Bobby Murcer faces new brain cancer scare  —  Former Yankee outfielder Bobby Murcer's battle with brain cancer may have taken a turn for the worse, the Daily News has learned.  —  According to an emotional e-mail sent to friends Thursday from Murcer's wife, Kay, the Yankee broadcaster …

MLB might punish Mets over thin traveling squad … The Mets could be in hot water with the commissioner's office over the traveling squad they took to Lakeland for their spring-training opener Wednesday.  —  Just the day before, MLB's executive vice president for baseball operations …

Red Sox ace Beckett pleased after 24-0 win over Boston College  —  FORT MYERS, Fla.—Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox were in October form during their exhibition opener.  —  Baseball's only 20-game winner last year didn't care that his first opponent of spring training was a Boston College team …

For the 2008 Yankees, It's a Question of Age  —  Armed and dangerous?  Philip Hughes, Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain.  —  Any time a team returns a lineup intact that scored 968 runs, as the New York Yankees did in 2007, chances are that team will excel again the following year.

FORMER MET ENJOYING GREEN-ER PASTURES  —  Shawn Green anticipated that it would happen.  Now it's a done deal.  —  The right fielder, who played with the Mets for the last year and a half and spent parts of 15 seasons in the majors, told The Post yesterday that he has retired.

Bowa sounds off on helmet rule  —  LA third-base coach says he won't wear new mandated gear  —  VERO BEACH, Fla. — Many base coaches are unhappy with the new rule mandating helmets in reaction to the death last year of Minor League coach Mike Coolbaugh, who was struck by a line drive while coaching first base.

Oedipus Bronx  —  Hank Steinbrenner was driving like he owned the place.  “This thing's got no pickup,” he said, gunning my midsize Hyundai down Steinbrenner Drive in Tampa, Fla. We had just finished lunch on a January afternoon at a Steinbrenner family favorite, an Italian restaurant called Iavarone's …

Rockies give closer Corpas four-year, $8M deal  —  Manny Corpas' clutch relief work as the Rockies' closer last year was a big reason they made it to the World Series.  Now, the team has rewarded him with the longest extension it has ever given a reliever.  —  The Rockies and Corpas agreed to a four-year, $8 million extension.

Facing the Facts on Clemens  —  A lot has changed since I started writing my first book, “Facing Clemens.”  What was meant to be a fairly cut and dry baseball book about what it's like for a hitter to try and ply their craft against the Rocket over the course of his career has obviously turned into much, much more.

PETTITTE: JUST LET ME PLAY  —  ANDY WANTS TO MOVE ON FROM CLEMENS 'ROID SCANDAL  —  Andy Pettitte doesn't have to move his lips for you to understand how tortured the pitcher is about his role in a possible prison sentence for Roger Clemens.  His eyes tell you this is hell.

FBI opens probe of whether Clemens was truthful  —  WASHINGTON — The FBI has opened an investigation into whether baseball great Roger Clemens lied to Congress when he denied taking steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.  —  Law enforcement officials said the inquiry will focus …