Astros' insurance claim on Bagwell denied  —  HOUSTON — An insurance claim filed by the Houston Astros to try to recoup $15.6 million of injured first baseman Jeff Bagwell's contract has been denied.  —  The Astros, who in January deemed Bagwell too injured to play, filed the claim …

Bonds: 'My life is in shambles.  It is crazy'  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Seven home runs shy of passing Babe Ruth, this should be a time of unbridled joy and excitement for Barry Bonds.  —  Not so, he says.  —  "My life is in shambles.  It is crazy," Bonds said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press.

Beckett, Howard star in daytime drama  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — For a moment, after 252-pound Ryan Howard had thrown down his glove and raised his arms, challenging 222-pound Josh Beckett, it looked as though the two might go.  Power pitcher vs. power hitter, with bat and ball nowhere in sight.

Quitting time?  Grissom ponders future  —  MESA, Ariz. — Marquis Grissom played nine innings Monday for the first time this spring and said afterward he's "evaluating myself" more than the Cubs are evaluating him.  —  Grissom, a non-roster invitee, is hitting .200 and in danger of being one of the final roster cuts.

Ask Hal: Reds will probably play Womack at second base  —  Hal McCoy, the Dayton Daily News' hall-of-fame baseball writer, knows a thing or two about America's pastime.  If you'd like to tap into some of that knowledge, send him an e-mail at hmccoy@daytondailynews.com.  For more Ask Hal, log on to daytondailynews.com/reds

Mailbag: How will fans treat Soriano?  —  Beat writer Bill Ladson answers Nationals fans' questions … Do you think Nationals fans will boo Alfonso Soriano at all this year?  Shouldn't fans just make him feel at home at this point?  The team really seems to have taken to him.

PEDRO'S RETURN  —  March 27, 2006 — PORT ST. LUCIE - Only one thing mattered for the Mets yesterday: Pedro Martinez, for the first time this year, was on the mound against an opposing team.  —  With just over a week left in spring training, Martinez made his exhibition game debut.

Mail  —  Well, we're just about ready to wind things down in Viera, Fla., and make the long trek back north for Opening Day.  And what a spring it has been.  Seriously, didn't it feel like some kind of major story was breaking every day for the last six weeks?

With Millar's help, Mazzone gets tattoo  —  O's pitching coach gets red-and-blue pennant on left shoulder  —  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Credit Kevin Millar with his first scoop as a participatory journalist.  Baltimore's part-time first baseman and outfielder has also been keeping a diary for MLB.com …

And the 2006 champs will be ...  This probably will be my dumbest column of the year, and I say "probably" only to allow for some future knuckleheaded analysis that may fly off my fingers on a moment's notice.  —  A column predicting the next World Series champion ensures that the writer will A.) …

Fists flying ...  For the second straight day, the Red Sox were involved in a bench-clearing incident in a spring training game.  —  In the top of the eighth, Sox reliever Julian Tavarez threw a punch at Devil Rays outfielder Joey Gathright after he slid into home plate (with Tavarez covering).

Notes: Lee returns to Cubs  —  First baseman left squad for family emergency  —  MESA, Ariz. — Derrek Lee rejoined the Chicago Cubs on Monday, eager to get back to work after spending the weekend in California to deal with a family emergency.  —  As Lee was headed to the Cubs game last Friday …

And an Idiot Shall Lead Them  —  Johnny Damon may or may not deliver the Yankees to the promised land, but he's their most likable savior in years.  —  O  —  n the first day of spring training at Legends Field in Tampa, Florida, things looked a lot like they did last year.  Carl Pavano was still hurt.

passing go  —  quoting from VEB back on february 8: … and so it has, apparently.  read and weep at the official site: … that gibes with derrick goold's chat post yesterday to the effect that encarnacion will be getting "a test drive" in the #2 hole, as that's where TLR would prefer him.

Anderson Does Well in the Field  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — So much for working his way back into the lineup as a designated hitter.  After missing almost three weeks because of strained tissue in his left foot, Garret Anderson returned to left field Sunday, hitting a run-scoring single in three …

Two on Two: 2006 AL West Preview  —  Our season previews roll on today, as we stay out on the left coast to preview the AL West.  In the hot seat with Rich and Bryan today are Tyler Bleszinski (Blez) from Athletics Nation and Rob McMillin from 6-4-2.  Before we begin, here's a quick look at our previous division previews:

Dodgers cut bullpen candidates  —  Wunsch reassigned; Hamulack, Houlton, Broxton to Triple-A  —  VERO BEACH, Fla. — The Dodgers' bullpen situation became clearer on Monday, when the club cut four candidates, most notably its two remaining situational left-handers, Kelly Wunsch and Tim Hamulack.