Lackey out of action for 3-4 weeks  —  Strained triceps forces ace to join Escobar on sidelines  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Angels ace John Lackey has been diagnosed with a strained right triceps after an examination on Friday by Dr. Lewis Yocum, team orthopedist.

OWNER: BOSOX CLOSER A ‘MOUSE’  —  It's one thing for owners to have a little back-and-forth like John Henry and Hank Steinbrenner did recently in regard to Red Sox Nation vs. Yankees Universe.  It's another for a young player to take a shot at an owner.  —  That's what Jonathan Papelbon, 27, did in criticizing Steinbrenner.

Dice, Dice baby: A Matsuzaka is born  —  Right-handed hurler becomes father to second child, first boy  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Daisuke Matsuzaka became a father again on Saturday morning, and as a result, he is all but certain to be able to join the Red Sox during the season-opening trip to his native country of Japan.

Tense moment in China is diffused  —  BEIJING - Cool heads staved off a potential international incident involving uniformed Chinese security guards and - of all things - the autograph of nearly washed-up Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park.  —  Less than an hour after the Dodgers …

Piniella dismisses Dempster's bad day  —  MESA, Ariz. - By this time next week, manager Lou Piniella expects to have his Cubs pitching rotation set and “that's when my headaches will start.”  —  Not that Ryan Dempster didn't start the migraine early Friday with a six-run second inning …

Carlos Gomez hits 1st homer of spring in Twins' 11-2 rout of Phillies  —  CLEARWATER, Fla.: Carlos Gomez, acquired from the New York Mets in the blockbuster Johan Santana trade before spring training, went 3-for-4 with his first home run this spring in the Minnesota Twins' 11-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

Upstarts Could Shake Up Status Quo in A.L. East  —  It hasn't always been this way; it only seems like it: the Yankees and the Red Sox finishing one-two in the American League East, in whichever order, and each reaching the playoffs, one as the division champion, the other as the wild card.

Ankiel jacks a pair prior to wild finish  —  Outfielder's homer tally now at three; Cards win on errant pitch  —  CARDINALS 6, DODGERS 4  —  Cardinals at the plate: Rick Ankiel gave his team a quick lead in the first inning, narrowly clearing the center-field wall with a homer.

Minor League Transactions  —  This week's installment considers all transactions reported by MLB between March 1 and 14.  Previous transactions available here.  —  More than half of the spring-training slate has elapsed, meaning that plenty of 40-man roster members have been optioned to minor league camp.

Traber added to 40-man roster  —  The Yankees today added LHP Billy Traber to the 40-man roster and placed RHP Andrew Brackman on the 60-day disabled list.  —  This not necessarily mean that Traber will be on the man roster on March 31.  But don't bet against it.  He has appeared in five games this spring.

GIRARDI: I BELIEVE MY PLAYER  —  SARASOTA, Fla. - Joe Girardi yesterday said he watched the replay of Shelley Duncan's slide from Wednesday and believes Duncan's explanation.  —  “Shelley told me that he tried to break up the play,” Girardi said.  “I saw a similar slide that he made in Toronto …