San Diego’s Petco Park gets transformed into a tennis stadium to host the USA’s first-round Davis Cup match against the United Kingdom. The ballpark gets rave reviews in its new configuration, but the U.S. ends the day down two matches to none.

Michael Young announces his retirement after 14 seasons at a news conference at the Ballpark in Arlington. Young retires as the Texas Rangers’ all-time leader for games played, hits and runs scored, among others.

2014 – P Mark Appel, the top pick in last year’s amateur draft and one of the top prospects in the game, undergoes an emergency appendectomy. The Astros are confident he will have recovered in time for the start of spring training in two weeks, but he’ll struggle in the first half of the season.

Major League Baseball announces it has approved the use of a new pitcher’s cap with extra padding to try to cut back on injuries from liners to the mound. The headgear, which is a half-inch thicker in the front than a standard cap and an inch thicker on the sides, will be optional for players in the majors and minor leagues, although it is expected to find more users in youth leagues.

The Brewers make their signing of P Matt Garza to a four-year contract official, four days after taking the unusual step of denying a deal had been reached. Garza will get $50 million over the four years, with an option for a fifth season at $13 million.

Dodger Stadium becomes the latest ballpark to host an outdoor National Hockey League game. The Anaheim Ducks shut out the Los Angeles Kings, 3-0, in a local derby.

2014 – The Rays sign closer Grant Balfour for two years at $12 million. He had signed as a free agent with the Orioles earlier this off-season, but the Birds backed out of the deal after a physical exam.

The Rays and Padres make a seven-player trade, with Tampa Bay sending Ps Alex Torres and Jesse Hahn to San Diego for IF Logan Forsythe, Ps Brad Boxberger, Matt Lollis and Matt Andriese, and IF Maxx Tissenbaum.

Masahiro Tanaka reaches a seven-year, $155 million deal with the New York Yankees. Tanaka is fresh off one of the best seasons in Pacific League history (24-0, 1.27).