Mets Sign A.J. Griffin To Minor League Deal  —  The Mets are in agreement with free-agent right-hander A.J. Griffin on a minor league deal, tweets James Wagner of the New York Times.  He'll report to Major League camp with the team shortly.  Griffin is represented by the Legacy Agency.

Astros have thoughts on 2018 World Series road: ‘How does it not go through Houston?’  —  SportsPulse: The Houston Astros looked primed to repeat as World Series champs.  Recent history suggests otherwise.  USA TODAY Sports  —  CONNECT  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Try not to take this personally …

Mercy!  It's Hawk Harrelson on the cover of White Sox media guide  —  Chicago Tribune  —  You gotta be bleepin' me!  —  Ken “Hawk” Harrelson is set to embark on his final season in the White Sox broadcast booth, and the team honored him by putting him on the cover of its 2018 media guide.

Tim Tebow sprains ankle after running over sprinkler head  —  Tim Tebow is nursing a left-ankle sprain after running over a sprinkler head in the outfield at the New York Mets' spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida.  —  The former Florida quarterback, one of 15 non-roster invitees …

Column: Brandon Hyde replaces Dave Martinez as Joe Maddon's wing man  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Joe Maddon and Dave Martinez worked together so well over the last decade they were almost like a married couple, knowing what the other was thinking every second of the day.

Kevin Towers remembered for his love of baseball and people  —  Theo Epstein remembered when he first met Kevin Towers, as a 21-year-old intern working in the San Diego Padres public relations department.  Towers was the new general manager.  —  “I was just out of college,” said Epstein …

Red Sox plan to officially introduce J.D. Martinez on Monday, reports say  —  Martinez had agreed to a deal with Boston last week  —  For as long as it took J.D. Martinez and the Boston Red Sox to come to an agreement after a winter spent negotiating, it's only right that it's taking ages for the deal to become official.

Aaron Nola to start Opening Day for Phillies, but would yield to veteran  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — Gabe Kapler figured why wait?  Aaron Nola will be his first Opening Day starter as Philadelphia Phillies manager.  —  “Barring anything crazy happening, he's our guy.

After allowing HR, Giants' Madison Bumgarner sharp in spring debut  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The first man to bat against San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner Sunday hit a wind-aided, opposite-field home run.  Bumgarner was overpowering after that in his spring training debut against the Chicago Cubs …

Former Cubs great Rick Sutcliffe understands 200-inning debate  —  Chicago Tribune  —  As a former workhorse pitcher, Rick Sutcliffe can vividly recall his desire to pitch at least 200 innings a season, as Cubs ace Jon Lester and his fellow starters continue to push for.

Marlins' Braxton Lee, a sometimes-forgotten outfield prospect, has always been an underdog  —  Braxton Lee is an underdog.  He knows he is an underdog.  He has always been an underdog.  —  But now, as a 24-year-old center fielder in his first major league spring training, Lee is an underdog on the cusp of making it to the bigs.

Cardinals' Daniel Poncedeleon continues comeback, returned to mound Sunday  —  The box score shows that Daniel Poncedeleon pitched two innings of three-hit, one-run ball for the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday against the Houston Astros.  —  The box score doesn't begin to tell the story …

For starters: Rays vs. Blue Jays, with Cron swinging, Archer flinging  —  After their annual meeting with players union chief Tony Clark and other officials - and with probably more to talk about than usual - this morning, the Rays will host the Blue Jays at 1:

Arizona Diamondbacks spring training - 2018 … Following a season in which he performed like one of the best and most dominant starters in baseball, Diamondbacks lefty Robbie Ray isn't hoping to repeat his success.  He's looking to build on it.  —  “That was just kind of the floor,” Ray said.

Detroit Tigers top prospect Alex Faedo makes good first impression  —  Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, designated hitter Victor Martinez and pitching prospect Alex Faedo work on their crafts in spring training in Lakeland, Fla. Video by Anthony Fenech/DFP Wochit

Mikolas has a rough debut for Cards  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Miles Mikolas, a Jupiter native signed for $15.5 million for two years after pitching three seasons in Japan, didn't have the picture-book Cardinals debut he might have imagined Sunday.  He allowed six runs and seven hits …

Wacha,righthanded relievers to face Twins  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Starter Michael Wacha and righthanded relievers Matt Bowman and Sam Tuivailala are slated to pitch for the first time this spring Monday when the Cardinals start a three-game swing to Florida's West Coast, meeting the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers.