MAINE STREAM  —  PITCHER IS OK WITH MEAGER RAI$E  —  JUPITER, Fla. - John Maine couldn't agree on his salary with the Mets this year, so they decided it for him yesterday.  —  A 15-win season last season resulted in a mere $59,000 raise to $450,000 in 2008 for the young right-hander …

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 …

Closer thinks team is saving too much  —  Jonathan Papelbon figures to make more than $550,000 and much less than $900,000 when his contract is finalized.  At this point, a long-term deal seems out of the question.  (J. Meric/Getty Images)  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. - With virtually no leverage …

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.

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.”

PSL: El Duque has his Fingers Crossed  —  ...i just finished watching Orlando Hernandez throw roughly 40 pitches or so in a bullpen session...honestly, it's impossible to tell if he looked good or bad...his delivery is a bit different...he was throwing sort-of sidearm at one point...

Texas Rangers' emphasis on stats and scouting is ahead of game  —  I took my annual spring break just in time to come back to Dallas and vote in the presidential primary.  —  I'm a man who has strong opinions about the issues.  —  So, go ahead, just ask where I stand on the …

Spring Training: Pirates seek long-term deal with Snell  —  But similar talks with Capps placed on hiatus  —  Boston's David Ortiz, left, catches up with former Boston teammates Doug Mientkiewicz, middle, and Freddy Sanchez before yesterday's game in Fort Myers, Fla.

Prepare Your Brain-Mouth for My Wrath-Wang, Baker  —  Apologies to the comic that I've never heard of who I saw on Comedy Central and stole the joke for that headline from, but I'm raging right now.  Yes, Dusty Baker finally did it, folks.  It took him like a couple of weeks and tons …

Thomson to sit beside Girardi  —  TAMPA - Rob Thomson never took an at-bat above A-ball and has never been a uniformed member of a big-league coaching staff.  But when Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman were looking to hire a bench coach, his name was at the top of both of their lists.

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.

Mets' Beltran worried as he recovers from surgery  —  Mets centerfielder Carlos Beltran is trying to rebuild the strength in his legs after having surgery on both knees in October.  (Newsday / David L. Pokress)  —  Now that the “team to beat” in the National League East is more beat …