ST Daily: Polanco Gets Popped  —  The Twins made an unexpected run to the Wild Card Game last fall, fueled in part by a torrid final two months of the season from Jorge Polanco.  The shortstop batted .316/.377/.553 from the beginning of August until the end of the regular season …

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.

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 …

Tigers' Ron Gardenhire blasts pitchers' lazy play: ‘Not acceptable’  —  The Detroit Tigers started Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, with individual pictures, followed by practice.  First rounder pitcher Alex Faedo faced major-league hitters for the first time, too.  Video by Kirthmon F. Dozier/DFP Wochit

Clayton Kershaw is turning 30, but he doesn't feel that old … No competitor, in any sport, is more focused than Clayton Kershaw.  On the days he pitches, there is no tolerance for distraction.  —  But this is spring training, where the atmosphere is lighter and the crowd sits extra close to the field.

Rays Journal: Optioning Banda narrows bullpen field, Archer change-up, more  —  PORT CHARLOTTE — Shipping out LHP Anthony Banda on Sunday made clearer who remains in the running for multi-inning jobs in the Rays bullpen.  —  With RHP Matt Andriese a certainty, the Rays now have four …

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.

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 …

Cincinnati Reds hope Plan A at short (Jose Peraza) works  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. - The Reds seem to have Plan B, C and D for shortstop.  —  But the best thing for the future and 2018 is for Plan A to work.  That is for Jose Peraza to play virtually every day and play well.

Rangers' Perez on bull that caused fall: ‘I killed him and I ate him’  —  SURPRISE, ARIZ.  —  Talk about taking the bull by the horns.  —  Left-hander Martin Perez said on Sunday that the bull that charged him in December and caused him to break his right elbow was slaughtered shortly after the accident for beef.

Column: Controversy-free spring was just what the White Sox needed  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Back in Sarasota, Fla., during the spring of 1996, White Sox camp was roiled early by the disappearance of Tony Phillips, who had signed as a free-agent over the winter.

Arizona Diamondbacks spring training - 2018 … Paul Goldschmidt has been asked the question over and over the past five months.  He's heard it from reporters, teammates, coaches - he even heard it from a fan during a Q&A session at FanFest.  —  Did the elbow issue that cost him a week in September contribute to his poor finish?

Cincinnati Reds top Arizona Diamondback 5-2 at Goodyear Ballpark  —  Cincinnati Reds left-hander Amir Garrett produced another strong outing Friday.  He's faced 16 batters this spring and struck out 10 of them.  The Enquirer/Adam Baum  —  CONNECT  —  GOODYEAR, Ariz. - The Reds beat the Arizona Diamondback 5-2 at Goodyear Ballpark.

Arenado brothers — Rockies' Nolan, Giants' Jonah — square off for first time  —  Nolan: “I would have had to tag him really hard”  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Rockies star third baseman Nolan Arenado admitted that the moment felt “a little weird.”  —  In the sixth inning of Sunday's Cactus …

Camp report: Chase Anderson settles in and Christian Yelich has big day at plate  —  On the field: Right-hander Chase Anderson got better and better as the game went on during his start against a split-squad Dodgers team.  After allowing two hits and three runs over the first two innings …

First-pitch strikes key for Tyler Chatwood to succeed  —  Chicago Tribune  —  High ground-ball and spin rates combined with success away from Coors Field attracted the Cubs to Tyler Chatwood in free agency.  —  But there is a simple factor that could dictate how Chatwood fares — first-pitch strikes.

Time could finally be right for Wendle  —  PORT CHARLOTTE - If everything breaks right for Joey Wendle over the next 15 days, he will make his first opening day roster four weeks before he turns 28.  —  A bit late by some standards, but nothing new for Wendle, who has always been a bit of a late bloomer.