Washington Nationals special assistant Jose Rijo takes leave after prospect age hoax  —  VIERA, Fla. — Washington Nationals special assistant Jose Rijo is taking a leave of absence after a Major League Baseball investigation revealed a prospect he discovered was older than originally believed.

Day 8: John Russell extended, Andy LaRoche returns, and more  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — Maybe it was the way the players were stretching today, but Pirates management — with President Frank Coonelly back in Pittsburgh — at 10:25 this morning announced they had decided to exercise the option …

Crede: Twins announce one-year deal, Neshek to 60-day DL  —  The Twins have announced that they have reached agreement with third baseman Joe Crede's on a year=year contract  —  Another source with knowledge of negotiations called Joe Christensen with even more details.

Baseball's Steroid Concerns About the Trainer Angel Presinal Date to 2001  —  George J. Mitchell dedicated more pages in his report on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball to Angel Presinal, a trainer based in the Dominican Republic, than he did to almost any of the dozens of players he cited.

Tampa Bay Rays sign Jason Isringhausen  —  Popular player First baseman Carlos Pe? signs autographs for fans after Friday's workout in Port Charlotte.  Starting at about 10:50 a.m. today, Pe? and his teammates will take live batting practice for the first time this spring.  —  Times]

Swisher should offer Yankees flexibility  —  TAMPA, Fla. - For nearly six weeks, Nick Swisher was the first baseman of the Yankees.  Unfortunately for him, those six weeks fell in November and December.  —  When the Yankees signed Mark Teixeira on Dec. 23, Swisher became an outfielder competing …

JASON JOHNSON DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER OF THE RETINA  —  TAMPA - Pitcher Jason Johnson has been limited to indoor work due to being diagnosed with cancer of the retina in the right eye shortly before reporting to camp with the Yankees.  —  “I went to the eye doctor to get a new pair of contacts …

Silva gets trial run with Padres  —  Rotation candidate on loan from Mexican League's Monterrey team  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — The Padres have invited right-handed pitcher Walter Silva to join the team with hopes he'll earn a spot in their starting rotation.  —  Silva, 32, is on loan from Monterrey of the Mexican League.

Source: Nomar Garciaparra may have suitor in Oakland Athletics  —  The Philadelphia Phillies had talked with Nomar Garciaparra early in the offseason about joining them as a part-time player to balance their lineup and Garciaparra, not completely sure what he wants to do, didn't jump at the idea.

Redding out indefinitely  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — Fifth-starter hopeful Tim Redding is being kept off the mound indefinitely while the former National recovers from a previously undisclosed surgery on his foot in November, Jerry Manuel said today.  —  Redding said the surgery was to repair …

Pitching matchups  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — We've got pitching matchups!  —  In an early sign that baseball games will start being played eventually, the Red Sox announced their pitchers through the first six games of the spring training season.  —  So here we go...  Wednesday vs. Boston College: Josh Beckett

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Justin Ruggiano can see clearly now  —  PORT CHARLOTTE — Justin Ruggiano's offseason had a storybook feel to it.  —  The Rays outfielder got married in Mexico in January and vacationed for 10 days in the Bahamas.  Soon after, Ruggiano and his wife, Shelly, found out they would be having their first child.