Piniella alters Cubs' game plan  —  Manager unlikely to play for 1 run in early innings  —  TUCSON, Ariz. — On the cold days, with the wind blowing in at Wrigley Field the last few years, you could count on Dusty Baker playing for one run in the first inning.

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.

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.

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 …

Dice-K delayed by downpour  —  Righty throws just 34 pitches vs. Dodgers before rainout  —  VERO BEACH, Fla. — With a torrential downpour — rare at this time of year in Florida — inundating Vero Beach on Friday afternoon, submerging the dugouts, flooding the press box and soaking virtually every person …

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.