Bowden eager for what season brings  —  GM puts travails of Spring Training in rearview mirror … MLB.com: After watching the Nationals go 9-23-1 during Spring Training, how concerned are you about this team?  —  Jim Bowden: Wins and losses in Spring Training are no reflection of your baseball team.

Muscle strain lands Nomar on 15-day DL  —  LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed first baseman Nomar Garciaparra on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday because of a strained muscle in his right side and recalled James Loney from Triple-A Las Vegas.  —  The 21-year-old Loney …

Angelos to testify on Nats' TV deal … WASHINGTON // A congressional committee has invited Peter Angelos to testify at a hearing Friday on problems with the Washington Nationals' television deal, and the Orioles owner said he plans to show up and provide his version of why so few Nationals games are available to many fans.

Stadium vote goes Royals' way  —  Tax measure passes to renovate Kauffman Stadium  —  KANSAS CITY — The Royals' rebuilding program now includes more than a team.  It also includes Kauffman Stadium.  —  A sales tax vote to renovate the Royals' home and the NFL Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium …

Future Shock  —  Prospect Interview: Dustin Pedroia  —  Not to belabor the point, but Dustin Pedroia's 2006 spring training did not go as expected.  One look at the Red Sox statistics from Fort Myers says it all: one game, one at-bat, one strikeout.  It was the swing on strike three …

Angels run out of rallies  —  Blasts by Anderson, Rivera, Salmon can't cap comeback  —  SEATTLE — Pitching is designed to be the stabilizing force for the Angels this season, but John Lackey's outing Tuesday proved that any plan is only as good as its execution.

Estes debuts against former team  —  San Francisco (0-1) at San Diego (1-0), 7:05 p.m. PT  —  Looking for his 100th Major League win, southpaw Shawn Estes makes his first start as a Padre against his original team, the Giants, for whom he won 19 games in 1997 and 15 in 2000.

Cards Notebook: Jocketty will negotiate contracts during season  —  PHILADELPHIA — With so many players on contracts that expire at the end of this season and not a one inked to an extension in spring training, Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty will break from his preferred policy of not negotiating in the regular season.

Clemens gets NL ring, remains unsure of future  —  HOUSTON — Even Roger Clemens' sons want an answer.  —  Clemens watched on television Monday night as the Houston Astros beat the Florida Marlins in their season opener.  —  "My little ones, they're putting their two cents in every night …

Jim Bowden: Scouting our way to the top  —  WASHINGTON - The Washington Nationals future will depend on the success of the player development and scouting departments over the next four to five years.  I was very pleased with our first two selections of last year's draft as both Ryan Zimmerman …

Hendry's best moves offset duds  —  CINCINNATI — Jim Hendry is an unapologetic throwback, the kind of front-office executive who still values his scouts' opinions over a computerized printout of every statistic imaginable.  —  He's one of the rare general managers for whom agents have nothing but praise …

Notes: Mo puts 'Sandman' debate to rest  —  Matsui's streak continues; No news yet on Pavano's MRI exam  —  OAKLAND — Metallica's "Enter Sandman" was a hot topic of conversation in New York on Tuesday, as fans argued over Mets closer Billy Wagner's use of the tune as his entrance music.

Rob Neyer and Baseball's Blunderous Past  —  "This is worse than a crime, it's a blunder" - Charles M. de Talleyrand  —  I can remember it like it was yesterday...  Yelling at the tube like a blithering idiot, my head swiveling back and forth so hard I nearly pulled a Linda Blair.  Hands in the air.

Bannister makes his debut vs. Nats  —  Washington (0-1) at New York (1-0), 7:10 p.m. ET  —  On the Mets first off-day of the season, at least one of them will be working.  Brian Bannister, who seldom lets them see him sweat, needs to perspire.  —  Bannister will be at Shea Stadium …