Terrible news  —  I want to let all of THT's readers know that one of our most prolific writers and favorite people, John Brattain, just passed away.  —  Many of us got to know John through the Baseball Think Factory, where his good humor was always on display.

Freddy Garcia assigned to minor-league camp  —  Mets assistant GM John Ricco just informed us that Freddy Garcia, who was fighting a losing battle with Livan Hernandez in the competition for the No. 5 starter role, has accepted an assignment to minor-league camp.

Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Jose Tabata's wife suspect in baby kidnap  —  PLANT CITY, Fla. — A 2-month-old is back in the arms of her parents and the wife of a top Pittsburgh Pirates minor league prospect is suspected of taking the infant from a health clinic outside Tampa, authorities said Tuesday.

Dodgers' Manny Ramirez prefers running to trotting  —  Ramirez hits his first home run of the spring, but he's more encouraged about being able to run the bases full speed on a fly out.  His hamstring feels fine, he says.  —  Reporting from Phoenix — Manny Ramirez belted his first home run …

Strasburg is on the all-time fastest track  —  Buzz up!  —  SAN DIEGO - The radar gun blinks wildly.  It's not used to this.  No one makes it strain to read out a third digit.  It looks like binary code, not the speed of a pitch from a 20-year-old kid: 101.

Audi Becomes Official Luxury Vehicle of the Yankees  —  Audi today announced that the brand is now the official luxury vehicle of the New York Yankees.  The new relationship also includes the naming of the Audi Yankees Club, an exclusive viewing location and membership restaurant, located on the H&R Block Suite Level in left field.

Mike Piazza: The Back Acne Was The Least Of It  —  This is a new weekly column from Leitch.  It has words, and pictures.  It's called Ten Humans Of The Week.  It might or might not work.  But here it is.  —  There has been a lot of talk this week about Mike Piazza, from Murray …

Tim Wakefield passes test  —  Strong outing vs. Yankees  —  TAMPA - If Tim Wakefield [stats] wanted a late-spring test to measure his preseason progress, he got one last night and passed easily.  —  Facing the same lineup the New York Yankees will use on Opening Day …

Rockies Recap: Cubs rough up Smith, bullpen  —  Cubs 9, Rockies 8  —  At the plate: In his first game back from the WBC, Chris Iannetta didn't miss a beat.  Iannetta went 2-for-4 with an RBI single.  —  “I think when I left I was a little jumpy at the plate,” he said.

Danks looks to future for long-term deal  —  Pitcher advised that recent offer was not ‘at the right time’  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Back in January, the possibility of signing a multiyear deal with the White Sox was broached to 23-year-old starter John Danks.

George Kell, former Detroit Tigers broadcaster, dies at 86  —  LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — George Kell, a Hall of Fame third baseman who outdueled Ted Williams for the 1949 American League batting title and became a Detroit Tigers broadcaster for nearly 40 years, died Tuesday.  He was 86.

170,000 tickets sold Tuesday  —  The Yankees put individual game tickets on sale for the first season of their new ballpark and said they had sold 170,000 by midday Tuesday.  —  Yankees chief operating Lonn Trost said the sale began with full-season equivalents at just under 36,000 for the 52,000-capacity ballpark.

Cubs reduce spring roster to 37 players  —  The Chicago Cubs today sent five players to minor league camp, reducing their spring roster from 42 to 37 players.  —  Additionally, the club outrighted outfielder Richie Robnett to Triple-A Iowa.  Chicago's 40-man roster now stands at 38 players.

Yanks, A-Rod discussed tabloid antics … Top Yankees officials are apparently giving Alex Rodriguez a pass on his latest appearance in the tabloids, but they were annoyed and concerned enough about his extracurricular activities and a spate of often unflattering celebrity news stories …

Willis pitches with sense of urgency  —  Left-hander doing what he can to leave camp with Tigers  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — If Tuesday was Dontrelle Willis' last chance to impress Tigers officials, at least he can say he gave it what he had, whatever happens.  —  With a week and a half until …

Jeter returns from WBC, cheered in Yanks' win … TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Derek Jeter rejoined the New York Yankees from the World Baseball Classic and was in the starting lineup at shortstop for Tuesday night's game against Boston.  —  Jeter received a loud ovation from fans at George M. Steinbrenner Field …

World Baseball Classic memories  —  This wasn't a game for words.  Monday's World Baseball Classic finale was a game for the senses: for video and, even more so, for audio.  If I had brought a recording device and just been able to play for you the sounds of the game this morning …

For Nats, Stealing Is a Calculated Move  —  Standing on first base, no outs in the top of the first inning on Sunday, Lastings Milledge reminded himself of the math, only the math.  A four-step lead.  A sharp jump.  He could make it to second base in 3.2 seconds.

Introducing the Baseball Nerd  —  GREAT TRUTH  —  Do not be overwhelmed by the 15 homers propelled yesterday in Surprise by the Angels and Royals, nor any other offense you see in the Arizona boxscores.  An unrelenting 20 MPH wind blew across the fields of the Cactus League.