Bud Black sprung from the chair in front of the home dugout Friday to challenge a call on a close play at first base in the fifth inning — and the Padres’ manager was rewarded for doing so.

Twins closer Glen Perkins is staying put in his native Minnesota for the foreseeable future. Perkins, who was already signed to an extension through the 2015 season, restructured his deal and signed a new extension through the 2017 season on Friday.

Rockies owner, chairman and CEO Dick Monfort said he has been talking with the National Hockey League and others involved for more than eight months, and it should result in Coors Field hosting an NHL Stadium Series game “within the next two years.”

Xavier Nady, 35, is in Padres camp as a non-roster invitee, trying to land a spot on manager Bud Black’s bench as someone capable of playing first base and the corner outfield and who can hit, especially against left-handed pitching late in games.

Repeating is the daunting task facing the Boston Red Sox, who rose from the ashes of 2012 to send St. Louis reeling in last year’s World Series.

Robin Yount arrived at Brewers camp on Friday, where he mostly will work alongside Garth Iorg with Brewers infielders, according to manager Ron Roenicke.

Hank needs a doggie sweater. The Cactus League’s most famous canine is moving to a permanent home in Wisconsin.

Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett left Friday’s start against the Cubs after three innings a with right thumb bruise.

Even though a year had passed, B.J. Upton still looked strange wearing an Atlanta Braves uniform Friday afternoon when the Rays traveled to Lake Buena Vista to play the Braves.

Mark Teixeira has struggled this spring, but he feels like he’s right on track after last year’s wrist surgery.

Elliot Johnson, the uber-versatile utility man, has spent his entire career playing for contenders, and hopes the Indians will be next.

Listening to Red Sox manager John Farrell talk about the competition for Boston’s utility infield spot, it’s pretty clear there’s not much separation between the top two candidiates.

For those with a guaranteed starting spot on a Major League roster, Spring Training is all about getting the body ready for a season and very little about a line score. That is especially the case for first baseman Albert Pujols.

The A’s pitching depth is about to be tested. Jarrod Parker will see Dr. James Andrews on Monday with soreness and tightness in his pitching forearm, and fellow right-hander A.J. Griffin had a MRI on his pitching elbow Friday and was evaluated by team doctor Douglas Freedberg

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen, who won the 2013 NL MVP Award, has made the sensational seem routine while leading the Bucs back into the national spotlight.

Zack Greinke threw a scheduled bullpen session on Friday morning, signaling continued improvement in his mild calf strain.

Aaron Crow, Tim Collins and Kelvin Herrera have passed the test and now what might be baseball’s best bullpen is just about set for the season. The Royals’ Opening Day roster doesn’t have to be finalized for another 16 days but indications are that those three pitchers will join Wade Davis, Louis Coleman and closer Greg Holland in six of the seven relief spots.