David Murphy: Blanton, Oswalt give Phillies security  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. - The second week of March is no time to make definitive judgments about a baseball team.  It also isn't a time to trade away pitching depth.  So, as rumors continue to circulate about the Phillies' interest in trading Joe Blanton …

Source: Mets lefty Byrdak has torn meniscus  —  LAKELAND, Fla. — New York Mets reliever Tim Byrdak will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair torn meniscus cartilage in his left knee and will open the season on the disabled list, a team official told ESPNNewYork.com.

Carl Crawford begins throwing  —  FORT MYERS, Fla. - Manager Bobby Valentine said Sox outfielder Carl Crawford is ready to progress from a sore left wrist which has kept him sidelined for a week.  —  “Crawford will throw 90 feet with the trainer and ready to progress midweek with monitored swings,” Valentine said.

Rain delay irks Matheny  —  NOTEBOOK  • CARDINALS MANAGER UPSET OVER TIMING AND LENGTH IN LOSS TO MARLINS.  —  Image (2)  —  JUPITER, FLA.  • The Cardinals lost to the Miami Marlins, 3-1, Saturday in what the box score will suggest was a crisply played 2-hour, 19-minute affair.

Cafardo: Escobar Won't Move from Short Easily  —  The last time I checked, JP Ricciardi is no longer running the Blue Jays, so it seems a little odd- if not a bit nostalgic- that a new tidbit of information about the club could be coming out of Boston.  But that could be what we've got, by way of Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

30th anniversary: Bill James hits the big time  —  Thirty years ago today, baseball experienced one of its most unexpected, but also important, seismographic shifts.  For it was on March 12, 1982, that Ballantine Books published their first of seven annual “Bill James Abstracts.”

2012 Organizational Rankings  —  System At a Glance: They might lack that one marquee name, but no system in baseball can boast of having as many players at the upper levels who project as average or better big leaguers.  —  System At a Glance: A ridiculous number of high-ceiling teenage arms …

Inbox: Who's off to the best start in center field?  —  Beat reporter T.R. Sullivan answers Rangers fans' questions  —  So far, how has Leonys Martin looked?  Does Craig Gentry have a leg up on the center-field race?  I really haven't got to see Martin play, but I'm pulling for him to be the Opening Day starter.

Johan shakes off rain, allows unearned run  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Giancarlo Stanton's injury overshadowed Johan Santana's second spring start in a 4-2 Marlins victory over the Mets in five innings on Sunday at Digital Domain Park.  —  Moments after Santana departed with two outs …

Hanson doesn't let weather rain on his parade  —  In first game since August, righty feels good after short start  —  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Tommy Hanson's right shoulder is fine and it has been more than two weeks since he has experienced any symptoms of a concussion.

Brewers' roster deep enough to absorb losses  —  What can be better than being at a Brewers Spring Training game and watching the sausage races in the sixth inning, followed by a rousing rendition of “Roll Out The Barrel” in the middle of the seventh?  —  Not much.