School's out for the Yankees  —  Joe Girardi just called off the workout.  The entire team and coaching staff will instead head to a local pool hall for a tournament and lunch.  —  With games starting Wednesday, Girardi decided to give his team a break and build some chemistry at the same time.

3 UP: GARCIA, MANUEL, CHURCH  —  1. There is an assumption that Freddy Garcia is on track to be the No. 5 starter with the Mets.  But not so fast.  The early read in camp is that Garcia is still tight and not fully unleashing his surgically repaired right arm yet.

Nationals Release Holdout Perez  —  The final line on Odalis Perez's second stint with the Washington Nationals: zero appearances, zero returned phone calls, zero benefit whatsoever.  —  Today, the Nationals released Perez, 31, terminating the waiting game that began almost two weeks ago …

Mickey Mantle's “F-Bomb” Ball For Sale  —  I was surfing auction sites last night and I stumbled across a pretty unique item.  It's a ball signed by New York Yankees great Mickey Mantle, but instead of the normal inscription like “536 HR's,” it says “F**k Yogi.”

Coke to pitch out of the bullpen  —  I stopped Joe Girardi in the clubhouse today as I wanted to get some clarification on how they plan to use Phil Coke.  —  The verdict is ... reliever.  —  “He's a guy we see being able to pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen.

Deep Thoughts  —  Nate Silver runs a projection on A-Rod's chances at passing Barry Bonds.  That's well and good and you can click through for Nate's handicapping of the chances, but I'm struck by one of the positive indicators he throws out: … At the risk of sounding …

Feds expanding probe of GM Bowden … A federal investigation into the skimming of signing bonuses given to baseball prospects from Latin America is looking at Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden as far back as 1994, when he was GM of the Cincinnati Reds, according to a baseball executive familiar with the investigation.

Union boss Fehr: '03 tests don't taint all players … JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Baseball union head Donald Fehr rejects the suggestion many players are under suspicion because 104 of them tested positive for drug use in 2003, including Alex Rodriguez.  —  The testing was confidential until Rodriguez's results were leaked to a reporter.

Future Shock  —  Yankees Top 11 Prospects  —  Five-Star Prospects  —  Three-Star Prospects  —  Just Missed: Brad Suttle, 3B; Kelvin De Leon, RF; Wilkins De La Rosa, LHP  —  Ranking Challenges: It's a very tough system to rank from top to bottom.  Montero comes with positional questions …

Martin's learning curve  —  PHOENIX — The old catcher summoned the young one into the tunnel to deliver a stern reminder.  Run it out.  Lead by example.  Play the right way.  —  The young catcher listened and then he blew up.  Out came the frustration.  The sore knee.

Mulder could be back with A's  —  Could Mark Mulder be one of several potential additions the A's make before the end of the spring?  —  After several years of shoulder injuries, the former A's starter is pitching in Arizona.  And after many sessions with a flexibility expert …

The truth strikes out  —  The next great baseball moment probably will come late in the 2013 season, when Alex Rodriguez hits home run No. 763 and is greeted at home plate, one cheater to another, by Barry Bonds.  —  Greater still would be if that moment occurs in Arlington.

Day 9: Andy LaRoche ready for games later this week?  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — He was dressed and raring to go today, taking grounders with infield coach Perry Hill in the morning, taking some swings in the batting cages, running a bit after the rest of the Pirates in practice-opening conditioning.