Hitch was in his plan  —  Epstein took a wife, left media in dark  —  Theo Epstein is a married man.  —  The Red Sox general manager threw a shutout at the paparazzi, gossip columnists, nosy sportswriters, celebrity bloggers, and any other potential wedding crashers by sneaking off earlier …

Mets preseason preview  —  Half-empty or half-full?  Are Mets young and full of energy, or old and fading?  —  NBCSports.com  —  The New York Mets took advantage of a weak division in 2006 to coast their way to their first National League East title since 1988, ending the Atlanta Braves' streak …

Sosa officially signs on, vows to make team  —  ARLINGTON — There are many who question what Sammy Sosa can still contribute to a major league baseball team.  —  Sosa didn't play at all in 2006 after hitting just .221 with 14 homers and 45 RBI in 102 games in an injury-plagued 2005 …

Cubs, Prior reach $3,575,000, 1-year deal  —  Right-hander Mark Prior and the Chicago Cubs agreed on a one-year deal Wednesday and avoided salary arbitration.  —  Prior will get $3,575,000 and would earn an additional $150,000 each for making 27 and 30 starts.

Agent: Bonds won't sign revised contract right now  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Barry Bonds' contract with the San Francisco Giants isn't final just yet.  —  After the commissioner's office rejected Bonds' $15.8 million, one-year deal because it contained a personal-appearance provision …

Odd man out?  —  Williams gets camp invite but no guaranteed deal  —  Bernie Williams' great Yankees career just might end with a soap opera he didn't bargain for.  —  SI.com has learned that the Yankees have made Williams a standing offer to come to spring training as a non-guaranteed, nonroster invite.

Clemens: `I'm failing at retirement'  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Roger Clemens talked about his plight and laughed.  —  "I'm failing at retirement," he said.  "Let's just face it.  I'm failing miserably at it."  —  The 44-year-old right-hander, unsure whether to retire or return for a 24th major league season …

A marriage made in heaven  —  Newlywed Utley and the team are hoping for big things together.  —  Chase Utley was in town yesterday, and he brought the best catch he ever made with him - his new bride, Jennifer.  —  They met as undergrads at UCLA.  Freddie Mitchell introduced them.

Mussina: Put-up time for Pavano  —  Yankees' elder statesman says, 'He's got to earn some trust from some players again'  —  Mike Mussina pointed out last night that he is now the oldest Yankee, which is one reason the 38-year-old wouldn't mind seeing Roger Clemens, 44, come to the Bronx.

Mets LHP Williams has neck surgery; Sierra agrees to minor league deal  —  NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mets pitcher Dave Williams had surgery Wednesday to repair a herniated disk in his neck and it's unclear how long he could be sidelined.  —  The team also announced that it agreed …

Living on the edge of a goal  —  The air-supported bubble was bursting with activity on a wintry afternoon in central New Jersey.  Two teams of top high school-age players were playing a game in one corner of the facility.  A pair of Little League-age teams played in another area.

White Chocolate, James Thrash and Sun Ming Ming  —  Having already interviewed 7-foot-9 Maryland Nighthawks signee Sun Ming Ming, his point guard Randy "White Chocolate" Gill and their just-hired-this-week head coach Will Rankin at Tuesday night's Wizards game, I wasn't sure if I'd be disappointed …

Average Is as Average Does  —  Before you dig too deeply, "average" seems like such a simple concept.  But like most things, the way we talk about average production in baseball doesn't always correspond to simple arithmetic.  —  Earlier this week, I posted 2006 positional averages on my blog.

Linebrink-Rowand deal off for now  —  The Padres have at least temporarily tabled a trade offer from Philadelphia that would have brought outfielder Aaron Rowand to the Padres for relief pitcher Scott Linebrink.  —  "It might be something we discuss again later this spring," Padres General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday.

Weaver's agent puts the blame on Cardinals  —  The Seattle Mariners officially announced Jeff Weaver is the newest member of their starting rotation Tuesday, barely two weeks after Cardinals manager Tony La Russa had described the free-agent righthander as potentially "the final piece" …

A Time of Rebirth for Church  —  Nats Outfielder: 'This Is the Year I Prove Everybody Wrong'  —  Late this afternoon, after the final workout of his offseason, Ryan Church and his wife will climb into his gray 2006 Range Rover near their home outside Cleveland, point the car south …