Garcia leaves with right bicep tightness  —  Righty departs after one inning, returns to Clearwater for exam  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — Hours after the Phillies announced that Jon Lieber would pitch out of the bullpen to start the season, starter Freddy Garcia left Wednesday night's game …

NCAA Basketball Scouting Reports  —  Gary Sheffield assumes his familiar bowlegged batting stance, his eyes focused slits, his bat cocked and waggling by his right ear, ready to annihilate anything thrown his way.  He holds the pose for 60 seconds.  Then he slowly uncoils …

Spring trade market hardly bustling … CLEARWATER, Fla. — Welcome to that time of year you've waited for all winter.  —  No, not the arrival of spring.  —  The arrival of the trade-rumor season.  —  Opening Day looms, right over the horizon.  Those 15 extra guys in uniform …

MLB to look into iN Demand's 'Extra Innings' offer  —  NEW YORK — Baseball's "Extra Innings" package of out-of-market games might wind up staying on cable television.  —  IN Demand said Wednesday it will offer to match the terms of DirecTV's $700 million, seven-year deal with Major League Baseball …

Reds release RHP Paul Wilson  —  SARASOTA, FLORIDA (TICKER) — Attempting a comeback from rotator cuff surgery, righthander Paul Wilson was released by the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.  —  Wilson, 33, struggled in five spring training appearances, allowing 12 earned runs and 22 hits in 13 1/3 innings.

Baseball not just about haves and have-nots  —  Hope.  —  Not so long ago, commissioner Bud Selig dwelled on that word when talking about Major League Baseball's need for greater competitive balance.  —  Speaking for Kansas City, Cincinnati, and of course his beloved Milwaukee …

Tuesday's spring training report  —  rdurrett@dallasnews.com  —  Rangers 4, Giants 3  —  Nelson Cruz hit two home runs and Matt Kata delivered a big RBI single as the Rangers held on for the win.  Frank Francisco got the win after pitching two scoreless innings with one walk and two strikeouts.

Yankees won't bid on A-Rod  —  Rodriguez as good as gone if he opts out of contract  —  Also in this column:  —  Alex Rodriguez will attract interest from at least a handful of teams if he opts out of his $252 million contract at the end of the season, with the Angels perhaps first in line.

Q&A with Jason Dubois  —  The Orioles signed 28-year-old outfielder Jason Dubois as a minor league free agent in December.  A one-time Chicago Cubs prospect, Dubois was a two-time first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection at Virginia Commonwealth.

Crosby makes solid return for A's  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Bobby Crosby's second at-bat showed the Oakland Athletics their shortstop is back.  —  He's certainly not afraid to swing away as usual now that his bad back is finally healthy again.  —  After Crosby grounded out on a high chopper …

Rotation insurance quite pleasing  —  Rookie Jimenez, Lawrence making good impressions  —  TUCSON - Brian Lawrence and Ubaldo Jimenez most likely will claim a spot in the Rockies rotation this season.  It just isn't likely to happen for either by Opening Day.

The NL Central with Unnamed Scout  —  Every baseball writer needs a good unnamed scout.  It's actually better to have several of them in the Rolodex.  This is because unnamed scouts are, more or less, the last honest people on earth.  Deep Throat from Watergate?  Unnamed scout.  —  Take Angel Berroa.

Cubs to start with Floyd on bench  —  While Achilles' heals, Murton will start year in left  —  TUCSON, Ariz. — Cliff Floyd will be coming off the bench to start the season, a move the Cubs hope will give him more time to heal his surgically repaired left Achilles'.

Pelfrey delivers  —  Phenom takes latest step to earning spot  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - Mike Pelfrey intended to spend Monday's off-day in Key Largo, but unimpressed with the view, he continued to Key West.  "It didn't look very nice, so we just kept driving an extra 70, 80 miles, whatever," Pelfrey said.

'Pen points way … FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. // Two weeks from the start of the season, the Orioles had an open date yesterday.  Without a game to play, the club and its observers could analyze the Orioles' performance at spring training, something not measured by the team's 9-8-2 record.