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.

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 …