10 questions facing the Cardinals  —  JUPITER, Fla. — The arrival of pitchers and catchers this week at Roger Dean Stadium begins the Cardinals' first spring training as defending World Series champions since February 1983.  It also offers the opening verse to camp's most intriguing script …

Williams hits dour note  —  Might pick guitar over Yanks  —  NEW MILFORD, Conn. - One of the most revered Yankees of this generation acknowledged last night that it finally looks like "Bye-bye, Bernie."  —  Longtime outfielder Bernie Williams admitted that he is not inclined to take the Yankees …

Rangers key issues for spring training  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  Staff writer Evan Grant thinks manager Ron Washington and the Rangers must address these projects in the next seven weeks if they are to end their playoff drought in 2007:  —  Build up the confidence

Nitkowski's Japanese Journey Begins  —  MIYAZAKI, Japan - After 12 spring trainings in major league baseball with seven different teams, I would have felt confident saying that I have seen all spring training could possibly have to offer.  That was, of course, before I began my 13th spring training …

Rays C Paul gets $150,000 raise after losing in arbitration  —  CBS SportsLine.com wire reports  —  PHOENIX — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays won the first arbitration decision of the year Saturday — against backup catcher Josh Paul.  —  Paul sought a raise from $475,000 to $940,000 at Friday's hearing.

What's the Deal?  Did G.M.'s Take the Winter Off?  —  Spring training begins this week — pitchers and catchers for the Yankees and eight other teams will hold their first workouts Thursday — but where did the off-season go?  —  Did general managers go on vacation for three months?

Baseball: Splendor in the grass  —  Rockies ownership has lost its patience.  It wants, at minimum, a .500 record this season.  It wants a competitive team from April's first pitch to September's last out.  The manager and general manager are on notice.  —  The clock is ticking …

Masur leaving WGN radio booth  —  He'll do play-by-play, color for the Padres  —  Andy Masur's workload increased significantly Friday when the WGN-AM broadcaster jumped from the Cubs' radio booth to San Diego.  —  Masur, who spent the last eight years on Cubs broadcasts …

Bargain shopping  —  Looking at the best deals of the offseason  —  DALLAS — According to Chinese astrology, 2007 is the Year of the Pig.  According to baseball's zodiac, it has been the Year of the Sheep.  Or the Lemming.  One-by-one owners seem to have mindlessly followed one another off …

Nine questions heading into camp  —  Drew's ability to fit in tops Sox's quest for answers this spring  —  BOSTON — The one thing you can always count on this time of year when it comes to any baseball team is that there are more questions than answers.  The Red Sox, even with all the money …

Hank Bauer, 84, World Series Star, Dies  —  Hank Bauer, a bruising pipe fitter and decorated combat veteran who became an All-Star outfielder for the Yankees, playing in nine World Series, and who later managed the Baltimore Orioles to a stunning Series victory, died yesterday in Shawnee Mission, Kan. He was 84.

Rangers have a plan to increase fan base  —  A zip-code-by-zip-code analysis of the fans attending Rangers games last year revealed that the team isn't drawing nearly as well from Dallas and the north Dallas suburbs as their counterparts — the Cowboys, Mavericks and Stars.