Dodgers 2, Red Sox 1  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. —Josh Beckett is used to pitching in his new league.  Hideki Okajima is starting to adjust.  —  Beckett pitched three shutout innings on Monday and Okajima added one scoreless inning for Boston before Los Angeles scored twice off relievers and the Dodgers beat the Red Sox 2-1.

It's as easy as 1-2-3 for Lester  —  Lefty's eight-pitch outing a small but meaningful step  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — You can forget how big a guy he is.  How big his hands are.  How fluid his delivery is.  How much poise he has for a pitcher who is 23 years old.

Notes: Shin splints sideline Hamilton  —  Outfielder will be rested against his former team  —  SARASOTA, Fla. — Opposing pitching has yet to slow down Reds outfielder Josh Hamilton this spring, but sore legs temporarily have.  —  Because he's been bothered by shin splints …

Pie provides punch for Cubs  —  Outfielder rips three hits to help sink Mariners  —  CUBS 6, MARINERS 5  —  Mariners at the plate: Center fielder Jeremy Reed had his first two hits of the Cactus League season, a two-run double during a four-run second inning, and a bunt single in the third.

Guillen itching to bat Iguchi seventh  —  Likes idea of Erstad, Podsednik at top, 2nd baseman in RBI slot  —  MARYVALE, Ariz. — The Tadahito Iguchi experiment will continue at least through the middle of spring training, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.

It's The Hardball Times 2007 Season Preview  —  by clicking...  Pitchers are pitching, batters are batting, fielders are fielding and managers are mouthing platitudes.  This sure seems like a good time for The Hardball Times to unveil its first-ever season preview.

Nats roughed up by Braves  —  Williams hit hard in six-run second; Fick belts three-run homer  —  BRAVES 14, NATIONALS 5,  —  Braves at the plate: Chipper Jones and Craig Wilson both had two-run doubles in Atlanta's six-run second inning.  Brian McCann contributed a single and a double.

Mailbag: What's up down on the farm?  —  Fans curious about Teixeira, Francisco, Rangers rotation  —  Time to talk about the Minor Leagues before we get to the usual questions.  But you can always talk about anything you want at Monday Morning Manager, now playing at Postcards from Elysian Fields.

Making a case for the Padres defense  —  PEORIA, Ariz. - Catch the ball.  If necessary, throw it to the right place.  Padres fielders were better at those tasks than the competition tended to be last year.  San Diego was first overall in defensive efficiency - converting balls in play into outs …

Agent optimistic Roberts will get extension … FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. // Mark Pieper, the agent for second baseman Brian Roberts, left Fort Lauderdale Stadium today after meeting with Orioles officials for over an hour, without a contract extension for the second baseman, but optimistic that one could get done soon.

Morneau willing to deal  —  AL MVP instructs agent to resume talks  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — The American League's reigning Most Valuable Player could end up receiving another prize before the start of the regular season.  —  First baseman Justin Morneau said Sunday that he expects …

Pirates benefit from culture shock in '07  —  Strong second half in 2006 changed club for the better  —  The culture changed and the results changed, too.  Now, for the first time in many years, the Pittsburgh Pirates enter spring with the building blocks of success in place.

Notes: Jones, Parra move past injuries  —  Suppan makes anticipated debut; Jenkins in a hitting groove  —  PHOENIX — A group was sitting in Brewers manager Ned Yost's office over the weekend and the subject of right-hander Mike Jones and left-hander Manny Parra came up.