Tigers' Jose Iglesias ‘really happy’ to return to field  —  LAKELAND, Fla. - Spring officially sprung in central Florida on Monday.  —  And with it, came Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias, springing out of the home dugout and into a sprint on the field.  —  For the first time in a year, Iglesias played in a baseball game.

Tabata's new swing is turning heads in Pirate City  —  Jose Tabata (left) jokes around with A.J. Burnett at Pirates camp.  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — Jose Tabata has been that Pirates house guest who wouldn't leave.  Could he yet become a guest of honor?  —  During a week of full-squad workouts …

Rehabbing right-hander throws for second time this spring  —  Homer Bailey put up reliable numbers after a slow start last season and should bounce back after suffering a season-ending forearm injury  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Rain on Monday cut short much of the Reds' normal activity …

Jon Lester to start Cubs' opener  —  MESA, Ariz. — New Chicago Cubs ace Jon Lester will throw the first pitch of the new baseball season April 5 against the St. Louis Cardinals, manager Joe Maddon announced Monday.  —  Maddon also said Lester will make his Cubs debut this spring Friday …

Adam Dunn, Juan Pierre, and Why We Need WAR  —  RON VESELY/MLB PHOTOS VIA GETTY IMAGES  —  Adam Dunn, who retired at the end of last season, and Juan Pierre, who officially retired on Friday after sitting out 2014, were selected in the same draft class in 1998.

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Brandon League credits giving up alcohol to boost in energy  —  ¬ (Keith Birmingham/Pasadena Star-News) ¬  —  GLENDALE, Ariz. >> To hear Dodgers pitcher Brandon League tell it, shedding 20 pounds and giving up alcohol were just a means to the end.

Curt Schilling outs Yankees worker who allegedly posted vulgar tweets about daughter  —  Two New Jersey men, including one who worked as a part-time ticket seller for the Yankees, incurred the wrath of former major leaguer Curt Schilling this weekend after they allegedly posted sexually explicit tweets …

Wainwright returns to the mound, as scheduled  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright returned to the mound Monday morning to throw his first bullpen session since an abdominal strain forced him to take a few days off.  —  Wainwright worked through a light series of throws and then a progression of his pitches.

Rangers slugger missed most of 2014 season due to neck injury  —  Prince Fielder and Elvis Andrus share excitement about coming to Spring Training healthy and Jeff Banister talks about his club's readiness  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Morning rain canceled the Rangers' planned intrasquad game for Monday …

As shift becomes controversial in baseball, 1 prominent Mets pitcher protests too  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The defensive shift has become a nettlesome topic in baseball.  The sport's conservative guard is annoyed by it.  New Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred floated the idea of banning them.

Warthen ‘very skeptical’ of Harvey pitching 200 innings … Mets  —  Matt Harvey at Mets spring training