Phillies release Jenkins; eye Sheff?  —  With less than a week until Opening Day, the Phillies released veteran outfielder Geoff Jenkins on Tuesday.  —  The left-handed-hitting Jenkins hit .250 in 11 Grapefruit League games, with one homer and five RBIs.  Last season, his lone campaign …

Spring Game 34: Yankees at Reds (now updated with roster moves)  —  YANKEES  —  Pitching today: Joba Chamberlain.  —  REDS  —  Tavares CF  —  Dickerson LF  —  Votto 1B  —  Phillips 2B  —  Bruce RF  —  Hernandez C  —  Encarnacion 3B  —  Janish SS  —  Owings RHP

AL EAST PREVIEW  —  The division preview series continues with what maybe the strongest division in baseball, the American League East.  I'm rating the core of the team, the eight position players and designated hitter, five starters and closer by value wins or WAR.  —  Tampa Bay Rays

TRUE BREW FANS  —  BLEACHERS ARE AGAIN BEER-ABLE  —  The raucous fans who populate Yankee Stadium's bleachers should return to form this season, now that the team has lifted its nine-year prohibition on performance-enhancing suds.  —  Beer was banned in Section 39 at the old Stadium in 2000 …

It's official: Rockies go with Fowler  —  GLENDALE, ARIZ. — The future is now for the Rockies' Dexter Fowler.  —  Manager Clint Hurdle confirmed today after the Rockies-White Sox game that the fleet 23-year-old center fielder will be on the 25-man roster to begin the 2009 season.

Final: Red Sox 8, Rays 7  —  SOX WIN (3:52, END 9, 8-7 SOX)  —  Ramon Ramirez gave up a one-out single up the middle to Jon Weber and a walk to Zobrist, making the victory precarious, especially after an Adam Kennedy sacrifice fly put the tying run 90 feet from home.

Royals option Hochevar to Triple-A  —  Ponson, Bannister, Ramirez in mix for final rotation slots  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Right-hander Luke Hochevar, one of the prime candidates for the last two spots in the Royals' rotation, was optioned on Tuesday to Triple-A Omaha.

McGehee in; Lamb out  —  By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel  —  Phoenix - Manager Ken Macha just told us that veteran infielder Mike Lamb has been told he won't make the team coming out of spring training.  —  Instead, the Brewers have decided to keep Casey McGehee, who is having a banner camp.

Garland happy, but questions offer  —  TUCSON - As a free agent this winter, Jon Garland said he always had the Diamondbacks, and the National League West, in mind.  He just didn't expect his off-season to transpire the way it did.  —  Not that Garland is complaining.

LACK OF VELOCITY STILL JOBA ISSUE  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — You were seduced by Joba Chamberlain's 100 mph fastball when he introduced himself in 2007 as the premier set-up man in baseball.  —  The Yankees right-hander blew away the best hitters in the majors, and made them look ill against a slider with fangs.

John Calipari leaving Memphis for Kentucky … After over a day of deliberation, John Calipari is headed to Kentucky.  —  The coach sent a text message to ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Tuesday evening saying, “I am accepting the UK job!  Go Big Blue, coach Cal.”

These things will happen this season  —  Manny will be a pain.  A-Rod won't come all the way back.  Just a few of the things you can bank on in 2009.