Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie officially pulled out of the World Baseball Classic on Thursday afternoon because of a strained left rib cage. Toronto appears to have narrowly avoided a serious setback, as Lawrie is expected to be out for only two to three weeks.

Friday’s World Baseball Classic matchup between Team Canada and Team Italy has been relocated to Chase Field due to inclement weather.

Well aware that this was always a plausible outcome, the Cardinals are now stung with the reality that they will get no help from shortstop Rafael Furcal this season.

Davey Johnson has obviously mellowed. In casual conversations, he doesn’t sound as head-strong as he was nearly a half-century ago. Few players were as cocky, but that’s what made Johnson so good, so darn determined.

The calendar says it’s now unlikely for Carl Crawford to be ready for the season opener, but he disagrees. With Opening Day just 25 days away, he’s resumed hitting off a tee.

Cuba went undefeated in three games to win Pool A, but it opens the second round against a Dutch team that has performed well in the past vs. the international baseball powerhouse.

Despite speculation about Nolan Ryan’s future with the organization, Rangers players remain focused on the field and the team’s ultimate goals.

Lance Berkman hit his first home run of the spring and the Rangers held on for a 3-2 victory over the Cubs on Wednesday.

Promise and potential, especially when you streak to the big leagues at a very young age, can prove to be a very large burden for a young player. Some live up to it, others never measure up and some, truth be told, are crushed under the weight. The jury is still out over what path Travis Snider will take.

Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks with a strained tendon in his right wrist, the team announced on Wednesday.

With the rest of the White Sox having a scheduled off-day, lefty Chris Sale threw the equivalent of four innings and 65 pitches on Wednesday in what was termed by pitching coach Don Cooper as “a great day of work” for the 23-year-old.

Roy Halladay finished a lengthy news conference last month at Bright House Field with the following comment: “I know Chase suggested drilling a few guys this year so I might mix that in.” He seems to have taken that suggestion to heart.

Injuries to players such as Andres Torres, the retirement of perennial stalwarts and a decline in the number of Puerto Rican stars in the Major Leagues have made manager Edwin Rodriguez’s job much more difficult this spring.

Through the first couple of weeks of Cactus League games, D-backs general manager Kevin Towers likes what he’s seen from his club.

Facing the Yankees for the first time in his professional career, Robinson Cano drilled a run-scoring single as the Dominican Republic defeated New York, 8-2, in exhibition play on Wednesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Backed by Miguel Cabrera’s two homers, the Venezuelans finished with a 14-9 victory over the Mets on Wednesday, propelling them into Thursday night’s World Baseball Classic Pool B opener against the Dominican Republic.

Puerto Rico has several recognizable position players, but the team’s ability to compete against the world’s best will likely come down to the performances of its unproven pitching staff.