ICON'S NEXT PACT WILL BE MOTHER OF ALL YANK FLAPS  —  CONSIDER this week, when Joe Torre revealed his inner vigilante, to be just another trial run toward the mother of all Yankee controversies.  —  Because if you think Torre blindsiding Brian Cashman or the Yanks slashing Andy Pettitte's salary …

Truck Day is here!  —  Sorry Punxsutawney Phil and your six-more-weeks-of-winter prediction, but if you live in New England and are a fan of Red Sox, a sure sign of spring has arrived — Truck Day!  —  Red Sox fans joined the team's mascot, Wally the Green Monster (pictured, right) …

Stark: Rumblings and Grumblings  —  We don't use words like “collusion” lightly at times like this, in a world like this.  —  So somewhere in this column, we're going to search for a different word, a more fitting word, to describe what might be the strangest offseason in modern baseball history.

Rays sign righty Abreu to Minors deal  —  ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays signed right-hander Winston Abreu to a Minor League deal Friday with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.  —  Abreu, 31, last pitched in the Major Leagues for the Nationals in 2007, when he went 0-1 with a 5.93 ERA in 26 games.

Mets sign Pedro Feliciano, avoid arbitration  —  The Mets have signed lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano to a one-year contract for $1,612,500, Newsday has learned, meaning that Omar Minaya and his crew will not have go to to an arbitration hearing with any of their players.

Joba tells News: I want to start … TAMPA - Back in November, Joba Chamberlain was in New York for a charity appearance and visited GM Brian Cashman at Cashman's office.  The GM told the phenom to prepare over the winter to be in the Yankee rotation.  —  “That was a little calming …

Wolf, Dodgers closing in on deal  —  Return of left-hander would help bolster young rotation for LA  —  LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers are closing in on a deal to sign free-agent left-handed starting pitcher Randy Wolf.  —  The Dodgers could not comment, and rarely do on contract talks until a free agent passes a physical exam.

Bush in hot water again, Padres cut him loose  —  Matt Bush's days as a Padre are over.  —  And they ended in much the same way they began - with a controversial incident that involves the police.  —  The Padres designated Bush for assignment Thursday, just as El Cajon police were looking …

Seasons of Change, Part 1 (of 2)  —  What a difference 10 years can make.  —  We are not far from the beginning of spring training - which also marks the beginning of the 2009 Major League Baseball season - and this can be hard to fathom for those of us in the snowy, cold northern states and Canada.

Pitching Perspectives with Rick Peterson: Understanding the Epidemic of Youth Pitching Injuries  —  Bridging the Gap Between Potential and Peak Performance  —  Young pitchers are in trouble.  While that may sound like hyperbole at its finest, it most assuredly isn't.

Jason Jennings signs minor-league deal with Rangers  —  On the same day that free-agent target Ben Sheets' two-year contract collapsed over an elbow injury, former Rockie Jason Jennings signed with the Rangers last night.  —  Jennings is trying to get his career back on track after two lost seasons …

Pudge a possibility for Marlins, but only at sale price  —  Marlins catcher Pudge Rodriguez hangs on to the ball as the Giants J.T. Snow tries to knock it loose.  The Marlins held on for a 7-6 win over San Francisco in Game 4 of the 2003 Division Series.  (Sun-Sentinel/Robert Duyos)