Now that Ken Griffey Jr.'s swollen knee has improved, he is ready to play in his first game for Seattle in a decade.

Griffey, 39, hit for about 10 minutes against two Class A pitchers in a simulated game yesterday in Peoria, Ariz. Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu then confirmed Griffey will make his spring debut, as planned, at designated hitter tomorrow night against Australia's national team.

Oakland is close to signing free agent Orlando Cabrera to a $4 million, one-year contract, likely ending former AL rookie of the year Bobby Crosby's disappointing tenure as the team's starting shortstop.

The perjury trial of Barry Bonds has been delayed at least through July and likely beyond, as an appeal filed by prosecutors over key evidence for the trial winds through the legal system. Federal court officials in San Francisco set a schedule for prosecutors and Bonds' lawyers to submit legal written arguments to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals debating the admissibility of three positive drug tests, so-called doping calendars and other evidence allegedly linking Bonds to steroids use. Jury selection for Bonds' trial had been scheduled to start yesterday. ... Tom Sturdivant, who pitched the Yankees to victory in Game 4 of the 1956 World Series on the day before Don Larsen's famed perfect game and also had a stint with the Pirates, died of an undisclosed cause in Oklahoma City. He was 78.

Raul Ibanez hit two doubles and Ryan Howard drove a two-run homer off the light tower beyond the right-center field fence and as the Phillies beat the Blue Jays, 12-7, in Dunedin, Fla. ... Chien-Ming Wang made his first appearance since a tendon in his foot was partially torn in June, pitching two scoreless innings for the Yankees in a 5-5 tie with the Astros in Kissimmee, Fla.