Baseball Looks to Create a Possible Portal to Cuba  —  Major League Baseball officials are quietly preparing to re-establish a relationship with Cuba if the United States lifts its trade embargo.  —  Fidel Castro, 80, has experienced serious health problems in recent years …

Washburn hurls three-hit shutout  —  Guillen, Johjima hit solo homers for game's only runs vs. A's  —  OAKLAND — Jarrod Washburn is usually happy sitting in the dugout in the later innings of one of his quality starts.  On Wednesday he wasn't about to watch anyone else finish what he started.

Pelfrey's Grip on His Rotation Spot Is Becoming Tenuous  —  The Mets have seen Mike Pelfrey dominate.  They have seen him pump fastballs past major league hitters and befuddle them with his sinker.  They have seen him turn over tough lineups.  They just have not seen him do it recently.

Bonds homers, Giants win seventh in row (AP)  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Barry Bonds hit his 741st career homer, a three-run shot in the first inning, Pedro Feliz had the go-ahead homer in the sixth and the San Francisco Giants beat Los Angeles 6-4 Wednesday night for their first seven-game winning streak in nearly three years.

From A-Rod to Big Z, how it all went wrong  —  Being a sports writer-type fella in this quick-reaction era means never having to say you're sorry.  Today's rant is tomorrow's yawn; even the dopiest preseason prediction ("Jim Thome will tweak his PCL by Earth Day") can be rationalized away with a quick …

HE'S NO AVERAGE JOE  —  SIZZLING SMITH EARNS FIRST WIN  —  ONE year ago at this time Joe Smith was at Wright State, heading to Milwaukee for a big weekend series against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  —  "I'd be facing the old Panthers," Smith said last night.  How many people would be at that game?

Prior's career in Chicago likely over  —  Prior's injuries, demeanor offset prodigious talent  —  The news that Mark Prior is out for 2007 after arthroscopic shoulder surgery leads many to believe he is baseball's most overpaid player, earning $3.575 million this year without throwing a pitch in the majors.

ALEX ON HIS FUTURE: CALL ME STAY-ROD  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It wasn't a guarantee that he won't opt out of his contract in November, but Alex Rodriguez uttered his strongest statement yet on the subject.  —  Sitting in the Yankees' dugout before a 6-4 loss to the Devil Rays at Tropicana Field …

Cubs roll by Brewers after Sheets injury (AP)  —  CHICAGO (AP) — Derrek Lee and Cliff Floyd each got four hits and the Chicago Cubs broke loose after Brewers ace Ben Sheets was hurt, beating Milwaukee 9-3 on a damp, chilly Wednesday.  —  It was just 44 degrees at Wrigley Field when the game began after a 71-minute rain delay.

Astros pollute Pittsburgh with play  —  Garner blasts lack of focus in loss to Pirates  —  PITTSBURGH — There was no sugarcoating or excuse-making.  Astros manager Phil Garner instead gave a concise — and accurate — description of Tuesday night's loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.  —  "We stunk tonight.

Padres RHP Peavy strikes out 9 in a row (AP)  —  PHOENIX (AP) — Jake Peavy fell one strike short of Tom Seaver's major league record of 10 consecutive strikeouts.  —  Peavy struck out the side in the second, third and fourth innings of the San Diego Padres' game at the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

Lineups, etc.  —  Back up from the clubhouse, where it started off slow and picked up steam as the media availability progressed.  —  Coco Crisp is out of the lineup again, as is Dustin Pedroia.  But for two different reasons, obviously.  Crisp is still having trouble with that oblique …

Rockies bang out 20 hits, rip Mets 11-5 (AP)  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Willy Taveras got five of Colorado's season-high 20 hits and the Rockies snapped out of an offensive drought Wednesday with an 11-5 rout of the New York Mets.  —  Todd Helton had four hits and three RBIs and John Mabry added a three-run homer.

Game 1 4/2/07 @ KC  —  Not sure where to even start.  Two words sum it up best, no command.  Can't remember a game where I couldn't make adjustments but today was certainly one of those.  Not so much the secondary pitches but no fastball command is not something that happens much, if at all …

Nationals' Bullpen Lets One Slip Away  —  To the denizens of Citizens Bank Park, Jason Bergmann didn't appear fatigued or flailing in the sixth inning Tuesday night.  The Washington Nationals right-hander, who has turned his season around since opening it with an epic 50-pitch inning …