Yankees ditch bats for pool cues  —  Girardi takes club to billiard hall to help build bonds, assuage distractions  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Joe Girardi was about 10 years old when the game of billiards taught him an important lesson in controlling his temper — namely that throwing a pool cue …

Wells out with hamstring strain  —  Center fielder expected to miss one month after reaggravating injury  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Blue Jays have experienced life without Vernon Wells before, and the club is preparing for precisely that once again this spring.

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 …

Stan Kasten Media Availability On Federal Investigation  —  At high noon—the media that covers Our Washington Nationals went into hyper-drive this Monday.  Team President Stan Kasten let it be known that he would address their questions as to an ongoing Federal Investigation concerning …

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.

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.

Baseball Prospectus: A-Rod likely to fall short of Bonds  —  We're less than two years removed from Barry Bonds' somber, strange and soulless quest to break Henry Aaron's lifetime home run record.  Unfortunately, it seems history is getting ready to repeat itself.

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.”

Hoffy Says “See-ya” in Full Page Ad  —  We have all received Christmas cards in the mail with family pictures front and center - but how often have you received a thank you card in the form of a full-page ad from a baseball star?  —  That is exactly what San Diegans woke up to Sunday morning …

Contract details for Orlando Hudson  —  OK, I'm giving you fair warning that this is going to give you a headache.  I can't imagine what the conversation must have been like when Colletti and Ng were working these details out with O-Dawg's agent.  But here it is:

Berkman more comfortable in camp  —  Astros legend accepting leadership responsibility this spring  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Soon after he signed his most recent contract a few years ago, Lance Berkman implied he might call it a career when that deal expired.

Dodgers deny latest Manny rumors  —  General manager Colletti: 'Nothing's changed in 48 hours'  —  PHOENIX — Despite wild radio rumors to the contrary, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Monday there is no contract agreement between the club and free-agent outfielder Manny Ramirez.

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.

Minor League Transactions  —  Arizona Diamondbacks  —  Removed from 40-man roster: RHP Jailen Peguero  —  Peguero, 28, lost his tenuous place on the 40-man when Arizona claimed another Triple-A righthanded reliever, Bobby Korecky, on waivers from the Twins.