Cool, calm Lowe tosses gem in debut  —  Righty throws eight scoreless innings, gets early support  —  PHILADELPHIA — With a frenzied crowd prepared to bring the defending World Series champion Phillies into the 2009 season, Derek Lowe wasn't provided the best setting to make a good first impression …

Wintry weather delays Sox-Royals  —  Snow, high winds force season opener to Tuesday  —  CHICAGO — Since the 2009 season has yet to officially get under way for the White Sox, Sunday night's postponement of Monday afternoon's Opening Day contest against the Royals at U.S. Cellular Field …

Clement ends comeback bid with Jays  —  Righty plans to retire after nine seasons in the Majors  —  TORONTO — Matt Clement's comeback has come to a close.  The veteran pitcher informed the Blue Jays on Sunday that he plans to retire from baseball after spending the past three years attempting …

Report: Alex Rodriguez could be back with New York Yankees before April's out  —  Alex Rodriguez's progress in rehab after hip surgery is going so well that he could rejoin the New York Yankees by the end of April.  —  Rodriguez  —  When Rodriguez underwent hip surgery on March 9 …

This year, there's no doubting the Rays  —  BOSTON — The Tampa Bay Rays played their first 10 openers with low expectations, and for good reason: They lost early and often in their first decade in the majors, never finishing better than next-to-last or even approaching a winning record.

Aumont to bullpen role  —  This has nothing to do with the major league team right now.  But it could have plenty of impact on the team in the not-so-distant future.  The Mariners have abandonned, for now, any plans to have former No. 1 draft pick Phillippe Aumont continue in a starting role.

Melvin tweaks opening lineup  —  D-backs manager to sit Upton, Reynolds in matchup move  —  PHOENIX — In case anyone doubted just how serious Bob Melvin was about putting his best nine players on the field each game, the D-backs manager announced on Sunday that his Opening Day lineup …

Kearns lands starting job in right field  —  Stellar spring performance impresses manager Acta  —  WASHINGTON — Manager Manny Acta has decided that Austin Kearns will be his starting right fielder when the Nationals open the season against the Marlins on Monday at Dolphin Stadium.

Jose Canseco continues to take shots  —  Revelations about baseball's steroid era have given credibility to the former slugger's claims . . . and he has suspicions about Manny Ramirez.  Still, few are there to listen during a talk at USC.  —  Here sits the great baseball sage Jose Canseco …

Rangers set Minor League rotations  —  The Rangers have set their Minor League rotations for the most part:  —  Triple A Oklahoma City: Doug Mathis, Neftali Feliz, Elizardo Ramirez, Derek Holland and Luis Mendoza.  Thomas Diamond will be in the bullpen to start the season.

About Our Experience At The New Stadium This Weekend - Yankee Stadium Security Needs More Training  —  Nick and I ventured up to the new ballpark in the Bronx for both games this weekend.  We'll just do this in bullets, in order to present the positives and negatives.