Monfort: Helton-to-Boston talks are off  —  DENVER (AP) — Todd Helton won't be going to the Boston Red Sox.  —  The Colorado Rockies announced Monday night that trade talks with the Red Sox about a possible deal that would have sent Helton to Boston have ended and "there will be no further discussions."

Bonds will be lonely man in San Francisco  —  Sing along with Barry ...  Congratulations to Akon, the Senegalese hip-hop star.  His reprise of the old Bobby Vinton hit, Mr. Lonely, should be the official theme song of Bonds' countdown to 755.  —  What, no posse?  Say it ain't so!  —  Those mean Giants.

Mariners sign RHP Weaver to one-year contract  —  SEATTLE (Ticker) - After winning a World Series ring in the National League, Jeff Weaver has decided to move back to the American League.  —  The Seattle Mariners on Monday announced that they have have agreed to terms with the free-agent righthander on a one-year contract.

Art Fowler, 84, Who Coached for Yankees Again and Again, Is Dead  —  Art Fowler, who became George Steinbrenner's sixth, ninth, 17th and 26th Yankees pitching coach in a turbulent baseball pairing with his often hired and fired manager and drinking buddy Billy Martin, died yesterday in Spartanburg, S.C. He was 84.

An Effort to Get More Fans to Meet the Mets  —  For more than an hour, five of the Mets' better-known players had been posing for photographs, signing autographs, shaking hands and exchanging high-fives, when Judi Millar made a slightly less common request of Tom Glavine.

Orioles claim pitcher Guthrie off waivers from Indians  —  BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles claimed pitcher Jeremy Guthrie off waivers from the Cleveland Indians on Monday and added the right-hander to their 40-man roster.  —  The 27-year-old Guthrie had a 6.98 ERA in nine games with Cleveland last year.

Nats Are Cold, Stadium Is Mostly Empty  —  Ha ha.  Just joking, Nats persons.  We all know you're undefeated this year.  —  Anyhow, a media contingent 20-strong gathered outside the Nats' glittering new stadium this afternoon, and by "glittering" I mean "muddy."

Williams stocks Sox's pen with Cell-friendly power arms  —  No more gimmick pitches or attempts to trick team officials or trainers.  —  In a span of two years, the White Sox's bullpen has undergone a dramatic transformation that borders on an in-your-face, hard-throwing style similar …

Wilkerson working toward better season  —  Wilkerson put Rangers above all else, even his Gators, this off-season  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  The celebratory confetti was still fluttering from the Georgia Dome roof when Brad Wilkerson, a proud Florida Gator, sprung into action.

DirecTV Deal Tied to New 24-Hour MLB Channel  —  Some more details are emerging this AM via Eric Fisher, John Ourand and the Sports Business Journal and MLB's effort to make Extra Innings available exclusively through DirecTV.  If you do not have a subscription to the Sports Business Journal, I highly recommend it.

Mailbag: What's on Nats' to-do list?  —  Nationals beat reporter Bill Ladson answers fans' questions  —  Do you think the Nationals will make a trade before the 2007 season starts?  — Matt S., McLean, Va.  —  I don't put anything past general manager Jim Bowden.

NL West loaded with strong arms  —  Brian from California: Zito's in San Fran; Schmidt's in L.A. ...  ? … Everyone else in the NL West has stocked up on pitching with Barry Zito in San Francisco, Jason Schmidt in L.A., Greg Maddux in San Diego and now Randy Johnson in Arizona.  What do the Rox have?

Baseball: Cooperate, or the Bogeyman Will Get You  —  Bud Selig and George J. Mitchell, his chief steroids investigator, have unleashed the threat of Congress on Major League Baseball.  However, Henry Waxman, the chief bogeyman, apparently is not ready to speak publicly about what he might …

Zimmerman Remains Upbeat About Lineup  —  While Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was on his way to driving in 110 runs as a rookie last season, there was one constant.  Leadoff man Alfonso Soriano, enjoying a season in which he became just the fourth player to hit 40 homers …