Notes: Gotay's MRI unconvincing  —  Abreu strains hip flexor; Shea going completely smoke free  —  JUPITER, Fla. — Ruben Gotay's sprained right ankle, which on Monday was thought to be possibly fractured, is indeed only sprained.  Probably.  —  A reading of Gotay's CT scan on Tuesday revealed …

Yankees hold the bottom line on Joba  —  The Yankees have come to contract agreements with all the players on their 40-man roster.  Phil Hughes agreed to $406,350, Melky Cabrera to $461,200, etc.  —  For players under three years of service time, there is no wiggle room.

Notes: Matsui inching closer  —  Slowed by tight neck, outfielder plans to take BP by Thursday  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui has been slowed by neck stiffness and is hoping to take batting practice on Wednesday or Thursday.  —  The 33-year-old, who has not played …

O's play dangerous game with Markakis  —  Club did nothing wrong in renewing his contract, but should be careful not to alienate its best player  —  The Orioles didn't do anything untoward here, certainly not anything other teams haven't done.  They took advantage of a system that in most ways benefits the players and not management.

Red Sox scout accused of lewd behavior  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — A Boston Red Sox scout was arrested, accused of masturbating at the window of his hotel room in front of two women and two underage girls at the swimming pool, records show.  —  Jesse Levis, 39, faces two felony charges …

Notes: Bush invited for inaugural pitch  —  President a possibility for Nats' Opening Day at new park  —  WASHINGTON — President George W. Bush has been invited to throw out the first pitch on Opening Day, and Nationals president Stan Kasten said on Tuesday that Bush would attend “if he is at all able.”

Reason #14: The Thinker.  —  As a Royals fan, it's really been quite amazing to watch over the past few months as the baseball blogosphere has picked up on what we've known since last season: that Brian Bannister is one of the smartest players in baseball, and certainly one of the game's deepest thinkers.

Team denies Roberts trade talks have resumed  —  MESA, Ariz. — The Cubs still want to add at least one hitter by Opening Day, but multiple high-ranking team officials shot down Internet and radio reports this week that trade talks with the Baltimore Orioles regarding second baseman Brian Roberts have resumed in recent days.

Hamilton might be Rangers' best prospect ever  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — The dark side of Josh Hamilton's life has been well-chronicled all spring.  It's a story that needs no rehash from here.  —  But the game of baseball is what separates Hamilton from being just another street junkie attempting …

McNamee's Lawyers Seek Ouster of Hardin  —  Lawyers for Roger Clemens's former personal trainer Brian McNamee filed a motion Tuesday to disqualify Clemens's lead lawyer from representing him in a defamation lawsuit.  The motion was filed along with a second motion, which asked that a lawsuit brought …

Notes: Hendrickson likes early returns  —  Ramirez back in lineup; McPherson to see time at first base  —  JUPITER, Fla. — All things considered, Mark Hendrickson will take the end result of his second Grapefruit League start.  —  In three innings against the Mets on Tuesday, the Marlins left-hander yielded six hits and walked one.

Dodgers' Juan Pierre is right where he belongs  —  He's been booed by fans and brutalized by bloggers, but his old-school play and speed will benefit the team as he becomes a complement and not the cornerstone of the lineup.  —  VERO BEACH, Fla. — There's a boxer in the house.