Several rule changes in effect for 2007  —  Alterations address ties, pace of game, official scoring  —  Taking a red pencil to the game's rules for the first time in more than a decade, MLB's Playing Rules Committee has enacted several changes for the 2007 season.  —  Relax: It's still the game you know and love.

Notes: Nats interested in Belliard  —  Club reportedly targeting veteran free agent as reserve infielder  —  VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals lost a considerable amount of strength on the bench when they traded Marlon Anderson and Daryle Ward for prospects on Aug. 31.

Spring Training: Lincoln shut down by elbow  —  Pirates moving Walker from catcher to third base  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates have shelved their top pitching prospect and shifted one of their top hitting prospects.

Devil Ray performs under pressure  —  ST. PETERSBURG - Infielder Ty Wigginton came through with a lot of big hits for the Devil Rays last season.  But that was nothing like the way he delivered during the offseason.  —  When his wife, Angela, went into intense labor two weeks early …

Survey: Who will be this year's champ?  —  MLB.com asks managers, GMs who will win 2007 World Series  —  Ask baseball's GMs and managers at the beginning of Spring Training who they think will end up hoisting the World Series trophy in October, and you'll get a lot of the same prognostication …

Frustrated Cubs Find Match in Fiery Piniella  —  Lou Piniella paced feverishly on the grass behind second base, his arms flailing, eyes bulging, and head bobbing so vigorously that it looked as though his new cap might fly away.  —  He had been on the field with the Chicago Cubs for about five minutes.

Q&A with Matt Chico  —  Want more Nats?  Check out Nats Home Plate.  —  Young left-hander Matt Chico is one-half the answer of a Washington Nationals trivia question: Who did the Nats receive from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Livan Hernandez trade?  —  The D-backs traded Chico …

Clemens says only 20 percent chance he will return  —  HOUSTON — Seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens has given himself just a 20 percent chance of returning to the mound next season.  —  "Koby [his son] asked me last night when we were working out, he was doing more of a workout than I was …

'Great will to live'  —  PALM BEACH GARDENS — You like baseball stories?  Frank Torre has plenty.  You can't look 'em all up, but he swears they're true.  —  Like this one, about his little brother: "Joey used to hang up Stan Musial's jockstrap.''  —  That would be Joe Torre …

Baltimore pitcher injured in motorcycle accident, will miss 2007 season  —  SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jose Acevedo broke four ribs and his collarbone Friday in a motorcycle accident and is expected to miss the entire season, his Dominican winter league team said.

Notes: No rush to extend Lo Duca  —  Veteran catcher's contract expires after 2007 season  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — General manager Omar Minaya says he will listen to what Paul Lo Duca and his agent have to say about a contract extension.  But the Mets probably won't be in a rush to extend the contract of a 34-year-old catcher.

Foulke to retire  —  It looks like Keith Foulke is going to get closer to his home in Arizona after all: The former Red Sox reliever is retiring.  —  "While we are disappointed that Keith will not be pitching for the Indians this year, I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and the way he went …

Wait till next year  —  Cuddyer, like Morneau, gets a one-year contract from the Twins  —  Terry Ryan believes he has a saving grace:  —  The Twins' general manager went just 1 for 3 this winter in his attempt to lock up the arbitration-eligible players who make up the heart of the batting order to multiyear contracts.