Groin strain may cost Zimmerman a week  —  Nationals won't rush third baseman; Pudge also sidelined  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and catcher Ivan Rodriguez were scheduled to be in the starting lineup against the Mets on Tuesday night …

Spring training 2011: Daisuke Matsuzaka rebounds with 5 shutout innings for Boston Red Sox … LAKELAND, Fla. — Daisuke Matsuzaka said his pitching coach, Curt Young, “advised” him to throw more strikes Tuesday.  Well, he got the memo.  —  Dice-K rescued his spring from the Grapefruit League crisis watch …

Out of spotlight, Yastrzemski stays in game his way  —  (Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff/File 2008)  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — He is the lion in winter, wheeling into the shabby minor league complex at the dead end of Edison Road every morning before 8.  Fifty years after his rookie season …

Giants' GM turns out to be a ringer  —  The ring is thick and heavy, and it's yellow gold.  It lives on the right ring finger of Giants general manager Brian Sabean, the man who made the World Series championship team happen.  —  You would understandably conclude that Sabean wears the 2010 World Championship ring.

Diamondbacks tap Kennedy as opening-day starter  —  SCOTTSDALE Ariz. (AP) — Ian Kennedy has been picked to start on opening day for the Arizona Diamondbacks.  —  Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said Tuesday that Kennedy will pitch April 1 at Colorado.  —  The right-hander went 9-10 with a 3.80 ERA …

Derek Jeter's Swinging Years  —  Derek Jeter is not a victory robot.  He knows his last season was rough.  And yeah, he's pissed at the Yankees about that contract negotiation.  The most famous player in baseball sat down with Seth Mnookin to talk his private life, the press, and the specter of his final years in pinstripes

A's Closer Andrew Bailey Has Strained Forearm  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Tests reveal that Oakland closer Andrew Bailey has a strained forearm, news that comes as a relief to the Athletics after they feared he had a serious elbow injury.  —  Bailey will resume throwing once the discomfort subsides.

McClellan the favorite for final rotation spot  —  JUPITER, Fla. — Kyle McClellan remains, officially, one contender in a competition for the vacant spot in the Cardinals' starting rotation.  For all practical purposes, however, the competition has been won, and only unrelated circumstances …

Duda an Enticing Option for Mets  —  His Big Bat Has Manager Seriously Considering Him if an Ailing Beltran Can't Play Right Field  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.—Something about Lucas Duda makes Mets managers weak in the knees.  —  For Jerry Manuel, the team's manager last year …

Postgame notes: Banuelos holds his own  —  Joe Girardi was asked tonight whether he knew many 20-year-olds who would be willing to throw a 3-2 changeup to Kevin Youkilis.  When he said no, Girardi was asked if he knew many 30-year-olds who would be willing to throw a 3-2 changeup to Youkilis.