Players Avoiding Arbitration: Thursday  —  As of Thursday morning, there were just 14 players with unsettled arbitration cases (per MLBTR's Arb Tracker).  While some of the remaining cases figure to end in an arbitration hearing, there will still be a few more settlements to avoid that outcome.

Phillies continue to have trouble dealing Papelbon  —  FOX Sports  —  Trading Jonathan Papelbon continues to be a problem for the Phillies.  —  To illustrate the difficulty that the Phillies are experiencing in trying to trade Jonathan Papelbon, consider a recent turn in their discussions with the Brewers.

Matt Harvey: A-Rod's return is ‘exciting, good for baseball’  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - Matt Harvey is busy forging his comeback from Tommy John surgery, but he is keeping an eye on the Alex Rodriguez saga with the Yankees.  He offered words of support to Rodriguez, who apologized to Yankees brass on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.

Mariners To Sign Rickie Weeks  —  FEB. 12: Weeks can also earn up to $2MM worth of incentives on his deal with Seattle, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (via Twitter).  —  FEB. 11: The Mariners and second baseman Rickie Weeks are in agreement on a one-year, $2MM Major League deal …

Pitcher becomes second Ray to strike out four in one frame  —  5/10/13: Will Venable strikes out but reaches on a wild pitch and later scores on a balk in the midst of Alex Cobb's four-strikeout inning  —  ST. PETERSBURG — One of the stranger frames of the Rays' season took place …

James Shields' agent on contract negotiations: We didn't overreach  —  FOX Sports  —  James Shields' agent says his client ‘has been one of the best pitchers in the game for eight years,’ so when it comes to his contract negotiation, 'I don't understand what “overreached” means.'

Yanks take high school righty DeCarr in third round  —  The Yankees select right-handed pitcher Austin DeCarr with the 91st pick of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft  —  The Yankees dipped into Red Sox country for their second selection in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft …

As Scott Walker mulls White House bid, questions linger over college exit  —  (Family Photo/For The Washington Post)  —  MILWAUKEE — Scott Walker was gone.  Dropped out.  And in the spring of his senior year.  —  In 1990, that news stunned his friends at Marquette University.

Celebrated little league team stripped of championship title  —  CHICAGO (AP) — A Little League team that captured the attention of the nation and the hearts of its hometown was stripped of its national title Wednesday after an investigation revealed that team officials had falsified boundaries …

Plenty of interest in Cole Hamels, but no trade yet  —  A week before spring training, a number of Phillies remain very much available for trades.  —  Cole Hamels is still the most coveted Phillie.  —  How many teams have shown interest in the left-hander this offseason?

Governor Rick Scott Announces the Nationals and the Astros Will Keep Spring Training in Florida  —  Governor Rick Scott today announced that the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros, whose leases come up for renewal next year, have chosen to stay in Florida.