MLB expands playoff format from 8 teams to 10  —  NEW YORK, N.Y. - With less than a month to go before opening day, baseball at last decided who's in and who's out come October.  —  Now, even a third-place team can win the World Series.  —  Major League Baseball made it official Friday …

Mets Scratch 3B Wright With Left Side Soreness  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets third baseman David Wright was scratched from the lineup for the intrasquad game on Saturday because of soreness on his left side.  —  The Mets say he has stiffness near his ribcage and will be replaced by Zach Lutz in the lineup.

Alex Rodriguez steps up to challenge Yankees  —  TAMPA, Fla. - On the morning of the first game they'd play since Game 5, the night the New York Yankees all went home for the winter, Alex Rodriguez stood before them and, according to witnesses, gave the sort of speech that wouldn't have been possible five years ago.

Pirates agree to terms with 25 for 2012 season  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pirates on Saturday morning announced they reached contract agreements with 25 players, bringing their entire 40-man roster into the fold.  —  The deadline to negotiate contracts and to automatically renew …

Replacing the Duncan trunks  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • This vast traveling library lived in a red, wheeled trunk that was modeled after an equipment box that was once re-engineered to have a secret compartment for stashing booze during prohibition.  —  Hiding goodies goes with the job.

PADRES: Club “very close” to contract extension with Maybin  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — Cameron Maybin is poised to wear a Padres uniform for several seasons to come.  —  A front office source confirmed Saturday morning the Padres and Maybin are “very close” to finalizing a long-term contract …

SINGLE GAME TICKET ONSALE  —  3 Ways to Purchase Single Game Tickets  —  MasterCard® First Chance Presale online at Cubs.com  —  2. Friday, March 9, at 8 a.m. CST  —  In person at Wrigley Field (wristbands only — see wristbands details below)  —  3. Friday, March 9, at 10 a.m. CST

Pitching prospects Matt Harvey and Jeurys Familia have NY Mets armed for future  —  Mets can't wait for prospects to pitch in  —  Mets prospect Jeurys Familia impresses batters and Mets wth two scoreless innings.  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — An intrasquad game without a single projected starter in either lineup?

Healing Trumbo more comfortable at third  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Instead of lazily shagging balls in the outfield while his teammates are taking batting practice, Mark Trumbo has made it a point to position himself at third base at Tempe Diablo Stadium, hoping to field as many hard-hit ground balls off the bat as possible.

Darvish faces elite Rangers in intrasquad game  —  Right-hander less than satisfied with mechanics in 21-pitch outing  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish took a step up in competition on a dry and windy Friday afternoon.  Darvish, who had been facing Minor League hitters …

Cubs call Braun collector a pro … Several Chicago Cubs players spoke Friday in support of the man who collected Ryan Braun's urine sample, despite the fact his handling of the sample led to Braun's 50-game suspension being overturned by an arbitrator.  —  The legal team for the Milwaukee …