Belliard gets minor league deal from Nats  —  VIERA, Fla. — Second baseman Ronnie Belliard agreed to a non-guaranteed, minor league contract with the Washington Nationals on Sunday that will pay him $750,000 if he makes the team.  —  "We feel it gives us protection in the middle of the diamond …

Turnbow seeks to regain form in 2007  —  Former closer will serve as Brewers' setup man to Cordero  —  PHOENIX — Trivia tidbit: Brewers reliever Derrick Turnbow's full name is Thomas Durwood Derrick Turnbow.  The first two names are in honor of his mother's father, and while he still signs …

Depth perception?  —  Cubs have more options for rotation, but is it a case of quantity over quality?  —  MESA, Ariz. — The buzzword is depth.  It's one of the most commonly used words around Fitch Park these days as the Cubs enter their first full week of spring training.

Baseball season means a trip to wondering land with Manny  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — The first official workout for Red Sox pitchers and catchers is today.  Position players are scheduled to "report" Tuesday, and their first workout is supposed to be Thursday at the minor league complex …

Catcher Laird critical to Rangers  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. - The past three years, catcher Gerald Laird arrived at Rangers training camp with one question: "How can I make this team?"  —  This year, the question is slightly different: "How can I make this team better?"

Team Report: Inside Pitch  —  Armando Benitez arrived early to spring training, admitting he failed the past two years and vowing for a better 2007.  —  Whether he'll pitch for the Giants will be determined.  —  If Benitez, 34, shows he's somewhat healthy (he has an arthritic right knee) …

Bedard glad he avoided arbitration  —  FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. // Had the Orioles not agreed to a one-year deal with pitcher Erik Bedard yesterday, the process would have played out Tuesday in a hotel conference room in Phoenix.  At the head of a long table, three arbitrators would have been seated …

Trouble you can love  —  In the first week of Spring Training 2007, here is what happened: A superstar issued a contractual ultimatum.  An older, veteran player questioned the commitment of a relatively younger one.  A general manager and manager stood on opposite ground regarding their team's position on a longtime dignitary.

Jones wants new start — with Cubs  —  MESA, Ariz. — It took some time after his tumultuous 2006 season for Jacque Jones to feel right again.  —  But not much time.  —  ''Honestly, this offseason, all this stuff was weighing on me,'' said the Cubs outfielder, who arrived at Fitch Park …

Johnson clears up eyesight  —  The first baseman was recently diagnosed with double vision in his right eye, which could explain his hitting woes last season  —  PHOENIX - A little offseason tinkering may have helped Dan Johnson solve his hitting woes from 2006, and it didn't even involve picking up a bat.

WHITE SOX  —  Erstad fits into Sox's big picture  —  TUCSON, Ariz. - Darin Erstad and the White Sox.  Now there's a match made in OzzieBall heaven.  —  He'd run over your mother to catch a flyball, and he just might run over his own mother if she tried to block home plate.

At threshold of Hall  —  Schilling no lock, but he's very close  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — When a Boston radio talk show last month floated the idea of Curt Schilling running for a US Senate seat against incumbent John Kerry, the idea evoked only mild interest from the Red Sox pitcher …