CARL TAKES A SUNDAY DRIVE  —  PAVANO PASSES TEST; TRADE RUMORS FLY  —  Johnny Damon sliced through the garbage that surrounds Carl Pavano's re-entry into the Yankees' universe.  Tagged the "American Idle" for missing all of last year and the second half of the previous season, Pavano became a stranger in his own clubhouse.

AROD: Rodriguez says he's matured in NY  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Fans, for the most part, cheer him at the New York Yankees' spring training complex, but it's not easy being Alex Rodriguez in New York.  —  "It was very easy in Seattle," Rodriguez said of his first of three big-league stops (Seattle, Texas, New York).

Contrasting Auditions for Spot in Mets' Rotation  —  About 15 feet separated John Maine and Philip Humber in the cramped visitors' clubhouse at Fort Lauderdale Stadium.  They were the last of the candidates for the Mets' starting rotation to make their first appearances of the spring …

Rockies' Hurdle: The quiet man  —  This spring, Colorado's manager has turned down the volume  —  Tucson - Manager Clint Hurdle last week officially began the last year of what could be his last contract managing the Rockies.  Yet there exists no sense of urgency, only a startling transformation he promised in January.

Zimmerman Meeting Is 'Positive'  —  Ryan Zimmerman and his agent met with top officials from the Washington Nationals on Sunday morning, a meeting that Zimmerman described as "positive" but which didn't result in a contract for the team's star third baseman.  —  "We weren't going to decide on anything in one day," Zimmerman said.

Curt's Spring Goal: New Pitch  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — No one is about to mistake him for Pedro Martinez, but there was definitely a change in Curt Schilling on Sunday.  —  About nine of them.  —  A year ago, it was throwing inside.  This year, Schilling has made the changeup his pet project in spring training.

Olsen hopes 'wall drill' snaps skid  —  JUPITER — Scott Olsen says he's a better pitcher with his back against the wall.  So, that's exactly the position in which the Marlins left-hander plans to put himself in hopes of reversing his 0-2 start.  —  After allowing three walks and three runs …

Upton's throwing woes return and get plenty of company … ST. PETERSBURG - The team-record six errors the Devil Rays made in Sunday's 7-4 loss to Toronto were concerning enough that there will be extra fielding practice this morning.  But most glaring was two were on throws from third by B.J. Upton …

Billy Packer, Information Dissemination Specialist  —  Of all the "Sweet Christ, Billy Packer is so full of equine excrement" moments, we have to say, the "Just Going For The Ball!" foul from Gerald Henderson on Tyler Hansbrough at the end of the Duke-UNC game is definitely near the top of the list.

Sweet Lou quickly turning sour  —  MESA, Ariz. — The Cubs started the 1997 season with a National League-record 14 straight losses.  —  Ten years later, manager Lou Piniella is hoping to see his team win a Cactus League game before the end of spring training.

Bringin' Some Serious Cheese: Matt Cain  —  THE POWERFUL MECHANICS OF MATT CAIN  —  Let's break him down, shall we?  —  TEMPO  —  You knew I'd start here, right?  Needless to say, I certainly like how Cain goes about it.  Once he gets going, he doesn't stop.  Momentum is your friend.

Angels' Moreno unhappy with uncertainty on Matthews  —  Owner says that he expects a resolution by opening day regarding the center fielder's alleged link to human growth hormone shipment.  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Angels owner Arte Moreno said Sunday he would not let the uncertain situation …

Signature pharmacists plead not guilty  —  ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Six people pleaded not guilty Monday to charges they operated a widespread Internet scheme that illegally sold steroids nationwide to clients that reportedly include professional athletes, celebrities and top bodybuilders.

Back in control … FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. // The sound of a bullpen phone ringing.  That's all it took for pitcher Rob Bell's heart to pound, his palms to sweat, his body to shake.  —  One call from his team's dugout, and his baseball life felt as if it were ripping apart at the seams.

Does anything in spring translate to regular season?  —  They're already grumbling in Philadelphia.  The Phillies, after a strong offseason that has elevated them to the status of NL East favorites, have started their exhibition season by losing four of their first five games.

McCarthy could become a real bear  —  SURPRISE, Ariz.—When it comes to trades, Jon Daniels is young and fearless, finally restoring an aggressive attitude to the Rangers' front office after a previous four years of the Barney Fife administration.  —  Being bold does not alone make a good baseball general manager.

Notes: Schilling changing with times  —  Changeup will play major part of Sox ace's arsenal in 2007  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — One of the premier power pitchers of this era, Curt Schilling feels that the time has come to become more diverse.  Schilling is 40 now, and he feels it's time for a change.

Cox is hoping Braves' new bullpen saves best for last  —  VERO BEACH, Fla. - That was quite a ripple Bobby Cox caused around the baseball landscape the other day when he offhandedly told a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he would very likely be packing it in as Braves manager in two more years.