Tejada is expected to be here with the rest of his new teammates tomorrow for the first full squad practice. Manager Cecil Cooper and owner Drayton McLane will hold a team meeting .... early in the morning .... and then everyone will take the field. General Manger Ed Wade was not around today ....'cause he and team president Tal Smith were involved in arbitration hearings over in Tampa. Infielder Mark Loretta's case was heard today ....and Wade told me by phone that he thought the hearing went well from his perspective. The arbitration panel has 48 hours to pass down it's decision. Loretta had already told me last week ....that whatever happens ....he's fired up to play and whether he wins the case or loses it .... it won't affect his approach to the season. And it won't either ... Loretta is a total professional ... and he understands this is just part of the business. The sticking point in the negotiations was the fact that Loretta made $ 2.5 million in base salary last year and $ 3.5 million total .. counting incentive bonuses. The Astros are offering less than that this year .... $ 2.75 million and that's what he contends is not fair. We'll find out soon .... how that turns out.

In the meantime ...Spring is in the air ....and I'm ready to talk some baseball ...... not steroids related baseball .....but real baseball. But with the federal investigation going on with Tejada ...which I'm told has already been downgraded to an inquiry ....I wonder if that will happen anytime soon??