Boston Got What It Wanted, or So It Seems  —  Maybe the move will wind up serving as the catalyst that vaults the Boston Red Sox to their first American League East title since 1995, but when they began their pursuit of Daisuke Matsuzaka last fall, one of their main motivations was to keep him from the Yankees.

Urbina sentenced to prison in Venezuela  —  CARACAS, Venezuela — Former Major League Baseball pitcher Ugueth Urbina was sentenced to 14 years in prison for the attempted murder of five workers on his family's ranch, the Attorney General's Office announced Wednesday.

Dye-casting White Sox's lineup  —  Guillen is set to mold the batting order but is wavering on the bullpen's makeup  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Manager Ozzie Guillen is ready to alter the middle of the White Sox's lineup.  —  But he changed his mind on finalizing his middle relievers …

Five Questions: Milwaukee Brewers  —  Last year started out as an optimistic one for the Brewers.  This year, the happy thoughts are little more guarded, but they are all the more appropriate.  —  None of Milwaukee's offseason moves—signing Jeff Suppan, trading for Claudio Vargas and Johnny Estrada …

Marlins name De Aza center fielder  —  Speedy 22-year-old has never played above Double-A  —  JUPITER, Fla. — Center field is now settled.  —  The biggest surprise in camp, Alejandro De Aza, has won the Marlins center field.  —  The 22-year-old De Aza played 69 games at Double-A Carolina last season …

Rangers' Benoit springs forward  —  egrant@dallasnews.com  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. - How much has Joaquin Benoit's stock zoomed this spring?  —  Just consider this question posed to manager Ron Washington on Tuesday: "What reliever would you go to if you had to retire a lefty late in a game?"

Five Questions: New York Mets  —  The 2006 Mets came within a whisker of copping the National League pennant and many are predicting another NL East crown for the New Yorkers.  I can't deny, I'm a little more skeptical than many.  Here's why...  1. Any aces on this team?

Hill feels strong despite blister  —  Rich Hill wasn't particularly sharp against Kansas City on Tuesday, but that might've been due in part to a blister on his finger and a rain-shortened outing in his previous appearance.  —  The blister isn't considered serious, but Hill was taken out with two on and two outs in the fifth inning.

Those 'Poor' Nats  —  Right now, the Nationals are sometimes compared to the '62 Mets, the worst team in history.  In one year, they'll be compared to another New York team, the filthy-rich Yankees.  Now, the Nats are pitied.  Soon, they will be feared.  That's not a prediction as much as it is a virtual baseball certainty.

Parrish Expected To Stick  —  Barring an injury, reliever John Parrish will be on the Baltimore Orioles' Opening Day roster, according to one team source.  —  Parrish has a 3.72 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings this spring and has attracted attention from several teams, including the Kansas City Royals.