Yankees' third baseman Alex Rodriguez has reportedly been seen dining with two beautiful women dining out in Miami. In the midst of a divorce, Rodriguez was linked to pop star Madonna throughout the summer and fall.

Astros' owner Drayton McLane is a very wealthy man but still favors a salary cap in Major League Baseball. "We would love to have a salary cap, but the (players') union has been very resistant to that," McLane said this past week.

Twins' GM Bill Smith recently commented on the Yankees' signing of Mark Teixeira, saying they are just fine with Justin Morneau. "Good for Teixeira, good for the Yankees," Smith said. "What are you going to do? I like the guy (Justin Morneau) we've got (for $80 million) at first base."

Right-hander Yadel Marti and outfielder Yasser Gomez reportedly left the island and are in an unknown location as they seek MLB careers. Players' relatives and friends in Cuba confirmed their departure, without disclosing details of the planned route.

The New York Times Co. is reportedly seeking to sell its stake in the holding company of the Red Sox baseball team. The Wall Street Journal initially reported the Times Co.'s intention. In order to handle its mounting debt, it is planning to sell its 17.5% stake in New England Sports Ventures, which owns the Red Sox, the Fenway Park baseball field, and most of the cable network that shows their games.

Both CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are coming off career-highs in innings pitched, which means the Yankees are expected to be cautious with their new arms. "We're going to be careful with them and make sure they peak April 6, not March 20," New York's pitching coach Dave Eiland said, referring to Opening Day. "We've already got a plan in place."

Houston's Memorial Hermann Medical Center announced Saturday that it is removing Clemens' name from the Roger Clemens Institute for Sports Medicine. The facility opened three years ago. A statement released by Memorial Hermann said, "To better reflect its commitment to all sports and athletes, the facility will transition to become known as the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute, effective Jan. 1, 2009. The move reflects a desire to promote the broad range of sports medicine services and programs offered by Memorial Hermann across the greater Houston area."

The Yankees believe that all of baseball benefits when they field a strong, highly-paid team. "The philosophy of George Steinbrenner, which has been continued by Hal and Hank, is that the Yankees are a sacred trust to their fans and they believe in continually reinvesting in the team rather than reinvesting in themselves," team president Randy Levine said Wednesday. "We follow all the rules of baseball, we pay millions of dollars to other teams and we are essential to the revenues generated by Major League Baseball and its networks and other entities." The Yankees have already spent $423.5 million this offseason on CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira. The rest of MLB has only shelled out $296.6 million thus far. "We are usually in the top of road attendance and we get some of the highest television ratings, both when we play national games and when we visit other teams," Levine said. He said if the Yankees' new stadium, which will be ready for the 2009 season, allows the team's revenue to increase, then "so will the revenues of the rest of the game."

Randy Johnson, who signed a one-year deal with the Giants on Friday, is looking to enjoy his time in San Francisco. He realizes that the 2009 season could be his last. "I'm not going to say I'm done because I haven't even started the year," Johnson said on a conference call Saturday. But the 45-year-old acknowledged, "It could be my last season. ... I probably want to enjoy it a little more and be surrounded by people who are enjoying it as well." Johnson has 295 wins and 4,789 strikeouts in his career.

Many believe that the arrival of Mark Teixeira in New York could allow the Yankees to play Brett Gardner in center. Teixeira's presence could help manager Joe Girardi hide Gardner, a slick defender but below-average hitter, in the lineup.