Johan Santana makes debut Friday  —  JUPITER, Fla. - It's not quite March, and already Johan Santana is being called upon to be the stopper.  —  Well, not exactly, but the $137.5 million addition is set to make his Grapefruit League debut Friday against the Cardinals in Port St. Lucie …

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 …

Mets not happy about ex-Met Milledge's comments  —  David Wright had some pointed words for former teammate Lastings Milledge, who blasted the Mets in a recent article on SI.com.  (Newsday / David L. Pokress / February 28, 2008)  —  JUPITER, Fla. - The Mets were patient with Lastings Milledge along …

Church In Hell  —  I'm really getting tired of Ryan Church.  The guy took a lot of crap.  Far too much crap.  But, jesus, the guy has to be the dumbest guy on the planet.  He doesn't know when to shut the hell up.  What's that about opening your mouth to remove all doubt?

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 …

Roberts puts on a show  —  With Cubs scouts in attendance, second baseman bright spot for O's  —  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - On a day when two Chicago Cubs scouts were on hand to watch him play, second baseman Brian Roberts stood out in the Orioles' otherwise dreary exhibition season debut yesterday.

Hoping to Become the Next Hot Baseball Export From Japan  —  NAGO, Japan — No. 81 is the eighth uniform number of Masato Yoshii's professional career.  —  He wears this one, though, with a stopwatch dangling from his neck and a folded schedule of the day's exercises protruding from his back pocket.

MLB to test proposed rules in Minors  —  Length of time pitcher takes to deliver ball under scrutiny  —  Rule changes adopted by Major League Baseball's Playing Rules Committee on an experimental basis for specified Minor Leagues will affect the amount of time pitchers have to pitch and mean fewer visits to the mound.

Blue days ahead for Torre?  —  VERO BEACH, Fla. — Anyone who's seen Joe Torre's picture in the newspaper recently surely had to blink back their disbelief.  That's really Joe Cool, isn't it, draped in Dodger Blue, happy in his new, post-pinstripe life.  —  Tough times may loom for Joe Torre …

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.

Top prospect Bruce keeping his cool  —  Center fielder rated No.1 prospect by Baseball America  —  SARASOTA, Fla. — On any given day this spring, outfielder Jay Bruce will move comfortably through the Reds clubhouse, confident in his abilities and at ease with himself.

Game(s) over  —  After two seven-inning games against BC and Northeastern, City of Palms Park has emptied out.  The Red Sox beat the two college teams by a combined 39-0, 24-0 over BC in the first game and 15-0 over Northeastern in the second game.  —  Terry Francona announced the regulars …

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.