Team USA's Kevin Youkilis has mild sprain, tendinitis  —  MIAMI — When it seemed as though the injury news could not get any worse for Team USA, manager Davey Johnson announced on Wednesday that Kevin Youkilis has left the team because of a sore left ankle.

Carpenter looks good  —  On Wednesday, Carpenter added “expedient” to La Russa's plaudits.  —  The righthander became the first Cardinals starter this spring to throw a pitch in the sixth inning as he needed just 64 pitches to collect 18 outs from the Baltimore Orioles at Roger Dean Stadium.

Fergie Jenkins, Greg Maddux to have No. 31 retired by Chicago Cubs  —  At long last, Ferguson Jenkins received the call.  —  The Cubs plan to retire the No. 31 he and future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux wore during a special ceremony May 3 before the Cubs host the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field.

Beltran back after All-World performance in Classic  —  The Mets can only hope that Carlos Beltran will carry his WBC performance into the regular season.  The All-Star centerfielder batted .421 (8-for-19) in six games for Puerto, with a .632 slugging percentage and .542 OBP.

Astros take call about trade (w/more notes)  —  • Photos from Boone news conference and Astros-Yankees game  —  Not long after Aaron Boone announced he would leave the team to have open-heart surgery, Astros general manager Ed Wade received a call from another team informing him they had a third baseman available.

Some Pre-Game Notes  —  Notes, notes, notes.  —  * Reminder: Watch everything tonight on MASN.  Rob Dibble.  Bob Carpenter.  MASN, my friends.  Their updates are more instantaneous than mine.  And in HD!  (Or is it?  Not sure.  Either way, newspapers haven't mastered that trick yet.)

Livan Hernandez closing in on fifth spot in Mets' rotation  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - Omar Minaya referred to Livan Hernandez as “inventory” when the veteran pitcher signed on Feb. 14.  Now, Hernandez is on the verge of claiming the No. 5 spot in the rotation, while team officials appear …

Steinbrenner Is Forever Young in a New Children's Book  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The illustrated George Steinbrenner is smiling and robust on the cover of “One Last Time: Goodbye to Yankee Stadium,” the latest Yankees-themed children's book by Ray Negron, an adviser for the club.

Chipper Jones blasts Toronto, WBC  —  Chipper Jones doesn't have a lot of good things to say about the World Baseball Classic, or his time in Toronto for that matter.  —  Jones, who played third base for the United States until a strained oblique muscle forced him out of the tournament …

Schneider out with knee, calf  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — Catcher Brian Schneider is sidelined indefinitely with a PCL strain in his right knee and a strained right calf.  Schneider injured his knee Tuesday and sat out yesterday's Grapefruit League game here against the Braves before undergoing an MRI exam.

Don't Pay College Athletes?  —  Andy Zimbalist says no to paying college athletes. … The argument is not pay all players or pay none of them.  Right now, a system where some athletes get in-kind transfers (scholarships), and others don't is already in place as schools don't give scholarships to every athlete.

New York Yankees to open their doors for their Bronx neighbors on Thursday, April 2  —  Thousands of fans will get special preview of the new Yankee Stadium  —  The New York Yankees will welcome thousands of their fellow Bronx neighbors for a special preview of the new Yankee Stadium on Thursday, April 2nd at 11 AM.

Pirates Spring Training: Yankees speaking highly of prospects sent to Pirates  —  ‘the Kids’  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Only outfielder Jose Tabata made the trip back to the spring-training workplace formerly known as Legends Field.  The rest of those four New York Yankees refugees stayed behind last night …