Pap, Sox agree to deal  —  The Red Sox and closer Jonathan Papelbon have agreed to a one-year deal worth $775,000.  —  That's more than closer Bobby Jenks got with a similar amount of service time, as he signed a $550,000 contract.  Papelbon was looking for a deal in the range of $900,000 …

Lowry to have surgery on left arm  —  Giants starter expected to be out two to three weeks  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Giants left-hander Noah Lowry will undergo surgery Friday in San Francisco to relieve a condition in his throwing arm, which will sideline him for two to three weeks.

PSL: Omar Talks with Reporters from Dugout  —  Omar Minaya just talked with reporters from the dugout. … According to Minaya, Moises Alou will have surgery and should be on a bike roughly one week later, “hopefully.”  He is expected to be back in four to six weeks, as had been reporters yesterday.

Harper: Girardi's conditional success  —  SARASOTA, Fla. - At about this time last year it was the Yankees, not the Mets, who were wearing out the MRI machines, piling up injuries to such an extreme that they fired their new strength and conditioning coach.  This year, with Joe Girardi running …

Pujols has ‘high-grade tear’ of elbow ligament  —  JUPITER, Fla. — Albert Pujols' injury elbow is a “high-grade tear” of the ligament, but, as he announced when he arrived at the St. Louis Cardinals' spring training home in mid-February, he won't have surgery.  —  At least for now.

Chamberlain holds a starting gun  —  The New York Yankees' 2007 playoff run had barely ended when Hank Steinbrenner declared that hard-throwing rookie right-hander Joba Chamberlain would be installed in the Yankees starting rotation for 2008.  As spring training approached, however …

Farnsworth happy there's a new Joe in charge  —  SARASOTA, Fla. - Perhaps no Yankee player is happier than Kyle Farnsworth with the switch in the manager's office from Joe Torre to Joe Girardi.  And not just because he doesn't have to listen to Torre call him “Farnsie” anymore.

Hillman delivers on-field lecture to players over sloppy base-running despite victory  —  It didn't matter Thursday that Ryan Shealy had just hit a game-ending homer for a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Surprise Stadium.  Or that the Royals had just won their fourth game in a row.

Q & A: Baseball Guru Bill James  —  Bill James, the legendary baseball stat guru and godfather of the data-driven “Moneyball” movement that has changed how front offices evaluate players, has written a new book, The Bill James Gold Mine 2008.  TIME's Sean Gregory caught up with James …

Ponson garners attention at camp  —  Right-hander throws off bullpen mound; scouts take notice  —  JUPITER, Fla. — The Cardinals offered Sidney Ponson a mound to showcase his stuff, largely as a favor to the right-hander and his agent, Barry Praver.  It turns out, however …

Frandsen's days at shortstop are over  —  (03-08) 09:11 PST SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — Kevin Frandsen will not be the Giants' shortstop on Opening Day.  Manager Bruce Bochy said today he has informed Frandsen, who has struggled at the position, that he will return to his natural position at second base and get some time at third.

Notes: Haren working on new pitch  —  Elevating fastball could give hitters more to worry about  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Dan Haren gave National League hitters another thing to keep in the back of their minds when they face him this year as he worked on elevating his fastball during his second start of the spring on Thursday.

Notes: Turnbow gaining attention  —  Former closer benefiting from adjustment of mechanics  —  PHOENIX — Ben Sheets pitched three more scoreless innings Thursday, but the Brewers pitcher garnering raves in the clubhouse was reliever Derrick Turnbow, who is rejuvenated since a mechanical fix.

Former Giant Matt Williams testifies in wiretapping case  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) - Former baseball player Matt Williams testified Thursday that he refused an offer from private investigator Anthony Pellicano to wiretap the phone of his second wife.  —  “It's an illegal act,” Williams testified.

Righty Eaton bothered by back pain  —  Veteran struggling early in bid to crack Phils' five-man rotation  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Adam Eaton pinpointed his struggles on Thursday afternoon.  —  The right-hander lasted two innings in his second Grapefruit League outing and complained about lower …