Pirates, Sanchez agree to unusual three-year deal  —  Signing will come today, pending physical, at PNC Park  —  The Pirates and Freddy Sanchez have agreed to terms on a three-year contract — two guaranteed years plus an unusual option, with a total worth in the range of $19 million — and expect to make that official today.

Waiting for the good word  —  Ravens defensive tackle Dwan Edwards will appear at the Sports Legends Museum on Friday as part of the Babe's Birthday Bash celebration.  The event runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and commemorates the 113th anniversary of Ruth's birth.

CLEMENS SET TO FOLLOW ANDY OUT TO THE ‘HILL’  —  Roger Clemens has followed Andy Pettitte in a rotation, but never quite like this.  —  Clemens will go to Capitol Hill today to speak with staff members of a congressional committee about his alleged steroid use, one day after his friend and former teammate Pettitte did.

Nationals' treasure  —  Ballpark, to debut with Nats-O's exhibition, has intimate atmosphere not found at RFK  —  WASHINGTON - The media got a peek yesterday at Washington's nearly completed baseball stadium.  The steel, glass and concrete home of the Washington Nationals is more bland …

Tigers, Granderson agree to deal  —  Center fielder will stay in Detroit through 2012 season  —  Curtis Granderson was already a special player.  Now that takes on a whole new level.  —  The Detroit Tigers have been anything but shy the last two years in signing players …

Cards sign Juan Gonzalez to minor-league contract  —  The Cardinals have signed two-time American League MVP Juan Gonzalez to a one-year, minor-league contract.  —  The signing guarantees Gonzalez a base salary of less than $1 million if he makes the major-league club.

Baltimore has interest in Fogg  —  Typically a pitcher's future is connected to his success against hitters.  Josh Fogg, however, has seen his winter tied to fellow starters.  With the Erik Bedard trade to Seattle expected to be finalized, the Orioles have expressed interest in the right-hander …

Shapiro addresses C.C., other Tribe topics  —  Let's take this from the top.  —  No. 1: The Indians, short of an early collapse this season, won't trade C.C. Sabathia.  —  No. 2: Regardless of Johan Santana's contract with the Mets last week, General Manager Mark Shapiro believes …

Departures don't dissuade Nathan from desire to stay  —  The closer says he remains open to signing an extension and says he doesn't feel an obligation to push salary limits.  —  With the Johan Santana saga behind them, the Twins are mostly finished with their offseason business, though two questions remain:

Jays, OF Rios agree to 1 year, $4.835M  —  TORONTO (AP) — Outfielder Alex Rios avoided salary arbitration by agreeing Tuesday to a $4,835,000, one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.  —  Rios has career highs with 24 home runs and 85 RBIs last season while batting .297.

Troubled Ray Aybar in jail for domestic violence … SANTIAGO, Dominican Republic — Tampa Bay Rays infielder Willy Aybar is in custody in his native Dominican Republic for domestic violence charges, according to a local prosecutor.  —  Aybar, 24, has been held without bail since Thursday …

No big splash signing expected  —  Despite countless players looking for work less than two weeks before spring training, don't look for the Marlins to make any notable last-minute additions.  —  President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said Monday the Marlins are ready to open spring training as is.

Revisiting the Beltran Trade  —  With the Santana drama finally behind us - it was somehow appropriate that JoePo's satirical blast came just before the trade was finalized - I'm sure more than one fan here in the Midwest was reminded of the Royals' predicament at the turn of the century …

Jon Weisman: Some traditions should get axe, others kept  —  Spring training, which finally kicks off next week, is one of the game's great enduring traditions, beloved by all.  Certainly no one would ever suggest doing away with it, but some of the game's other aspects are under constant fire …