Sheffield wanted in: 'Boston was my first choice'  —  LAKELAND, Fla. - Gary Sheffield desperately wanted to cross enemy lines.  —  The former New York Yankees slugger had only one team on his wish list as last season wound to a close, though he dared not disclose it.

Another down day for Prior  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Just when it looked like Mark Prior's status on this year's Cubs staff couldn't sink any lower, the former rotation big shot pitched his way Saturday from contender for the fifth-starter job to dark horse.  —  Actually, he's behind the dark horse.

Burnitz retires at 37 with 315 career home runs … Jeromy Burnitz, who hit 315 home runs in a 14-year career with the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers and five other clubs, has decided to retire, his agent said.  —  Burnitz, 37, hit a disappointing .230 with 16 home runs in 313 at-bats for the Pittsburgh Pirates in his final season.

How to Appeal to Baseball Fans?  Advice: Don't Try  —  With the wisdom of his 57 years, the greatest third baseman in baseball history can reflect on his career as a cautionary tale for the greatest third baseman of today.  —  Mike Schmidt won multiple Most Valuable Player awards …

Time for Mets to dump troubled reliever  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - Duaner Sanchez, the fat and tardy Mets reliever, arrived at camp at 6:45 a.m. yesterday, a full hour and 15 minutes before he was scheduled to sit down with Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya to explain why he has taken …

Tulowitzki injures wrist  —  Tucson - Troy Tulowitzki, the Rockies' prized rookie shortstop, will find out today if his injured right wrist is merely a bump in the road or a major roadblock.  —  Tulowitzki was hit in the wrist by a fastball thrown by Padres pitcher Doug Brocail in the fifth inning …

Alito trades robe for Devil Rays jersey  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. —Samuel Alito liked being on this bench, too.  Dressed in a green Devil Rays jersey instead of a black robe, the Supreme Court justice stood in the dugout Saturday, getting ready to throw out the first ball before Tampa Bay played …

'New beginning' Sosa's focus now  —  Though he says 'a lot of people' know only one side of his breakup with the Cubs, he doesn't want to talk about it  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — While the ice is thawing in the long-running cold war between Mark Grace and the Cubs, and Steve Stone is back in good graces …

On Baseball |  Hurler injuries common: Phils should keep Lieber  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - The cautionary tales are being written, right in the Phillies' own division.  —  Florida Marlins righthander Josh Johnson will be out two months with a nerve problem in his elbow.

Astros offer Holdzkom back to Cubs  —  Rule 5 Draft selection could opt for free agency  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla, — Following the Astros' game with the Phillies on Saturday, general manager Tim Purpura and manager Phil Garner informed right-hander Lincoln Holdzkom that he cleared outright waivers …

Lion in Winter: A League of His Own, Richard 'Dick' Tracewski  —  Dick Tracewski's sitting in the memorabilia-rich den of his Peckville home, generously tossing out anecdotes from his years in the big leagues.  —  For the most part, his stories tend to involve some member of baseball royalty …

Hit them in the wallet  —  In the end, the Players Association in baseball, and its members, are really only passionate about one thing: Protecting guaranteed contracts, something they think should be covered by the Patriot Act.  The Players Association used to stand for a lot of things, so many of them good and important.

AMAZIN'S OFFERED JOSE TO TRIBE FOR ALOMAR  —  If you think the Roberto Alomar trade was a disaster for the Mets, you should know it could have been worse.  Far, far worse.  —  An official who was involved in the discussions that led to that Dec. 11, 2001 deal said that one of the players …