They may have put their finger on the problem  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — There are progressions that must continue in Josh Beckett's game.  —  Last season, he went over the 200-inning hump for the first time.  He faced American League hitters for the first time and realized how much tougher the lineups with a DH can be.

Drew still a bit blue: Leaving LA hurtful  —  FORT MYERS - In a perfect world, J.D. Drew [stats] would have made the three-hour bus ride from Vero Beach yesterday and suited up in Dodgers blue.  —  Red Sox spring training:  —  Instead, batting fifth and playing right field for the Red Sox …

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 …

Loose Jenks comes back strong  —  Stretching routine eliminates tightness from spring debut  —  TUCSON, Ariz. — It wasn't about hitting 100 mph on the radar gun.  —  That can wait.  —  It was 93 to 94 mph, mechanically sound and no tightness.  —  More importantly, it was about easing a lot of minds, including his own.

Mariners Notebook: In with the old at M's camp  —  Veterans, retirees offer expertise at spring training  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — It was a flashback to 2001 at Mariners camp Monday, with familiar faces all around.  —  Ichiro Suzuki was the lone holdover from that team until …

Delgado Says That Green Can Be All He Once Was  —  Their friendship goes back to their eight seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays' organization, and it extends beyond baseball.  After the players who did not make the trip to Fort Lauderdale for Sunday's game had finished working out at the Mets' complex …

SPRING BREAK  —  Five ways to pass time on the bus  —  By his count, Ian Kinsler is a veteran of seven trips to Tucson, Ariz., in Rangers camp.  And while most starters would complain about having to make that many two-and-half-hour bus rides, Kinsler doesn't mind because Tucson is his home (he was 2-for-3 with a double Monday).

Nationals plant seeds on farm  —  VIERA, Fla. — On a hot and windy morning, prospect Chris Marrero takes 40 minutes of fly balls and grounders.  Then he does defensive situations, steps in the batting cage and finishes by fielding another 70 balls.  —  Three hours later he and his teammates …

Fuhgeddabout those post All-Star blues  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Hand on his heart, David Wright swears he wasn't trying to steal Alex Rodriguez away from the Yankees, or tell the Mets' front office how to build a dynasty to last through the next decade.  —  All Wright was doing when he offered …

Lawrence's bid to restart career is matter of time  —  Rockies' promise of patience made team a proper fit  —  TUCSON - Brian Lawrence saw the Rockies as the perfect fit.  —  Others, particularly Seattle, offered a bit more money.  —  No team, though, provided the opportunity the Rockies …

Cuban defector Herrera among Pirates' first cuts  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  BRADENTON, Fla. - Cuban defector Yoslan Herrera was among eight players the Pirates reassigned this morning to minor-league camp, trimming their spring training roster to 61.

Making (new) pitch for success  —  Spring training perfect time to experiment and expand one's repertoire  —  Tucson - A year ago, Jeff Francis didn't look anything like a potential big-league ace during spring training.  —  His spring ERA was 5.54.  He surrendered a team-high four homers.

OSWALT NEARLY BECAME MET  —  Late last July, the trade collapsed, and Roy Oswalt didn't land with the Mets.  —  Before last season's trade deadline a little more than seven months ago, the Mets were trying to procure Oswalt, the Houston ace.  They were talking with the Orioles about a follow …

Mariners camp offers chance to make adjustments  —  Spring training ideal setting for M's players to make adjustments  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — It's spring, and that means it's time to tinker.  —  A new pitch or a new arm slot, a shorter swing or a change in weight shift.

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.