Abreu out 2-3 weeks with injury  —  Veteran strains right oblique muscle during batting practice  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees outfielder Bobby Abreu could miss two to three weeks with a strained right oblique muscle, freeing Spring Training at-bats for Melky Cabrera, but not free agent Bernie Williams.

Reliever fires away  —  Balfour aiming for comeback  —  Phoenix - Normally a pitching coach doesn't like to see a pitcher "overthrow" on the mound.  Mike Maddux made an exception Monday when right-hander Grant Balfour did it, however.  —  "It's good to see it with a guy coming off surgery …

Peterson helps 'lost' pitcher gain new direction  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — When Oliver Perez arrived in New York last season, he admitted that he was lost.  The simplest solution was for Rick Peterson to provide a map.  —  "If someone says to you, 'I'm lost,' what would be the first thing that you would respond?"

Red Sox Bring in a Friendly Face to Greet Matsui  —  Hideki Okajima was so eager to discuss coming duels with his old Yomiuri Giants teammate that he waved his hands and nodded his head as he spoke.  Okajima, a newly recruited left-handed reliever for the Boston Red Sox, was using Japanese …

As always, he's on his own schedule  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — At precisely 9:54 a.m. yesterday, catcher Doug Mirabelli came cruising around the corner of the Red Sox clubhouse and stopped in his tracks.  —  "Whoa!" said Mirabelli, who looked as though he had seen a ghost.  —  No ghost.

New scouting tool - Google - nets pitcher  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - Baseball scouts look everywhere, from the local high school team to the fields of Japan and Latin America, for prospects.  —  The Phillies may be the first team to find a player with a Google search.

As Season Approaches, Some Topics Should Be Off Limits  —  Things I don't want to read or hear about anymore:  —  ¶  Roger Clemens saying he hasn't decided if he will play this year or retire, and if he decides to play, which team he will play for.  —  Clemens is one of the greatest pitchers ever, the greatest of his era.

Helton weighing in on hefty issue  —  Tucson - Weight and see.  Welcome to Todd Helton's experiment this season.  —  Helton, mindful of critics and eager to rejuvenate his career, underwent a radical physical transformation, bulking up from his sickness-induced 200 pounds to approximately 230.

Honus Wagner baseball card sells for record $2.3 million  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) — The "Holy Grail of baseball cards," the famous 1909 Honus Wagner tobacco card once owned by hockey great Wayne Gretzky, has sold for a record-setting $2.35 million, the seller of the card said Monday.

Notes: Milledge's throw steals show  —  Outfielder's arm overshadows offense in intrasquad game  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The Mets still can swing the bats.  The offseason has not changed that, evidenced by developments in the first intrasquad game Monday.

Notes: Many options against lefties  —  Right-handers Mesa, Grilli expected to fill void left by Walker  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — When the Tigers lost Jamie Walker to free agency over the winter, they lost their best lefty reliever and a pitcher who posted a 2.81 ERA in 56 games.

Notes: Jacobs focuses on hitting lefties  —  Marlins first baseman batted .182 off southpaws during 2006  —  JUPITER, Fla. — When games begin, Mike Jacobs hopes to get his share of cuts off lefties.  —  A year ago, Jacobs batted .182 (16-for-88) with two home runs and 11 RBIs off lefty pitching.

Mulvey has all the tools to succeed  —  Tall, hard-throwing righty prospect drawing praise from Mets  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Kevin Mulvey is a rarity for a 21-year-old pitcher.  The right-hander, who was the Mets' first pick — in the second round — of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft …