Mr. October gives A-Rod a sitdown  —  Yankees legend lends advice to oft-discussed slugger  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — There's nothing like a stern lecture from Mr. October to help a troubled friend focus on the priorities of life and career when enormous distractions are closing in and his reputation is crumbling.

Washington Nationals to fire special assistant Jose Rijo in wake of prospect age scandal  —  The Washington Nationals have decided to fire special assistant Jose Rijo and will shut down the team's academy in the Dominican Republic as part of a restructuring of the team's operations in Latin America …

Dodgers make offer to Ramirez, deal could be at hand  —  From what I understand, though, there WON'T be a deal tonight.  The offer is a two-year, $45 million contract, with salaries of $25 million the first year and $20 million the second, but the second year is a PLAYER option so Manny …

Nats strongly considering change  —  The Nationals, according to multiple industry sources, are strongly considering firing general manager Jim Bowden and replacing him with Blue Jays assistant GM Tony LaCava.  —  Bowden has been implicated in a bonus skimming scandal in the Dominican Republic …

Opener odds and ends  —  FORT LAUDERDALE — Some tidbits after Luis Castillo and Ryan Church combined for four hits and seven RBIs in the Mets' 9-3 win here over the Orioles in the Grapefruit League opener for both teams.  —  * Jerry Manuel's introduction of an intense …

Pedro brings heat in simulated game  —  Free-agent starter preparing to pitch for Dominican team  —  Free-agent pitcher Pedro Martinez is staying busy.  —  The three-time Cy Young Award winner threw a simulated game on Tuesday in the Dominican Republic and is on track to start …

One down . . .  FT. MYERS, Fla. — The seriousness of the game was decided when Ino Guerrero — a 48-year-old batting practice pitcher — pinch hit during the latter innings.  But that's beside the point: the Red Sox are now playing baseball games again.  —  The Sox beat Boston College …

Green to be OK after leaving game  —  Mets righty suffers torn fingernail in Grapefruit opener  —  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Sean Green, the Mets' first casualty of the exhibition-game season, expects to miss no time because of a torn fingernail he suffered on Wednesday while pitching …

MLB scraps printed versions of team media guides  —  NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has eliminated an annual tradition: printed copies of the green and red books.  —  The guides to the National and American leagues started publication in the 1930s and have been an invaluable research tool for media.

Prior determined to make it back  —  Former star pitcher continues comeback bid with Padres  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — He can move almost seamlessly from clubhouse to bullpen, unnoticed by those who are busying doing the same.  This suits Mark Prior perfectly fine.

A-Rod leaves park with cousin  —  The cousin Alex Rodriguez said smuggled drugs into the United States for him, Yuri Sucart, was behind the wheel of the Chevrolet Suburban that picked him up from Dunedin Stadium today.  —  Rodriguez said earlier this month that a cousin obtained …

Bonser's injury was worse than expected; season likely over UPDATED  —  Doctors today found a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff in Boof Bonser's right shoulder, leading to more extensive repairs than what was first thought.  —  Bonser is out at least six months, but probably the whole season.

Poll Finds Limited Support for Rodriguez  —  Sixty percent of baseball fans are bothered by players' steroid use, and 44 percent say Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez should not be allowed in the Hall of Fame, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll.  —  “I have nothing personally …