Braves Notes: Pagan, Cabrera, Offseason, Albies, Prospects  —  The Braves are still interested in free agent outfielder Angel Pagan, reports Jim Bowedn of ESPN and MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, citing a club source (Twitter link).  Atlanta has been tied to Pagan at various points this offseason.

Rougned Odor gets 6 years and 2 horses in contract extension with Rangers  —  The Texas Rangers made their six-year, $49.5 million extension with second baseman Rougned Odor official Thursday.  And a previously unreported contract perk was revealed in the process: The Rangers sealed the deal by including a couple of horses.

Ichiro can't fathom retirement: 'I think I'll just die'  —  JUPITER  —  Ichiro Suzuki doesn't believe in vacations.  —  The last time he took one — 2004 or '05, he doesn't recall which — was a week-long trip to Milan, Italy.  He worked out pretty much the entire time and said the excursion threw …

Peter Bourjos debuts with a bang for Rays  —  PORT CHARLOTTE — On his first day as a Ray, OF Peter Bourjos made a leaping catch at the centerfield wall, had three hits — including a two-run homer — and three RBIs.  —  “You always want to make a good first impression,” Bourjos said.

Mets closer Jeurys Familia suspended 15 games for violating MLB domestic violence policy  —  Jeurys Familia has been suspended 15 games for violating baseball's policy on domestic violence, Major League Baseball announced Wednesday.  —  Familia, the Mets' All-Star closer …

Nationals Name Blake Treinen Closer  —  Nationals manager Dusty Baker said today that righty Blake Treinen will take the team's closer role to open the season, as Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post was among those to report on Twitter.  He won a camp battle with young righty Koda Glover …

AL East preview 2017: Boston Red Sox should have enough to win again  —  Let's get this straight.  The Red Sox spend $217 million for a No. 1 starter by signing David Price a year ago, then turn around and empty the farm system, Dave Dombrowski-style, for another No. 1, Chris Sale, over the winter.

Swarm of bees makes silly baseball-playing humans dive for cover  —  In the surest sign yet that it's high time for Opening Day, we present this bee invasion that happened in Thursday's Spring Training game between the Rockies and Padres.  —  With the Rockies up handily and everyone …

Cardinals could be sleeper for Quintana  —  Word is, the Chicago White Sox believe the perceived favorites Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates have been largely “passive” in their pursuits of Jose Quintana.  If that's the case, someone else such as the St. Louis Cardinals could sneak in and grab Quintana.

As Baseball Considers Change, It Should Look to Its Past  —  In 1857, 14 baseball clubs met at Smith's Hotel on Broome Street in Manhattan to draft a new set of rules and regulations.  In an effort to make the game more manly and scientific, members of the Knickerbocker Club …

Could a new hitting coach, approach ignite Steven Souza Jr.?  —  PORT CHARLOTTE — When this season is over and Steven Souza Jr., is back home in Seattle with his wife, Mikaela, and his son, Micah, making up rap songs on the fly to make his boy laugh, he hopes to look back on 2017 and see this:

Mets GM Sandy Alderson has fulfilled plenty of promises, but still in search of title  —  Five years ago, before all the injuries interrupted a superb career, David Wright wanted answers from the new GM as the Mets captain pondered his future with the Mets at a time when the franchise was a mess.