Gardner wins Yanks' center-field job  —  Speedster beats out Cabrera in Spring Training competition  —  TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees have officially announced that Brett Gardner has won a starting job to open the 2009 season, likely making him the first player to patrol center field at the new Yankee Stadium.

Newhan released by Astros  —  Veteran irked by exclusion from backup-infielder competition  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Astros trimmed two players from their roster Sunday morning when they released infielder David Newhan and reassigned Chad Paronto to Minor League camp.

Royals cut infielder Hernandez  —  Shortstop batted .231 (9-for-39) in 14 Cactus League games  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — Infielder Luis Hernandez was re-assigned to the Royals' Minor League camp after Sunday's game.  —  Hernandez, a non-roster player, batted .231 (9-for-39) in 14 Cactus League games.

McGowan Rehab Takes a Hit  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The optimistic view late last July when Dustin McGowan underwent surgery to repair the frayed labrum in his pitching shoulder was that he would be ready to rejoin the 2009 Blue Jay rotation out of training camp.

Ten things for Monday  —  Ten things for a Monday morning:  —  1. The Cubs' Kevin Gregg/Carlos Marmol closer situation is not set in stone.  “I think it's the right way to start the season and take some pressure off Marmol,” Lou Piniella said Sunday.  “We'll see how it evolves.”

First Look: Citi Field  —  (Let's try an experiment — follow along with this travelogue at this album on Facebook.  If it doesn't work, holler in the comments and I'll put it on Flickr or something.)  —  The first thing that I saw at Citi Field and the first thing that happened …

Reliever Will Ohman tries out for specialist role  —  Veteran is offered a contract, believed to be for $1 million for one season, to be the Dodgers' situational left-hander but the team is still awaiting a decision.  —  Reporting from Phoenix — The Dodgers remain active on the free-agent market …

Braves season preview: The outfield  —  As a preview to the upcoming Braves season, AJC staff writer Carroll Rogers breaks down the team by position.  Today, the outfield.  —  Jeff Francoeur can single-handedly turn around the production of the Braves' outfield.

Projected No. 1 pick Strasburg's $50 million figure and much more … That $50 million figure that's being attached to ballyhooed college pitching prospect Stephen Strasburg is no joke.  Baseball people who have spoken to Strasburg's adviser Scott Boras say they believe that's the figure Boras …

Owens waived by White Sox  —  PHOENIX - Jerry Owens said he was waived Monday by the White Sox, giving Dewayne Wise the starting center field job and leadoff duties.  —  “I can't say my performance was helping me at all,” Owens said.  “Dewayne is a great player and he picked it up the last few weeks.

A.J. believes in Jeter's pitch  —  TAMPA - A.J. Burnett wasn't a member of the 2008 Yankees, yet he may have played as big a role as anybody in the Bombers' streak of 13 straight years in the postseason coming to an end.  —  Burnett went 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA in five starts against the Yankees …

Seaver & Piazza to return … Best Of NYDN.com

Wilkerson leaves team  —  Red Sox manager Terry Francona confirmed to reporters this morning that outfielder Brad Wilkerson has left the Red Sox.  He doesn't figure to be in the major league team's plans heading into the regular season.  —  Wilkerson, who had signed a minor-league deal …