Yanks' Nady will avoid surgery on injured elbow … Yankees outfielder Xavier Nady has been diagnosed with a partially torn ligament in his right elbow, but he will avoid surgery, SI.com has learned.  —  The Yankees feared originally Nady could be lost for the season with a completely torn ligament …

Let's not rush to judgment  —  I think a lot of us — myself included — are getting carried away with proclaiming Yankee Stadium the second coming of Coors Field.  —  OK, so 20 home runs were hit in four games.  That's a lot.  But there were 20 home runs hit at the old Stadium from July 31-Aug. 3, 2007.

Now It's the Community Giving Back to Dukes  —  He stayed for the speeches.  He stayed for the parade of Little Leaguers — all 54 teams' worth.  He stayed for the cheerleaders and the introduction of the high school team and the national anthem — perhaps getting a little fidgety, but staying nonetheless.

POST COLUMN GETS METS TO DO WRITE THING ON DOC  —  ST. LOUIS — The Mets buckled under to a heavy fan outcry yesterday and decided to preserve Dwight Gooden's Citi Field autograph after all.  —  After insisting for the better part of two days that Gooden's signature inside the exclusive Ebbets Club …

Speier placed on 15-day DL  —  Rockies reliever sidelined by left hamstring strain  —  PHOENIX — Rockies right-handed reliever Ryan Speier decided not to continue battling a strained left hamstring.  He has other battles he wants to win.  —  The Rockies placed Speier (0-0 …

Marlins lose game, starting pitcher  —  PITTSBURGH - Unlike the Florida Marlins' seven-game winning streak, Nate McLouth's home run ball never came to a complete stop Monday.  —  McLouth's game-icing, 433-foot, three-run homer off Logan Kensing in the sixth bounced off the concourse beyond …

Angels' Reagins begins looking outside for pitching help  —  He acknowledges inquiring about free-agent starters to help an injury-ravaged rotation.  Meanwhile, right-hander Kevin Jepsen is added to the DL.  Infielder Brandon Wood is called up.  —  Angels General Manager Tony Reagins acknowledged today …

Wang to pitch in extended spring training Thursday  —  Chien-Ming Wang will pitch an extended spring training game Thursday in Tampa, a move the Yankees hope will finally give them some answers as to what is troubling their former ace.  —  Wang, who will remain on the Yankees active roster …

Doumit out 8-10 weeks, having surgery  —  Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit will miss 8-10 weeks because of surgery scheduled for his right wrist Thursday.  —  He was diagnosed earlier today with a slightly displaced fracture in the scaphoid bone.  That bone will have pins inserted to fuse …

Orioles place Freel on DL, call up Montanez  —  BALTIMORE (AP) - The Baltimore Orioles have placed Ryan Freel on the 15-day disabled list, one day after he was struck in the head with a ball on a pickoff attempt.  —  Freel was on second base when the throw hit him in the right side …

McCann believes sight problem solved  —  Catcher gets contact lens to correct blurred vision  —  WASHINGTON — Brian McCann was written into the Atlanta lineup for Tuesday's game with the Nationals after getting a contact lens to correct the blurred vision he'd experienced in his left eye over the last two weeks.

Steroids, Angels and a dirty doctor  —  The cornering of Alex Rodriguez and his subsequent admission that he used performance-enhancing drugs represented, for all intents and purposes, the nadir of the steroid era with few, if any, remaining ambiguities: The A-list, Hall of Fame's best used drugs …

Giants Hit Home Run With Ethnic Marketing  —  The San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers have done a great job over the years exploiting the ethnic makeup up their communities.  But I have to give extra credit to the Giants today for its Filipino Heritage Night.

Does the ‘N’ in ESPN stand for Northeast?  —  ESPN says this tops its list of viewer complaints: It has a Northeast bias.  —  Especially when it comes to three baseball teams.  As San Diego Padres pitcher (and ex-New York Met) Heath Bell recently told The San Diego Union-Tribune …

Irabu Comeback in the Works  —  Hat tip to the unintentionally prophetic EWC: Nikkan Sports is reporting noted fat toad Hideki Irabu is working out in LA and aiming to resume his career in the US independent leagues some time this season.  The article says that he's played in amateur games …

Tuesday Dish: Brackman's Back  —  Befitting of a man who stands 6-foot-10, big things have been expected from Yankees righthander Andrew Brackman since he signed for $4.55 million as the 2007 draft's 30th overall pick.  It mattered little that he didn't pitch during the 13 months from May 2007 …