As Manny Machado begins final camp with Orioles, lucrative future - with Yankees? - awaits  —  SARASOTA, Fla. — Manny Machado walked into the Baltimore Orioles clubhouse at 8:48 Saturday morning, circled the entire room shaking hands of his teammates, and being teased about his new hair style.

David Wright understands why Mets couldn't wait on him any longer — but decision to retire should be his and his alone  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — It sounds as if David Wright finally has come to the realization — and to grips with — the likelihood that the end is near.

Welington Castillo plays ‘getting to know you’ refrain with White Sox  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Working with a new group of pitchers presents challenges that Welington Castillo has overcome previously during his eight seasons in the major leagues.  —  The White Sox are Castillo's fifth team since …

Heyman |  Giants and Tony Watson agree to deal  —  The San Francisco Giants and left-handed reliever Tony Watson have reached a deal on a multiyear contract, sources tell me and Robert Murray of FanRag Sports.  —  The Giants were thought to have difficulty completing a deal with Watson since …

Diamondbacks at spring-training practice … Alex Avila doesn't like the word “framing.”  To him, it has come to represent an oversimplification of his position, a foolish notion that a catcher's value can be tied entirely to his ability to steal a strike here or there.  He winces when he hears it.

Jason Heyward believes if he can stay healthy, his hitting will come along  —  Chicago Tribune  —  There are no points of emphasis at the plate this spring for the Cubs' Jason Heyward as he tries to elevate his offense to the level of his Gold Glove Award-winning defense in right field.

Cardinals, former closer Motte set for a reunion  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • The last closer to throw a World Series-clinching pitch for the Cardinals will rejoin team as soon as Monday with a chance to retrofit a rebooted bullpen.  —  Jason Motte agreed to terms with the Cardinals …

After a rough Yankee intro, Clint Frazier is ready for his second spring in pinstripes  —  TAMPA, Fla. - Clint Frazier's flowing, red mane - a fixation of last year's Yankees cap - is now history.  —  “I actually cut my hair once a week in the offseason, so I enjoy how it looks right now,” Frazier said.

Three outside-the-box answers to baseball's extra-innings issue  —  Last year, the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs — an independent minor league in Northern California — adopted a rule to force extra-inning games to resolution: Each half-inning would begin with baserunners on first and second base.

Cardinals might consider giving Wacha extra rest again  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • After righthander Michael Wacha encountered some shoulder issues late in 2016, related to the stress reaction he suffered in 2014, the Cardinals handled Wacha last season with kid gloves on a couple of occasions.

Marcus Stroman angry at Blue Jays over negativity in arbitration  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. — Toronto pitcher Marcus Stroman met with Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins on Friday, a day after the 26-year old right-hander's salary arbitration loss triggered him to vent on Twitter.

MLB's highest-paid players in 2018 … The Reds haven't been to the playoffs since 2013, and the rebuilding franchise doesn't look much closer to returning in 2018.  —  For a team that finished in the top half of MLB in hitting (fourth, 4.65 runs per game) and park-factor scoring (13th …

Column: Cubs counting on veteran Jon Lester to return to ace-like form  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Jon Lester believes the term “ace” is simply a word the media uses to differentiate starters and that there's no difference in the rotation once the season begins.

Edinson Volquez returns to Rangers on minor league deal  —  SURPRISE, Ariz. — Edinson Volquez has agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers, returning to his original team with a chance to be a candidate for the rotation in 2019.  —  The 34-year-old right-hander will not pitch …

Andy MacPhail says Phillies can't be ‘impulsive’ about free-agent pitchers  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — The biggest free-agent acquisition of Andy MacPhail's career as a general manager came in February of 1991 when he signed Jack Morris away from Detroit with a one-year deal to play for his hometown Twins.

Chris Tillman expected to choose team within next few days, could return to Orioles  —  A potential reunion between the Orioles and right-hander Chris Tillman is very much still alive as the team looks to continue to upgrade its rotation after the signing of former Texas Rangers starter Andrew Cashner.

After healthy offseason, Albert Pujols expected to play more in field  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Albert Pujols is slim, trim and ready to dust off his first-baseman's mitt.  —  The 38-year-old former MVP is looking to reverse a downward-trending career, in part by contributing more in the field now that he has shaken off injuries.

David Freese thinks Pirates not trying hard enough to win  —  BRADENTON, Fla. — David Freese thinks the Pittsburgh Pirates are not trying hard enough to win.  —  “The last two years, we didn't do as well as we could have because of our environment.  That's what I think,” …

Fowler says Cardinals made right move for them, for his career  —  • There were plans for a round of golf and the inevitable informal conversations that happen, from tee to green, when Cardinals executive John Mozeliak visited outfielder Dexter Fowler this past fall in Las Vegas.