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 …

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 …

Nats finalize 25-man roster  —  Estrada sent to DL; four others headed to Triple-A  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Nationals set their 25-man roster by placing catcher Johnny Estrada on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 21, while also optioning pitchers John Lannan and Chris Schroder …

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 …

Dodgers release reliever Seanez  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers released veteran Rudy Seanez on Tuesday night after the right-handed reliever allowed two unearned runs and blew a save in two-thirds of an inning against the Milwaukee Brewers.  —  Seanez, 39, had a 7.71 spring ERA after being slowed …

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 …

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:

Gomez hurt, but Twins defeat Rays  —  Center fielder injures hamstring, listed as day-to-day  —  TWINS 4, RAYS 2  —  Rays at the plate: Jason Bartlett went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base.  Akinori Iwamura went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored.

Chasing Jose, By Pat Jordan  —  Pat Jordan is the author of 13 books, including “A False Spring,” hailed by Time as “one of the best and truest books about baseball, and about coming to maturity in America.”  A prolific freelance journalist for 40 years, Jordan was recently dubbed …

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 …

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.

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 …

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.