Beckett pessimistic about back  —  Red Sox ace Josh Beckett, who spent the morning undergoing treatment for a strained lower back muscle, was considerably more pessimistic about his condition today than he was yesterday.  He said he had difficulty sleeping last night because of the back …

Harper: Zim rips Girardi  —  TAMPA - After all these years you can still count on Don Zimmer to tell you what he thinks, even if it means essentially calling a close friend like Joe Girardi a chowderhead.  —  So there was Zim Sunday, saying he was “dumbfounded” to hear that Girardi …

Stadium game likely for Bronx Blueshirts  —  The House that Ruth Built is on track to be the house the Rangers bring down.  —  As the current Rangers continue to drive down the stretch of this season, what is shaping up as a historic 2008-09 schedule now is expected to include a game at Yankee Stadium.

Pie looking like Cubs' center fielder  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. - Felix Pie has taken a big lead over Sam Fuld in the battle to be the Cubs' center fielder, but whether he'll be the man on Opening Day remains to be seen.  —  Manager Lou Piniella buried Pie on the bench after his recall last August …

VET PRANKSTERS HIT ROOKIE HARD  —  The clubhouse pranks for the Yankees have picked up this spring, and last year's No. 1 pick Andrew Brackman, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, has been hit hard.  He walked to his locker yesterday morning to find that all of his sliders, his baseball underwear, had been slit down the middle.

More Taxes and Lies  —  Over the past few days, a lot of new information has come to light on the Gwinnett stadium deal—actually it's been pried from public officials.  For any Gwinnett residents who still had confidence in their elected officials, it all has to be gone by now.

Tip leads to new outlook for Pelfrey  —  Mets right-hander learning to be more deceptive on mound  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Still disappointed by his performance last summer and intent on improving, Mike Pelfrey shamelessly has turned to deceit as a means to attaining his objective.

Linden has doubts about roster security  —  Outfielder voices concerns on opportunities with A's this spring  —  PHOENIX — It wasn't supposed to be this way for Todd Linden, the former Giant who figured that he was a slam dunk to start in the A's outfield this season, considering their youth movement.

Angel in the outfield  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - Angel Pagan has hit 753 fewer career home runs than Barry Bonds' 762, but he also has one thing baseball's king of controversy isn't ever likely to receive:  —  A chance to start the season with the Mets.  —  Pagan has made the most of his …

Mets fans gearing up to Shea goodbye  —  Anthony D'Alessio fell in love with the Mets in 1981 and has since called the wilting Shea Stadium a second home.  —  Twice he pulled off the ultradedicated feat of attending all 81 home games, and Sunday he sealed the deal on the hat trick …

Pirates cut 12 from spring training roster  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates today trimmed 12 players from their major league spring training roster, including — unsurprisingly — left-hander Dan Moskos, their first-round draft pick last June.  —  “I kind of knew my days were numbered,” Moskos said.

Who Advised a Young Rivera?  Probably Not Who You'd Think.  —  While reporting Sunday's story about Mariano Rivera and his willingness to mentor his teammates, I asked him if anyone had helped him out when he was a young Yankee.  Rivera surprised me with the first name he mentioned: Steve Howe.