Pettitte Asks to Be Excused From Hearing  —  WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Oversight Committee is supporting Andy Pettitte's request not to have to testify publicly against his former teammate Roger Clemens at a public hearing on Wednesday, a congressional staff person said Monday.

First mate: Mientkiewicz inks in Minors  —  Veteran Gold Glover invited to compete for spot in spring  —  PITTSBURGH — The Pirates will have yet another veteran in spring camp after the team announced on Monday that it had signed first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to a Minor League contract …

Girardi begins ‘no-win’ job with Yankees  —  The Yankees haven't had a new manager since 1996, when an affable broadcaster named Joe Torre replaced Buck Showalter.  Bill Clinton was in the White House.  Michael Jordan was running with the Bulls, and the Dow Jones industrial average had yet to crack 6,000.

Trachsel returns with Minor League deal  —  O's invite righty to Spring Training to compete for rotation spot  —  BALTIMORE — The Orioles welcomed Steve Trachsel back into the fold with a Minor League contract Monday, marking the second straight season that the veteran has signed with Baltimore shortly before Spring Training.

Rocker: Selig knew he was on steroids in 2000  —  Former major league pitcher John Rocker said Monday that baseball commissioner Bud Selig knew he failed a drug test in 2000 and that doctors for the “league” and the “players association” advised him and several Texas Rangers teammates on how to effectively use steroids.

At camp, all eyes will be on Santana  —  Prized acquisition's every move will be scrutinized, celebrated  —  The scars had begun to fade on their own.  And they might have vanished without assistance in another four or five decades.  Time takes its sweet time, doesn't it?

Marlins single-game tickets on sale  —  Club may play July 28-30 series against Mets in Puerto Rico  —  MIAMI — Individual game tickets went on sale for the Marlins' 2008 regular-season games on Saturday morning.  For now, however, one series remains in limbo.

Early Draft Preview Chat With Jim Callis  —  Looking Ahead To The 2008 Draft  —  Moderator: Jim Callis will chat about the draft at 2 p.m. ET.  —  Q: … A:  —  Jim Callis: Sorry about the slightly late start, got caught on the phone . . . Scouting directors are enthused about this year's draft …

Morning at the Fort  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Just got back from a morning spent at the Sox minor league complex, where we spotted Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Hideki Okajima, among numerous minor leaguers.  —  Beckett wasn't quite in the mood to talk …

Radio team announced  —  Entercom Boston announced its Red Sox radio team today for the 2008 season, a quartet of talent that includes WEEI midday host Dale Arnold.  —  Veteran play-by-play man Joe Castiglione is set to begin his 26th season of calling Red Sox games, while Dave O'Brien enters …

San Diego Padres  —  One Padre watcher tells me that some of the problems that the Pads had last season resulted from Kelly Calabrese's pregnancy.  Calabrese, the team's massage therapist and an extension of the medical staff, is a trusted therapist who did a lot to keep some of the players healthy.

Youkilis signs for $3 million  —  Team wraps him up for '08 and avoids arbitration again  —  KEVIN YOUKILIS: Versatility valuable to Sox (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. - Coming off a season in which Kevin Youkilis earned his first Gold Glove - and backed …

No successor-in-waiting planned for Braves, Cox  —  Since the incomparable Bobby Cox is entering his 27th year as a manager in the major leagues, including more than two decades with the Braves, it's logical to wonder if his bosses are tempted to lose their minds.

Rosenblatt work could force Royals out for 2 seasons  —  An extensive renovation of Rosenblatt Stadium likely would not force the College World Series to temporarily relocate to another city.  —  It's a different story for the Omaha Royals, however.  —  Mayor Mike Fahey said any Rosenblatt …

Interview - Jacques Doucet - Announcer, Montreal Expos  —  For 33 years of the tumultuous existence of the Montreal Expos, nobody had a front row seat like broadcaster Jacques Doucet.  —  Wherever you go in Quebec, many have lived the history of Nos Amours through this sympathetic man, including me.

Zorn gets job while another Jim gets jobbed  —  Tell Clark your opinion!  —  Jim Fassel deserved better than what he got from the Washington Redskins.  And what he got was the shaft.  —  “This is a shock to me,” he said after the team hired Jim Zorn as head coach.  —  You're not alone, Jim.