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 billiards taught him an important lesson in controlling his temper.  Throwing a pool cue into a piece of drywall …

Jon Heyman: Ramirez, Dodgers closer, but deal still not imminent … PORT ST. LUCIE — Both Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers have done some compromising in recent days, according to people familiar with the negotiations, as the two sides seem to now understand that they aren't going to get exactly what they want in a potential deal.

Take 5  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox tonight announced that all games at Fenway Park previously scheduled for 7:05 p.m. will now be played at 7:10 p.m. as the club moved back all its late games by five minutes for the 2009 regular season.  —  The time change will not affect games previously scheduled …

Bowden Denies Wrongdoing [Updated]  —  Washington Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden this morning denied any wrongful practices in Latin American scouting, saying simply, “I'm innocent of any wrongdoing, and besides that I don't have any comment.”  —  Bowden is the highest-ranking baseball …

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.

St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Ryan sidelined by sore wrist  —  JUPITER, FLA. — Cardinals infielder Brendan Ryan expects to miss the club's Grapefruit League opener and to be sidelined several days with a swollen tendon in his right wrist.  Ryan, who is vying for either of the open jobs …

Cubs' Marmol takes pass on pitching for Dominican in World Baseball Classic  —  MESA, Ariz. — After a sleepless Sunday night, Carlos Marmol decided it was better for his career and his team to concentrate on closing for the Cubs than to represent his country in the World Baseball Classic.

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 …

Macha sets up Brewers' spring rotation  —  Skipper says he won't name regular-season starters until March 25  —  PHOENIX — Stressing that the order could change before Opening Day, Brewers manager Ken Macha set his Spring Training starting rotation on Monday and tabbed right-hander Jeff Suppan …

M's outfield in good hands  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — For outfield defense, it's a scenario any manager would savor: a center fielder flanked by former Gold Glove-winning center fielders on either side.  —  And the Mariners' new man in the middle, Franklin Gutierrez, is capable of being the defensive equal …

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:

Judge to Leyritz: No more drinking while awaiting trial  —  Broward Circuit Judge Ilona Holmes today told former New York Yankee baseball player Jim Leyritz: no more drinking as he awaits his trial on DUI manslaughter charges.  —  Leyritz, 45, of Davie, is accused of running a red light and killing Fredia Veitch, 30, in December 2007.

The Yankees and Their New, Veteran Starting Pitchers  —  Hope springs eternal in baseball, and for the New York Yankees, with an aging offense, a lot of familiar faces gone and a steroid scandal swirling around the team's biggest star, a lot of those hopes ride on the shoulders of the team's …

Wellemeyer is making believers  —  February 23, 2009 - Cardinals pitcher Todd Wellemeyer throws to live hitters during Cardinals spring training at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla. (Chris Lee/P-D)  —  JUPITER, Fla. — Several times this spring manager Tony La Russa has illustrated …