Cards notebook: Redbirds work on improving defense  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Ozzie Smith, perhaps the best defender in Cardinals history, watched with interest Monday as the club's pitchers went through some bunt defense plays.  —  “The little plays are very important,” the 13-time Gold Glover said.

Clark: Some teams make little effort to justify ticket costs  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Players' union head Tony Clark took the extraordinary step of saying baseball fans should question whether it makes sense to purchase tickets for some teams, responding to Commissioner Rob Manfred's assertion …

NY Mets ace Jacob deGrom draws criticism from Yankees' Luis Severino  —  Jacob deGrom discusses his contract talks with the Mets  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Jacob deGrom isn't concerned with Luis Severino's analysis of how he should handle himself in his contract negotiations.

Tuesday vote critical to Mets stadium renovation, spring training future in Port St. Lucie  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — The New York Mets and St. Lucie County appear to have reached an agreement that will renovate their spring-training stadium, First Data Field, and keep spring training in Port St. Lucie until 2042.

Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. targets Kendrys Morales as mentor  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — As he headed to his first big league camp with the Toronto Blue Jays, touted phenom Vladimir Guerrero Jr. asked his famous father whether he had any words of wisdom for him.

Giancarlo Stanton talks about growing comfort in AL, playing games that matter  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Now that he's playing in the Bronx, the stretch between May and October has a much different significance to Giancarlo Stanton.  It's one he's incredibly thankful for, too.

Red Sox owner John Henry says spending more tends to helps teams win  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. - In apparent contradiction to his own commissioner, Boston Red Sox owner John Henry said Monday that, while there is not a perfect correlation between a bigger payroll and winning, “spending more money helps.”

How Patrick Corbin won the winter  —  Until Bryce Harper and Manny Machado find homes, it's difficult to say which team won the offseason.  Impossible, even.  As for the player who won the winter, well that's a no-brainer.  —  When Patrick Corbin signed with the Washington Nationals …

Mike Trout mum on contract, but feels Angels are poised to ‘make a push’  —  Angels center fielder Mike Trout takes a knee during a spring training practice session in Tempe, Ariz., on Monday.  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)  —  A few hours before the Angels assembled Monday morning …

Giants manager Bruce Bochy will retire after the 2019 season  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Bruce Bochy, who managed the Giants to three World Series championships in a career that is destined to land him in the Hall of Fame, announced Monday that he will retire after the 2019 season, his 13th with the club and 25th as a big-league manager.

Trevor Bauer Is More Concerned With Being Right Than Being Liked  —  He's the ultimate self-made star: an average (if that) athlete who leveraged a sharp baseball intellect and obsession with data into a Cy Young candidacy.  He knows a whole lot more than the rest of us.

Bryce Harper is the biggest story at Phillies camp, but he's not a Phillie or in camp  —  The Washington Post  —  On the night before the Philadelphia Phillies' first full-squad workout of spring training, as he was still batting around in his head what his message to the assembled players would be, Gabe Kapler's phone kept buzzing.

Rajai Davis signs minors deal with Mets, but sees opportunity in majors  —  Brodie Van Wagenen on the Mets' depth  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Rajai Davis didn't hold back in describing his 2018 season.  —  “It was a bad year,” Davis said Monday.  “I had a bad year, so I worked all offseason …

Updates from White Sox spring training: How does Yolmer Sanchez feel about a move back to second base?  —  Photos of the White Sox at spring training at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz., before the 2019 season.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  White Sox manager Rick Renteria dropped this nugget at White Sox camp Monday.

Astros have the best uniforms in baseball, Twitter vote says  —  Major League Baseball posted a bracket for the best uniform in baseball.  —  HOUSTON — Twitter has spoken, and it's the Houston Astros for the win!  —  Major League Baseball posted a bracket for the best uniform in baseball.

Some insight into Woodward's first speech to full squad, and how Rangers received it  —  As always this time of year, Surprise Stadium has turned into the home of the Oregon State Beavers, the defending national champions who have opened their season here for many years running.

Healthy Socrates Brito looking to win bench spot with Diamondbacks  —  Socrates Brito enters spring training as a player to watch for the Diamondbacks in large part because he is out of minor-league options, meaning he'd have to be exposed to waivers if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster.

Cubs' rash of off-field controversies could give team the motivation it needs  —  Any day now, the conversation about the Cubs will return to baseball.  —  Right?  Please?  —  At least that was the hope when Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts arrived Monday in Arizona for his annual spring training session.