If They Don't Post It's a Shame  —  A Growing Chorus of Bloggers Chronicles the Nats, Who Are Reading  —  The e-mail popped in, and Chris Needham took a minute to digest it.  The sender was easily identifiable: Stan Kasten is the president of the Washington Nationals …

Helling to retire after 12 seasons  —  FARGO, N.D. — Right-hander Rick Helling says he is retiring from Major League baseball after 12 years, to spend more time with his family.  —  "It's been long enough," Helling told The Forum newspaper on Monday.  "It's time to be a dad."

METS LEFTY OUT FOR 3 MONTHS  —  Dave Williams could require three months of rehab before he is able to pitch for the Mets, his agent said yesterday.  —  The left-hander had surgery last Wednesday for a herniated disc in his neck, and yesterday his agent, David Pepe, said the understanding based …

What Does the Future Hold for Jake Peavy?  —  The honest answer is that we have no clue whatsoever, but that's boring and doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know.  So instead we gather available information and make educated guesses.  —  Why We Use Comparables: Justification and Limitations

Tavarez pitches Dominican Republic to victory  —  CAROLINA, Puerto Rico - Julian Tavarez pitched three-hit ball into the sixth inning and the unbeaten Dominican Republic eliminated defending champion Venezuela from title contention in the Caribbean Series with a 7-1 win Monday.

Drew the body good: New Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew goes to extraordinary lengths to keep his body - and mind - health  —  As much as the message might have boosted the spirits of Red Sox fans, it meant even more to Tamara Jo Mariea.  —  "I was talking to J.D. the other day," Mariea said …

Nationals preseason preview  —  With new ballpark opening in '08, Washington looks into the future  —  Yes, there still is a major league baseball team that plays in Washington DC.  —  Sure, no one outside the nation's capital save for the assorted fantasy geeks can name more than a handful of its players.

Barber, O's first 20-game winner, dies at 67  —  BALTIMORE — Steve Barber, the first 20-game winner in modern Baltimore Orioles history and the losing pitcher in one of baseball's wildest no-hitters, has died.  He was 67.  —  Barber became ill last week and died from complications …

Love at first pitch?  —  Did you love Pedro more than your dad loved Looie?  Were you as crazy for Johnny D. as your mom was for Tony C.?  —  Since the Impossible Dream team that won the pennant in 1967, many lovable players have patrolled the grounds at Fenway Park.

Chicago Cubs  —  Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel.  All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible.

A Change in Ownership, but Not in Leadership  —  Based on his vast experience with the sale of baseball teams, Steve Greenberg, a managing director at Allen & Company, said of the pending sale of the Atlanta Braves, "It's always optimal to close a baseball sale during the off-season."

Mets hold lottery for opener, Yanks tickets  —  The Mets announced the launch of an online drawing for the opportunity to purchase tickets for opening day and Subway Series games at Shea Stadium.  This will be the only way to purchase single-game tickets for these games, which have approximately 5,000 to 6,000 tickets still available.

Where's the next Verlander?  —  The search is on for this year's Justin Verlander, but good luck trying to find him.  —  FOX Bite  —  Videos  —  Hardball Report  —  Verlander made an enormous impact last season, earning 17 wins, helping the Tigers to the World Series and winning American League Rookie of the Year.

MATIER AND ROSS  —  Will global warming swamp new stadium?  —  Everyone figures that nightmarish traffic jams are the worst problem the Oakland A's will face if they move to the bayfront wilds of Fremont.  But their biggest challenge may be something they hadn't thought of — global warming.