Curt Schilling to D&C on Hall of Fame balloting: 'I can't spend my time being concerned about people's opinions of me that I'll never meet'  —  Former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling checked in with Dennis & Callahan on Wednesday, after falling short of election to the Baseball Hall of Fame …

Could Hamels, Price or Scherzer be answer to Cards' rotation needs?  —  FOX Sports  —  The St. Louis Cardinals say they like their starting rotation.  But that is not preventing them from pursuing a major upgrade.  —  The team is exploring trades for left-handers Cole Hamels and David Price …

Nationals hire Rick Ankiel as “life skills coordinator”  —  Rick Ankiel's weird career has taken another interesting turn, as the retired pitcher-turned-outfielder has been hired by the Nationals as a “life skills coordinator” as part of their minor-league coaching staff.

Veteran catcher signs one-year deal to back up talented prospect Bethancourt  —  A.J. Pierzynski tells a story about his cousin not studying for his finals until the Braves won a game back in a tough stretch for Atlanta  —  ATLANTA — Throughout his long Major League career …

Cubs selling spring training naming rights to Sloan Valve  —  The Cubs announced a partnership with the Sloan Valve Company Thursday which includes naming rights to their spring training ballpark in Mesa, Ariz.  —  Sloan Park will be the new name of what had been known as Cubs Park since the facility opened in 2014.

Pedro Martinez implies that Jorge Posada ignited infamous 2003 Red Sox - Yankees brawl by insulting his mother  —  ‘He let it go a little bit too far with the (Don) Zimmer incident,’ Martinez said of Posada on Daily News Live.  'Between Latinos you don't mention anybody's mother.'

Royals exec Taylor winding down impactful career  —  Dean Taylor has served the Royals as VP of baseball operations and assistant GM since 2006.  —  Dean Taylor's been just about everywhere on the hardball map.  —  There was New Westminster of the Northwest League in 1974, Boise in 1975 …

Yankees prospect Ty Hensley hospitalized in alleged ‘brutal attack’  —  Hensley's attorney, Rob Martin of ICON Sports, issued a statement Thursday.  —  Yankees' pitching prospect Ty Hensley was seriously injured in an alleged “brutal attack” recently, according to his attorney, Rob Martin of ICON Sports.

Rehabbing from second Tommy John surgery, righty agrees to one-year, $1 million contract  —  3/18/14: Josh Johnson makes a heads-up play on Mike Zunino's line-drive to the mound for the final out of the second inning  —  SAN DIEGO — The Padres are taking another chance on right-handed pitcher Josh Johnson.

Ex-Pirates IF Sanchez joins Japan's Eagles  —  TOKYO — Former Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Gaby Sanchez will join the Rakuten Eagles of Japan's Pacific League for the 2015 season.  —  Sanchez was not offered a contract by the Pirates and has agreed to a one-year contract with the Eagles, the team announced Thursday on its website.

Buckel, Deglan enjoying all Australian Baseball League has to offer while honing craft  —  Cody Buckel (left) and Kellin Deglan have been sharpening their skills with the Melbourne Aces.  —  ARLINGTON — The temperature was 97 degrees at noon on Wednesday in Melbourne, Australia.

John McDonald Retires  —  Veteran middle infielder John McDonald has officially retired, according to the Twitter accounts of the Angels, Blue Jays, D-Backs and Indians, each of whom McDonald played for over the life of a 16-year Major League career.  —  McDonald, 40, said in September …

Diamondbacks to have six new managers at minor league affiliates  —  The Diamondbacks will have six new managers at minor league affiliates for 2015, the team announced Wednesday.  —  Phil Nevin, who was said to be a finalist for the Diamondbacks' major league manager position, will return to manage at Triple-A Reno.