays.

"We've got all kinds of options for me not to miss my first turn
around," Pettitte said. "It's just a matter of if I pitch Game 2 or 4
or 5."

Twins finalizing deal with Nathan

The Twins and closer Joe Nathan appear to be in the final stages of
reaching the terms of a contract extension that could be announced as
soon as Monday.

Nathan's agent, Dave Pepe, was in the Orlando area visiting other
clients on Sunday, but he was scheduled to arrive back in Fort Myers
and meet with the Twins on Monday morning to go over some final
details, said a source with knowledge of the discussions.

Indications are that it would be a four-year deal. The exact amount is
not known, although ESPN's Buster Olney has reported that the contract
would pay Nathan between $11 and $12 million a year.

That would put Nathan's contract in the same price range as closer
Francisco Cordero, who signed a four-year, $46 million contract with
the Reds that includes a fifth-year option this offseason. The
contracts for Cordero and Mariano Rivera, who re-signed with the
Yankees this offseason for three years and $45 million, were credited
with setting a new bar on the market for closers.

The Twins first approached Nathan, who is set to make $6 million in
2008, about a contract extension early last month. The two sides went
through a brief stalemate period before talks heated up again
recently.

Nathan, 33, has posted a 1.00 ERA in nine innings so far this spring,
and he has held opponents to a .167 batting average against. He has
recorded 160 saves since becoming the Twins' closer in 2004.

Venues set for World Baseball Classic

The first-round venues are set for the second running of the World
Baseball Classic, which will begin on March 5, 2009, in Japan.

As in 2006, Tokyo Dome and Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto
Rico, will host first-round games. In 2009, those venues will be
joined for the first time by Rogers Centre in Toronto and Foro Sol
Stadium in Mexico City.

Rogers Centre is the home ballpark of the Blue Jays, and Major League
Spring Training exhibition games have been played at the 27,940-seat
facility in Mexico City.

"The 2009 World Baseball Classic will further demonstrate the
remarkable global growth of our game," Commissioner Bud Selig said.
"There has been incredible demand to host the games of the second
World Baseball Classic, and we are pleased to have four international
destinations as our first-round venues. We are excited about the 2009
World Baseball Classic and look forward to next March."

The 16-team field is the same as '06, though an expansion of the field
to 24 countries and territories with qualifying rounds as a preface to
reach the main competition is under consideration for 2013.

Next year's brackets are as follows:

Pool A -- China, Chinese Taipei, Japan and Korea will begin play on
March 5 in Tokyo Dome, where the A's are opening the regular season
against the Red Sox this week.

Pool B -- Australia, Cuba, Mexico and South Africa, from March 8-12 in
Mexico City.

Pool C -- Canada, Italy, the U.S. and Venezuela, from March 8-12 in Toronto.

Pool D -- Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Panama and Puerto Rico,
from March 7-11 in Puerto Rico.

Venues for the second round, plus the combined semifinals and finals
are still to be determined, although San Diego's PETCO Park seems to
be set for the second round and Dodger Stadium has the inside track
for the semifinals and finals.

The semifinals and finals were sold out at San Diego's 45,000-seat
home of the Padres in 2006. Japan vanquished Cuba, 10-6, to win the
tournament and Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who now toils for
the Red Sox, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Attendance for the '06 tournament at its seven venues was 737,112
tickets sold, a major coup considering that the Asian bracket didn't
reach the 80 percent capacity in Tokyo Dome that was originally
projected.

It was the first time that all Major League players were allowed to
represent their native lands in an international baseball tournament.
The baseball competition in the Summer Olympics, which is slated for
Beijing in August, includes non-25-man roster MLB players only.
In another new wrinkle for '09, a rules change has been made in the
qualifying portion of the tournament, which will now be a
double-elimination format in the first two rounds.

In '06, there was round-robin play as teams with the top two records
in each bracket ascended to the second round and the semifinals with a
complicated formula based on runs scored used as the first tie
breaker.

The semifinals remain as single-elimination games.

Also, unlike '06, there will be a crossover of brackets in the
semifinals. In '06, Cuba defeated the Dominican and Japan ousted Korea
in the semifinals.

"The best baseball players in the world are looking forward with great
anticipation to playing in the 2009 World Baseball Classic," said Don
Fehr, the executive director of the Players' Association, who is a
partner with Major League Baseball in the venture. "Implementation of
double-elimination and crossover games to the World Baseball Classic
next year will make the games even more intense and the tournament
even more exciting for both players and fans. It will be an
unforgettable experience."

Deja Drew in Tokyo

TOKYO -- Before Sunday's game, fans at Tokyo Dome were treated to a scoreboard montage of the Red Sox's magical postseason run of 2007. By the time the contest between the Sox and Yomiuri Giants was actually underway, J.D. Drew re-created one of those moments live and in the flesh, bashing a grand slam to left-center.

Not to say that this Drew's slam in Boston's 9-2 victory over the Giants was anything close to the magnitude of his shot in Game 6 of the 2007 American League Championship Series, but it was a nice display of a sweet swinging not getting lost in translation from one continent to another.

While New Englanders back home were either still sleeping or just arising for Easter Sunday, the Sox were engaging in their final tune-up for Tuesday's Opening Day against the Oakland Athletics, which will be played here under this same roof of Tokyo Dome.

Nobody looks more ready than Drew, who has gone deep in both exhibition games in Japan.

When Drew stepped to the plate, Boston was trailing, 2-0, with one out in the top of the sixth. His slam came against Giants left-hander Adrian Burnside.

For the second day in a row, the Red Sox faced off against a tradition-laden franchise from Japan. A day after edging the Hanshin Tigers, the Sox went against the Yomiuri Giants, the most revered franchise in the history of Japanese baseball.

It's doubtful the Giants have seen a knuckleball quite like the one floated by venerable Boston righty Tim Wakefield. Yomiuri did scrape one run across in the first on an RBI single by Seung-Yeop Lee and another in the fourth on a double play grounder by Yoshitomo Tani, but Wakefield cruised for most of his outing.

Over 5 2/3 innings, Wakefield scattered five hits and two runs, walking one and striking out three.

Hideki Okajima marked his return to Tokyo Dome -- his home venue for his 11 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants -- by firing a scoreless inning.

Tokyo suits Sox just fine

TOKYO -- Amid the backdrop of drums beating and fans decked out in
yellow (in honor of the Hanshin Tigers) chanting for innings on end,
the Red Sox continued their Spring Training in a venue that felt
nothing like Florida.

Playing in Japan for the first time, the Sox pulled out a 6-5 victory
over Hanshin before a packed house at Tokyo Dome on Saturday.

There was an overall air of excitement between two franchises that
have fanatic followings. In fact, the Hanshin Tigers are the team in
Japan that has most often been compared to the Red Sox.

"It was definitely exciting just to be out there," said Sox first
baseman Kevin Youkilis. "We joked with Manny [Ramirez] that he
couldn't here what was going on in the game because it was so loud
back there. It was definitely very interesting how they got into the
game. The cheers were all in sync, even the people on the third-base,
first-base side. It was pretty cool to hear that. It was definitely an
experience."

David Ortiz's swing was certainly no worse for the wear after the
17-hour flight from Florida, as he got the Sox on the board by
clubbing a solo homer to left in the top of the first.

"I've had a very good Spring Training," said Ortiz. "I'm glad I was
able to hit one in front of Japanese fans."

Three batters later, it was J.D. Drew who took aim at the fence,
nailing a three-run shot to left-center.

"The home run came on a fastball away," said Drew. "I made good
contact. It's always good to produce with men on base."

If the Red Sox had any lingering jet lag, it didn't show.

"Any game we play, we don't ever talk about jetlag," said Red Sox
manager Terry Francona. "We were supposed to show up and play the game
today so that's what we did. We came out early and swung the bats
pretty well. We swung at strikes. David and J.D., they put some good
swings on the ball."

Though the unique chants of the Japanese fans took center stage for
most of the game, there was also a little touch of Red Sox Nation when
"Sweet Caroline" was played over the sound system before the bottom of
the eighth inning. And even more when Jonathan Papelbon's walk-in song
"Shipping Up To Boston" by the Dropkick Murphy's was played when he
came on for the ninth inning.

And once Papelbon completed the save with an overpowering an inning,
"Dirty Water" by the Standells -- the traditional Red Sox victory song
at Fenway Park -- boomed out as the visitors did their postgame
handshakes.

"The local flavor, I'm not sure we knew what to expect," said
Francona. "With all those things -- they were beating and yelling and
singing -- it was a good experience. I don't know that we knew exactly
what to expect but they were enthusiastic and I think both teams put
on a good show. It was a good baseball game to watch."

Despite falling in an early 5-0 deficit, the Tigers showed they could
compete with the defending World Series champions.

Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz lost his feel in the bottom of the
second, being tagged for four runs. The big hits came from Norhiro
Akahoshi (two-run double) and Keiichi Hirano (two-run single).

"I think it was as fastball," said Hirano. "I was glad I was able to
keep the rally going."
Buchholz lasted 3 2/3 innings, being touched up for six hits and four
runs. He walked two and struck out four.

"The best way to win is when you score -- hold a team down," Francona
said. "But you also treat it a little differently because it is an
exhibition game. You're going to leave your pitcher out there and try
to get his work in."

Youkilis stretched Boston's lead back to two runs in the sixth, lacing
an RBI single to left. But the Tigers got it right back in the bottom
of the inning on Hirani's sacrifice fly.

By the end of the day, the Red Sox had accomplished what they wanted.

"You try to win every game you play, and also get ready for the
season," Francona said.

The Sox play again on Sunday against the Yomiuri Giants. That game
will carried live on MLB.TV at 6 a.m. ET.

Reds send Bruce to Minors

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Reds outfield prospect Jay Bruce got the news Thursday he was hoping he wouldn't get this spring.

The top-ranked prospect in all of baseball was told he was one of five roster cuts and that he would start the regular season at Triple-A Louisville. Manager Dusty Baker and general manager Wayne Krivsky informed Bruce he would be sent down.

"I knew what they'd tell me when I went in there," Bruce said at the Reds complex in Sarasota. "You don't want to get sent down. It's disappointing. But I will feed off of it, go to Louisville and play well."

Bruce, 20, who was named the No. 1 prospect in 2008 by Baseball America, was seeking to become the Reds' starting center fielder in a battle that started with Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper.

The race tightened when veteran center fielder Corey Patterson was signed on the urging of Baker. Like Bruce, Patterson is a left-handed hitter.

"When they signed Patterson, I knew the writing was on the wall," Bruce said. "They have an idea of what they wanted to do. I'll keep doing my thing and try to force the issue this season and see them soon."

Bruce certainly didn't have a bad spring at the plate but he probably needed to have a great one to erase all doubts about his big league chances at this early stage of his career. He batted .262 (11-for-42) with three RBIs in 16 games.

After starting out hot, with hits in each of his first five games, Bruce's cause wasn't helped when he sustained a mild strain of his left quadriceps muscle on March 2. He missed nearly a week and during that time, the Reds signed Patterson.

In the other cuts, Cincinnati optioned outfielder Drew T. Anderson and reliever Marcus McBeth to Louisville. Like Bruce, pitchers Josh Roenicke and Tom Shearn were reassigned to the Minor League camp.

Red Sox stipend dispute resolved

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox went to bat for manager Terry Francona and the coaching staff on Wednesday, and in the end, they got a result satisfactory enough to avoid boycotting their Grapefruit League finale against the Toronto Blue Jays.

A misunderstanding over whether the Red Sox's coaching, training and clubhouse staffs would receive stipends for making a trip to Tokyo got resolved about 40 minutes after the scheduled start of the game.

"All the things I talked about prior to today about it being a quiet spring and just baseball, you can throw it right out the window," Francona said. "It was a long morning and a long day yesterday. We found out probably by accident that some of the communication was different than we anticipated. Because there's some parties that are in China, some are Japan, some are here, some are in New York, it was very difficult to communicate."

Thanks to the matter being resolved between the Red Sox, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, the team will depart for Tokyo as scheduled early Wednesday evening.

"Everyone connected with the trip will be fairly compensated," said Rich Levin, senior vice president of public relations for Major League Baseball.

"I want to make this real clear," Francona said. "This was not a case of players being greedy. This was a case of players uniting together. I think that's part of the reason we're good. There was no disrespect to baseball. We made sure the Blue Jays knew that. It was a very difficult position everybody felt we were in and it got resolved."

The game against the Blue Jays wound up starting at 1:11 p.m. ET, one hour and four minutes later than scheduled. Daisuke Matsuzaka -- Boston's Opening Day starter -- ended up pitching a Minor League game instead of facing Toronto.

It was a chaotic morning and early afternoon at City of Palms Park. The players became upset when they learned that Francona, the coaches and other uniformed members were not going to receive stipends -- worth approximately $40,000 -- for the upcoming trip to Tokyo. The players on both the Red Sox and A's are receiving that amount.

Until Tuesday, Francona and the coaches were under the assumption that they were getting the same stipends as the players.

When Francona informed the players that apparently was not the case, a players-only meeting was held in the clubhouse.

Shortly after that, the Red Sox got on the phone with Major League Baseball and the Players Association and said that unless or until the matter was resolved, they would not play Wednesday and also threatened not to board the flight for Tokyo later in the day.

"It was a misunderstanding," said Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell. "I don't know who to lay blame on, but there has to be a way to resolve it."

Red Sox player representative Kevin Youkilis and other players were in constant communication with Major League Baseball and the Players Association throughout the course of the morning until the matter was resolved.

Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino, general manager Theo Epstein and other club officials assisted the players on the matter, which Francona and Youkilis both said they appreciated.

Francona also spoke to Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig twice via phone.

"He was justifiably concerned about playing the game, which I completely understand," Francona said. "I've known him since I sat the bench in Milwaukee. He was very kind to me, is actually the way I would interpret it. Knowing that he has a lot of responsibilities and a full plate, he was very kind."

Shortly before the regular scheduled start time, several Boston players came into the dugout, but there still wasn't a resolution.

"We have to be prepared to take care of what was ultimately promised to our staff and to everybody else that's on the trip," Red Sox catcher and captain Jason Varitek said before the issue was resolved. "This isn't about us; this isn't about anything besides [the fact] that there's other people involved that are being forgotten about."

Asked if the Red Sox would board the bus for the airport to leave for Japan on Wednesday without a resolution, Varitek said, "We will not."

Early in the morning, the situation had cast a pall over the team's Spring Training getaway day.

"What we want to do this morning is get excited about us playing a baseball game, and what I did was spend the morning apologizing to the coaches and being humiliated," Francona said. "That's all I know."

If the game had wound up being canceled, the Boston players said that they were prepared to sign autographs for all of the fans on both foul lines. It never came to that.

"These guys are outstanding guys, they're standup guys," Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills said of the players. "They do what's right. That's what makes them great ballplayers as well."

Even the Blue Jays were touched by the lengths the Red Sox went to fight for their staff.

"You don't expect to see that, but I was kind of glad it happened and I was kind of impressed with those guys," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "Not only are they a very talented team, they've got something special over there. That's a team. They stuck their necks out for the coaching staff -- those guys they admire and stand by --- and that helps us all. There's only two teams that can get away with that: Boston and New York. That's good to see."

Youkilis spent time during the pregame hours discussing the situation with Vernon Wells, who is the player rep for Toronto. The Jays' players were understanding of the situation and didn't balk at the game starting later than scheduled.

Red Sox right-hander Curt Schilling had made it clear how important the issue is to the players.

"They're part of this team," Schilling said of Francona and the coaches. "They're as important as the players in our mind."

Red Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan was touched by the support from the players.

"To see how the players backed us and how they feel about the work that we do, that meant a lot," Magadan said. "It means a lot. Sometimes we feel like you can have a thankless job, but when things like that are done, you really appreciate and get a feeling for how the players feel about us."

Francona said it was his understanding that the managers and coaching staffs of the Yankees and Rays received stipends for their season-opening trip to Tokyo in 2004.

To Francona, the matter was a lot more about the coaches than himself.

"For a coach, this is, in some cases, two-fifths of their salary for the year," Francona said. "This is a big deal. I don't agree that coaches are second-class citizens. That has never sat well with me, ever."

Francona was the bench coach for the A's in 2003 when they were scheduled to go to Japan, only to have that journey canceled because of the war in Iraq. In that instance, Francona said that the manager and all the coaches were set to get stipends.

Managers and coaches aren't members of the Players Association.

"The coaches never have leverage," said Schilling. "In all the years I've been in baseball, they're the guys usually taken advantage of in situations like this. In this locker room, they're as much a part of this team as the guys on the field."

In this case, the Red Sox's players, to a man, made sure their coaches got taken care of.

Dodgers take final bow in Vero Beach

DODGERTOWN, Fla. -- Amid tears, symbolic and real, and speeches and enough green to fill River Shannon, the Los Angeles Dodgers took a final bow Monday in their Spring Training home since 1948.

This was a genuine Irish wake, if anything made only more morose by a 12-10 loss to Houston.

Closure done right: Carl Erskine, the right-hander who delivered Holman Stadium's first pitch in 1953, delivered the final note Monday, playing the national anthem on his harmonica.

With equipment trucks already backed up to the Dodgers' clubhouse and being loaded, it started with Tommy Lasorda, green batting helmet in hand, strolling in from the right-field corner, fans rising in ovation to escort him to the third-base dugout.

And it ended with another Lasorda procession, through the same corner and under a phalanx of bats being raised by the entire respectful Dodgers team.

"Greatest thing I've ever seen. They tore me up," Lasorda said as his stint as "guest" manager also came to an end. "It's something I will never forget, and something I'll appreciate for the rest of my life. What a way to exit."

In-between, St. Patrick's Day was raucously celebrated and the Dodgers' departure was poignantly observed.

And there was no escaping the deafening echo of generations.

The final of Holman Stadium's hundreds of home runs was delivered by pinch-hitter Preston Mattingly -- given his first Grapefruit League at-bat by grateful bench coach Bob Schaefer, who 28 years ago had managed his father, Don, and without whose recommendation, he said, "I now wouldn't be here."

Earlier, a tying two-run home run had been struck by David Newhan -- son of Hall of Fame journalist Ross, who covered his first Spring Training here for the Los Angeles Times in 1967 and was in the stands Monday, dealing with his own emotions.

It was that kind of a day.

During the pregame batting practice, Holman Stadium's speakers sounded every Irish song the P.A. guy could get his hands on. The stands filled with green shirts, green wigs, green facial grease.

Congressman Dave Weldon delivered the last ceremonial first pitch, to Rene Rivera. A group of local dignitaries took silent bows at home plate, headlined by Indian River County Administrator Joe Baird and Vero Beach Mayor Tom White.

After Erskine, resplendent in his No. 17 Dodgers uniform, performed the anthem, Dick Crago, Holman Stadium's P.A. announcer for 40 years, welcomed the last crowd:

"One more time. ... Welcome to another fine day of baseball at Holman Stadium ..."

Then Crago was introducing Lasorda, who had to wait out another long ovation from the sellout crowd of 7,327 before stepping closer to the microphone waiting for him to the left of home plate.

"You're going to make me cry, huh?" Lasorda began. Sounding as vibrant as ever, he continued, "I can't find the words to express my feeling for all of you people. We are going to leave, but we will have the memories forever. God bless you."

Then they played another game, a wind-blown affair of home runs, rallies and obsession.

Los Angeles starters Rafael Furcal and Andre Ethier put in rarities, full nine innings of an exhibition. They talked their ways into that -- they wanted to send off Lasorda, and Dodgertown, with a win.

The pair did its part, combining to go 7-for-11, scoring five runs and driving in four.

"They had their choice, and they wanted to stay," Schaefer said. "They really wanted to win the last game here."

In one sense, Monday morning had been like any other for Lasorda.

"When I woke up this morning, I felt blue," said baseball's 80-year-old ambassador. "I know I'll be leaving -- this place, these people, the church I've attended -- for the last time. It's sad. Will I ever get to Vero Beach again?

"It's a sad day, but it had to happen. It's the right thing to do, to make our Los Angeles fans happy, and it's something we'll have to accept."

At 4:10 p.m. ET on March 17, 2008, Carlos Hines made Holman Stadium's last pitch and Furcal ground it to second baseman Danny Klassen.

The Dodgers players formed their gauntlet, and Tina Turner sang through the speakers, "You're simply the best ..."

Lasorda stopped for one more look around. On Tuesday morning, the Dodgers will bus to Jupiter, Fla., for a final Grapefruit League game, against the Marlins, then continue on to a plane to Phoenix, Ariz.

"Today is tough," Lasorda said. "Tomorrow will be worse."

Good signs from Martinez in debut

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Hours before Pedro Martinez threw his first pitch of the exhibition season on Sunday, Billy Wagner provided his perspective on the cosmic significance of what he was going to see, saying, "It doesn't matter if he gets lit up or pitches two scoreless innings," reflecting the approach that veteran pitchers generally take in Spring Training.

Martinez had that mind-set when he faced the Tigers at Tradition Field in the afternoon. He would work on his pitches more than he would work on the Tigers. His objective, essentially unrelated to the outcome of the game -- and, for that matter, to his own pitching line -- was to see where he stood vis-a-vis Opening Day, to determine what parts of his game needed polish. If he handled the Tigers, great -- if he didn't, so what? March counts in college basketball.

When Martinez finally did get to a mound in genuine game conditions, what he produced was something of a hybrid of what Wagner had mentioned -- four scoreless innings to soothe those who believe that games won in the 772 area code carry some weight, and enough work with runners on base to refine his pitches from the stretch.

The secondary, numerical results might not have been what the casual fan would expect from a pitcher of Martinez's stature this close to Opening Day -- four hits and a walk -- but Martinez didn't care about the hits, the walks or the absence of runs. The innings, as well as the obedience and movement of his pitches, gave him his coordinates.

"I'm right where I want to be," was Martinez's general self-assessment, the only assessment that matters.

Martinez clearly had his moments against a reasonable facsimile of what probably will be the most productive batting order in the American League. The Tigers, playing a pair of split-squad games on Sunday, still had Ivan Rodriguez, Carlos Guillen, Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez filling the first four spots in the batting order. Martinez threw special fastballs to Cabrera and Ramon Santiago, a killer curve to Ordonez and enough quality changeups to buttress his already reinforced confidence.

"I don't know about anybody else," he said, "but I'm happy facing some real hitters and getting [this first appearance] out of the way."

Martinez was to have pitched on March 6, against the Nationals, but the game was rained out. March 11 might have brought him a start, but his aversion to long trips and a scheduled game three hours away in Fort Myers, Fla., made appearances in simulated conditions necessary. He did so on March 7 and March 12.

But Martinez needed to face batters in real conditions -- he knew that -- not only to see how they reacted to his pitches but also to reacquaint himself with game conditions. As it was, he was slow to cover first base on a ground ball hit by Timo Perez in the second inning.

Even so, "I didn't feel that much of a difference," he said.

A double-play ground ball spared Martinez in the first inning, and his strikeout acumen was at work in the second, when he struck out Santiago looking on a low fastball that followed two four-seam fastballs up in the strike zone and retired Freddy Guzman with the bases loaded, and in the third, when he struck out Guillen and Cabrera with a runner on second.

After retiring the side in order in the fourth, Martinez had a 58-pitch workday and the sense that he had progressed.

"It was the first time I had to execute," he said. "They were patient, and I got myself in trouble. But I got to work out of the stretch then."

Martinez said that the Tigers produced quality at-bats against him and made him work, but that's what he had hoped to do. How much could he gain from facing Nos. 86, 87 and 88 again?

Martinez still has work to do. Stamina isn't achieved with 58 pitches. Starting pitchers typically throw at least 25 innings in exhibition games. In the unlikely event Martinez throws six and seven in his two remaining Spring Training starts, he will reach 17 -- 24 if his simulated innings are included.

But Martinez is the atypical pitcher. There are instances when he can retire three batters on seven pitches if he suspects that the ensuing inning might require 18 or 20. His sense of what is necessary at a particular moment, and his ability to produce it, distinguish him from the vast majority of his peers.

General manager Omar Minaya calls it "pitchability. Sounds like a marketer's word -- drinkability. It means the ability to achieve outs regardless of the hitter's strengths, the umpire's strike zone, what pitches are working that day or velocity, and sometimes almost regardless of the pitcher's own command."

Martinez's command wasn't extraordinary on Sunday -- he said that his curveball misbehaved -- but it was good enough in those instances when he chose to be stingy.

"I was good enough," he said.

His own catcher made an expanded evaluation.

"A different Pedro," Ramon Castro said after catching the first two innings and watching the others. "Location was great, changeup was nasty and his fastball was better than two years ago. ... It has more life. The four-seamer goes up. It didn't do that last year."

Martinez de-emphasizes velocity, and he evidently has convinced others that it is a taboo topic. Minaya declined to say what speeds had registered on the club's radar gun, but scouts said that Martinez had touched 90 mph but pitched in the high 80s.

And Damion Easley, in an unsolicited comment, said, simply, "He threw harder today."

Easley, who had no radar, was impressed, as was one of Martinez's victim's.

"I know Pudge [Rodriguez]," said Castro. "We live in the same place in Puerto Rico. We're friends. He told me, 'Pedro looked good.' He was right."

But as Wagner and Martinez said, "It's still Spring Training."

All things in moderation -- even optimism.

Lackey to miss at least a month

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Angels ace John Lackey is expected to be sidelined at least a month after he was diagnosed with a strained right triceps after an examination on Friday by Lewis Yocum, the team's orthopedist.

A magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the clinical diagnosis.

Lackey, who hasn't missed a start because of injury since breaking into the rotation in 2002, will be shut down without baseball activities for three to four weeks, at which time he'll be reevaluated. His earliest return, giving him several weeks or rehab, would most likely be in late April or early May.

The Angels, as a result, will open their American League West title defense without their twin aces.

Kelvim Escobar, recovering from shoulder inflammation, is making strides toward regaining enough strength to begin throwing and is expected to start the process sometime this week, manager Mike Scioscia said.

Lackey and Kelvim Escobar combined for 37 wins last year -- 19 by Lackey, a first-time American League All-Star and ERA champion in 2007.

"I'm going to do everything I can to get back as soon as I can," said Lackey, the club's Opening Day starter in 2007. "I'll be a little bit cautious. They'll be pulling me back a little slower than I want to go.

"They've been here before. I haven't."

General manager Tony Reagins said the club was "concerned" but also "somewhat optimistic in that [Lackey's absence] won't be too long."

Lackey, 29, said Yocum informed him that a triceps strain is similar to a hamstring strain. This ailment, behind the elbow, is in a different location than the forearm discomfort that had caused Lackey to get a late start in his spring workouts.

"You've got to let it heal on its own and be patient," Lackey said. "If I go out too early, I can end up setting myself back.

"It's no fun. It's definitely not where I wanted to be. I'll have to work hard, get the rest of my body stronger. It might be a little blessing if I'm a little stronger at the end of the season."

Scioscia, thinking long-term, made it clear the club would be pushing no panic buttons and making rash decisions. The Angels, leading the AL West every day of the 2007 season after April 24, won the division for the third time in four years, comfortably besting Seattle by six games .

The Mariners have beefed up their rotation with the additions of Erik Bedard and Carlos Silva, but Scioscia is confident he has the depth to withstand any division challenges.

"Right now, we're being tested," Scioscia said. "I don't think anyone could have said definitively where we'd be without John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar ... We're going to be fine.

"Even without [Lackey and Escobar], we have a rotation that can go out and win on a nightly basis and a bullpen that can hold leads, and an improved offense. We can win ballgames, and we're going to go out and do that."

The club currently plans to replace Lackey from inside the organization.

First call goes to middle reliever Dustin Moseley, who made eight starts last season, including a pair of impressive ones to open the season with Jered Weaver and Bartolo Colon sidelined. Moseley had surgery after last season on his ulnar nerve and has pitched three innings this spring, giving up two runs.

Also in the mix, Reagins said, are right-handers Nick Adenhart, Nick Green and Kasey Olenberger.

The most experienced of the three is Olenberger, a 29-year-old right-hander who has gone a combined 17-12 the past two seasons at Triple-A Salt Lake.

Green, 23, is 30-22 with a 3.92 ERA in 99 Minor League games, 74 as a starter. Adenhart, 21, is 28-15 in 64 Minor League starts with a 3.11 ERA. Both have pitched no higher than Double-A Arkansas and were expected to start the season in Salt Lake's rotation.

"Right now, we think we have the candidates internally," Regains said. "We think we've built some depth in the organization and have some young kids who are exciting.

"We think the timetable for Escobar and Lackey ... they're going to miss part of the season, but we don't think it will be long-term."

As for looking into free agency for a starter, Scioscia indicated that would be a backup option because "you have to understand, if there's one commodity every team in baseball is looking for, it's pitching."

Weaver, Jon Garland, Joe Saunders and Ervin Santana form four-fifths of the rotation. Garland's acquisition from the White Sox in November at the cost of shortstop Orlando Cabrera looks even better now.

Adenhart assumed Lackey's starting assignment on Saturday at Tempe Diablo Stadium, facing the Diamondbacks' Randy Johnson.

Adenhart, a 6-foot-3 athlete with a dominant fastball and big curveball, has been impressive in Cactus League play, yielding three runs in 8 2/3 innings.

In his most recent outing, Adenhart went four scoreless innings behind Lackey on Monday, gaining the win against the A's by allowing one hit and striking out three with no walks.

Lackey pitched 1 2/3 innings in his spring debut, reporting no pain in the elbow afterward. But there was soreness the following day, and the pain became more intense following a side workout on Wednesday.

"I felt good during that game," Lackey said. "It took me a little longer to come back. I was pretty sore, and after my last bullpen session, it didn't go away.

"It's the first time I've missed a start since I got drafted [in 1999]. It's definitely disappointing, but I guess it could have been worse."

Ryan looks, feels good in debut

ST. PETERSBURG -- B.J. Ryan's Grapefruit League debut was short and sweet. It was the type of outing that the Blue Jays hope will be a regular part of ninth innings throughout the upcoming season.

On Friday afternoon, when ominous clouds hovered over Progress Energy Park, Toronto decided to send its recovering closer to the mound during a very unfamiliar inning. In order to make sure Ryan was able to squeeze in his work before rain could ruin the pitcher's schedule, the Jays used the left-hander as their starting pitcher against the Rays.

In his first game appearance since April 14 of last season, Ryan swiftly retired the first three hitters in Tampa Bays' lineup. Ryan, who underwent Tommy John ligament replacement on his left elbow in May, was thrilled to finally move beyond all the simulated games and bullpen sessions he completed at the Bobby Mattick Training Center this spring.

"Taking those drives over to Bobby Mattick, it was tough," Ryan said. "It kind of wears on you. You feel like you're a part of the team, but you're really not with them yet. You hadn't gone out there and you hadn't sat on the bench with them and pulled for them.

"So it was good to get out there. Granted it was the first game, and it is what it is, but it was fun."

Fun while it lasted at least. The 32-year-old Ryan needed just 12 pitches, including eight strikes, to set down Rays second baseman Elliot Johnson, left fielder Carl Crawford and third baseman Willy Aybar in order. Ryan used both his fastball and slider and was pleased with his location to both sides of the plate.

"It's been a while since we've seen him out there," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "But he really looked good. He feels good about that. Plus, it's encouraging for us."

After slipping into a 1-1 count to lead off the game, Johnson bunted Ryan's third offering down the first-base line. The 6-foot-6 pitcher sprinted off the mound, gloved the ball and easily threw the runner out at first base. Johnson's bunt only added to the adrenaline that was already pumping through Ryan's system.

"It kind of cuts those lights on," Ryan said with a grin. "These guys are trying to score and are going to do whatever. It was good to get out there, and it was good to face some guys that I've seen and have known before and had some real grinder at-bats against."

Against Crawford, Ryan misfired for a ball to open the at-bat. Ryan's next three pitches, which tailed away from the left-handed-hitting left fielder, each registered for strikes -- Crawford swinging unsuccessfully at each one.

Ryan's day concluded against the switch-hitting Aybar, who stepped into the right-handed batter's box to face the closer. The five-pitch confrontation concluded with Aybar heading back to the dugout to retrieve his glove after being Ryan's second strikeout victim of the day.

"It was better [Friday]," Ryan said about his location. "It could've been a little bit of the environment -- kind of getting into the flow of the game again. I threw a couple good pitches to Crawford out away from him and kind of had him reaching for it a little bit.

"Then the last guy I faced, I kind of stayed away and then I stuck one in there good, which is something I wanted to do today, because I haven't been doing it very well. It was good to see."

Blue Jays pitching coach Brad Arnsberg, who estimated Ryan was throwing around 88-89 mph, was especially pleased with the inside offering that struck out Aybar.

"He was struggling a little bit to get the ball over to the glove side of the plate," Arnsberg said about Ryan. "That last pitch he struck that right-hander out with was the one that we were looking for."

Over the past few weeks -- which included three simulated games, one batting-practice session and a lot of bullpen outings for Ryan -- the lefty has been trying to regain a comfortable arm slot, dealing with inconsistent location as a result. Ryan has been spotting his pitches better against left-handed batters, so he was pleased with the results against righties Friday.

"I have a lot more experience facing those guys," said Ryan, referring to left-handed batters. "You face a lot of righties, but that's kind of always the last thing to come for me. I'm kind of backwards in that way, but it will come."

Ryan's just happy that he's able to focus on his delivery mechanics and his location instead of worrying about his health.

"You're going to hit some bumps and some bruises along the way," Ryan said, "and you're going to hit some fatigue and some soreness, but it's healed now. The rest is between your ears."

After signing a five-year contract worth $47 million to be the Blue Jays' closer in November 2005, Ryan had a 1.37 ERA and 38 saves in his first season with Toronto. Last April, though, Ryan was sidelined with the elbow injury and had season-ending reconstructive surgery on the joint May 10.

He's attempting to be able to rejoin Toronto's bullpen in time for Opening Day, which would mean he'd be less than a year removed from the operation -- no small feat for any pitcher.

For the time being, the Blue Jays plan on keeping Ryan on a three-day schedule, meaning he'll have two days of rest between outings. According to that schedule, Ryan's next appearance is tentatively slated for Monday, when the Blue Jays take on the Pirates in Bradenton, Fla.

"It's kind of scary," Arnsberg said. "He's only a little over 10 months post-surgery. I don't get the nerves or anything while he's out there, but it's amazing how far he has come when you know where he was at.

"A year ago, we were putting the guy on the shelf. Now, we're letting him go out there and work his magic."

Cardinals bringing in Lohse for physical

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Cardinals announced Thursday that they will bring in free-agent right-hander Kyle Lohse for a physical examination on Friday. Officially they will confirm no more, but it is clear that the Cards intend to ink Lohse to a contract following the physical.

Lohse, 29, would provide depth and innings to a starting rotation that has been shredded by injuries. Four members of the Cardinals' projected season-opening rotation are currently unavailable due to various physical ailments.

"What made sense for us is his durability and what he's been able to do as far as pitch innings," general manager John Mozeliak said Thursday afternoon. "When you look at what we need to address, and the question marks we have, it seemed to make a lot of sense if we could get this put together. And after tomorrow, we'll know more."

Pitching coach Dave Duncan was even more direct regarding the team's expected new acquisition.

"I think we picked him up under the right circumstances," Duncan said, "and I'm happy we have him."

Lohse was expected to arrive in Palm Beach County on Thursday evening, and he should be checked out on Friday morning. Duncan said he hopes to have the hurler on a mound at Roger Dean Stadium before the end of the day Friday. Officials would not comment on the length of the deal with Lohse, but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that it is a one-year pact.

Duncan said that Lohse threw a 75-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday, though the club did not have anyone watch. Mozeliak said he expects Lohse to be ready to start the season on the active roster.

The Cardinals' current rotation includes Adam Wainwright, Braden Looper and a great deal of uncertainty. Anthony Reyes, Todd Wellemeyer and Brad Thompson were all expected to compete for a single spot in the rotation when camp started. Now, all three are in the spring rotation. Another durable, useful arm would be extremely welcome.

"It adds a lot to our depth if it's true," said manager Tony La Russa. "I hope it is."

Entering the offseason, Lohse was considered one of the top two starting pitchers on the free-agent market, along with righty Carlos Silva. But while Silva signed a four-year deal worth $48 million, Lohse waited for a taker.

Finally, the Cardinals' need dovetailed with Lohse's desire to get on the mound.

"When I knew more about what it would take to get him, I felt like he was a better fit for us," Duncan said. "We were able to not have to sign him to a long-term contract, and I think the terms of the contract were in accordance with what we need."

Super agent Scott Boras represents Lohse, and conventional wisdom held that Lohse's demands exceeded what was reasonable. Lohse, however, took issue with that characterization in an interview in February.

"I'm not asking for the world," he told MLB.com. "I never was. The market has been so weird this offseason. I'm surprised with the way things have gone, but I want to do what's right for my family."

Lohse has long been regarded as an extremely promising pitcher whose results haven't always matched his potential. He split 2007 between the Reds and Phillies, going 9-12 with a 4.62 ERA, 122 strikeouts, 57 walks and 22 home runs allowed in 192 2/3 innings.

He has pitched at least 190 innings in three of the past five seasons and has made at least 30 starts in five different seasons. For his career, Lohse is 63-74 with a 4.82 ERA.

"He's got great stuff," said catcher Jason LaRue, who was a teammate of Lohse in Cincinnati in 2006. "Last year he had a good year. It seemed like he started really putting everything together. He's always had the ability, stuff-wise, to be a great pitcher. It's just a matter of consistency, and obviously, that's the name of the game."

St. Louis has four starting pitchers sidelined and at various stages of health: Chris Carpenter, Mark Mulder, Joel Pineiro and Matt Clement. Carpenter won't pitch until at least midseason, while Mulder is expected to return sometime in May.

Clement is coming along and could pitch for the Cardinals sometime in April, but that's uncertain. Pineiro hopes to get in at least a couple of Grapefruit League games before the Cardinals break camp, but in the meantime, pitchers are scarce for St. Louis. Prospect Clayton Mortensen, a sandwich pick after the first round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, will start against the Dodgers on Friday.

"If it were a perfect world, we wouldn't have had to go down this path," Mozeliak said. "But it's not. And we're going to need someone to pitch every fifth day. At some point, we may have [excess] starting pitching, and at that point, we may be dealing from a strength instead of a weakness."

Tempers flare in Yanks-Rays matchup

ST. PETERSBURG -- Shelley Duncan was midway between first and second base when he narrowed his options to two: sprawl sideways with an awkward trick slide and hope for the best, or go in hard and try to knock the baseball loose with brute force.

The Yankees first baseman opted for the latter unapologetically, even given the aftermath. Duncan's spikes-high slide ripped a bloody gash above Rays second baseman Aki Iwamura's right knee and emptied both benches and bullpens at Progress Energy Park on Wednesday.

By the time the frenzy settled, five were ejected and several Tampa Bay players stomped to the home clubhouse, holding back little as they criticized Duncan's lack of decorum.

"What you saw today was the definition of a dirty play," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "There's no room for that in our game. It's contemptible, it's wrong, it's borderline criminal. And I cannot believe they did that."

"It was a dirty play," B.J. Upton said. "It was just flat out dirty, period."

Both benches had already been warned by umpires before the game, given events on Saturday at Legends Field in Tampa, Fla., when Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli suffered a broken right wrist in a home-plate collision. Tensions escalated when New York starter Heath Phillips was ejected in the first inning for grazing Rays third baseman Evan Longoria with an up-and-in fastball.

After Duncan's rough slide, play halted for several minutes as the two clubs engaged in shoving near second base. Right fielder Jonny Gomes charged Duncan from behind and at least one punch appeared to be thrown, as Longoria claimed one Yankee hit him in the back of the head.

Gomes, Duncan, Yankees third-base coach Bobby Meacham and Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long were all ejected.

Batting in the top of the second inning, Duncan was running out a ball hit down the left-field line that tipped off Longoria's glove for an error. Duncan was thrown out at second base by least 30 feet on a good throw from outfielder Carl Crawford, who chased the ball down in foul territory.

"The ball beat me by quite a bit," Duncan said. "When you're out, sometimes you have two things to do. You can try a weird slide around to be safe, or you can go hard into the glove. I just went hard into [Iwamura's] glove."

"Shelley told me he was taught as a player that when you're going to be out, you go after the ball," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "That's what he did."

With a bloody patch over Iwamura's right knee and last week's events still present in many minds, the Rays saw it differently. That especially included Gomes, who was running in to back up second base anyway but took exception to the hard slide.

"He tried to inflict some pain on Aki," Gomes said. "[Protecting a teammate] just comes second nature. I was taught in T-ball all the way up, to always protect a teammate's back. I just acted how I act. I wasn't really trying to get a shot in on him. I probably could have done a lot of things worse. But it is a baseball field and there's fans and kids watching. I just had to let him know that's not going to fly."

"There's no room in baseball for that kind of stuff," Rays closer Troy Percival said. "Ty Cobb's been gone a long time."

Maddon said emphatically that Duncan should be suspended, while Girardi said he did not believe Duncan would be. The umpiring crew declined comment to a pool reporter after the game, but it is believed the league office will review videotape of the game, which was not televised.

"That was a blatant attempt to hurt Aki, and it was set up," Maddon said. "It was planned, it was premeditated. I mean, I don't know what's the difference between that and a high stick in hockey. But it was that bad."

The Duncan incident might not have taken place at all if Phillips had not been ejected in the first inning. Yet emotions have been running high between the Yankees and Rays since Saturday, when infielder Elliot Johnson lowered his shoulder into Cervelli in the ninth inning of a Tampa Bay victory.

Despite speaking to reporters on Sunday and saying the Spring Training intensity level would rise as a result of the Cervelli collision, Duncan scoffed at claims that he had planned out the play.

"When I'm out there playing, I like to play hard," Duncan said. "I try to play as hard as I can. I never in my mind think about sending a message to the other team. They see me playing hard every single day."

Aware of the recent history, home-plate umpire Chad Fairchild was prepared to give a quick thumb at the first signs of escalation. Girardi vehemently protested Phillips' ejection, at one point raising his hands to the air. Scott Patterson relieved Phillips with two outs in the first inning.

"It wasn't intentional at all," Phillips said. "I was [surprised] because I didn't really think the ball hit him at first. I told [the umpire] I was trying to throw a fastball inside and it got away from me."

"He wasn't even coming close," catcher Jorge Posada said. "If he wanted to hit him, he would have hit him. The ball just grazed him. You don't throw at somebody with [runners on] first and third and two outs."

Phillips was starting Wednesday in place of left-hander Andy Pettitte, who was scratched with tendinitis in his pitching forearm. He is one of the contenders to make the Yankees' bullpen as a left-handed reliever, along with several other candidates.

"You can't make a club hitting a guy or getting ejected," Phillips said.

The events could erase what has been a mostly peaceful American League East coexistence between the Yankees and Rays, who meet 18 times during the regular season. Players on both teams thought that more unfinished business could linger in the budding rivalry.

"Probably, but I hope not," Gomes said. "We're here to play nine innings of baseball. It's baseball. This isn't boxing or fighting or anything. So hopefully it won't. But to tell you the truth, I kind of doubt it [is over]. I just hope nobody gets hurt."

"We'll see," Posada said. "I have no idea. I can't tell you what's going to happen. I think we'll play the game a little harder. I think it will be a little different from now on."