Dice-K and other stuff...  OAKLAND, Calif. - Not much buzz here for an opening night.  The McAfee Coliseum is sold out, but everything is so subdued.  —  Lots of Red Sox fans sporting team garb here.  —  It's 1-0 A's in the second.  —  A few observations:

Wagner: Heilman future closer  —  MIAMI — Aaron Heilman's ninth inning may have been as impressive as any of the seven Johan Santana pitched.  Heilman needed nine pitches to retire the side in order on a pair of strikeouts and a weak grounder back to the mound.

inGame: Pedro Exits with Injury  —  During the fourth inning, Pedro Martinez limped off the field, gripping what appeared to be the top part of his left hamstring, as well as his inner thigh, which he injured on a pitch to Matt Treanor.  —  ...good luck, Jorge Sosa...

Brian McNamee puts Roger Clemens relics up for auction  —  With legal bills mounting, lawsuits pending and his professional future uncertain, Brian McNamee, former trainer to the stars, is very clear on at least one aspect of his life:  —  He wants no part of any gifts from a man who calls him a liar.

Yanks prevail in final Cathedral opener  —  Wang solid as farewell tour begins with victory over Jays  —  NEW YORK — Eighty-five years after Babe Ruth christened Yankee Stadium with a home run, the Yankees kick-started the ballpark's glorious sendoff season with the creation of a new set of memories …

Report: Average MLB salary tops $3M for first time  —  NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez makes more this year than his entire hometown Florida Marlins team.  —  Boosted by his new deal with the New York Yankees, A-Rod tops the major league baseball salary list at $28 million, according to a study of contract terms by The Associated Press.

Alou says he wouldn't have caught Bartman ball  —  Should Steve Bartman be off the hook with Cubs fans?  According to Moises Alou, he should be.  —  Alou, now with the Mets, said he wouldn't have caught the now-infamous pop fly in the 2003 National League Championship Series that hit …

Help is on the way ... oh wait, never mind  —  According to two sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the Dodgers agreed in principle earlier today on a minor-league contract for free-agent infielder Marcus Giles, who had a really good spring for Colorado but ultimately was released …

3 years for Wheeler; C.C. option picked up, Rocco declined  —  The Rays did as expected Tuesday in picking up OF Carl Crawford's 2009 option for $8.25-million and declining OF Rocco Baldelli's $6-million option by giving him a $4-million buyout and making him a free agent after the season …

Bill James Answers All Your Baseball Questions  —  I sure hope the Red Sox don't start the season with a wicked slump.  If so, people might blame this blog.  —  When we solicited your questions for Bill James, the Sox's data wizard, we didn't know there'd be so many questions and that Bill would answer just about all of them.

Intense Fielder an unquestioned leader  —  Slugger quickly becoming one of the most feared hitters in MLB  —  MILWAUKEE — The days of Prince Fielder as the quiet rookie in the corner of the Brewers clubhouse are over.  These days he's Mr. Personality, the unquestioned leader of one of the game's …

Hamilton's 9th-inning HR propels Rangers  —  SEATTLE (AP)—From no chance to “No way!”  —  In Monday's opener, new Ranger Josh Hamilton could only flail at a 97 mph fastball that J.J. Putz closer buzzed past him for the final out of Seattle's win.  —  “I cleared that at-bat out of my head,” Hamilton said Tuesday.

BP08, Brian Barton, And The Indians  —  Baseball Prospectus 2008 is a massive book with a lot of words in it, and sometimes we use some of the space as a personal soapbox.  Consider the player comment on Brian Barton, located on page 134: … Now, we normally do not put bylines in the book, as it is very much a group effort.

Rockies get another shot at Lohse  —  The Rockies will revisit tonight one of their many memorable moments from last fall's march to the World Series.  —  They get to face right-hander Kyle Lohse again.  —  Rain forced postponement of the Rockies' scheduled opener against St. Louis on Monday afternoon at Busch Stadium.