Shoulder to lean on: Pap ready to be fallback closer  —  FORT MYERS - The closer situation has left Red Sox [team stats] fans tossing and turning at night.  The Sox are wrestling with it, too, because it's a problem that hasn't been resolved during the first month of spring training.  —  Red Sox forum:

Cardinals manager arrested for DUI in Florida  —  JUPITER, Fla. — St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was arrested early Thursday and charged with misdemeanor DUI after he was found asleep at the wheel in his running SUV at a green light.  —  La Russa's SUV was stopped at a light that …

National League Preview  —  This should be the year that the Phillies finally get to the playoffs, the Brewers' youngster turn into winners and the Dodgers take another step forward.  —  EASTERN DIVISION  —  PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES  —  QUICK TAKE: After near misses the last four years …

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 …

Five Questions: Los Angeles Dodgers  —  Thrill of victory?  Agony of defeat?  The Los Angeles Dodgers had it all in the wide, wide world of 2006.  They produced this decade's nominee for Game of the Century with September's 4+1 game: four consecutive solo home runs in the bottom of the ninth …

Berroa may lose his job  —  Royals officials are believed to be looking for an alternative at shortstop.  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. |  Shortstop Angel Berroa's ongoing struggles have the Royals working overtime to find an alternative.  Club officials are believed to have put together of list …

Sosa remains Cub at heart  —  Fans' reaction mixed, but 'I'm so grateful for that city,' Rangers' No. 21 says of Chicago  —  MESA, Ariz. — Sammy Sosa got warm welcomes from Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, team president John McDonough and pitcher Carlos Zambrano on the field before his first game at HoHoKam Park in three years.

McCann's the man for Braves  —  All-Star catcher signs six-year, $27.8 million contract extension  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Braves All-Star catcher Brian McCann has lived in Atlanta throughout most of his life, and it appears he'll continue playing there through at least the end of the 2012 season.

Nationals want equal return for Cordero  —  The Rockies, seeking to acquire a setup man, are interested in Nationals closer Chad Cordero, but a trade appears unlikely, major-league sources tell FOXSports.com.  —  The Nationals have been scouting the Rockies in recent days …

MLB: Yankees won't extend A-Rod's contract  —  The Yankees don't intend to offer Alex Rodriguez a contract extension, leaving him the option of opting out of his deal after the season and becoming a free agent.  —  "He has a decision to make,"said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

Morneau contract talks end  —  The Twins slugger said he is disappointed a multiyear deal couldn't be worked out.  —  FORT MYERS, FLA. - Contract discussions between the Twins and reigning American League Most Valuable Player Justin Morneau have ended without an agreement on a multiyear deal.

How do the A's and Twins keep winning?  —  For a long time, the perception in baseball was money equals success.  —  We've always had a handful of counterexamples — teams that failed despite high payrolls and teams that thrived despite shoestring budgets — but the notion persisted.

Baseball Lays Off Cable Operators' Pitch  —  Major League Baseball spurned a revised offer by leading cable operators yesterday to retain the Extra Innings package of out-of-market games, which may now become the exclusive satellite domain of DirecTV.  —  The rejection sets up two showdowns …

Fogg auditions for starting role  —  Rockies trying to deal Kim, but interest minimal  —  TUCSON - Josh Fogg has made a strong case for the Rockies' fifth-starter job.  —  Now it's up to the Rockies to make room.  —  With spring training winding down, general manager Dan O'Dowd is trying …

Better glove earns Cedeno roster spot  —  Shortstop's work with Trammell clicks  —  MESA, Ariz. — Ronny Cedeno struggled last year after being handed the starting shortstop job in the off-season and was considered a long shot to make the team when camp opened in mid-February.

Notes: Nats make roster changes  —  Club adds Fick, Belliard to 40-man roster, cuts three others  —  JUPITER, Fla. — The Nationals trimmed their roster to 38 players and added to two others to their 40-man roster on Wednesday night.  —  Washington purchased the contracts of infielders Ronnie Belliard …