Milledge Looks to Rein in Free Spirit but Retain Flair  —  Willie Randolph eyed the 20 or so reporters encircling him in the dugout and, with a sigh, prepared for what he considered inevitable.  —  "Come on, give me the first Milledge negative question," Randolph said.  "Come on, throw it at me.

Gibbons given lifeline through 2008  —  DUNEDIN, FLA. — John Gibbons's status as a lame-duck manager didn't even last until position players reported here for spring training.  —  According to sources close to Gibbons and Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi …

Alomar backstop insurance  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Mets signed catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. to a minor-league contract yesterday, a move that gives them added depth behind the plate and reunites the catcher with his father, the team's third-base coach.  —  Alomar, 40, batted a combined .278 …

Mariners Notebook: Vidro wants DH crash course  —  New Mariner hopes to get tips from Edgar  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — Jose Vidro wanted to be in camp early for his first season with a team other than the Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos.  —  Just one problem: Jose Vidro Jr., 11, was getting ready to play too, back in Puerto Rico.

Zambrano: Chance of agreement with Cubs '85 percent'  —  MESA, Ariz. — Carlos Zambrano said Monday he was "85 percent" sure he'd come to an agreement with the Cubs on a one-year contract to avoid arbitration.  —  "You'll see the news [Tuesday] morning, hopefully," Zambrano told reporters after Monday's workout at Fitch Park.

Benson will hold off on surgery … Orioles pitcher Kris Benson will put off surgery to repair his torn right rotator cuff and instead undergo a rehabilitation process, which could last a month, in a final attempt to pitch in 2007, a baseball source said last night.

Morrow's mind is on mastering the mound  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — Brandon Morrow is like most players in his first big league camp.  —  The next word he speaks might be his first.  —  First-timers tend to be quiet to the extreme, even those who are first-round draft choices and instant millionaires.

Juan Pierre gets tips from a master  —  New Dodger is working with base-stealing legend Maury Wills to improve his efficiency on the basepaths.  —  VERO BEACH, Fla. — A mutual admiration society comes to order every day at Dodgertown when new center fielder Juan Pierre meets with base-stealing legend Maury Wills.

Ledezma to get his shot  —  Left-hander can be slotted into several roles in 2007  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — The Tigers aren't necessarily looking for Wilfredo Ledezma to emerge as the replacement for Jamie Walker.  They want him to focus on being Wilfredo Ledezma.

With a Year in the Books, O's Mazzone Set for Next Chapter  —  After less than a month as the Baltimore Orioles' pitching coach, Leo Mazzone, on a spring whim, had a blue and white pennant tattooed on his left arm.  Inside the pennant were the words "14 Straight," a tribute …

Pirates Notebook: Chacon has arthritis in knee  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — Shawn Chacon freely allows that he will have to pitch through some pain in 2007.  —  Chacon, one of four starters vying for the lone vacancy in the rotation …

Baseball caps to have new feel  —  A pitcher stands on the mound in the August sun, tugging at the bill of his sweat-soaked cap, stained white with the salt of his labors.  —  That might be an image of the past if Major League Baseball's new caps work according to plan.

Big Unit says he still has the stuff to dominate  —  TUCSON, Ariz. — Randy Johnson made the familiar trek down Interstate 10 from his Paradise Valley home and found his name on the same spring training locker he occupied during the best seasons of his extraordinary career.

A-Rod says he's not as close with Jeter as he was  —  TAMPA, Fla. — On the first day of his fourth season with the New York Yankees, Alex Rodriguez finally acknowledged his relationship with Derek Jeter has cooled.  —  After insisting for three years that they remained close, Rodriguez said it was …

NL West preview  —  CHICAGO STORY  —  CHRIS YOUNG, Diamondbacks  —  Center fielder with 30/30 combination of speed and power figures to haunt White Sox general manager Ken Williams, who traded him for Javier Vazquez.  He will be a regular at 23 this season and could have a Rookie of the Year season in him.

Fogg, Kim trying to earn spots with Rox  —  Righties not assured of starting roles this time around  —  TUCSON — Rockies right-handed pitchers Josh Fogg and Byung-Hyun Kim had several sparkling performances and some inconsistencies in 2006.  It was good enough for them to stay in the rotation …