Rule Changes  —  A number of changes to the rules go into effect this year.  MLB will try to eliminate tie games.  In the past, if a game was tied after the fifth inning and conditions made it impossible to finish, it was ruled a tie.  The stats counted, but the game was made up so that a team had 162 decisions.

Wigginton, wife have morning they will never forget  —  Devil Rays infielder Ty Wigginton really stepped up to the plate in late December.  —  According to a report in the St. Petersburg Times, Wigginton's wife, Angela, went into intense labor two weeks early.

Gagne closed out Dodgers  —  After three electric seasons and two plagued by injuries, he starts fresh with the Rangers, who are convinced that he can finish games.  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — He'll still dress in blue, a lighter shade of blue.  But, on the first day of the rest of his life, he had Dodger blue on his mind.

Cabrera's arbitration win is first for player this year  —  PHOENIX — Miguel Cabrera became the first player to win in salary arbitration this year when the Florida Marlins' All-Star third baseman was awarded a $7.4 million salary on Saturday instead of the team's offer of $6.7 million.

Pitcher makes attitude adjustment  —  Lopez looking for fresh start following horrible season in AL  —  When Rodrigo Lopez contemplated his future, his past steered him in a new direction.  If he was really going to start fresh with the Rockies, he had to let go of the old things.

Ayala Is Upbeat On Mound  —  The last time Luis Ayala threw off a mound at the Washington Nationals' training complex, he had a solid major league season behind him and was looking forward to another.  That was last February.  —  In between then and Friday morning, Ayala pitched for Mexico …

Masset might fit in pitching rotation  —  TUCSON, Ariz. — The competition for the fifth spot in the White Sox rotation is getting more crowded.  —  Pitching coach Don Cooper said Friday that newly acquired Nick Masset may be evaluated as a starter, a role he has performed …

After missing out on big-name pitchers, Mets still have money to spend  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) -The New York Mets missed out on signing a big-name pitcher this winter, which means general manager Omar Minaya has money left to spend if he can find one in a trade.  —  "He has room,'' owner Fred Wilpon said Saturday.

Rangers' pitchers will be put to test  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. - New manager Ron Washington officially starts the daunting task of prepping a Rangers pitching staff this weekend.  —  Here's how he plans to do it: He plans to put all the pressure on the pitchers.

Edgar's life after baseball  —  Two years into retirement, Martinez runs a Redmond business and proves you can walk away from the game  —  REDMOND — It's not Safeco Field.  Or Yankee Stadium.  Or Camden Yards.  It's a small office in a nondescript business park a few blocks from Marymoor Park.

Trading Zambrano has upside  —  Cubs could obtain bonanza if they can stomach a deal  —  With Carlos Zambrano, Jermaine Dye and Mark Buehrle eligible for free agency after this season, Chicago sports columnists and talk-radio hosts should send thank-you cards to the respective front offices of the Cubs and White Sox.

Is Granderson bigger?  Well, maybe a little  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — I saw Curtis Granderson on Friday at Joker Marchant Stadium.  Then I went back to the hotel, looked at the mlive.com Tiger Forum, and I wondered whether I had really seen Granderson at all.  The big talk on the Forum …

Cubs' pitch to win is still Prior and Wood  —  Big bucks spent on roster rework can't ensure health of key hurlers  —  The Cubs are coming off the worst record in the National League, and off a $300-million spending spree this winter aimed at player improvements.

Expected to close for Indians, Keith Foulke retires  —  CLEVELAND (AP) — Before he got a chance to finish another game, Keith Foulke closed his career.  —  Foulke, whose toss to first base for the final out ended an 86-year World Series title drought for the Boston Red Sox …

Notes: Clemens leans toward retirement  —  Rocket gives 20 percent chance that he will play in 2007  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. — It's a far cry from the 99.9 percent rate Roger Clemens has quoted in the last few offseasons, and if we're to take The Rocket at his word, it looks like he truly is leaning toward retirement.

Change is in the air for Beckett  —  On Baseball , Rob Bradford  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. - They have never met.  Their backgrounds are as different as could be.  And, most likely, they won't be able to communicate too much once initial introductions are finally made today.