Manny Being Manny Is Hurting the Red Sox  —  The 86-year Curse of the Bambino ended when the Boston Red Sox won the 2004 World Series.  But as long as the American League's best right-handed hitter plays left field in Fenway Park, the team's fans will continue to moan about Manny being Manny.

Bowie Kuhn, 80, Former Baseball Commissioner, Dies  —  Bowie Kuhn, the commissioner of baseball during a tumultuous 15-year period when the game experienced dramatic growth accompanied by unprecedented labor strife, died yesterday at a hospital in Jacksonville, Fla. Kuhn, who lived in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., was 80.

Nothing's changed about Ponson … FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. // Different uniform and different hairstyle.  Same old Sidney Ponson.  —  The Prodigal Right-hander was back at Fort Lauderdale Stadium yesterday, happily greeting old teammates, taking jabs at Orioles fans and stiffing the Baltimore media.

Notes: Kuo needs to step up  —  Southpaw looking to earn spot on Opening Day roster  —  VERO BEACH, Fla. — Because he has a remarkably electric left arm, but because that arm has an elbow twice reconstructed and not fond of relieving, the unspoken assumption around Dodgertown this spring …

Handling Rangers' staff is Laird's call  —  Rangers make it clear to catcher that calling the game comes first  —  rdurrett@dallasnews.com  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. - Manager Ron Washington made Gerald Laird's priorities clear when he met with the catcher for the first time this off-season.

Erstad helps to set the tone at the top  —  If healthy, outfielder likely to see name in lineup  —  TUCSON, Ariz. — Friday's first two hitters in the White Sox lineup facing the Cubs at Tucson Electric Park might become the norm on offense rather than a rare exception during the upcoming 2007 regular season.

Friday's spring training report  —  rdurrett@dallasnews.com  —  Rangers 4, Padres 3  —  The Rangers scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a one-run lead and held on to beat San Diego in Surprise.  Joaquin Benoit, Scott Feldman and Ron Mahay each pitched a scoreless inning after the Rangers got the lead.

First pitch, March 17  —  GAME DAY  —  The Rockies lost 11-7 to the San Francisco Giants as Byung-Hyun Kim allowed eight hits and eight runs in 4 2/3 innings.  John Mabry, a left-handed hitter batting .381 and fighting for a spot on the bench, homered against left-hander Steve Kline.

Losing their zip on reality  —  Drawing conclusions three weeks into the season is comparable to declaring a president based on the first two exit polls.  Are home runs and slugging down?  Yes.  Due to steroid testing?  Let's wait.  —  The more salient topic of conversation thus far has been the inconsistent fastball.

Sheffield due to return to Tigers on Saturday  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Gary Sheffield was expected to return to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday after missing several exhibition games.  —  Sheffield's lawyer, Rufus Williams, said Thursday that his client "is involved in a legal proceeding …

Reds' Bailey sent to minor leagues  —  SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds reassigned their top pitching prospect to minor league camp on Friday, but that was OK with Homer Bailey, the team's first pick in the 2004 draft.  —  He didn't expect to be on the Reds' opening day roster.

Inge leads Tigers' onslaught  —  Third baseman one of four Detroit hitters with at least two RBIs  —  TIGERS 12, PHILLIES 9  —  Tigers at the plate: Brandon Inge broke out of an 0-for-10 slump with a double, triple and five RBIs.  His bases-clearing two-bagger in the fifth inning pulled …

Mets can go two ways for No. 5  —  Park, Pelfrey are leading hopefuls to take final spot in rotation  —  JUPITER, Fla. — While Mike Pelfrey was in Lakeland, Fla., on Wednesday using a four-inning relief appearance as a stepping stone to a Shea Stadium mailing address …

Soriano in position to say thanks  —  MESA, Ariz. — Alfonso Soriano has a message for Jim Bowden, the Washington Nationals general manager who forced the former second baseman into playing left field last spring training — even threatening the rarely used disqualified list as leverage.