Why the Red Sox had as good a winter as the Yankees  —  Signings of Smoltz, Penny, Baldelli and Saito fill needs without breaking bank  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — One team tried to solve its problems with $423 million worth of free agents.  The other team brought in a bunch of guys who spent about 423 million days in the trainer's room.

Mets release Sanchez  —  Right-handed reliever never the same after 2006 accident  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Convinced that Duaner Sanchez would not regain the form he had in 2006, the Mets released the 29-year-old right-handed relief pitcher on Tuesday morning.

Brian Cashman says New York Yankees not actively seeking fill-in for Alex Rodriguez  —  TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez will remain in Colorado until he's ready to resume baseball activities, general manager Brian Cashman said, though he does not know when the slugger will reach that point.

Sox re-sign 19  —  The Red Sox agreed to terms with 19 players on one-year contracts this afternoon — including lefthander Jon Lester.  —  But no worries, Sox fans.  The signing today was more or less a formality and doesn't impact the long-term contract Lester is reportedly on the verge of signing.

Fidel Castro's Reflection on Second Baseball Classic  —  Reflections by Comrade Fidel  —  I am trying to follow the events of the Baseball Classic, thanks to our national television services.  —  The game between the teams from Japan and South Korea, Cuba's strongest opponents, took place on Monday March 9.

Kearns, Eckstein, and Adjustments  —  So I have — in the past, by my fellow scribes - been accused of being the president of the Austin Kearns Apologists Club.  It's a nice club over which to preside, because I'm the only one who wants to go to the meetings, and therefore I don't have to consult with anyone else about times or places.

Spring Game 14: Reds at Yankees  —  YANKEES  —  Pitching today: Joba Chamberlain followed by Kei Igawa, Christian Garcia, Phil Coke, Mike Dunn and Anthony Claggett.  —  REDS  —  Dickerson CF  —  Gonzalez SS  —  Bruce RF  —  Phillips 2B  —  Barker 1B  —  Encarnacion 3B  —  Nix LF

Moose pays Yankees a visit  —  Recently retired righty has no regrets over calling it a career  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Mike Mussina made the familiar drive to George M. Steinbrenner Field, and the security guards waved him right into Derek Jeter's parking space.  270 wins do a lot to open the gates.

Amezaga returns to South Florida from Mexico's team in WBC with stiffness in knee  —  JUPITER — Marlins utility player Alfredo Amezaga returned to South Florida from the World Baseball Classic on Monday after experiencing stiffness in his left knee.  —  Amezaga is expected to be evaluated by team doctors Tuesday.

Still No Score  —  With the game scoreless in the top of the seventh, Hanley Ramirez just misses a two-run homer.  Twice he's hit the ball deep but just short of the wall for outs.  Ortiz is up with two out and a man on first.  —  Update: Ortiz falls behind 0-2, works the count back to 3-2 …

THE SPORTS GUY  —  You don't need stats to know greatness.  Meryl taught me that.  —  Next time you're hanging out with friends, ask them this: “Who is the greatest living actor?”  The question will temporarily paralyze them, as if they'd been Tasered.  Everyone watches movies, so the answer should be obvious, right?

Sheets rehabbing with Rangers doctor  —  Texas GM says ‘no connection’ between pitcher's work and team  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Rangers might not be done with Ben Sheets.  —  Sheets, who is recovering from surgery on his right elbow, is doing his rehabilitation work at TMI Sports Medicine in Arlington …

Fehr does not foresee a salary cap  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Although it's a long way off, when the Basic Agreement expires at the end of 2011, Don Fehr said Tuesday he thinks a hard salary cap would be a non-starter in those negotiations.  —  Fehr, the executive director of the Players Association …

Yankees Pitchers Trade Fielding Drills for Putting Practice  —  TAMPA, Fla. — From the two diamonds just outside Steinbrenner Field came the sounds of loud laughter, sporadic shouting, clapping hands and the occasional howl of anguish — not the normal noise associated with the pitchers' fielding practice.