Vargas accepts minor league contract with Mets  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Claudio Vargas and the Mets agreed to a minor league contract Thursday, giving New York another option for its injury-riddled rotation.  —  Vargas was released by Milwaukee late in spring training after going 11-6 with a 5.09 ERA …

Indians sign pitcher (not C.C.) to multiyear deal  —  CLEVELAND — Fausto Carmona, a surprising 19-game winner last season, agreed Thursday to a $15 million, four-year contract with the Indians, a deal that would be worth at least $43 million if Cleveland exercises three club options.

Lowell exits with sprained left thumb  —  Sustains injury making nice play against Tigers  —  BOSTON — After making a nifty diving stop and nailing Pudge Rodriguez to open Wednesday's game against the Tigers, third baseman Mike Lowell wiggled his left hand with a look of discomfort on his face.

Under The Knife  —  Injured Rays  —  Cliff Floyd (40 DXL)  —  If the Trop didn't have a dome, I think Joe Maddon might be looking to the heavens, waiting for frogs to fall from the sky.  The latest victim of the injury streak is Cliff Floyd.  Now, it's no stunner that Floyd is injured …

Marlins Notebook: Miller under orders to throw hard, not worry  —  WASHINGTON — Let it rip.  —  That's the order the Marlins have given to left-hander Andrew Miller, whose velocity hasn't touched 90 mph in either of his two starts this season.  —  The team said Miller's health is fine.

New York Yankees announce new titles for members of the Steinbrenner family  —  Today the New York Yankees announced new titles for members of the Steinbrenner family.  —  George M. Steinbrenner, III Chairperson, Hal and Hank Steinbrenner Co-Chairpersons, Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal …

Jimmy Rollins sits out with sprained ankle  —  NEW YORK - The New York Mets couldn't have been happier to hear that Jimmy Rollins could not play last night at Shea Stadium.  —  In case you hadn't noticed, they hadn't exactly had much success against him lately.

Boos taste sweet to Renteria … Fenway fans may have had a blast last night as they endlessly booed former Red Sox [team stats] shortstop Edgar Renteria, who now plays for the Detroit Tigers.  —  But Renteria did not get battered by the booing.  Instead, he turned it into a positive.

Digital Age brings challenges to players  —  Rise of Internet forces ballplayers to guard private lives  —  Most big league ballplayers, if not all of them, understand that they're public figures.  An increasingly high number of them, however, are being forced into an increasingly private existence.

Good news Yankee Fans - Ian Kennedy got jerked off in the bullpen  —  Get your mind out of the gutter, people.  I haven't turned this blog NC-17 on you.  The line in the title of the post is taken verbatim (well, almost verbatim) from David Cone who made his proud return to the broadcast booth …

A's Harden lands on DL for 6th time in last 4 years  —  TORONTO — The Oakland Athletics placed right-hander Rich Harden on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, retroactive to April 3, and recalled right-hander Joey Devine from Triple-A Sacramento.  —  Harden, 1-0 with an 0.82 ERA in two starts …

Big Floridian bashes homers, weighs options  —  Eric Hosmer knows how to deal with pressure.  At his baseball games, pro scouts — 20, sometimes more — arrive two hours before game time to watch Hosmer, a senior at American Heritage School (Plantation, Fla.), take batting and infield practice.

Yankees' Posada relieved shoulder is only strained  —  KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Jorge Posada's sense of relief was palpable yesterday after learning that nothing more was wrong with his shoulder than a strain.  —  Instead of facing a stint on the disabled list or even his worst- case scenario …

[MATT GARZA] Rays Could Seek Compensation If Twins Hid Garza's Injury  —  Rays Could Seek Compensation If Twins Hid Garza's Injury  —  On Monday night, during the Tampa Bay Rays' home opener, Matt Garza pulled himself from the game in the 3rd inning with an injury to the radial nerve in this throwing arm.

Angelos says he hopes Nationals succeed  —  Orioles owner attributes record-low Camden Yards crowd to weather  —  Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who once fought to keep a team out of Washington, said yesterday that he hopes the Nationals are successful and doesn't mind if Orioles fans occasionally slip away …