Luis Castillo was the Mets' best option at second base  —  The decision to release Luis Castillo on Friday was the most difficult one of Sandy Alderson's budding regime - where sabermetrics proved to be no match for the army of haters who demanded Castillo's demise.

My Mother's Basement  —  “It won't be long before we get the first wave of nonsense from stat-crazed dunces claiming there's nothing to be learned from a batting average, won-loss record or RBI total.  Listen, just go back to bed, OK?  Strip down to those fourth-day undies, head downstairs …

Anthopoulos handshake may have sunk Jays' waiver claim  —  Apparently John Farrell's contract as manager of the Jays came complete with a “non-compete” handshake agreement with Boston's general manager Theo Epstein regarding not touching Sox players in the annual Rule 5 draft.

Ankiel frontrunner for Nats' center-field job  —  VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals announced recently that center field is up for grabs.  But if the season were to start Friday, Rick Ankiel would be the Opening Day center fielder.  —  The competition in center field is between Ankiel, Roger Bernadina and Nyjer Morgan.

Rebuilding Ryan  —  A year after the Red Sox top prospect found himself suddenly unable to see and confined to a wheelchair, he has survived dangerous brain surgery, undergone extensive rehabilitation, and returned to the minor leagues to try to relearn everything.

Five minor league players suspended  —  The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that five Minor League players have received 50-game suspensions after each tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program:

Giants can't hold this phenom back  —  SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.  —  There was a time, not long ago, when Giants manager Bruce Bochy would turn in his chair in his Scottsdale Stadium office and look at the wall behind him.  And look.  And look.  —  On the wall is a list of prospective Giants for the coming season.

New York Mets' Fred Wilpon, Jeff Wilpon, Saul Katz facing $1 billion lawsuit from Irving Picard, trustee for Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme  —  The trustee looking to recover funds from victims of Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme officially wants more than $1 billion from New York Mets owners.

Ichiro donates more than $1.2 million to Japanese quake victims  —  Word got out today that Ichiro, who has yet to comment on last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami in his native Japan, has donated 100 million yen to Red Cross relief efforts.  —  The yen has fluctuated wildly since …

Los Angeles Angels reliever Scot Shields announces retirement  —  One of baseball's best middle relievers of the last decade announced his retirement Friday.  —  Scot Shields, who pitched all 10 of his major league seasons for the Los Angeles Angels, was pitching on an aching left knee …

Still crazy after all these years  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — An alert reader (thanks, Jonathan) passed along this interview Paul Simon did with Vanity Fair.  —  The interviewer was Michael Hogan and the topic turned to baseball at one point.  —  MH: Are you one of those Yankees fans who feels …