Inbox: Time to bring back Pedro?  —  Beat reporter Marty Noble answers Mets fans' questions  —  I can't believe it's come to this, but I'm actually coming around to the idea of re-signing Pedro Martinez.  At first, I was adamantly against re-signing him because I wanted to see Jon Niese in the fifth spot in the rotation.

Thames sidelined by strained oblique  —  Tigers outfielder out a week; Treanor also taking breather  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Tigers outfielder Marcus Thames is expected to miss about a week after he was diagnosed Wednesday with a strained abdominal muscle.  Backup catcher Matt Treanor …

MLB investigates alleged DR age discrepancies  —  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Major League Baseball is investigating more than 40 cases involving Dominican Republic prospects suspected of lying about their age upon signing professional contracts, according to the league's vice president of international affairs.

Looper on track to start season healthy  —  Righty, nursing strained oblique, throws successful bullpen session  —  PHOENIX — Brewers right-hander Braden Looper threw a bullpen session Wednesday for the first time since straining a muscle along his ribcage, and the team expects him to be in the starting rotation by Opening Day.

Nats' assistant GM discusses increased role since Bowden's resignation  —  Last Wednesday, the Nationals decided that their general manager position will remain vacant for the foreseeable future.  —  However, assistant general manager Mike Rizzo has principal responsibilities when it comes …

CC lacks feel, but confident he'll find it  —  Ace yet to show top form in first Spring Training with Yankees  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — This was bound to happen.  —  Despite the money and the expectations and the hope for perfection, there was bound to come an outing in which CC Sabathia would be wholly ineffective.

Stadium Is Citi Field, but the Subway Stop Has Other Ideas  —  Citigroup is teetering, with a stock price lower than Johan Santana's earned run average and a brand synonymous with “bank bailout.”  But its name will still grace the Mets' new ballpark, Citi Field, when the season starts next month.

Troy Percival to begin measuring his readiness as Tampa Bay Rays closer  —  Troy Percival, fist-bumping catcher Dioner Navarro earlier this spring, is slated to pitch today.  Percival was shut down and missed the postseason after three trips to the disabled list and had surgery on his back.

Clemens reportedly injected at Yankee Stadium … NEW YORK (AP) — Brian McNamee says he injected Roger Clemens with drugs at the Yankee Stadium hot tub and that among the needles he gave government investigators was one he used to inject the pitcher in 2001, according to the Web site sportsimproper.com.

Beckham will start — somewhere  —  First-rounder has shot at second for Sox, or could be sent down  —  PHOENIX — There is no truth to the rumor that Gordon Beckham healed the sick and consulted with President Barack Obama on the struggling economy during the White Sox off-day on Tuesday.

Rockies Recap: Rockies 5, Indians 0  —  Rockies 5, Indians 0  —  At the plate:The emphasis on quality at-bats paid off again Wednesday during the Rockies' fifth straight win.  The Rockies' scored three of their first four runs with groundouts to second base by Christian Colonel, Sal Fasano and Ryan Spilborghs.

Netherlands Sends Dominicans to an Improbable Exit in W.B.C.  —  SAN JUAN, P.R. —The Dominican Republic has some of the most talented baseball players in the world.  Those players are proud, they are poised and they are passionate.  But, on a tense Tuesday night, the Dominicans were also nervous.