New York Yankees News Blog @newzblogz.com

The UCLA Dynasty (today, 10 p.m., HBO): UCLA's men's basketball team was the New York Yankees of college basketball when they won 10 national titles during an amazing 12-season run from 1964 to 1975. See how they did it.

• Journey to Planet Earth (Wednesday, 8 p.m., PBS): Matt Damon — yes, that Matt Damon — investigates why so many of our ocean's animals are disappearing.

• Fired! (Thursday, 8:30 p.m., Showtime): Stars like Tim Allen, Sarah Silverman, Andy Dick (is he really a star?) and Fred Willard recall what it was like getting canned in this 90-minute documentary.

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Orlando, FL -- (Sports Network) - The Washington Nationals released veteran first baseman Travis Lee before the team's spring training game against Atlanta on Sunday.

Lee requested and received his unconditional release after informing Nationals general manager Jim Bowden that he did not have the passion to play any longer.

Lee is a career .256 hitter with 115 home runs and 488 RBI in nine major league seasons with Arizona, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees.

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Catcher Dioner Navarro will start today against the Cleveland Indians in Winter Haven, and since it's only his third game back after missing two weeks because of a left hamstring injury, he will actually be on a pitch count. Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said he wants to limit the amount of times Navarro has to stand and squat.

While Maddon wants Navarro to catch as many as seven innings, he said he will limit his catcher to 100 pitches. . . .

James Shields will make his sixth start and is expected to pitch seven innings and reach 100 pitches. . . .

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Phillies Notes CLEARWATER, Fla. - Cole Hamels finished last season on a roll, going 6-3 with a 2.60 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 691/3 innings over his final 11 starts.

But Hamels had been searching to regain that form this spring. Yesterday, he may have found it in pitching 62/3 innings of two-run, six-strikeout ball in a 10-2 win over Minnesota.

"Something like this lets you know that you're ready to get to Philly where things matter and count," the 23-year-old lefty said. "I've been wondering, 'Will I get there?' Now I know I'm ready."

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LAKELAND, Fla. -- Gary Sheffield showed the New York Yankees what they'll be missing this season.

Sheffield hit a three-run homer and a sacrifice fly in his first two trips to the plate, helping the Detroit Tigers score six runs in the first two innings of a 9-5 victory over the Yankees on Sunday.

The nine-time All-Star was traded to Detroit in November _ the first major move of the offseason. He got a contract extension from the Tigers.

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