Tie game, decisions  —  It's tied 1-1 after three innings.  Derek Jeter led off the game with a double and went on to score on a Mark Teixeira single.  CC Sabathia has allowed one run on four hits, with three strikeouts.  —  Joe Girardi said before the game that he wants to have the centerfield job settled by Sunday or Monday.

Valentin among seven cut by Mets  —  Veteran second baseman hopes to catch on with another team  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The composition of the Mets' Opening Day roster came into somewhat sharper focus Friday night, when the club removed seven players from its Spring Training roster.

Taschner to the Phillies done  —  UPDATE: The Giants have traded left-handed reliever Jack Taschner to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Ronny Paulino.  The Giants just announced it.  —  Paulino, 27, is a .278 hitter in 304 big-league games with Pittsburgh, which traded him to Philadelphia in December.

Duchscherer to start season on DL  —  Projected Opening Day starter will have surgery, miss at least six weeks  —  PHOENIX — A's right-hander Justin Duchscherer, a 2008 All-Star and Oakland's projected Opening Day starter when Spring Training opened last month, is headed for surgery …

BREAKING THE GENDER BARRIER  —  A woman pitched for a Japanese professional team today, Friday. … I've thought for a while that the path for women to professional baseball would be through the knuckleball.  Glad to see that happened in Japan.

Tabata addresses wife's charges  —  Bucs prospect believed 2-month-old girl was his daughter  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — Under his own insistence, Pirates prospect Jose Tabata wrote and delivered a statement on Friday concerning the kidnapping charges his wife, Amalia Tabata Pereira …

Melhuse informed he won't make team  —  Rangers decide to go with youth tandem as veteran ponders options  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Adam Melhuse is hitting .632 for the spring.  He is 12-for-19, giving him the highest batting average anywhere in Spring Training for a player with a minimum of 15 at-bats.

New York Mets' Johan Santana ‘ready to go’ on Opening Day after throwing seven innings Friday in 4-1 victory over Nationals … PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — It has been only a month since Johan Santana was sidelined by elbow soreness, sparking widespread concern about his status for Opening Day.

Orioles' Montanez, Trembley clicking better this time around  —  Prospect's lack of maturity irked manager when they were both at Single-A  —  JUPITER, Fla. - Dave Trembley was a no-nonsense minorleague manager who preached respect and responsibility and tolerated nothing less.

Organizational Rankings: #1  —  And we reach the end - the healthiest organization in baseball.  —  Rankings So Far  —  #30: Washington Nationals  —  #29: Florida Marlins  —  #28: Houston Astros  —  #27: Kansas City Royals  —  #26: Pittsburgh Pirates  —  #25: San Diego Padres

A's Acquire Curtis Thigpen  —  By Tim Dierkes [March 27 at 2:23pm CST]  —  According to a press release, the A's acquired catcher Curtis Thigpen from the Blue Jays today for a player to be named later or cash considerations.  They also signed catcher Eric Munson to a minor league deal.

Bucs see trailblazer in infielder Ngoepe  —  Young infielder would be first South African in Major Leagues  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — Gift Ngoepe can't find Pittsburgh on a map.  But he has been told it's colder than his current place of residence, Bradenton, Fla., and his previous place of residence, Randburg, South Africa.

Levine Emerges as the Yankees' Voice  —  When politicians questioned the propriety of the Yankees' $1.2 billion in tax-exempt bonds for their new stadium, Randy Levine, the team's president, scolded them for having their facts wrong or for failing to examine similar financing for the Mets' Citi Field.