More on Gagne, Torre, Martin

As it turns out, Eric Gagne asked for his release, and it was granted. Gagne apparently decided he didn't want to be in the minors and exercised the opt-out clause in his contract.

As for Joe Torre, he suspended all talks for an extension until after the season, saying he didn't want it to become a distraction for the team. He insists he still wants to manage the team another year after this.

And Russell Martin's batting practice session was cut short today after he was knocked down once and plunked twice by minor league pitcher Tom Corcoran. Martin was heard to have shouted a couple of obscenities as he entered the hallway outside the clubhouse after being shut down, but laughed about it later while he was getting treatment in the training room. Corcoran, on the other hand, appeared to have been rattled after knocking down Martin, which could have led to his controls problems that resulted in plunking Martin twice thereafter.

Angel Berroa, signed in the off-season to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, was released today. However, the Yankees returned Jamie Hoffmann, whom they selected in the Rule 5 Draft from the Dodgers in December, back to the Dodgers. However, Hoffmann could find his way back to New York in a deal with the Dodgers involving either Chad Gaudin or Sergio Mitre. This would allow the Yankees to send Hoffmann to the minors with out the Rule 5 thing attached to it.