Lowell: We won't go to Japan if staff doesn't get paid  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. - Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell confirmed to the Globe's Jackie MacMullan that the team voted unanimously this morning not to make the scheduled trip to Japan or play its final spring training game against Toronto …

Entering the back stretch  —  Now that the Mets are coming off their only off day of the spring, there are 11 exhibition games remaining before the March 31 opener against the Marlins.  It's been a rocky first half to the Grapefruit League sked, with many of the starters on the shelf …

Forst says injury concerns a big reason for A's moves  —  Editor's note: This is the third in Jonah Keri's series of Q&As with players and executives from the Cactus League.  Click to read interviews with Arizona GM Josh Byrnes and Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick.

Yankees honored to play Va. Tech  —  BLACKSBURG, Va. - As the Yankees visited the Virginia Tech campus memorial site dedicated to the 32 people who were killed in last year's campus shootings, a young woman approached Derek Jeter and asked if she could take a picture with him.

Don't rush him: Rays would be wise to send Longoria back to Durham  —  His time is near, on that we can all agree.  The tricky part is defining near.  ¶  If you are Evan Longoria, then opening day sounds like the nearest thing to heaven.  If you are a Rays fan, after seeing another Longoria home run …

Joe Crede likely to be White Sox's third baseman on opening day  —  Healthy and hard-to-trade, he will likely will get nod over Fields  —  TUCSON, Ariz. - Third baseman Joe Crede has timing issues that aren't limited to whether the White Sox trade him before the start of the regular season.

Marquis plying his trade  —  With 1.93 spring ERA, right-hander could help Cubs one way or another  —  MESA, Ariz. — With his name a regular part of trade rumors, Cubs pitcher Jason Marquis was asked if he had allowed himself to consider some of the possibilities — like, say …

Nationals Have Logjam Up the Middle  —  Barring a trade — and with General Manager Jim Bowden at the controls, that never is a good idea — the Washington Nationals have three players for two positions in the middle infield.  Two of those players — would-be second basemen Ronnie Belliard …

Ten people to avoid at the ballpark  —  I'll probably cover 120 or so games this season.  But I also plan on attending at least four or five as fan.  It's fun to watch a game and not have to worry about coming up with a story afterward.  —  There are few things better than watching a game in person with your buddies.

Phillies' Hamels commands attention in strong spring outing  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - Take a deep breath.  Relax.  Cole Hamels didn't forget how to throw his changeup.  In fact, he's still pretty darn good at it.  —  Yesterday afternoon, against one of the top up-and-coming lineups in the game …

A's notes: Minor-leaguer De Los Santos hits 97 on gun  —  (03-18) 19:52 PDT Surprise, —  Ariz. - Fautino De Los Santos, who might be the real prize in the Nick Swisher deal, made his first appearance for the A's, and several other potential Oakland players also made their spring debuts with the team.

Phillies Notebook: Phillies' Jenkins shows home-run power  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - How momentous was Geoff Jenkins' first home run of the spring?  —  “We know he can hit one now, don't we?” manager Charlie Manuel said.  —  The Phillies were actually well aware of that fact when they signed …

Obama Business Strikes Out  —  Major League Baseball forces closure of online t-shirt operation  —  Major League Baseball has forced the closure of an online business run by a Barack Obama supporter who tweaked team logos to create t-shirts promoting the Illinois Democrat's presidential bid.

Canseco not vindicated yet  —  With less than two weeks to go before Jose Canseco's “Vindicated” hits bookstores, the book's publisher, Simon and Schuster, has the former Bash Brother slated for a lavish publicity tour.  —  Canseco, whose 2005 steroid tell-all “Juiced” rocked the baseball world …