The Orioles remain in contact with the Cubs, who are pushing for a swap of outfielder Luis Matos for Chicago infielder Todd Walker, according to a baseball source. -- Washington Post

Add the Atlanta Braves to the list of five teams interested in acquiring outfielder/first baseman Craig Wilson. The Pirates are dangling Wilson in hopes of landing a veteran right-handed pitcher who can fill a spot in the rotation left vacant by Kip Wells. -- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The Marlins were interested in trading Scott Olsen to acquire Tampa Bay center fielder Joey Gathright, but the Devil Rays are not as likely to part with Gathright as they were last month. And the Devil Rays have not been impressed with Olsen this spring. -- Palm Beach Post

Rumors have circulated around the Cubs' camp recently that Tribune Co. could be positioning itself to sell the team, with Tribune stock reversals apparently signaling a possible need to consider liquidating some assets and reducing the debt load. -- Chicago Sun-Times

Angles pitcher John Lackey took a significant step in his recovery from a minor shoulder ailment. He needed only 50 pitches to complete four scoreless innings against the Giants' triple-A team. His fastball was crisp; his curve and changeup looked sharp. -- Los Angeles Times

The Tim Salmon watch continues as the veteran tries to make the team as a non-roster invitee to camp. Salmon hasn't played since the weekend as Sunday's rainout and Monday's off day gave his surgically repaired knee and shoulder a chance to rest. Officially, Salmon needs to know by Wednesday if he will make the roster. If not, he can be released to give him time to hook up with another organization. But both sides continue to say that the deadline will be waived and Salmon will be given a longer look. -- Los Angeles Daily News

Hee-Seop Choi's time as a Dodger could be down to its final days, a situation hastened by James Loney's fast-arriving future. The Dodgers likely will make a decision before they break camp in Florida. If they release Choi by March 29, they would owe him approximately $178,000 in salary. -- Orange County Register

Dodger decision-makers met to voice opinions on lingering roster questions, and barring an unforeseen circumstance, Manager Grady Little will get his wish and begin the season with 11 pitchers rather than 12. The additional position player would come from "a small handful" of candidates, Little said, that includes first baseman Hee-Seop Choi, rookie left fielder Joel Guzman or infielder Willy Aybar. The primary role would be to pinch-hit. -- Los Angeles Times

Injuries to Mark Prior and Kerry Wood mean the Cubs will need a fifth starter at least until the last two weeks of April, and the auditioning has begun. Monday, two of the four candidates -- Angel Guzman and Rich Hill -- pitched against the Diamondbacks. The other two -- Jae Kuk Ryu and Sean Marshall -- will pitch within the next two days. Though none appears to be an overwhelming favorite, the one Cubs brass presumably would like to succeed is Guzman, if for no other reason than the time they have invested in him. -- Chicago Tribune

Though the Red Sox indicated they'd also talked with Cincinnati about Austin Kearns (.240, 18 homers, 67 RBIs in '05), Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said ''they were basically on [Wily Mo] Pena the whole time." -- Boston Globe

Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett, Matt Clement, and David Wells have been guaranteed spots in the rotation, unless one is traded. That means Jonathan Papelbon is all but sure to begin in the bullpen, either as a setup man or closer. -- Boston Globe

With reliever Dustin Hermanson weighing his baseball career because of ongoing back problems, the White Sox are looking for a pitcher -- possibly two -- to step into the middle-relief role. Newly acquired Matt Thornton could be the answer. -- Chicago Sun-Times

Jaret Wright's back spasms have not eliminated him from contention for a Yankees rotation spot -- which is important, because Carl Pavano's return has been delayed two weeks. Wright, whose back tightened up Sunday, could be back on a mound by Thursday. Joe Torre said that the team no longer is eyeing April 15 for Pavano's activation from the disabled list. -- Newark Star-Ledger

If there is no trade, and Alfonso Soriano doesn't have a change of heart about playing left field, the most likely resolution is a trip to the disqualified list. An interesting wrinkle to that possibility is the fact that Soriano would not earn service time if he were disqualified. Therefore, though Soriano is due to be a free agent after the 2006 season, his contract would in effect be suspended, "and he would not be a free agent," GM Jim Bowden said. "He would still be our property." -- Washington Post

The Mets view a trade for Alfonso Soriano as unlikely even after the Nationals said yesterday they will try to find a new home for him. -- Newsday

The Royals aren't particularly interested in dealing. They are, instead, still scrambling to revamp their bullpen after confirming Sunday that closer Mike MacDougal is likely to miss at least six weeks because of a strained shoulder muscle. -- Kansas City Star

Giant Mark Sweeney has yet to play the outfield this spring, but that will change soon. Also, now that Omar Vizquel and Pedro Feliz are back, Jose Vizcaino will get more playing time on the right side of the infield. -- San Francisco Chronicle

Third baseman Dallas McPherson, who has been working to shorten his swing this spring, had five hits, including a prodigious home run, in 10 at-bats while shuffling between triple-A and double-A games. -- Los Angeles Times

With two weeks left until the season opener, the Rangers will begin to play their regulars in more spring training games. That's especially important for shortstop Michael Young and second baseman Ian Kinsler, who have played together only in practices and drills this spring. -- Dallas Morning News

Rich Harden appeared in only his second game of the spring Monday, and though he was somewhat erratic, he pitched well, especially in getting out of jams. Harden, who had surgery on his left shoulder at the start of the offseason, has thrown two simulated games this spring, including one last week. -- San Francisco Chronicle