Bonds, Giants agree; MLB approves  —  Slugger expected to report to training camp by Monday  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Barry Bonds contract odyssey has come to an end.  The Giants announced on Thursday that the club and the left-handed-hitting slugger have signed off on his one-year …

Moose slams Pavano again  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Carl Pavano insisted today that his reputation and standing in the Yankees clubhouse is fine, and that any mention to the contrary is a creation by the media.  —  A few lockers away, Mike Mussina disputed that notion with shocking honesty, questioning Pavano's will to pitch for the Yankees.

Wood bruises ribs, ego in minor tumble  —  Righty to sit four to five days after falling out of hot tub  —  MESA, Ariz. — The good news on the first day of workouts for Cubs pitchers and catchers Thursday was that Mark Prior and Wade Miller both threw off a mound.

Tribune on trial  —  Bartman or a billy goat usually get blamed, but there's a Tower full of bean-counters behind baseball's beloved bunglers  —  It's the trial of the century in the Court of Public Opinion.  Case No. 1908, the People of Chicago vs. Tribune Co. The charge …

Steinbrenner protégé arrested for DUI  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Steve Swindal, George Steinbrenner's son-in-law and chosen successor, was arrested early Thursday in St. Petersburg, Fla. and charged with driving under the influence, according to police.

Battles will be on for several open spots … Another frenetic winter of transactions has left holes and competitions at positions all across Major League Baseball.  Not counting the open spots at the back end of rotations, which almost every team has, here are 10 position battles entering spring training.

Best Outfield Arms of 2006  —  It was the last day of 2006 and I was getting ready for a little New Year's Eve get-together.  While I was blowing up some balloons, I saw a new message in my inbox, and after a click I realized that I had just received a late Christmas gift …

Hudler OK with cut in airtime  —  Angels announcer, whose workload was trimmed from 150 games to 100, says he's looking forward to spending more time with his family.  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — His air time and pay were both cut by 33%, but there were no complaints in the Angels' television booth …

DAY 6: Projecting the Met Roster  —  Met camp opens today, so let's play the same game with them that we did earlier in the week with the Yankees by projecting a 25-man roster.  —  Here is our best guess:  —  Ambiorix Burgos  —  Pedro Feliciano  —  Tom Glavine  —  Aaron Heilman

Zambrano clarifies comments  —  MESA, Ariz. — Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano said today his comments earlier in the week were misconstrued and that he never gave the Cubs an ultimatum that they must sign him by the season opener or lose him to free agency after the season.

Calmly, Burrell answers critics and looks ahead  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - It seems as if everyone has had his say about Pat Burrell this winter.  —  Guys on bar stools.  Guys in barbershops.  The newspapers.  The talk shows.  E-mailers.  Internet message boards.  Bloggers.  Dallas Green.

Lo Duca: I'd like to stick around  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The hand appears to be fine.  The contract situation?  That remains unresolved.  Those are the two biggest issues facing Paul Lo Duca at the start of spring training, and the catcher insists that neither fazes him right now.

Hallelujah!  Spring is finally here … Well, it's that time again ...  If that "Space Available" sign has been yanked off the Cowboys' head coach's office, if Dominic Rhodes has hosted his last Disney World parade, if all those naughty Cincinnati Bengals have made bail, hey, you know what that means.