Sources: Oakland Athletics, shortstop Orlando Cabrera agree to deal  —  Free-agent shortstop Orlando Cabrera has agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with the Oakland Athletics, who also are closing in on a deal with veteran infielder Nomar Garciaparra, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney on Monday.

Murphy's blast gives Orioles the win  —  Bergesen makes sub start, hurls three shutout frames vs. Sox  —  ORIOLES 5, RED SOX 3  —  Red Sox at the plate: Second baseman Nick Green doubled in a run in the fourth inning, and then he singled and scored on Ivan Ochoa's game-tying home run in the seventh.

About Screech's Unveiling  —  Of course it snowed.  —  I mean, this is the Nats, Spring of '09.  The prospect was four years too old, the GM resigned, the Dominican operation was dismantled, the free agent pitcher held out and got dropped, and the D.C. area was savaged by snow …

For Reyes, goal made to order  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - Jose Reyes now has added incentive for the Dominican Republic to advance far in the World Baseball Classic.  Jerry Manuel said Sunday that a lengthy absence from camp, such as reaching the March 23 finals at Dodger Stadium …

Alex Rodriguez's compliant cousin  —  First cousin has done everything for A-Rod, perhaps even injecting him with steroids  —  A few years ago, Roger Ball called his good friend Yuri Sucart about getting tickets to a Texas Rangers game for a female friend.

Joe Torre's “The Yankee Years.”  —  Joe Torre will be back in town on Tuesday, July 7th, reassuringly on view behind the batting cage at Citi Field as he prepares his Los Angeles Dodgers for a three-game series against the Mets.  Last year, he took the Dodgers into the National League Championship Series …

Jake Peavy remains interested in joining Cubs  —  Deal might be re-examined after sale of team finalized  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — The Jake Peavy saga began in November and lasted through most of the off-season, leaving Cubs fans wondering if the Padres ace would be in blue pinstripes by Opening Day.

DeJesus could miss the season  —  This according to Joe Torre, but Stan Conte said it's too early to know for sure.  DeJesus has a broken left tibia.  He was admitted to a local hospital, at least overnight, and they will decide tomorrow whether to do surgery.  Good thing the Dodgers signed Furcal for three more years.

Spring Game 6: Yankees at Astros  —  YANKEES (2-3)  —  Pitching today: Chien-Ming Wang followed by Tomko, Jackson, De La Rosa, Dunn, Claggett, Kontos.  —  ASTROS (1-4)  —  Matsui 2B  —  Bourn CF  —  Berkman 1B  —  Lee LF  —  Blum 3B  —  Pence DH  —  Erstad RF  —  Kata SS

Ex-Yank pitcher Sturdivant dies at 78  —  Tom Sturdivant, a control artist and stalwart starting pitcher who won a combined 32 games for the 1955 and 1956 Yankee championship teams, has died.  —  Sturdivant, who died Saturday in Oklahoma City, was 78.  —  Before an arm injury in 1958 hampered …

For Now, Kasten Is In Charge  —  Team President Stan Kasten greeted a few media members just before lunch today by saying, “I'm here at the advice of my advisors.”  Those would be his PR guys, Mike Gazda and John Dever, who notified Kasten of the Fourth Estate's collective desire to chat.

Tabata to undergo MRI  —  Right shoulder soreness for one of the Pirates' top prospects  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — Outfielder Jose Tabata will have an MRI done on his right shoulder on Tuesday after alerting the Pirates' medical staff to some recent soreness in that shoulder.

MLB Payroll Efficiency, 2006-2008  —  The Commissioner's Office released the final baseball payrolls for 2008 in late December.  Not surprisingly, the New York Yankees spent $75 million more than the next highest team (Boston Red Sox) and $126 million over the average MLB team.

Minor League Transactions  —  Boston Red Sox  —  The slick-fielding, switch-hitting Ochoa made his big league debut last July 12, as the Giants searched for someone—anyone—who could provide more offense than Brian Bocock.  Ochoa, who had signed as a minor league free agent, fit the bill, even in batting .200/.244/.267.

A-Rod joined by ex-wife before WBC workout  —  JUPITER, Fla. - On the heels of a meeting with MLB investigators and as he prepares for the World Baseball Classic, it was another bizarre scene featuring Alex Rodriguez.  —  Minutes before the Dominican Republic team was about to take the field this afternoon …

Padres work out top Latin prospects  —  Club hosts invitation-only camp at premier Dominican facility  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — A year ago, the Padres made a big splash by signing five international players for a total of $5 million and opening an $8.5 million training facility in the Dominican Republic.