Red Sox mob beats up Yankees fan in Cambridge  —  The official start to the 2008 baseball season is about a month away, but the age-old rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox is already getting ugly.  —  Cantabrigia blog: Share your thoughts  —  A group of men — some with Irish accents …

Heavy expectations (cont.)  —  Around the camps  —  • Before Manny Ramirez switched agents to Scott Boras, Ramirez dialed up his fellow South Florida resident Alex Rodriguez to make sure he was doing the right thing.  Though A-Rod has said publicly that he disagreed …

There's wild, and then there's Giants' Lowry  —  (03-04) 04:00 PST Scottsdale, Ariz. —  Noah Lowry never did get his mind right.  Nearly two hours after the most disturbing performance of his life, he still wasn't up to addressing the media.  Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti …

PSL: Johan taught me his Change-Up  —  ...as i mentioned earlier, i did not travel with the team to Jupiter to watch today's game...instead, i stayed back at Tradition Field to watch the rest of the team work out...  ...the locker room was quiet...a tired Carlos Beltran sat at his locker …

Lopes to undergo cancer surgery  —  First-base coach will be away from team for at least six weeks  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Amid the sun and palm trees, distressing news lurked when the Phillies announced Monday that first-base coach Davey Lopes will undergo prostate cancer surgery later this month.

Yankees buying into new way of doing things under Girardi  —  TAMPA, Fla. — From the day he walked into his new office at Legends Field, Joe Girardi has strived to put his own imprint on the Yankees — distancing himself from Joe Torre, without diminishing the legacy of the most successful Yankees manager of the past 50 years.

The big question for Big Papi  —  Is Boston's feared DH destined for the Hall of Fame?  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — When Edgar Martinez appears on the Hall of Fame ballot after the 2009 season, Boston designated hitter David Ortiz might be watching the election results closely.

Run of Bucks broadcasting Cardinals comes to an end  —  For the first time since 1960, there won't be a Buck in a Cardinals broadcast booth this year.  —  Joe Buck, who had been doing the play-by-play for a few Redbirds games on FSN Midwest in recent seasons, has decided not to return …

O's, Markakis renew contract for $455,000  —  OF eligible for arbitration after 2008 season; Klentak has first day on the job  —  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Nick Markakis chose his words carefully, making sure not to openly criticize the Orioles, but his disappointment was obvious.

Mets to make Shea Stadium smoke-free for final season  —  FLUSHING — The New York Mets today announced that Shea Stadium will become smoke-free during the Mets' final season in their longtime home.  The 2008 smoking prohibition will encompass all areas within Shea, including the ramps.

Inexplicably, the game has started again  —  It's raining at Knology Park.  Not drizzling, raining.  Yet they have started the game up again.  Every starter for the Yankees is out except Shelley Duncan and Bernie Castro.  —  Phil Hughes threw 30 pitches under cover to complete his day.

The Curse of Ex-Wrigley Field  —  That loud crashing you hear is the sound of two worlds colliding.  One of those worlds is Sam Zell's, the now-owner of the Tribune Co. who happens to own the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field.  The other is the reality that might possibly await the future …

Lineup for today's game  —  Pitching  —  Notes: Mariano Rivera will throw batting practice at 10:30 a.m. in Tampa.  He will get in his first game on Friday or Saturday. ...  Hideki Matsui (stiff neck) will skip BP again today.  Joe Girardi said Matsui could get in a game early next week.

Moose caught in spring trap  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Giving up five runs over two-plus innings is generally a cause for concern for a pitcher.  Unless that outing takes place in the first week of March, of course.  —  To say that Mike Mussina was pleased with his performance against the Astros Monday …