MacPhail: Roberts deal unlikely before opener  —  O's second baseman expected to be in lineup for start of season  —  JUPITER, Fla. - Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail acknowledged today that it is unlikely that All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts will be traded before Opening Day.

Angels' Escobar has torn shoulder  —  The pitcher says he might face surgery that would force him to miss the season or, worse, end his career.  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Pitcher Kelvim Escobar, an 18-game winner last season, revealed this morning that he has a tear in his shoulder …

NO-GO FOR NEW JOE  —  YANKEES' PLAYOFF STREAK COMING TO END  —  Brian Cashman didn't want to part with the young arms.  Hal Steinbrenner believed paying a pitcher close to $150 million for seven years was too expensive.  —  So, against Hank Steinbrenner's wishes, the Yankees allowed Johan Santana to slip into Queens.

Taylor: Canseco needs to find new way to make quick buck  —  Someone needs to find Jose Canseco a new hobby.  Maybe we could all chip in for a set of golf clubs, or get him started on a coin collection, because Canseco clearly has too much time on his hands, some of which he has used …

Jon Weisman: Record crowd expected for Coliseum exhibition  —  Nearly 115,000 people have bought tickets to see a baseball game.  An exhibition baseball game.  —  Which goes to show you: For all the hoary clichés about the poetry of baseball, when it comes to something brilliantly weird and trippy …

Pirates acquire Yates from Atlanta, buy out Kim  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates this morning acquired reliever Tyler Yates from the Atlanta Braves for pitching prospect Todd Redmond, bought out the contract of reliever Byung-Hyun Kim and made several other moves.  —  Among them:

Laird edges Saltalamacchia as Rangers' catcher  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Gerald Laird won his duel with Jarrod Saltalamacchia for the job as the Texas Rangers' starting catcher.  —  Saltalamacchia was optioned to the Rangers' minor league camp Wednesday.  The 22-year-old switch-hitter …

Kansas City Royals  —  This isn't easy.  All 30 teams find themselves somewhere on this list not because they have some fundamental flaw, because they're good people or bad people, or because they work more or less hard than anyone else.  Every athletic trainer at every level is properly certified …

Royals trade Justin Huber to San Diego for a player to be named  —  KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Royals traded first baseman/outfielder Justin Huber to the San Diego Padres in exchange for a player to be named.  —  Huber, 25, has made brief appearances in the Majors with the Royals …

Washington Nationals to host inaugural game at Nationals Park on Sunday, March 30 at 8:15 PM  —  The Washington Nationals will host the Atlanta Braves at 8:15 pm in the Inaugural Game at Nationals Park, their new home on South Capitol Street, SE in the Capitol Riverfront District.

About Gotay ...  Ruben Gotay hit against Pedro Martinez in his minor league game.  News he was placed on waivers is inaccurate.  That's not to say it won't in the future, but not right now.  He appears to have fallen behind Fernando Tatis.  The emergence of Tatis could also push out Brady Clark.

Back to reality for Moss  —  TOKYO—Home Run Hero Tuesday.  Strikeout Machine Wednesday.  —  This is what baseball will do to a guy.  It will mess with your head.  —  Like Sinatra sang: “ . . . riding high in April, shot down in May.”  —  Tuesday night Brandon Moss became the first player …

Lannan, Langerhans out; Estrada on DL; roster at 25  —  The Nationals made the following moves to set their regular-season roster:  —  C Johnny Estrada goes on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow tendinitis.  The move is retroactive to March 21.  —  OF Ryan Langerhans was outrighted to Class AAA Columbus.