A-Rod may discuss doctor with agents  —  Investigators may turn to Yankees star for details on Galea  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez said on Monday that he has been contacted by federal agents regarding a Canadian doctor who is under investigation for alleged drug violations …

Bernazard's Ridiculous “Oppo” Plan  —  John Harper at the Daily News wrote about Tony Bernazard's organizational emphasis on hitting the ball to the opposite field, starting after the 2008 season.  Before his firing, Bernazard was apparently so obsessed with players “going oppo” …

Minor League Transactions  —  Atlanta Braves  —  Signed: C J.R. House, SS Edward Salcedo  —  Released: RHP Rico Reid, 1B Ryohei Shimabukuro  —  The Braves inked Salcedo, 18, to the richest bonus in franchise history ever handed out to an international amateur—$1.6 million.

Barry Zito: “I want to be a top-of-the-rotation guy again”  —  Many people have chalked up Barry Zito's post-gajillion dollar contract struggles to complacency, comfort, wealth or poor character.  If you believe what he told MLB.com recently, however, his competitive fire still burn:

Dunn ready to commit  —  VIERA, Fla. — Adam Dunn has spent the last nine years in the major leagues, during which time he has established himself as one of the game's most-consistent sluggers.  Yet he believes he's never produced a full season up to full capability.

Minor leagues ban many maple bats for safety  —  NEW YORK — Many maple bats will be banned in the minor leagues this season, part of Major League Baseball's push to stop shattered shards of wood from flying dangerously through the air.  —  New regulations will prohibit bats made from ultra-light maple.

SABR Announces Chadwick Award Inaugural Class  —  The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is pleased to announce the inaugural class of recipients of the Henry Chadwick Award, which was established in November 2009 to honor the game's great researchers—historians, statisticians …

Leyland's new slogan: Protect the plate  —  Manager looking for club to improve in two-strike situations  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — Jim Leyland's new slogan for his Tigers this year didn't make it to the media guide, and it probably won't end up on a T-shirt.  But he wants his hitters to take it to heart.

Alonso trying third base, outfield  —  Many have wondered what would happen to Joey Votto when Yonder Alonso reaches the big leagues since both are good young hitters and of course, both play first base.  —  In an effort to see if can be versatile, the Reds have had Alonso working out lately at third base, left field and right field.

Cheating and CHEATING  —  “Above all, the story of Willie Mays reminds us of a time when the only performance-enhancing drug was joy.”  — Pete Hamill  —  The above sentence — which concluded Pete Hamill's New York Times review of James Hirsch's excellent Willie Mays book …

Inbox: Which option is best for Choo?  —  MLB.com's Castrovince answers your Tribe questions … I read the article about Shin-Soo Choo regarding his South Korean military obligation.  If Korea doesn't win the gold in the 2010 Asian Games, he is considering either gaining American citizenship or just not going back to Korea.

Texas Rangers' Borbon will be thrown into the fire in center field  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — For every ground ball that Elvis Andrus took and for every decision he made early last year, someone had his back.  —  Either an experienced Texas Rangers teammate, the club's fielding coach …