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 …

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 …

FBI opens investigation of Clemens testimony  —  WASHINGTON — The FBI took up the Roger Clemens case Thursday, told by the Justice Department to investigate whether the pitcher lied when he testified to Congress he never took performance-enhancing drugs.  —  The FBI's involvement was announced …

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 …

Putting Bad Luck Behind Them, 2 Yankees Focus on Standing Out  —  TAMPA, Fla. — They are right-handers with less than a year of major league service time.  Neither has overpowering stuff, and for the Yankees, they are best suited to make occasional starts or pitch in long relief.

Fukudome reaches base 3 ways in Cubs win  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Kosuke Fukudome got on base every which way in his first exhibition game for the Chicago Cubs.  —  The Japanese newcomer was plunked on the first pitch he saw in the first inning, walked in his next turn and then hit …

Call Girl Confesses: Sex At Exclusive Denver Club  —  DENVER (CBS) ― Sex, drugs and high rollers.  A former prostitute said all three were in play during wild sex parties at an exclusive Denver social club, reports CBS station KCNC-TV in Denver.  —  “There was no trying to hide anything …

Step Right Up, And Greet The New Mets  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — In a year's time, Brian Schneider went from catching retreads such as Jerome Williams and Billy Traber — no offense intended to either — to catching legends such as Johan Santana and Pedro Martínez.

Cubs announcer's big voice, low profile  —  But — quick quiz — who is Len Kasper?  —  Cubs annoucer Len Kasper at Wrigley Field on Thursday, Jan. 31.  (Tribune photo by Antonio Perez / February 28, 2008)  —  Meet the most famous man in the room.  That guy.  Wait ... who?

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.

Yankee Joba Chamberlain, a ‘Big Kid’ at Heart  —  TAMPA, Fla. — If everything works out for Joba Chamberlain — and life has been a dream lately — he will start and finish this season with a trip to Disney World.  That is where athletes go after winning a championship …

Big hitters stoke Brewers  —  Braun, Fielder and Cameron lead the offense in opener  —  Brewers 7, A's 1  —  A's at the plate: Oakland hitters combined for nine hits, two from second baseman Mark Ellis, but scored only one run.  Designated hitter Dan Johnson accounted for that tally …

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.

Cards cut Spiezio over DUI case  —  JUPITER, FLA. — The Cardinals abruptly released utility infielder Scott Spiezio on Wednesday afternoon, after learning that a California court had issued a warrant for his arrest on six misdemeanor counts ranging from aggravated assault to driving under the influence.

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.