DirecTV, MLB agree; cable companies still negotiating  —  NEW YORK — Major League Baseball announced its $700 million, seven-year agreement with DirecTV on Thursday and said the deal contains a provision that allows its "Extra Innings" package of out-of-market games to remain on cable television …

Nationals release Womack, trim roster  —  Team reduces number of players in Major League camp to 56  —  VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals trimmed their roster from 72 to 56 on Thursday, when they gave infielder Tony Womack his unconditional release and reassigned infielders Tony Blanco …

Rest in Peace, Vuk  —  Philadelphia Phillies coach John Vukovich passed away this morning around 10am.  I heard the news from a friend a few minutes after I finished my outing in Ft Myers.  John Vukovich was the closest thing I had to a father since my dad passed away 19 years ago.

Angels' Owner Wants Matthews to Talk  —  When Arte Moreno, the Angels' owner, decided to commit $50 million to Gary Matthews Jr. over the next five years, he thought Matthews would enhance the pleasure he would derive from his team.  However, the first few weeks of Matthews's tenure with the Angels have produced pain instead.

Coats, Pie propel Cubs past Padres  —  Outfielders combine for five hits; Wood allows grand slam  —  Cubs 8, Padres 6  —  Padres at the plate: Terrmel Sledge continued his hot spring with his third home run, a grand slam in the fourth inning that tied the game at 5.  He's hitting .400 this spring with seven RBIs.

Bulk mail ...  We've got an overflowing mailbag this week, with topics ranging from Papelbon to Dice-K to Manny and back again  —  The mailbag is back!  Starting this week, Boston Globe baseball writer Gordon Edes checks in every week (usually on Wednesdays or Thursdays) to answer your questions on the Red Sox.

Cleveland 7, Philadelphia 6  —  WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — Cliff Lee's lingering abdominal injury put a damper on the Cleveland Indians' 7-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.  —  After Shin-Soo Choo's two-run single in the ninth inning won it, manager Eric Wedge addressed the status of Lee …

Love of Your Team Can Soon Be Everlasting  —  For the baseball fan who has everything in the here and now, how about a team-licensed urn for his ashes in the hereafter?  —  Yes, Yankees fans, an aluminum urn with pinstripes, the interlocking NY logo, a place on top for a ball that you might …

Notes: Phillips makes return to Yankees  —  Clemens makes Legends Field visit; Mussina takes his swings  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Andy Phillips returned to the Yankees on Thursday after a week-long absence spent attending to his mother, Linda, following a serious traffic accident in Alabama.

Kinney needs elbow surgery  —  JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Josh Kinney needs elbow ligament-replacement surgery and will likely miss the entire season.  —  Kinney was a top candidate for setup relief pitcher this year.  He first tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching forearm one year ago.

Sox eye Japan trip: Henry: '09 opener possible  —  JUPITER, Fla. - Red Sox [team stats] owner John Henry said yesterday there is "a probability perhaps" that the Red Sox will open their season in Japan by 2009.  —  Red Sox forum:  —  There has been talk that the Red Sox could open …

Ex-big leaguer Holmes linked to steroid probe  —  Former major league pitcher Darren Holmes joined the list of athletes linked to a nationwide steroids investigation.  —  SI.com reported Thursday that Holmes received somatropin, a form of HGH, and testosterone from Palm Beach Rejuvenation in October 2003.