Notes: Feliciano feeling confident  —  Delgado seeking improvement; Zimmer remembers first camp  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Pedro Feliciano smiled when an unfamiliar reporter complimented the left-hander on his success out of the Mets bullpen this spring.  —  "I worked hard in the offseason …

Brewers pay price for success  —  Attanasio ups ante in 2007  —  Arlington, Texas - There's an old saying in baseball regarding team payrolls: Spending money doesn't guarantee you're going to win, but not spending it almost guarantees you're going to lose.

Of Rocks and Apples and the Disappearance of 20-Game Winners  —  The question was about 20-game winners, and Rich Donnelly wanted to talk about apple fights.  —  "As kids we had apple fights," said Donnelly, the Los Angeles Dodgers' third-base coach.  "I'll bet you there's no one in here who ever had an apple fight."

Stan Musial: Still The Man  —  JUPITER, Fla. — A hotshot rookie with the New York Mets last season once slapped high fives with fans on his way to the outfield and later found a sign hanging above his locker, "KNOW YOUR PLACE, ROOK."  —  Lastings Milledge had something new hanging on his locker this spring.

The 100-mph kid  —  In one of his few games as a pitcher, Colt Griffin threw faster than any high school player ever.  And that's when all the trouble started.  —  TYLER, Texas |  Colt Griffin moves across the mud-caked land he bought with baseball money, his face fresh, the past behind him.

'Roid regret  —  Two-time MVP Murphy: I should have spoken up about juice when I played  —  Dale Murphy remembers sitting in front of a television screen, staring.  There were Jose Canseco and the other beefy sluggers on the 1980s Oakland Athletics, slamming home runs and then bashing their ripped forearms in celebration.

Quiet Man, … FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. // You know his swing, so short, sweet and powerful that it prompted one baseball lifer to say that Nick Markakis could become one of the Orioles' best hitters ever.  —  But everything else about Markakis is hidden.  He gives few clues to teammates …

Colon to start opening day for minor league team  —  The Angels' right-hander will pitch for Rancho Cucamonga Quakes as part of his rehabilitation from rotator cuff injury.  —  Bartolo Colon will start on opening day after all — for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, that is.

Walker could be a keeper  —  The versatile infielder should stick with the club following Durazo's release  —  SAN FRANCISCO — It was far from an ordinary week for Todd Walker.  —  After spending nearly all of spring with the San Diego Padres, Walker was caught by surprise on Monday when the team released him.

No foolin': Rockies' pitching a problem  —  The Rockies will win 92 games and finish first in the National League West.  —  On this day, only an April fool would believe that prophecy.  —  I drank the Kool-Aid as a child in Vacation Bible School, but not now.  While at spring training I tried to buy what the Rox were selling.

Mouse Takes Fans Far Beyond Crumbs  —  The Red Sox addicts wake up with a craving and stumble to their computer.  —  They will surf from one website to another, from stories in newspapers to blogs composed by equally obsessed and informed fans.  Then there's also a mandatory stop on Curt Schilling's blog before they head to work.

AL CENTRAL  —  Detroit  —  RHP Jeremy Bonderman and LHP Nate Robertson combined for 27 wins last year in a 75-win rotation.  They might combine for 35; Tigers might get 85 from all their starters.  —  CLEVELAND: Will challenging for the AL wild card be enough to save manager Eric Wedge's job from lurking consultant Buck Showalter?

Deadline Nears for TV Negotiations  —  Major League Baseball continued to negotiate yesterday with cable operators and the Dish Network in an effort to persuade them to carry the Extra Innings package of out-of-market games and the fledgling MLB Channel.  —  M.L.B. made a seven-year …

Pirates Notebook: Eldred completes big leap  —  By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — Big Country made the big team.  —  Despite missing most of last season to injury, despite having to impress at a position he previously had played in college …

For players, baseball season brings roster of rituals  —  Jamey Carroll talks to his wristbands.  Not for conversation.  But for reassurance before he steps into the batter's box.  —  "I tighten my gloves, take off the helmet to wipe off any sweat, then say to one wrist …

Notes: Hammock back in the bigs  —  Catcher named to Opening Day roster after fighting injury  —  PHOENIX — At the end of Spring Training, there is always a feel-good story or two as teams set their final rosters.  —  This is one of them.  —  Manager Bob Melvin informed catcher Robby Hammock …

Marquis, Soriano shine in spring finale  —  Righty allows one run in four frames; slugger scores lone run  —  MARINERS 2, CUBS 1  —  Mariners at the plate: Gookie Dawkins went 2-for-3 with a sixth-inning RBI double that drove in Adam Jones and put the Mariners ahead.

To Tighten Drug Tests, Baseball Teams Secretly Monitor Players  —  When the Yankees' pitchers and catchers arrived for spring training in mid-February, they saw signs taped up in the clubhouse bathroom reminding them that they would be tested for drugs.  They knew the drill …