K-Rod leaving Angels after 2008?  —  Francisco Rodriguez, the owner of a major league-best 132 saves over the last three seasons, expects to become a free agent after 2008, the closer said Sunday.  —  When asked as he arrived in Arizona for spring training, K-Rod was asked if he thought 2008 would be his last season with the Angels.

Schneider catch of the offseason  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - The presence of Johan Santana transcends everything in Mets camp, as one would only expect.  The embarrassment of the epic September collapse has been replaced with a renewed swagger to the point where, of all people …

Stanton gets quiet over Roger's trail of blood  —  SARASOTA, Fla. - Mike Stanton was a supporting player of sorts in the hearings on the Mitchell Report last week when he was mentioned several times by congressmen quizzing Brian McNamee and Roger Clemens.  —  One topic was an alleged incident …

Phillies Belt back after boast  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - With position players' attendance still voluntary, Carlos Beltran stayed away from the Mets' spring-training complex Sunday, a day after borrowing Jimmy Rollins' script and anointing the Mets the NL East's “team to beat” for 2008.

Bret Boone joins dad, brother with Nationals  —  VIERA, Fla. (AP) - Bret Boone came out of retirement to sign a non-guaranteed, minor league contract with the Washington Nationals on Monday, joining his younger brother, infielder Aaron, and their father, assistant general manager Bob, with the club.

Notes: Lefty trio to front new rotation  —  Hendrickson, Miller and Olsen will join Mitre and one other  —  JUPITER, Fla. — For the most part, the Marlins opened Spring Training knowing four of their five starting pitchers.  —  But unlike years past — when the club had established starters …

Reyes plan favors Gotay  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - Jose Reyes will play fewer games in 2008 in an attempt to keep him fresh, Willie Randolph suggested.  Reyes, who swooned in late September, started a team-high 160 games last season.  He ranks eighth in baseball in games played over the past three seasons …

Keeping his eye on the ball  —  Red Sox rookie phenom Jacoby Ellsbury (above) had the kind of season little boys dream about and the kind of World Series Red Sox Nation will be bragging about for years to come.  And the man who stole a base and won the country a free taco seems to be adjusting to life as a big leaguer.

Muscular Rios impresses at the plate  —  Outfielder goes deep at batting practice while Ricciardi tries to work out a long-term contract  —  DUNEDIN, Fla.-One ball bounced off a driveway and onto a rooftop.  Another broke a branch off a treetop, some 20 metres up.

SPRING TRAINING: Story of Pavano: ‘Damned Yankee!’  —  I have finally stumbled upon the one person in the Yankees' clubhouse who has less reason to be there than I do.  —  He dresses like the other players, breathes the same air, takes up valuable locker space and twice a month cashes …

Brewers starter Gallardo has torn knee cartilage  —  PHOENIX (AP) - Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo has torn cartilage in his left knee and is expected to miss the first four weeks of spring training.  —  Gallardo will return to Milwaukee on Monday and have the arthroscopic procedure Tuesday.