Initial report on Wang  —  Chien-Ming Wang threw 91 pitches today in Tampa today, 70 for strikes.  —  I'm still gathering the details in terms of hits and runs, but he struck out 11 without a walk and was averaging around 91 with his fastball.  —  Wag pitched in an extended spring training game …

Identity crisis for newcomer O'Day  —  Rangers righty wears Gabbard jersey after joining team  —  TORONTO — To say Darren O'Day's Wednesday was a whirlwind of a day would be a massive understatement.  —  The right-handed reliever began the day looking for work, and by the end of it …

BIG PAPI TO JOBA: DON'T THROW AT US  —  BOSTON — If young Joba Chamberlain misbehaves tomorrow night, he might face a spanking from someone else's Papi.  —  With Chamberlain scheduled to start for the Yankees in the opener of a three-game series against the Red Sox, David Ortiz yesterday …

Cubs' Piniella lays down the law to Milton Bradley  —  Milton Bradley entered Lou Piniella's office at 10:17 a.m. Thursday morning, with a white towel wrapped around his waist and a blue towel covering his head.  —  Bradley wasn't hiding from the paparazzi, but did not want to advertise his visit to Piniella's office.

Blue Jays place closer Ryan, LHP Romero on DL … TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays put closer B.J. Ryan and starter Ricky Romero on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, the latest setbacks for a team with an already thin pitching staff.  —  The two left-handers joined four Toronto righties on the DL.

Valverde hopes to be ready for finale  —  Houston (6-9) vs. Los Angeles (10-5), 7:05 p.m. CT  —  HOUSTON — Jose Valverde was not available to pitch in Wednesday's game, and the same could apply for the Astros' finale with the Dodgers on Thursday.  —  Valverde was stricken with two injuries …

Q&A: Marlins' Wes Helms talks about his love for kickboxing  —  Being a major leaguer is accomplishment enough for most people, but Marlins' reserve infielder Wes Helms has another notch on his belt — actually it's the belt itself.  Helms has a black belt in kickboxing, which he took up in 1995 to improve his agility.

Bush takes no-hit bid into 8th inning, Brewers beat Phillies  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Dave Bush held Philadelphia hitless for 7 1-3 innings before pinch-hitter Matt Stairs homered off the foul pole, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Phillies 6-1 Thursday.  —  Several innings …

Florida's fire sales are history  —  With a new park opening in 2012 and loads of young talent, the Marlins are here to stay  —  We all know what happened the last two times the Florida Marlins put together teams like this.  —  The 1997 World Series champs were calling the moving vans …

Sizemore's three-run HR leads Tribe over Royals  —  CLEVELAND (AP) — A day after grumbling about Cleveland's inability to produce good at-bats, Grady Sizemore took matters into his own hands.  —  Sizemore greeted reliever Ron Mahay with a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the eighth inning Thursday …

Carter: Interest in Mets job was a ‘mistake’  —  Gary Carter received a lot of criticism for expressing his interest in the Mets managerial job last season when Willie Randolph still held the position.  Almost a year later, Carter realizes he made a mistake.

Uh-oh: Cardinals 5, Mets 2 ... Jerry to shake up lineup  —  Now what?  Well, after the Mets lost to the Cardinals, 5-2, on Wednesday night to fall two games under .500, Jerry Manuel plans to shake up his lineup.  Well, shake it up for a day, anyway.  —  Carlos Beltran will move to third …

Inside the 2009 Forbes MLB Franchise Valuations  —  Now in their 12th year, Michael K. Ozanian and Kurt Badenhausen have published the 2009 MLB franchise valuations for Forbes, and with it, the downturn in the economy has cast its shadow across the league.  —  The 30 clubs are valued …