Jason Varitek to announce retirement from baseball on Thursday  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. — Jason Varitek, a two-time World Series champion and the captain of the Red Sox from 2005-11, will announce his retirement here on Thursday, sources told the Globe today.  —  Varitek is expected to stay with the organization in some capacity.

Mattingly: Dodgers are Yanks of LA, not Angels  —  GLENDALE, Ariz. — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, who spent his entire 14-year career as a major league player with the New York Yankees, said Tuesday that despite the major offseason moves and high expectations …

Astros turn to Myers to be their closer  —  Veteran right-hander saved 21 games for Phillies in 2007  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Astros' search for a closer ended with a surprise announcement Tuesday morning.  —  Veteran right-hander Brett Myers, a starter in all but one of his 10 Major League seasons …

Tuesday morning notes: Chamberlain on a full mound  —  For the first time since last season's Tommy John surgery, Joba Chamberlain pitched off a full mound this morning.  He threw just 16 pitches, a typically light workload for a player getting on a mound for the first time.

Hughes chosen one in Yankees rotation battle  —  TAMPA — We can pretend there is a competition going on for the Yankees' No. 5 starter spot, but that is what it is.  Pretend.  The WWE stages more realistic battles.  —  The Yankees are saying it is Freddy Garcia vs. Phil Hughes.

NY Mets' David Wright is unimpressed with Jeff Wilpon's ‘Underdog’ T-Shirt motivational tactics  —  Cartoon shirt gets under third baseman's skin  —  David Wright isn't thrilled with the “Underdog” T-shirt motivational ploy from ownership.  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — Can even Underdog save the Mets?

Drug Test Collector in Braun Case Says He Followed Protocol  —  The increasingly combative dispute between Major League Baseball and Ryan Braun grew louder Tuesday when Dino Laurenzi Jr., the drug test collector who handled Braun's urine sample in October, said that he followed protocol …

Broadcaster Rankings (TV): #30 - #21  —  Beginning in late November, we've spent much of the offseason asking readers to rate the television broadcast teams (on a scale of 1-5 for charisma, analysis, and then overall) for all 30 major-league clubs — with the intention, ultimately …

Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen: Don't be bleeping late for the National Anthem  —  Manager Ozzie Guillen says he doesn't have many rules for his players, but he was adamant about one: Be on time for the singing of the National Anthem.  —  “Stand up for National Anthem and don't be late,” …

Freeman may miss two weeks with achy knee  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman might be sidelined over the next two weeks as he rests a right knee injury that he suffered during Tuesday morning's workout at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex.

Scott Sizemore out for season with torn ACL in left knee  —  Scott Sizemore injured his left knee during a fielding drill on Saturday and the Athletics just announced that he'll miss the entire 2012 season due to a torn ACL.  Jane Lee of MLB.com reports that the 27-year-old will be reevaluated in two weeks before surgery is scheduled.

Free-agent fantasy  —  Would Trout, Harper and Moore get more on the open market than Darvish?  —  Baseball Prospectus  —  If there is one thing we learned from the $111.7 million (including posting fee) that the Texas Rangers spent on Yu Darvish this winter, it's this …