The Boston Red Sox today extended manager John Farrell’s contract through the 2017 season with a club option for 2018. Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.

The Orioles won their arbitration hearing on Friday against outfielder Alejandro De Aza, which means he will make $5 million in 2015. De Aza’s side had requested $5.65 million, but he still gets a good raise from the $4.25 million he made last year.

Prior to the first workout for Nationals pitchers and catchers Saturday, the team announced it has exercised the 2016 club option on manager Matt Williams.

Righty Andre Wilson worked seven innings for Grambling State and got the win, striking out seven batters and yielding six hits. UNO right-hander Shawn Semple pitched into the seventh inning, not allowing a run and striking out 10 batters while allowing just one hit and one walk

Growing up in Cuba, Yoan Lopez was a fan of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The team became a big fan of Lopez this past winter after watching him pitch, and it gave Lopez a signing bonus of a little more than $8 million to join the organization.

MLB Network’s “MLB Tonight” spent Friday night breaking down how the new rules instituted Friday by Major League Baseball to quicken the pace of play will impact hitters and pitchers this season.

Build it up and pass it along. That’s the guiding principle of the Urban Invitational, which seeks to grow the passion for baseball among inner-city residents. Major League Baseball has started at the youth level and hopes to carry its momentum to older generations

The reaction across Major League camps to immediate changes in rules governing pace of game and instant replay was swift upon the announcement of those initiatives Friday, and there was a range of opinions about just what those changes might mean.

On Friday, Joe Maddon put on the third Major League uniform of his career, and it fit well. Maddon talked to the pitchers, catchers, coaching staff and medical staff for a half hour prior to the first workout. His message to the players was that he was honored to be their manager.

Southern and Grambling State met again Friday on the first day of Invitational at the New Orleans Urban Youth Academy, but the rivalry was friendly, collegial and constructive.

It was merely his first bullpen session of Spring Training, but Tim Lincecum passed the eyeball test Friday.

The Angels don’t know when Josh Hamilton will report for Spring Training, and at this point they can’t be sure if the high-priced slugger will even report at all.

Masahiro Tanaka said that he no longer has any doubts about the health of his right elbow, believing that he can take on a full workload without any further complications.

MLB.com fantasy guru Fred Zinkie fielded questions from fans during a live Twitter chat at @Fantasy411 on Friday.

Generally as upbeat as he is excitable, White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper was practically levitating as he moved around the workout mounds at Camelback Ranch during the club’s first workout of Spring Training.

Chris Sale may be the de facto captain for the White Sox, but the ace left-hander prefers to let his on-field performance speak for itself.

Jon Lester’s side session on the first day of workouts for Cubs pitchers and catchers was probably like his initial session a year ago. David Ross was his catcher and Lester was wearing his camouflage spikes.