NY Mets close deal to sell 12 minority shares of team, have repaid $25M loan to MLB  —  Have also paid off a $40M loan from Bank of America  —  Saul Katz (l.) and Fred Wilpon reach a $162M settlement with the Bernard Madoff trustee.  —  The owners of the Mets have closed deals to sell 12 shares …

Royals' Soria diagnosed with ligament damage in elbow  —  SURPRISE, ARIZ. — The news on Royals closer Joakim Soria couldn't be much worse.  An examination Monday revealed “definite damage” in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and seems likely to require surgery.

Kershaw Works Into 6th Inning on 24th Birthday  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw pitched into the sixth inning on his 24th birthday for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 4-3 loss Monday to the Cleveland Indians.  —  The NL Cy Young Award winner allowed one run — his first this spring — and three singles over 5 1-3 innings.

Ichiro, Montero, Seager go deep in slugfest  —  Vargas allows seven runs in just two-thirds of an inning  —  PEORIA, Ariz. — The Cubs jumped on Mariners starter Jason Vargas for seven runs in the top of the first inning Monday, then pulled out a 12-7 victory in a Cactus League shootout in Peoria Stadium.

Tigers' Cabrera hit in face by bad-hop grounder  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Miguel Cabrera left Monday's game with a bloody face after a hard grounder from Philadelphia's Hunter Pence hit him near the right eye.  —  Cabrera was wearing sunglasses and it's uncertain whether the wicked one-hopper hit the right lens or just under it.

Utley leaving camp to see specialist  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Chase Utley has left Phillies camp to see a specialist as his chronically injured right knee is not healthy enough to take the field, almost certainly meaning he will not play come opening day.  —  The Phillies released …

Rangers Prefer To Keep Their Pitching Depth  —  The Rangers “might prefer” to keep some of the extra arms on their pitching staff rather than make a trade, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.  Scott Feldman, Koji Uehara and Mark Lowe are cited as Rosenthal as the expendable members …

Beltran Hits 1st HR for Cards in 4-3 Win  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Carlos Beltran hit his first home run for the St. Louis Cardinals, a leadoff drive off Julio Teheran in the sixth inning during Monday's 4-3 win over the Atlanta Braves.  —  Beltran, who signed a free agent after splitting …

Yu throws eventful four innings in third start  —  Rangers righty fans four, walks three, allows one hit on 70 pitches  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Yu Darvish had stretches in which he showed pinpoint command and the baffling arsenal of pitches that have made him a Japanese legend at the age of 25.

Superstar Votto expresses fondness for both Reds, very long deals  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. — If the Blue Jays stick to their five-year maximum policy for player contracts, they can forget luring Reds superstar Joey Votto back home to Toronto when he's a free agent.

Nova settles down after early hiccup  —  SARASOTA, Fla. — Adam Jones and Matt Wieters went deep in the first inning — the first home runs of the spring for each — to lead the Orioles to a 6-3 victory over the Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium on Sunday night.  —  After Endy Chavez led off …

Morse, LaRoche out of game action for a week  —  VIERA, Fla. — Nationals outfielder Michael Morse and first baseman Adam LaRoche are not expected to play in a Major League Spring Training game for at least a week.  —  Morse, who has played just three games during the Grapefruit League season, has a strained right lat [back] muscle.

Tough day for Ross in first spring start  —  LAS VEGAS — Rookie left-hander Robbie Ross, who has emerged as a candidate for the bullpen, made his first start of the spring on Sunday against the Brewers in Phoenix and was roughed up.  He lasted just 2 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on five hits.