Soler waived as strange trip ends  —  VIERA, Fla. - Alay Soler's difficult journey to Flushing has reached a dead end.  —  The Mets released the Cuban defector last night, the Daily News has learned.  Soler, pitching in relief of Chan Ho Park yesterday, allowed two runs on three hits …

How the Colorado Rockies Can Win the World Series  —  Will talks with Tracy about the Rockies' chances on Baseball Prospectus Radio.  Click to download the mp3.  —  Hall of Famer George Brett, in uniform with the Kansas City Royals this spring, was reflecting on the emergence …

Former Marlin Castillo may be on move again  —  FORT MYERS - The only thing that's changed is the uniform.  —  A season removed from the trade that sent Luis Castillo from the Marlins to the Minnesota Twins, the All-Star second baseman greeted his former teammates with a two-hit performance from the leadoff spot on Monday.

A Tale of Two Closers  —  It's my mom's birthday today, one of those special "zero" ones.  She doesn't read my column, probably never has, and actually doesn't like baseball, so I won't spend too much time saying things she won't read.  I will thank all of you, people who don't know her and for the most part …

Stats Geek: Pirates aren't a bad bet in weak division  —  By Brian O'Neill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  I wouldn't know a Bodog if one bit me in the wallet, but this online betting concern, bodog.com, puts the odds of the Pirates winning the World Series at 70 to 1.  —  That's relatively kind.

Flexible Soriano gives Cubs, Piniella options  —  MESA, Ariz. - It's all but official: Alfonso Soriano will be the Cubs' center fielder.  —  FOX Bite  —  Videos  —  FOX Spotlight: Piniella, Pt. 1  —  Lou Piniella traded in his FOX broadcasting job and returned to the diamond with Chicago.

Hustling Zambrano hits the ground running  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Carlos Zambrano has always had a flair for the dramatic, but his pileup coming out of Turn 2 at Scottsdale Stadium sent a scare through the Cubs on Monday.  —  The Cubs' Opening Day starter tattooed a first-inning pitch from San Francisco Giants veteran Matt Morris.

The Physics of Baseball: Newton's Laws Speak Out (a commentary)  —  We can take solace in the utter predictably of certain principles in the cache of physics: Newton's 2nd law, Fermat's Principle of Least Time, and the BEC-BCS Crossover (if you recognize the first two but thought the third …

Spring hysterics: Sox, Yanks hit new heights in exhibition  —  FORT MYERS - Outside the ballpark, there was a PT Cruiser pulled over on the sidewalk.  Before long, there was a woman hanging outside the passenger-side window, screaming at a little guy covered in tattoos.  —  Red Sox forum:

Five Questions: Seattle Mariners  —  When the guys here approached me to write another Five Questions piece previewing the 2007 Seattle Mariners, I started to wonder how I was going to select just a handful of key questions from a roster that apparently was built by throwing darts at a board.

Zito hints Met pitch off target  —  VIERA, Fla. - Barry Zito intimated in the April issue of Esquire that he was turned off by the Mets' recruitment effort of him.  —  Author Chris Jones portrayed Zito as coming away from a Dec. 19 dinner at a Beverly Hills hotel thinking …

WHY LITTLE LEAGUE OPPOSES METAL BAT BAN  —  One place Where's Kernan loves to visit is Williamsport, Pa., where time stands still every August when the Little League World Series takes place.  —  The games couldn't be cheaper (free), the concessions are great and the action is non-stop.