Elder Felix Hernandez ready to return to throne as Mariners ace: 'I'm still King Felix'  —  SportsPulse: The Houston Astros looked primed to repeat as World Series champs.  Recent history suggests otherwise.  USA TODAY Sports  —  CONNECT  —  PEORIA, Ariz. - Felix Hernandez …

Exclusive: Federal documents detail sweeping potential NCAA violations involving high-profile players, schools  —  Documents and bank records obtained in discovery during the federal investigation into the underbelly of college basketball detail in meticulous fashion the expenditures …

Two Van Slyke homers give Marlins 6-4 win over Cardinals  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Outfielder Oscar Mercado, in his first game wearing a Cardinals uniform, singled twice, scored a run and made a strong catch in right field Friday although the Cardinals lost their exhibition baseball opener to the Miami Marlins 6-4.

MLB teams wear hats to honor high school shooting victims  —  Spring training got off to a solemn start as MLB teams wore hats to honor Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were fatally shot nine days ago.  —  Stoneman Douglas baseball coach Todd Fitz-Gerald …

Francisco Liriano agrees to 1-year, $4 million deal with Tigers  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Detroit agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract with left-hander Francisco Liriano, giving the Tigers added pitching depth.  —  The 34-year-old was 6-7 with a 4.62 ERA in 18 starts last season with Toronto …

Mickey Callaway ‘shocked’ Dominic Smith was late to first Mets spring training game  —  PORT ST. LUCIE — The gates had not even opened.  The field was not even ready for batting practice on his first “game day,” as a big league manager and Mickey Callaway had to make an important move.

Notes: Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain get to stop talking about being Brewers and go play  —  PHOENIX - Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich weren't on the same field Friday but made their debuts as the Milwaukee Brewers played split-squad games to open Cactus League play.

Phillies pitcher Francisco Rodriguez still has the desire to return to the once-great K-Rod form  —  DUNEDIN, Fla. - The career of Francisco Rodriguez should have ended last July when he was released by Washington.  The Nationals were the second team to dump him in three week.

Peter Bourjos eager to fulfill long shot dream with Cubs  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Peter Bourjos' interest in the Cubs ran deeper than his Chicago roots.  —  As a member of the Cardinals during the 2014-15 seasons, Bourjos vividly remembers how a young, inexperienced cast of players matured …

Oakland found closer in Treinen, part of bullpen revamp  —  MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Oakland found its closer in Blake Treinen last summer, and its bullpen transformation continued when it acquired offseason targets Yusmeiro Petit and Ryan Buchter this winter.  —  For a team that had 25 blown saves …

Rasmus makes new start with Orioles after baseball break  —  SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Colby Rasmus is making a new start with the Baltimore Orioles after taking an eight-month break from baseball.  —  Rasmus signed a minor league contract with the Orioles this week, after abruptly leaving the Tampa Bay Rays in midseason.

Back tightness delays Carpenter's spring debut for Cards  —  JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Cardinals manager Mike Matheny isn't sure when first baseman Matt Carpenter will make his Grapefruit League debut.  —  Carpenter is battling back tightness.  For the time being, he is in the hands …

MLB pulls plug on runner-on-second rule for spring games  —  TAMPA, Fla. — A proposal collapsed that would have put a runner on second base to start the 10th inning of spring training games, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

While the rest of MLB goes young, the Giants are doubling down on players in their 30s  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The San Francisco Giants sold out 530 straight games before their streak ended in July, and they feel obliged to put a competitive product on the field for all those die-hard ticket holders by the bay.