Harmonious Yanks' chemical romance  —  TAMPA, Fla. - All of the talk about the Yankees' high-profile, high-character imports - and the team-wide bonding achieved in spring training - won't matter much if they miss another October.  —  Winning always creates the best chemistry …

So far, SNY closed to captioning  —  Carl DeStefanis is deaf, and thus doesn't bother with TV shows that do not offer closed captions.  —  One exception: Mets games on SNY, which he called “a continuous reminder of my disability.”  —  “I can't help but try to watch the Mets,” DeStefanis …

Time for Honesty About the Great Derek Jeter  —  My father used to clip columns from a popular New York sportswriter named Jimmy Cannon that, in his old age, he enjoyed reading to me.  His favorites were about heroes of his youth who were now at their crossroads.

Exploitation, steroids hitting home in Dominican Republic  —  SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — A mid-morning workout on a barren field during a bright Friday in March provides a picture of the dreams baseball engenders in this impoverished country of 9.5 million people.

Padres' ownership transition officially under way  —  Jeff Moorad, the new CEO of the Padres, donned a jersey at a news conference yesterday at Petco Park.  (Nelvin C. Cepeda / Union-Tribune)  —  Jeff Moorad assumed the dual roles of Padres CEO and vice chairman of the board Thursday …

CLEVELAND INDIANS  —  Baseball News, Schedule, Pictures, and More  —  Indians won't pursue Cliff Lee contract extension this season, citing economic uncertainty  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia are left-handed starters, former teammates and have won the last two Cy Young awards in the American League.

Raissman: Meet the Mets' Carlin & Ojeda  —  It wasn't a mirage.  Still, it was a sight you would not expect to see on a beach in Tampa - a big fellow, wearing a trench coat, pacing back and forth in the sand.  Between two fingers was a lit cigarette.  The other hand was holding a cellphone, pressed to his ear.

Ichiro: Time to act like “professionals”  —  By the way, we're not doing Geoff Baker Live! today.  Sorry, but still too many technical issues.  We'll try again tomorrow.  —  So, Ichiro joined the team for the first time since he and Kenji Johjima helped Japan win the World Baseball Classic title.

Johan talks to Perez after tough outing  —  Mets ace expresses team's need for struggling hurler to right ship  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Long fingers are an advantage for a pitcher.  For a man generously listed as 6-foot tall, Johan Santana has relatively long fingers.

For Buchholz, it's a learning curve  —  Clay Buchholz has made it almost all the way back, and so the best thing for him now is to stop.  Take pause.  There is simply no point in destroying what it has taken an entire winter to rebuild.  —  Continuing his resurgent spring yesterday …

Skip Schumaker nails down 2B job  —  JUPITER, Fla. — The goal for Skip Schumaker is to be “average.”  —  Normally, that isn't a very lofty goal for a big leaguer.  But in the case of erstwhile outfielder Schumaker, who is trying to be a most-days second baseman in the big leagues …

O's to reassign Wieters to Norfolk  —  Club to make expected move official Monday; MacPhail: ‘I think he had a good camp’  —  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Orioles told top prospect Matt Wieters on Thursday that he will be reassigned to the Triple-A Norfolk roster effective Monday.

Oakland pitcher Justin Duchscherer likely to begin season on DL  —  PHOENIX — Oakland Athletics starter Justin Duchscherer had another setback in his rehabilitation from an elbow injury and will miss the start of the season.  —  Duchscherer had to stop playing long toss on Saturday morning …

3+ Weeks later, and Jim Bowden is still a major pain in the ass.  —  3+ Weeks later, and  —  Jim Bowden is still a major pain in the ass.  —  Jimbo won't go away, ever.  —  The gift that keeps on giving: Jimbo's inexplicable handshake agreement with Dmitri Young forces Stan's hand …

Bob Sheppard not expected at new Yankee Stadium opener  —  Bob Sheppard likely will not be at the public address microphone when the Yankees officially open their new stadium April 16, his wife, Mary, said Thursday.  —  “His doctor said he doesn't have the stamina yet to go back at this time …

Bud Selig: Baseball's Best Commissioner  —  Columnist George Will writes a letter to the editor at Forbes, defending Bud Selig against claims that he was asleep at the switch as far as PEDs were concerned and that he has, overall, been a poor commissioner.  Money quote: … Alrighty then.