Howard's $10M win in arbitration sets new high water mark  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Ryan Howard won his salary arbitration case against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday when he was award $10 million, the highest figure awarded a victorious player.  —  The 2006 NL MVP, who had been offered $7 million …

Manny speaks...  Though he didn't do it in a formalized setting, Manny Ramirez did decide to speak with the media this morning (watch the video here).  This could signal that Ramirez will be heading back to the old days, when he regularly talked to members of the media.

Fogg signs 1-year deal with Reds  —  Journeyman free agent right-hander Josh Fogg signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds today, SI.com has learned.  —  Fogg spent 2007 with Colorado, going 10-9 with a 4.94 ERA.  He made three appearances in the postseason including two starts.

Source: D-backs, Trot Nixon agree … The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached an agreement on a minor league contract with veteran outfielder Trot Nixon, according to a baseball source.  —  Nixon, 33, gives the Diamondbacks some insurance from the left side of the plate as corner infielder Chad Tracy continues …

COMPUTER CRASH  —  CAPTAIN SHAKES OFF MEAN MACHINE'S SILLY STUDY  —  Derek Jeter arrived at his 16th Yankees spring training yesterday labeled the worst shortstop in the majors by some statistical braniacs over at Penn.  —  “Maybe it was a computer glitch,” the three-time Gold Glove winner said of the report.

Duque's last dance?  —  Interesting chat with Orlando Hernandez a few minutes ago.  Turns out he didn't have bunion surgery as the Mets said.  The bunion on his right foot is still there and its causing him problems this spring.  —  El Duque had surgery to fix a dislocated second toe …

J. Byrnes, Hall get 8-year extensions  —  TUCSON - Diamondbacks General Manager Josh Byrnes and President Derrick Hall are being rewarded with contract extensions, each receiving an eight-year deal that will run through 2015.  —  The contracts are expected to be announced today, the first day of full-squad workouts in Tucson.

Diet fit for a Prince  —  Fielder takes meat off his menu as he opts for vegetarian lifestyle  —  Phoenix - As Prince Fielder matures, he's not afraid to try new things.  —  At the plate and on his plate.  —  Fielder is known as a large, imposing figure on the field.

Crisp Not Reserving Judgment  —  CF Wants Trade If He Can't Get Job Back  —  Boston Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp speaks to the media during workouts at the team's baseball spring training facility in Fort Myers, Fla. (BRITA MENG OUTZEN / AP / February 20, 2008)

Interview - Pat O'Conner - President, MiLB  —  When you think about it, Minor League Baseball isn't minor anymore.  The 160 clubs that comprise MiLB have seen revenues increase 64 percent over the last 8 years, while seeing a fourth consecutive record year for attendance at over 40 million.

Sheffield on Boras: ‘Bad person’  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Gary Sheffield livened up the Tigers' spring training camp this morning, ripping into Scott Boras, his former agent.  —  Sheffield and Boras have been in dispute for five years, since Sheffield fired Boras in 2003.

Mets meet with Freddy Garcia  —  PORT ST. LUCIE - The unsigned Freddy Garcia met with GM Omar Minaya at the Mets' complex on Wednesday, but neither side indicated that signing the former Phillie was imminent.  —  Garcia, 32, a longtime Minaya favorite who has also played for the Mariners and White Sox …

Forty years later, Gibson's 1.12 ERA remains magic number  —  Bob Gibson threw only two basic pitches.  —  It was all he needed.  —  Throwing only a blazing fastball and a knee-buckling slider, Gibson made hitters look foolish time and again through power and guile.  Gibson didn't just dominate at his peak.

The Oracle of the Phillies Has the Last Words  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — In its never-ending quest to mirror the American political landscape, baseball has found its answer to the latest Clinton-Obama hullabaloo.  —  A year ago, Jimmy Rollins proclaimed his Phillies “the team to beat” …

Tickets gone for last game at Stadium  —  The last regular season game at Yankee Stadium is sold out.  —  Fans scooped up a few thousand tickets online in just 11 minutes Wednesday.  —  Scalpers quickly started hawking tickets for the historic Sept. 21 game against the Baltimore Orioles …