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.

Padres claim fan threw toy syringe  —  Giants outfielder Barry Bonds said a fan tossed a syringe at him during Monday's game at San Diego.  —  Bonds picked up the object — about the size of a fat cigar — and carried it off the field in the eighth inning.  The object did not appear to have a needle.

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 …

Pettitte, bats unable to get on track  —  After Astros receive rings, left-hander struggles in '06 debut  —  HOUSTON — The Houston Astros were honored on Tuesday during a pregame ring ceremony that recognized their accomplishments on the field in 2005.  —  Unfortunately for the Astros …

Offense not so Lee-pendent  —  CINCINNATI — One of the many encouraging signs for the Cubs during their season-opening 16-7 victory Monday against the Cincinnati Reds was that first baseman Derrek Lee did very little offensively and still came away with two RBI.

Song belongs to Met-tallica  —  Billy, not Mo, entered as the first 'Sandman'  —  Not only should the Mets play "Enter Sandman" when closer Billy Wagner takes the mound at Shea, the manager of Metallica says they should turn up the volume.  —  "Frankly, they could have played it louder …

Gooden sentenced to year in prison for drug use  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Former baseball star Dwight Gooden was sentenced Wednesday to a year and a day in prison for violating probation by using cocaine.  —  The 41-year-old pitcher was serving three years of probation for speeding away from a police officer during a drunken driving stop.

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 …

Notes: Bowen happy to be in San Diego  —  Barfield's Opening Day is magic; Young prepares to bat  —  SAN DIEGO — As the rains came down Tuesday — eventually forcing the Padres' first home postponement since 1998 with a rescheduled game on July 1 at 12:05 p.m. PT — the newest Padre, Rob Bowen, made the rounds in the clubhouse.

Piazza hits jackpot with first swing as a Padre  —  Mike Piazza swung that big swing of his for the first time as a Padre and launched a 92 mph fastball into the cloudy skies above Petco Park.  —  Piazza stood for a moment and watched the ball sail toward right field, then slowly left the batter's box to begin his home run trot.

Sports Print Edition  —  Zito: NY suits me  —  A's lefty agrees with Damon, Giambi that he would like atmosphere  —  OAKLAND, Calif. — Barry Zito's former Athletics teammates Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon said they believe Zito, who's due to become a free agent after this season, would thrive in New York.

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 …

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.

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.