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Cleveland Indians: Ellis Burks is jobless at this juncture but has no intention of retiring, he told T.R. Sullivan of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Burks missed the better part of last year with an elbow problem. "I've got to come back from last season," Burks told Sullivan. "That's not me, finishing with an injury like that. I'm 100 percent. The elbow is fine, and my knees haven't been a problem in the last few years. Somebody is going to gain a productive player." Prior to last year's misfortune, Burks was slugging over .500 with great regularity. Sullivan reports that Los Angeles, Minnesota and Boston have all shown some interest in the 39-year old. Burks spent the first six years of his career with the Red Sox.

Minnesota Twins: Get used to the name: Joe Mauer. The Twins rookie catcher is going to be the newcomer topic of 2004 unless he tanks it or somebody else comes along to usurp him. Gordon Wittenmyer of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes that he is already one of the most popular Twins without even playing in a single major league game.

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