Young to man first base as Lee leaves  —  Close spring battle ends quietly as veteran asks to be released  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Several weeks ago, while still in the Nationals' Minor league camp, first baseman Dmitri Young vowed that he would be on the team's 25-man roster.

Oops!  Maybe Sox got it right  —  Getting Danks for McCarthy might make GM look good  —  Scouts don't write glowing reports on pitchers because of their pickoff moves.  Teams certainly don't hand out super-sized bonuses because of them.  —  Even the best prospects often have to work on the little things.

Notes: Brewers relievers deliver  —  Villanueva pitching well in various roles this spring  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Finally, some relief.  Brewers manager Ned Yost delivered a message to his relievers on Saturday that it's time to see some results, and on Sunday, he got what he was looking for.

Loe's role with Rangers uncertain  —  He's pushing to be a starter, but may open season in long relief  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  TUCSON, Ariz. - For Rangers manager Ron Washington, the question still surrounding Kameron Loe is not about whether he makes the Opening Day roster, but rather where he fits in.

Orioles cut 5, including Penn and Fahey … JUPITER, FLA. // Orioles officials have spent part of the spring boasting about their improved depth, which has given manager Sam Perlozzo more options and harder decisions on his roster makeup.  —  He made a couple of those decisions today …

De Aza earns shot in center  —  FORT MYERS — When bench coach Carlos Tosca writes the lineup card every day, he uses black ink for right-handed hitters, blue for switch-hitters and red for left-handers.  —  Alejandro De Aza saw his name in red, and the rookie outfielder had his own explanation: "I'm on fire.''

Teams with no hope for success  —  In baseball, spring equals hope, right?  —  Every team's got a prayer, everyone's undefeated, optimism abounds, tabula rasa and all that.  —  For most teams, that's certainly the case.  The overwhelming majority of clubs enter the 2007 campaign …

For One Met, Spring Training Is Just Beginning  —  Guillermo Mota is expected to take part in his first workout with the Mets on Monday, showing up right as his teammates are preparing to leave.  For about six weeks, he will remain here in a curious limbo, beginning a spring training program …

Glavine: Mets accept Rollins' challenge  —  Lefty, who turned 41 on Sunday, expects to start opener  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Now, all these weeks later, the Mets finally have responded to those comments made by Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins.  Having dismissed Rollins' age-discriminatory comments …

Slaten's final three appearances crucial  —  TUCSON, Ariz. — When Spring Training began it seemed that Doug Slaten was a lock to be the Diamondbacks' left-handed specialist on Opening Day.  —  Not so fast, manager Bob Melvin said on Sunday.  —  Slaten, who allowed six runs on seven hits …

Seo stays hot in Rays' win  —  Right-hander allows two runs in seven innings vs. Pirates  —  RAYS 12, PIRATES 4  —  Rays at the plate: Tampa Bay scored two runs each in the first, fourth and fifth innings, and added one each in the second and sixth to jump out to a big lead.

Karstens leaves with elbow stiffness  —  Right-hander threw 46 pitches against Tigers on Sunday  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Yankees right-hander Jeff Karstens left his start against the Tigers on Sunday after two innings with stiffness in his pitching elbow.  —  "I didn't want to push …

Groins, dizzy spells ... and some NEWS  —  Stopped by HSCS this morning before driving to hell ... I mean Disney, where the Nationals take on the Braves today at 1 p.m. (I would say, since this is a Sunday, that you'd all be able to hear the game on Washington Post Radio …