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.

New year, new hope for Penn … FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. // First, it was Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo who sought out pitcher Hayden Penn in the clubhouse this morning and gave the pitcher a brief pep talk, telling him to relax and be himself.  —  Moments later, hitting coach Terry Crowley visited Penn …

Cubs' Wood takes a spill, but shouldn't miss much time  —  MESA, Ariz. — Oft-injured Kerry Wood is out again — this time because of a flub in a hot tub.  —  The Chicago Cubs pitcher is not expected to throw off the mound for a few days after he slipped this week getting out of a hot tub at home.

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 …

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.

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.

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.

Getting to the center of Griffey's move to right  —  When the Orioles wanted to move Cal Ripken Jr. to third base after the 1996 season, they sold him on the idea by acquiring a superior defensive shortstop, Mike Bordick.  —  Ken Griffey Jr. isn't as reluctant as Ripken was to change positions.

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.