MLB would like to cream Bonds, not clear him  —  Many wish Bonds would just disappear from baseball  —  The truth, quite simply, is that nobody really wants him.  Not his bosses.  Not his teammates.  And certainly not the powers entrusted with the care of our national pastime.

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.

Escaping Bronx after '07 a possibility for A-Rod … It's the summer of 2013, and Alex Rodriguez is finally getting the love and acceptance he craves.  As he basks in the praise for his 715th career home run and takes aim at Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds, he's embracing the role of beloved elder statesman.

Marlins optimistic on ballpark deal  —  Team president expects announcement by October  —  HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) — Nearly three years have passed since the Florida Marlins' self-imposed deadlines for securing a new ballpark agreement all came and went without the completion of a deal.

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 …

Bill Cowher Surprisingly Cool When You Accost Him On The Beach With A Video Camera  —  Via Sports By Brooks, here's a video apparently shot in February 2000 from an incredibly rude (but amusingly inquisitive) fan who ran into Bill Cowher and his wife on an undisclosed tropical locale.

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

Rethinking the 2006 Rookie Class — NL  —  The rookie class of 2006 was so ridiculously packed with talent that they should have given out two ROY awards for each league.  Florida's Hanley Ramirez, the leader of the Marlins' kiddie brigade, ended up with the NL trophy while Detroit's Justin Verlander took home the AL honors.

PECOTA Takes on First Base Prospects  —  It's not a good day to be writing.  Sunday was the Super Bowl, and while I managed to avoid a serious hangover, our spirit is down in Chi-town, and so is the temperature, which at last glance was lower than Rex Grossman's passer rating.

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" …

Expect a tight race in NL East  —  With Pedro's absence, Mets vulnerable against confident Phils  —  The National League East hasn't had many tight races in recent years.  Over the last five seasons, the division champs have won by an average spread of 10 1/2 games, with only one race decided by single digits.

Nats announce schedule change  —  March 29 matchup against Orioles moved up one day  —  WASHINGTON — The Nationals announced that their March 29 Spring Training game against the Orioles at Space Coast Stadium has been moved up to March 28.  The game will still be played at Space Coast Stadium, and game time remains at 1:05 p.m. ET.

Francona holds court  —  Red Sox manager Terry Francona addressed the media at Fenway Park this afternoon.  Here are a few tidbits:  — The manager thinks the team will have to work out the language barrier that exists with Daisuke Matsuzaka, particularly pitching coach John Farrell and catcher Jason Varitek.

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.