Deferred payments key issue in Dodgers' offer to Manny Ramirez  —  The club's two-year, $45-million offer included only $10 million this year and $10 million in 2010 if the slugger picked up the player option, a source says.  Negotiations are continuing.  —  Reporting from Scottsdale …

Phillies release veteran Eaton  —  Right-hander has $9 million remaining on contract  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Phillies released right-handed pitcher Adam Eaton on Friday.  —  Eaton, who makes $8.5 million this season, plus $500,000 on a club option for 2010, was not a candidate to win the fifth spot in the Phillies' rotation.

Yanks young pitchers learned vital lesson  —  TAMPA, Fla. - If each Yankees starter exits spring training healthy, Phil Hughes will be the ace of Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's staff - with Ian Kennedy probably following him in rotation.  —  That's a significant step back from last year …

Padres sign 29 to one-year contracts  —  Kouzmanoff among those to ink deals, will make nearly $440,000  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — The Padres took care of a little financial business on Friday when they signed 29 players to contracts for the 2009 season.  —  The pitchers who agreed to one-year deals …

Bale's blood work shows irregularities  —  Pitcher returns to KC for evaluation; Guillen progressing nicely  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Royals pitcher John Bale has returned to Kansas City for tests on his thyroid after irregularities were noted in blood work during a physical examination.

Villone signed to minor deal  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets have signed former Yankees left-handed reliever Ron Villone to a minor-league contract.  Villone, 39, pitched for the Bombers from 2006-07 before going 1-2 with a 4.68 ERA in 74 games with the Cardinals last season.

Frozen by fraud, Los Angeles Angels pitcher Darren Oliver feels for others  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Pitcher Darren Oliver made a wise professional decision this winter when he accepted a salary arbitration offer from the Los Angeles Angels and parlayed it into a one-year, $3.665 million contract amid a weak market for free agents.

Feds to appeal evidence ruling; Bonds case delayed  —  Federal prosecutors have told the lawyers for Barry Bonds that they will appeal a ruling that excluded much of the evidence seized during the BALCO raids, according to motion filed Friday afternoon.  —  “On the eve of Mr. Bonds' trial …

Spring Game 3: Yankees at Twins  —  YANKEES (2-0)  —  TWINS (2-0)  —  Pitching for the Twins: Scott Baker, Brian Duesing, Kevin Mulvey, Ben Julianel, Bob Keppel, Jason Jones.  —  Pitching today: Ian Kennedy followed by Eric Hacker, Andrew Brackman, Wilikin De La Rosa, Anthony Claggett and Michael Dunn.

Brewers sign pair to one-year deals  —  Gallardo is only pre-arbitration player yet to reach terms  —  PHOENIX — The paydays just keep on coming.  —  The Brewers on Friday finalized one-year contracts with reliever Carlos Villanueva and catcher Mike Rivera, leaving right-hander Yovani Gallardo …

Nats sources say GM's job in jeopardy  —  Jim Bowden's tenure as general manager of the Washington Nationals, a position he has held since the franchise relocated from Montreal more than four years ago, could be down to its final days.  —  According to team and league sources …