Team Prevails Over Patterson in Arbitration Ruling  —  The Washington Nationals prevailed Tuesday in an arbitration case over their presumptive ace, right-hander John Patterson.  —  A three-member panel in Phoenix ruled that Patterson — who went 1-2 with a 4.43 ERA last season …

Rangers' Gagne happy with early work  —  Ranger feels 'great' about first mound session since surgery  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  New closer Eric Gagne called his first trip to the top of a pitcher's mound since surgery last July "great."  —  Gagne threw off a mound at his Scottsdale, Ariz., home Tuesday and had no issues.

Catching a lot of attention  —  Matsuzaka's tosses become media event  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Accidental fame doesn't give you much of a heads-up.  —  You can be minding your own business one minute, sweating up a storm while doing your job.  The next minute, your face …

Cubs don't fret over Zambrano threat  —  GM Hendry, Cubs' history suggest pitcher will stay  —  MESA, Ariz. — The Cubs aren't too worried Carlos Zambrano will carry through on his threat to walk after the season if he doesn't get a new deal by Opening Day.

He Wept, For There Were No More Worlds to Conquer  —  I hope so.  But that's up to the guy upstairs.  —  Officer John McClane, Die Hard  —  I wonder if Stan Kasten ever gets tired of the implied warranty of team-building omniscience that gets assigned to him in every story, every column, and every interview.

Players to watch  —  These are likeliest breakout success stories in the NL  —  Justin Verlander went to Tigers spring training last season with two games of major-league experience.  Scott Proctor had been rather useless over two seasons with the Yankees thanks to his ERAs of 5.40 and 6.04.

The deal with Gibby  —  Lame-duck manager underpaid  —  Vernon Wells received a contract extension.  —  General manager J.P. Ricciardi has had his deal extended twice.  —  Then there is manager John Gibbons, who has only 162 games remaining on his contract with the Blue Jays.

For Martínez and Sánchez, It's Good and Getting Better All the Time  —  One is celebrated for dashing through sprinklers and revitalizing a franchise.  The other is best recognized by his goggles.  —  One is not expected to throw from a mound for a few months.

Why we love baseball  —  Players, management and fans chime in on Valentine's Day  —  A record 76 million fans attended Major League Baseball games in 2006, and all signs point toward yet another single-season mark in 2007.  On this Valentine's Day, MLB.com decided to investigate …

Risk vs. Uncertainty  —  When we try to predict the outcome of a baseball season, whether as fans or pretend-general managers, there's a whole lot of stuff we just don't know.  In fact, if you want certainty, we don't know anything: any player in major league baseball could blow out his arm …

White Sox grab reins after empty-handed '06  —  Set to buckle down after failing to repeat  —  The changes will extend beyond the new faces arriving at Tucson Electric Park when the White Sox's pitchers and catchers open spring training Saturday in Arizona.

Phils players work out in Clearwater  —  Utley, Rowand report to Spring Training ahead of schedule  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Phillies clubhouse at Bright House Networks experienced regular traffic Tuesday, despite the fact that no one was required to be there.

Pedro happy with progress  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - When Pedro Martinez pulled back the sleeve of his T-shirt, there was hardly any trace of the Oct. 5 surgery to repair the inside of his damaged right shoulder.  Martinez said yesterday that the doctors needed to make 17 tiny holes …

Gaslamp Ball Interview with Paul DePodesta Part I  —  The San Diego Padres unquestionably have one of the most impressive front offices in all of baseball.  Sandy Alderson, Kevin Towers, Grady Fuson, Bill "Chief" Gayton and others are responsible for two division titles running.