Workouts get under way today

? Aaron Small thought back to October, when he got home to Loudon, Tenn., and put his suitcase in the attic after the New York Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs.

“It feels like two weeks ago,” he said.

Just 112 days after the Chicago White Sox completed their World Series sweep of the Houston Astros, spring training began Wednesday when pitchers and catchers reported to a half-dozen of the 30 major-league training camps in Florida and Arizona.

Workouts start today, and the Minnesota Twins become the final team to report Sunday. Position players are due in next week, and before you know it will come the April 3 opener, when Cleveland visits the White Sox.

Sammy Sosa, however, was not at spring training. The 37-year-old outfielder, just 12 homers shy of becoming the fifth player to reach 600, rejected an offer from the Washington Nationals and is likely to retire.

“It wasn’t about the money and it wasn’t about No. 600,” said his agent, Adam Katz. “It was a function of Sammy’s expectation of his own performance. He didn’t want to go out there and underperform like he did last year because it was just too painful for him, and it’s just something he doesn’t want to go through again.”

While not yet at the San Francisco Giants’ camp in Scottsdale, Ariz., Barry Bonds was the big topic of conversation there. The 41-year-old outfielder hit five homers in 14 games last season after recovering from three knee operations. He has 708 homers, six behind Babe Ruth and 47 shy of Hank Aaron’s career record.

In Lakeland, Jim Leyland spent his first day on the job as the Tigers’ new manager.

Pitcher Jeff Weaver became the last major free agent to find a team, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels worth $8,325,000.

In Mesa, Ariz., the Cubs said that while Kerry Wood’s rehabilitation from shoulder surgery was progressing, the star pitcher might not be ready for opening day.

In Dunedin, Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells said he wouldn’t mind playing a corner outfield spot or DH for the United States in the WBC so that Ken Griffey Jr. can play center.

In Tampa, the Yankees said Carl Pavano had lower-back discomfort that will prevent him from throwing off a mound until around March 1.