MIAMI (AP) — Mike Matheny held a team meeting with the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday afternoon, then emerged to take his first look around Marlins Park and announced he would be throwing batting practice. He’s trying to keep everything as simple as possible. Maybe that’s the right move for the rookie manager of the reigning World Series champions, who begin their defense of the crown today (Wednesday) against the newly renamed Miami Marlins. Matheny says he tried to learn something new every day during spring training, and that he has spoken to several people with managerial experience to pick their brains. And of course, he’s been in contact with Tony La Russa, who retired after last season — but is still a mentor of sorts for Matheny. You can hear the game this evening on KJAN, beginning at 5:10.

MIAMI (AP) – Perched atop the Miami Marlins’ colorful, provocative home-run sculpture is a blue marlin, poised for splashdown whenever the home team hits one out. Call the artwork what you will – gaudy, goofy, grotesque, great – but there’s no denying it’s new. For the Marlins, that’s what this season is all about. They’ve become a big-spending, attention-grabbing team as they open the season at home Wednesday night against the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Marlins predict they’ll contend for the NL East title – and more. When ace Josh Johnson throws the first pitch in the new ballpark, the Marlins will begin trying to supplant the Cardinals, who mounted an improbable late-season charge to the World Series title.