Nationals' treasure: Victor Robles is key to the future, with or without Bryce Harper  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Back in 2005, Ryan Zimmerman was the first-ever draft pick of the newly minted Washington Nationals, an All-American from neighboring Virginia expected to steer the franchise through …

NY Mets equipped to adjust after Jason Vargas injury  —  Mets manager Mickey Callaway discusses Jason Vargas and Noah Syndergaard Matt Ehalt/NorthJersey.com  —  When the Mets signed Jason Vargas last month, they added insurance to protect against the injuries that would occur throughout the year.

Detroit Tigers' Mike Fiers: Back issue not major; must take things slow  —  LAKELAND, Fla. - Detroit Tigers right-handed pitcher Mike Fiers said Monday morning he hopes the lower back stiffness he is dealing with subsides before the start of the regular season.

Milwaukee Brewers recreate ‘Sandlot’ scene  —  The Milwaukee Brewers posted a video of its players re-enacting a scene from The Sandlot.  —  Milwaukee published the footage to its social media accounts on Sunday night.  —  “There's heroes and there's legends,” the Brewers wrote as a caption on the video.

Spending bill could quash Minor League Baseball players' wage claims … A massive government spending bill that Congress is expected to consider this week could include a provision exempting Minor League Baseball players from federal labor laws, according to three congressional officials familiar with the talks.

NL East Notes: Nationals, Murphy, Phillies, Rupp  —  There is “virtually no chance” Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy will be ready for Opening Day, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com writes.  Murphy, who's working his way back from the microfracture knee surgery he underwent last October …

Manny Machado finds comfort at shortstop as he prepares for his next big move  —  SARASOTA, Fla. — If Manny Machado were any more comfortable in spring training, he'd be carrying a hammock out to the field with him.  —  Six years after his last full-time exposure to playing shortstop …

Analysis: Shohei Ohtani's spring struggles underscore the difficult path to two-way success in MLB  —  The Washington Post  —  Shohei Ohtani's arrival in Major League Baseball this winter was met with so much hype, anticipation and historic recalibration — he is seeking to become the first full-time …

A baseball scout and his hotel room: A love story spanning four decades  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - This eclectic 194-room hotel in Old Town has purple carpet, pink doors, and yellow and orange walls.  —  It has changed names nine times.  —  It has even changed addresses without moving.

Cards shift their thinking, decide Kelly needs to play in Memphis — not wait in St. Louis  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • Before he watched members of last year's Class AAA club accept the rings they earned by winning the Pacific Gulf Coast League championship, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny made a prediction.

Syndergaard was so ‘nasty’ he threw off Mets' plan for him  —  SARASOTA, Fla. — Here was Noah Syndergaard on the mound in the seventh inning of a spring training game.  The pitch count was low — 72 through six innings.  But there was one other factor that caused manager Mickey Callaway to stay with his horse.

Indians Release Melvin Upton Jr., Ryan Hanigan  —  The Indians announced Monday that they have released outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. and catcher Ryan Hanigan (via Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com).  Both players signed minor league contracts with the Tribe over the winter.

Detroit Tigers have two of MLB's highest-paid players by position  —  Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve reportedly agreed to a five-year, $151 million contract extension Friday.  When the extension kicks in for the 2020 season, Altuve will become the highest-paid second baseman in baseball …

Phillies should keep Jesmuel Valentin at Lehigh Valley |  Marcus Hayes  —  CLEARWATER, Fla. — It would make for a nice, neat story:  —  Kid gets cut from the team one year because he's a little too green, goes down to the minors and gets hurt, rehabs like crazy, reports to camp this year fitter and readier, and plays even better.

Carpenter on the move again for Cardinals  —  JUPITER, Fla.  • For the first time this spring, Matt Carpenter moved to third base and Jedd Gyorko started at second for the Cardinals on Sunday.  Carpenter later turned up for three innings at second base and Gyorko went back to third for three innings.

25-man roster decisions loom as Cubs enter last days of spring training  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The Cubs likely will finalize their 25-man roster before their Cactus League finale on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals at Surprise.  —  In addition to performance, there are a few procedural issues among …

Players ready to crush their 2018 projections  —  Projections are tools, and like most tools, they're not perfect.  No matter how many sources of information you use, no matter how advanced the data, there always will be some players with specific situations that a computer projection system will have trouble with.