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.

Mariners blank Rays behind Ichiro's homer, Hernandez's arm  —  SEATTLE (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki lined James Shields' second pitch of the game for a home run and ace Felix Hernandez helped his injury riddled team with a seven-inning gem in the Seattle Mariner's 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.

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 …