Armed with advice from Brock and Furcal, Wong aims for more bunts and steals  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Former shortstop Rafael Furcal, a member of the 2011 Cardinals' World Series championship club, dressed out for a Cardinals workout before a recent home exhibition game …

Tanaka?  Paxton?  Happ?  Keuchel?!  Handicapping the Yankees' Opening Day starter  —  TAMPA, Fla. — All winter, it was practically a foregone conclusion who'd be starting Opening Day for the New York Yankees.  —  Then, about 15 minutes prior to Tuesday's spring training game against the Braves …

Robot umps, shift ban coming to Atlantic League  —  Baseball's potential future will be showcased in the independent Atlantic League this year, and it includes robot umpires, a 62-foot, 6-inch distance between the pitcher's mound and home plate, and no infield shifting.

Giants' Farhan Zaidi still pursuing outfielders  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — With Bryce Harper in another division and on another coast, the Giants' contingency plan for their outfield is materializing, albeit slowly.  —  “With the kind of investment and duration in a guy like Harper …

Padres hit five homers in victory over Rangers  —  Manny Machado, right, and Ian Kinsler, left, walk off the field after playing in a spring training game.  (Ross D. Franklin / AP)  —  Score: Padres 11, Rangers 8  —  Batter's box: It was against a pitcher who has thrown five innings above Double-A …

Column: White Sox outfield was among baseball's least productive last year — and its future looks shaky until Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert arrive  —  Photos of Eloy Jimenez, the White Sox outfielder and No. 4-ranked prospect by Baseball America.  —  Chicago Tribune

Cincinnati Reds pitchers hit around in 11-3 spring training loss to Seattle Mariners  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Reds pitchers allowed 13 hits, five walks and two homers in an 11-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday at Goodyear Ballpark.  —  Lefty reliever Brandon Finnegan walked …

Report: Astros have made one- and two-year contract offers to Dallas Keuchel  —  The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Astros have made one- and two-year contract offers to free agent starter Dallas Keuchel.  The offers, however, were not what the lefty is looking for.

Marlins offer challenge during Justin Verlander's third spring start for Astros  —  JUPITER, Fla. — With two men aboard in the fourth inning, A.J. Hinch stepped from behind the batting screen where he watched Justin Verlander work.  The manager stepped toward the mound and prepared to pull his ace.

‘Simpsons’ Episode Featuring Michael Jackson's Voice to Be Pulled  —  A classic episode of “The Simpsons” featuring Michael Jackson's voice will be removed from circulation, the show's longtime executive producer, James L. Brooks, said.

Arizona Diamondbacks balancing heavy reliever workloads with light springs  —  The second half of last season spiraled out of control for Archie Bradley, and the Diamondbacks reliever has his theories as to what went wrong.  There are some possibilities he views as more likely than others …

Martinez working hard to be a hit with Blue Jays hitters  —  DUNEDIN — Justin Smoak is a former American League all-star who has gone through so many swing changes in his career that he's lost count.  —  So how does one of the youngest hitting coaches in the major leagues approach …

Wait, Rafael Palmeiro has been honored with his own statue?  'I feel I've made it'  —  Rafael Palmeiro fell off the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot five years ago.  He's essentially an outcast from Major League Baseball.  The organizations where he put together the bulk of a stellar career …

Detroit Tigers' Drew VerHagen getting checked out, battling ‘dead arm’  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — After nearly two weeks of spring training action, the Detroit Tigers finally have an injury concern on their hands - and some paranoia to boot.  —  Drew VerHagen, the right-handed reliever who is counted …