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."

Put It in the Book: A-Rod Tells Children About Resolve  —  Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez will release his second children's book Tuesday, two weeks before he is set to report to spring training.  —  Titled "Out of the Ballpark," the book is "autobiographical fiction" …

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 …

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.

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

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 …

Hall, Brewers agree to four-year, $24M deal  —  MILWAUKEE — Bill Hall and the Milwaukee Brewers agreed Monday to a $24 million, four year contract.  —  Hall, who is slated to play center field for the Brewers, gets a $500,000 signing bonus, $3 million this year, $4.8 million in 2008, $6.8 million in 2009 and $8.4 million in 2010.

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.

Former Orioles pitcher Steve Barber dies at 67 … The first time Jim Palmer had the chance to watch Steve Barber pitch in person, during an exhibition game in Aberdeen, S.D., in 1964, the future Hall of Famer held one recurring thought in his head.  —  Toiling at the Single-A level …

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."