The Astros didn't have to think twice when faced with a decision to either place lefthander Polin Trinidad on the 40-man roster or risk losing him to another team. Coming off a breakout season that included a trip to the Futures Game, the lefthander was added to the roster after the season and will make his first trip to major league camp in spring training.

After collecting and analyzing 2,232 broken bats, M.L.B. and the players? union have adopted recommendations from baseball?s Safety and Health Advisory Committee.

Ad - Can you beat his score? Try Now! Take the Quiz.

Todd Doolittle is used to being underestimated. He doesn't have the biggest frame, the biggest fastball or the biggest reputation. "I've always been a small guy," he said. "You have to have the big-man mentality."

While C.C. Sabathia left Las Vegas without responding to the Yankees? offer, optimism remained that Sabathia could still be a Yankee very soon.

Reporting from Las Vegas The Dodgers knew Jason Schmidt had a rotator cuff injury when they signed him to a contract worth a guaranteed $47 million, the club acknowledged in a court filing this week. The Dodgers filed suit against the company that

Righthander Matt Kniginyzky has bounced between the prospect list to the injury list since being selected in the 23rd round of the 2005 draft. A stellar full-season debut in 2006 was sabotaged by an injury-plagued 2007 in which he made just five starts. The 26-year-old rebounded in 2008 with high Class A Wilmington, going 9-8, 3.57 with 113 strikeouts and 51 walks in 141 innings.

The team reached a three-year, $37 million deal with Francisco Rodríguez, providing a boost to the bullpen.

View the FREE PinstripesPlus.com Story Archive Join other fans on the PinstripesPlus.com Forums Return to the PinstripesPlus.com Front Page

Brandon Wood, one of the Angels' top prospects and a candidate to start in their infield next season, should be ready for competition in spring training after finding out just how unforgiving winter ball can be. Wood, 23, hit just .167/.259/.250 for Estrellas in the Dominican League, with one home run and 16 strikeouts (against six walks) in 48 at-bats. The club sent him home after 13 games, when he managed just one hit in his final 13 at-bats.