The San Diego Padres are thrilled following a clubhouse visit by Muhammad Ali.Dozens of players and coaches waited in a long line to shake hands and take pictures with the boxing great, who made a 45-minute appearance for the Athletes for Hope foundation on Monday.
Padres officials say Ali is only scheduled to meet with a few big league teams.
Outfielder Aaron Cunningham and reliever Mike Adams heard on Sunday that Ali might be visiting, so they each purchased a pair of boxing gloves just in case. Both walked away with autographs and a cherished memory.
Outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. says he usually isn't star-struck, but was by Ali's visit.
-- The Associated Press
WESTBROOK FINALLY BACK ON MOUND (6:38 p.m. ET)
Jake Westbrook pitched 1 2/3 innings in his first game against major league hitters in almost two years and the Cleveland Indians beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Monday.
Westbrook allowed one run and one hit, walked three and hit a batter in his first big league outing since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2008.
Westbrook pitched in just three minor league games last year. The right-hander is expected to be Cleveland's Opening Day starter on April 5 in Chicago.
Michael Brantley went 3 for 4 with an RBI for Cleveland.
Rodrigo Lopez, a candidate for the No. 5 spot in Arizona's rotation, allowed a run in two innings.
-- The Associated Press
BECKETT, CARPENTER BATTLE ON MOUND (5:16 p.m. ET)
Josh Beckett pitched three scoreless innings and struck out three, and Che-Shuan Lin hit a run-scoring single in the ninth inning to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 7-6 exhibition win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.
Boston pitchers kept the Cardinals hitless into the seventh inning.
In five innings this spring, Beckett has given up just one run.
Chris Carpenter, making his first appearance of the spring, went two innings for St. Louis. He gave up a run on four hits with a strikeout and no walks.
Three-time National League MVP Albert Pujols did not make the cross-state trip because of discomfort in his back. He is not expected to play Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins.
--The Associated Press
TOP PROSPECT HEYWARD HITS BOMB (4:39 p.m. ET)
Jason Heyward homered during a five-run first inning Monday and the Atlanta Braves went on to a 12-4 exhibition victory over the Detroit Tigers.
The 20-year-old outfielder, considered one of the top prospects in baseball, blasted a 3-2 pitch by Detroit's Max Scherzer an estimated 450 feet to drive in the first two runs of the game.
Scherzer didn't get out of the first inning, giving up four hits and three walks to the eight batters he faced.
Atlanta starter Tim Hudson pitched three innings, giving up one run on an RBI single by Jeff Larish while striking out three.
Troy Glaus and Eric Hinske each went 2 for 2 and scored twice for the Braves, and David Ross drove in four runs. Mitch Jones hit a home run in the eighth inning.
-- The Associated Press
MAINE SOLID IN SPRING DEBUT (4:25 p.m. ET) John Maine struck out four of the eight batters he faced in his spring debut, and Chris Carter hit two ninth-inning homers to help the New York Mets beat a Florida Marlins split squad 11-2 on Monday.
Maine allowed one run, two hits and one walk in 1 2/3 innings. He threw 21 of his 39 pitches for strikes.
Carter began the ninth with a pinch-hit homer, and had a three-run drive with two out.
The Mets are 6-2 this spring and have scored 91 runs.
Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla committed two errors on one play in the first inning, bobbling a grounder and then making a wild throw, and Jason Bay's single scored a run.
Florida's Ryan Tucker gave up two runs in two innings.
-- The Associated Press
OLSEN RETURNS FOR NATS (4:24 p.m. ET)
Washington's Scott Olsen, making his first start since season-ending shoulder surgery last July, threw two innings in the Nationals' 11-2 loss against a Florida Marlins split squad Monday.
The left-hander, penciled into a rotation spot provided he is healthy, allowed seven hits and three runs. Olsen gave up a three-run home run to Jorge Cantu in the first inning after a bloop single and a broken-bat liner off the glove of third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.
Washington is 0-6 this spring and has been outscored 67-30.
Florida right-hander Ricky Nolasco worked three innings in his first turn against major leaguers this spring, allowing a run on four hits with five strikeouts.
Josh Willingham and Zimmerman homered for the Nationals.
Florida's Ronny Paulino had four hits.
-- The Associated Press
ACEVES MAKES CASE FOR 5 SPOT (4:21 p.m. ET)
Alfredo Aceves may be pushing his way into the thick of the battle for the No. 5 spot in the New York Yankees' starting rotation.
Aceves tossed four perfect innings Monday in a 6-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a split squad game for both teams. In two outings this spring, both against the Pirates, the right-hander has retired all 18 batters he's faced.
Aceves, who worked one inning more than originally planned, struck out three. He threw just 36 pitches in the game, then tossed another 16 in the bullpen before cooling down.
"He's a strike-throwing machine," said Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. "He's a great weapon for us."
Along with Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin, Aceves went into spring training as a long-shot for a rotation job. The front-runners are Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Even if he doesn't wind up a starter, Aceves could nab a roster spot as a long reliever and fill-in starter.
"I would like to be a starter," Aceves said. "But it's not up to me."
Also, Javier Vazquez settled down after allowing a first-pitch homer to Jimmy Rollins, striking out four of his last five batters to help a New York Yankees split-squad beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-5.
Vazquez was pitching for New York for the first time since he gave up a first-pitch grand slam to Boston's Johnny Damon in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS.
-- The Associated Press
SORIANO PHYSICALLY FINE, MENTALLY GUN-SHY (3:11 p.m. ET)
Chicago Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano said Monday that although his knee feels 100 percent, he is still trying to overcome the mental hurdle in terms of extending himself and going all out in spring training.
Soriano on Saturday made his first appearance in the Cubs lineup since knee surgery ended his 2009 season on Sept. 15, later saying he planned to play back-to-back Cactus League games Monday and Tuesday. "I want to test and trust my knee a little bit more," Soriano said Saturday.
According to Cubs manager Lou Piniella, Soriano will hit either fifth or sixth in the Cubs lineup this season. The Cubs slugger said he has been working on better balance at the plate with new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo.
-- Buster Olney, ESPN The Magazine
WANG RETURNS TO NATS, STARTS IN WITH LONG TOSS (11:33 a.m. ET)
Chien-Ming Wang is back with the Washington Nationals, but there's no timetable for the right-hander's return to the mound.
Nationals manager Jim Riggleman says Wang's health will determine when he pitches. Wang is recovering from right shoulder surgery that ended his 2009 season in late July.
The 29-year-old pitcher played long toss with Jordan Zimmermann from about 120 feet for 20 minutes Monday morning. He also threw some soft pitches from both the stretch and windup from about 90 feet.
Wang signed a one-year, $2 million deal last month that could earn him another $3 million in performance incentives. Wang was 1-6 with a 9.54 ERA for the New York Yankees last season.
-- The Associated Press
RIVERA HAS FIRST BP SESSION (11:02 a.m. ET)
New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera threw 34 pitches during his first batting practice session Monday.
Rivera has taken a slower approach at spring training for the past few years. The 40-year old right-hander went 3-3 with 44 saves and a 1.76 ERA in 66 games last season. He will make the first of his eight or nine game appearances early next week.
Left-handed reliever Damaso Marte had his initial bullpen session, making 27 pitches. Meanwhile, Nick Johnson was back in New York's lineup after missing the previous four games with lower back stiffness.
-- The Associated Press
Jeremy Bonderman struggled with his control again, and this time it hurt him.Bonderman failed to make it out of the first inning in his second spring start, yielding Randy Ruiz's grand slam in the Detroit Tigers' 8-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.
"Rough day, to say the least," Bonderman said. "I'm just having a hard time with sinkers running off the plate and diving and staying down, which is good. But I've got to figure a way to throw consistently where I want. I was trying to throw it over the plate."
When he got it over the plate, "it was right down the middle," he said.
Bonderman recorded just two outs and was charged with six runs and six hits. Jose Bautista connected for a leadoff homer, Ruiz went deep and Travis Snyder hit his 36th and last pitch for a sacrifice fly.
Bonderman missed most of the last two years because of a blood clot in his right shoulder that required surgery. He is entering the final season of a $38 million, four-year contract.
"There's five, six guys fighting for two jobs," said Bonderman, who won 14 games in 2005 and 2006. "Until [manager Jim Leyland] comes up to me and says 'It's your job,' I don't think I have a job. Just 'cause you're under a contract doesn't mean anything."
-- The Associated Press
HAPP, AUMONT PITCH WELL FOR PHILLIES (7:10 p.m. ET)
J.A. Happ and Phillippe Aumont felt better after their second spring outings.
Happ and Aumont combined for five scoreless innings in the Philadelphia Phillies' 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
Happ allowed two hits, walked two and struck out two in 2 1/3 innings. Aumont replaced him in the third and gave up two hits in 2 2-3 innings, bouncing back after yielding five runs in an exhibition game against Florida State on Wednesday night.
"I was a little more consistent with mechanics and I was able to throw more strikes," said Aumont, one of three prospects acquired by the Phillies in the Cliff Lee trade. "We've been working the last few days on some stuff and it paid off."
Happ, who finished second in last year's voting for the NL Rookie of the Year, threw two shutout innings against the Seminoles but said he felt better after facing Tampa Bay.
"I just need to get reps," he said. "With more reps, that's how you pick up your comfort level."
-- The Associated Press
ROCKIES' KENNEDY STRONG IN APPEARANCE (6:56 p.m. ET)
Ian Kennedy has shown promise in the minor leagues. The Diamondbacks are hoping he can finally bring that success to the big league level.
Kennedy got off to a positive start Sunday, throwing two scoreless innings in a 9-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies. The game between split squads was called because of rain after 5½ innings.
Kennedy said he threw all his pitches, including two curveballs, but focused on his fastball command. He allowed two hits and walked one. The 25-year-old right-hander is expected to be Arizona's No. 4 starter.
Last season, Kennedy's season was cut short by an aneurysm under his right armpit. He pitched one major league inning and 22 2/3 innings in the minors. He has a 19-6 record and 1.95 ERA in the minors compared to a 1-4 record and 6.03 ERA in 59 2/3 big league innings.
"Here, they've said from the get-go, I still have to prove myself, but the doors are open for me," Kennedy said.
-- The Associated Press
METS' PEREZ, NATS' MARQUIS STRUGGLE IN FIRST STARTS (4:45 p.m. ET)Oliver Perez looked shaky in his first spring start, but Omir Santos hit an inside-the-park grand slam to help the Mets beat the Nationals 6-5 on Sunday in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Perez, coming off a terrible 2009, allowed five runs and seven hits in three innings. The notoriously wild left-hander issued just one walk and struck out two.
Jason Marquis, who signed a free-agent deal with Washington in the offseason, also had a rough start in his first spring game. He gave up five runs and three hits in two innings.
Santos hit a drive into the left-field corner in the second that Willy Taveras signaled was out of play after trying to retrieve it. The umpire ruled it was in play as Santos circled the bases.
-- The Associated Press
PADRES' SCOTT HAIRSTON DAY TO DAY WITH BRUISED HAND (4:28 p.m. ET)
Padres outfielder Scott Hairston, who was hit on the hand by a pitch Saturday in a loss to the Mariners, is day to day with a bruised left hand.
He said he's already seeing improvement. Hairston said he had full strength in his hand though he planned to take the day off.
"The look of it made me nervous," Hairston said. "Right now it's very early in spring training. It's not necessary to push things right now. I just want to make sure it's right."
Padres manager Bud Black had a brief conversation with Hairston in the morning and believes he will return soon.
Also, Padres right-hander Jon Garland said he felt good enough to avoid treatment a day after he was struck on the inside of the left knee by a line drive.
-- The Associated Press
RAYS GIVE DH BURRELL A SHIFT IN LEFT FIELD (4:11 p.m. ET)
The Tampa Bay Rays did something Sunday they did only once all last season: They played DH Pat Burrell in the outfield.
Burrell started in left field against his old team, the Phillies, after suggesting to manager Joe Maddon that he'd like an opportunity to play in the field more often.
While Carl Crawford is set in left field, the Rays are still trying to figure out who's going to be their right fielder. But Maddon said Sunday he didn't foresee Burrell playing regularly in right.
"I'm not going to play him in the outfield if I think we're better suited not to have him play in the outfield," the manager said. "You look at our team defensively ... and we really pride ourselves on that. We think that's a big part of our success, because obviously, we have some really good defenders out there. I'm not saying he can't get out there. We'll see how the season plays out. But for right now, he's the DH."
Burrell's take: "I'm here as a player, and what they call on me to do, I do. I'd like to create as many options for them as I can. And playing the outfield is an option. But if it's not, it's not."
-- Jayson Stark, ESPN.com
SS WILSON, CF GUTIERREZ LIKELY BACK FOR MARINERS (2:40 p.m. ET)
Shortstop Jack Wilson and center fielder Franklin Gutierrez are expected to be back in the lineup when the Mariners play a pair of spring games Monday in Arizona.
Wilson left Seattle's 9-3 loss to San Diego on Friday when he felt tightness in his right hamstring. Gutierrez has been hampered by a sore right shoulder and will make his first spring start when the Mariners play Milwaukee and the Chicago White Sox in split-squad games Monday.
Closer David Aardsma, who strained his groin Thursday against San Diego, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Monday.
-- The Associated Press
INDIANS WON'T BABY WESTBROOK (2:09 p.m. ET)The Indians and Rangers were rained out Sunday, pushing Jake Westbrook's first spring training start back to Monday. He's scheduled to throw two innings or 30 pitches against the Diamondbacks in Tucson.
Westbrook, 32, won 44 games and averaged 213 innings a season for Cleveland from 2004 through 2006 before the injuries hit. He underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in May 2008, and made two unsuccessful attempts to come back last season.
But Westbrook made four starts in winter ball in Puerto Rico, and the Indians don't plan to coddle him this spring.
"I expect Jake Westbrook to be good the way he was before,'' manager Manny Acta said Sunday. "I don't understand why there is so much uncertainty around him when just about every staff has a guy or two who's had Tommy John surgery. Why do we have to be so cautious or negative about Jake? Tommy John [surgery] is as common as your everyday dentist's visit in baseball now.''
The Indians are looking at Westbrook, Fausto Carmona and Justin Masterson as their top three starters. Aaron Laffey, David Huff, Mitch Talbot and Carlos Carrasco are the prime candidates for the final two spots in the rotation. Jeremy Sowers is currently rehabbing from a shoulder injury.
-- Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com
BLUE JAYS LHP CECIL TO MAKE SPRING DEBUT WEDNESDAY (1:01 p.m. ET)
Blue Jays left-hander Brett Cecil says he will make his spring debut Wednesday, one week after he cut his left thumb while "chopping up chickens."
Cecil says he will pitch against the Phillies when they travel to Dunedin, Fla., to face Toronto. Cecil went 7-4 with a 5.30 ERA in 18 games, 17 starts, last year as a rookie and is trying to earn a spot in the Blue Jays' rotation.
Cecil, 23, was scheduled to debut Thursday against Detroit. He has been playing catch since shortly after the injury and is expected to throw a bullpen session Monday.
-- The Associated Press
The Kansas City Royals got a glimpse of their future Saturday and had to like what they saw.Aaron Crow, a 2009 first-round pick, and Edgar Osuna, a Rule 5 draft pick from the Atlanta Braves, combined to throw three scoreless innings in their debuts as the Royals defeated the Texas Rangers 2-1 on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Crow struck out three in two innings. He allowed one hit, a Chris Davis double in the fourth. Crow threw 17 strikes in 23 pitches, with his fastball at 95-97 mph. He struck out Craig Gentry, the first batter he faced, with a 95 mph fastball.
"I expect myself to do well," Crow said. "I did about how I expected myself to. I have faith in myself. I know if I locate my pitches, I have a chance to get guys out."
Osuna, a 22-year-old left-hander, has been primary a starter in the minors, but could open the season in the bullpen. He allowed only a bunt single to Elvis Andrus and then got Craig Gentry to ground into a double play.
"I was really impressed," Royals manager Trey Hillman said of Osuna. "The change-up played out plus again. It looks like a fastball. It's very effective."
ESPN.com news services
REDDING FIGHTING FOR SPOT WITH ROCKIES (6:29 p.m. ET)Tim Redding, vying for a spot on Colorado's staff, started and allowed three hits and run in the Rockies' 8-6 victory against a Milwaukee Brewers' split-squad Saturday.
Redding is in camp on a minor league deal. The Rockies might be in need of a starter if Jeff Francis isn't ready to begin the regular season after missing all of 2009 following shoulder surgery.
Redding threw 15 of 30 pitches for strikes in two innings.
"I'll take it. I don't know if I'm happy with it," Redding said of his outing. "I wasn't able to pound the zone as much as I'm accustomed to. I got to be a little crisper than I was today."
Jody Gerut and Craig Counsell, were two of the more recognizable players in the Brewers' lineup and each had two hits. Counsell scored twice, and Gerut hit a windblown triple and double, reached base on his three plate appearances and drove in three runs.
-- Associated Press
MARLINS' JOHNSON STARTS EARNING PAYCHECK (5:11 p.m. ET)
Marlins ace Josh Johnson has started earning his $39 million contract.
Making his first start since signing his lucrative four-year deal in January, Johnson allowed two runs in two innings in Florida's 6-5 win over the Cardinals on Saturday.
Johnson, who'll be Florida's opening day starter after posting a 15-5 record in 2009, looked like an ace in a perfect first inning that ended with Albert Pujols looking at a called third strike.
But he was a little rusty in the second inning, which started with Colby Rasmus connecting on a 2-2 pitch for a long home run to right field.
Right-hander Kyle Lohse made his spring debut for the Cardinals and allowed one run on six hits in 2 2/3 innings.
-- Associated Press
METS' PELFREY UNVEILS SPLIT-FINGER FASTBALL (4:20 p.m. ET)Mike Pelfrey unveiled an effective split-finger fastball in his first spring start, Fernando Martinez had four hits and homered twice, and the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 14-6 on Saturday.
Pelfrey allowed four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits in the first two innings he worked, finishing with a 1-2-3 third. The right-hander took a Cristian Guzman liner off the outside of his right knee in the second, sustaining a minor bruise.
Washington is winless in four exhibition games and has been outscored 50-21.
Left-hander John Lannan, the Nationals' likely opening day starter April 5, gave up two runs, two hits and a walk in two innings of his first spring outing. He struck out two.
-- Associated Press
OSWALT WALKS THREE, LOADS BASES IN DEBUT (4:16 p.m. ET)
Roy Oswalt threw two rocky, yet scoreless innings in his spring debut and the Houston Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 3-0 Saturday.
Oswalt walked three and loaded the bases in the first. He allowed just one hit and struck out two while throwing 44 pitches.
Outfield prospect Jason Heyward singled in the fifth inning and has reached base at least once in all five of the Braves' spring games. He's now 4 for 10 with four walks.
Carlos Lee doubled and scored in his spring debut for the Astros and Lance Berkman made his first start of the spring at first base, going 0 for 1.
Braves starter Kris Medlen gave up one hit and two walks in two scoreless innings.
-- Associated Press
PUJOLS AND KOBE TALK PREPARATION (12:44 p.m. ET)
Reigning MVP Albert Pujols sat courtside Thursday for the Lakers-Heat game in Miami and had a "prep" talk of sorts before tipoff with past MVP Kobe Bryant, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"What got him so successful is what got myself so successful," the Cardinals slugger told the newspaper. "[Basketball is a] different sport, but to be successful and be the best like he is the best, you have to prepare yourself and do those things."
Pujols, who had bone chips removed from his right elbow in the offseason, told the Post-Dispatch that he's taking 150 swings a day and also doing work off a tee to prepare himself for another long season.
"I'm able right now to use the tee where last spring I wasn't able to do as much because I felt [the elbow]," Pujols told the paper. "In part, I would say my struggles in spring last year was that ... I couldn't take as many swings. ... There's nothing that I am concerned about."
-- ESPN.com news services
ENCARNACION'S SPRING STILL ON HOLD (11:59 a.m. ET)
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Edwin Encarnacion will not make his spring debut for at least a few days -- until his surgically repaired left wrist can handle at-bats.
Encarnacion, who hit .225 with 13 homers and 39 RBIs in 85 games with Cincinnati and Toronto in 2009, said he feels pain when he hits the ball off the end of the bat.
"Hopefully, I will be able to play next week," Encarnacion said, according to the Toronto Sun.
-- ESPN.com news services
RANDOLPH REVVED UP FOR MORE BP (11:53 a.m. ET)
Willie Randolph's right arm is feeling better these days. The Milwaukee Brewers bench coach underwent offseason surgery on a torn right flexor tendon.
According to The New York Times, Randolph wore out his arm from throwing batting practice last season, something he did only occasionally while Mets manager from 2005-2008.
"I'm 55 years old, and I've never had a sore arm in my life," Randolph told The New York Times. "So I went back last year and threw every single day. These kids love to just hit, hit, hit, hit. The heart was willing, but my body said, you're an old man, what are you doing?"
Randolph told The Times he hopes to be throwing BP sometime in May.
-- ESPN.com news services
Derek Lowe got off to a solid start after a rough first season in Atlanta, pitching two hitless innings in the Braves' 11-8 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday.
The Braves new closer, Billy Wagner, did not fare so well. He gave up three hits and two runs in the third inning.
-- Associated Press
TIGERS PICK UP SLACK FOR ZUMAYA (7:44p.m. ET)
Making his spring debut, Joel Zumaya allowed three earned runs in two innings of the Detroit Tigers' 17-7 win over the Houston Astros on Friday.
"He's unusual," manager Jim Leyland said of Zumaya. "He gets hit when he pitches down in the zone. He's better pitching it high because, with his speed, the batters know they need to stick the bat down low to hit him. They can't when he's high."
Zumaya, who throws near 100 mph, has struggled with shoulder injuries since pitching 62 games in 2006. Since then, he's pitched little more than he did in all of 2006, but he's still expected to be a key setup man in the bullpen for new closer Jose Valverde.
Zumaya and Valverde are expected to fill the void left when Fernando Rodney left for the Angels via free agency. Leyland said he can put up with Zumaya's well-documented theatrics as long as he gets the ball over the plate.
"He's like a bull on a chain," Leyland said. "As far as his personality, he's an excited guy and I don't want him to change a thing. If he can keep his pitches under control, we're all fine with it."
-- ESPN.com news services
D-BACKS' UPTON DELIVERS BIG HIT AFTER BIG DEAL (7:41p.m. ET)
Justin Upton began earning his massive new contract in a big way Friday.
Upton hit a sixth-inning grand slam as the Arizona Diamondbacks lost 8-7 to the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
The outfielder signed a six-year, $52 million deal with Arizona on Thursday.
-- ESPN.com news services
CARDS' PENNY TINKERS IN ROUGH DEBUT (7:33 p.m. ET)
Brad Penny's debut in a St. Louis Cardinals uniform was rocky, yet he was pleased with his first outing of the spring.
Penny pitched two innings, allowing three runs and six hits in the Cardinals' 7-3 loss to a New York Mets' split squad Friday. Three of those hits were soft flyballs that landed just beyond the infield.
"I worked on some stuff today," Penny said. "I probably threw more sinkers in the first inning than I have in a game in probably my career. I'm just trying to work on a sinker and get command of it."
Penny, who signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract to join his favorite childhood team, threw 46 pitches, 29 in the first inning.
"I thought he threw the ball well and had a good day's work," La Russa said.
Penny threw for a short time in the bullpen after his outing to correct a mechanical flaw.
-- Associated Press
M'S SS WILSON HURTS RIGHT HAMMY (7:15 p.m. ET)Seattle shortstop Jack Wilson injured his right hamstring Friday and left the game after the third inning of the Mariners' 9-3 loss to San Diego.
It was initially believed that Wilson injured the leg while scoring from first base on a triple by Ichiro Suzuki in the third inning. However, Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said, "he did not do it on the run. He actually did it (earlier) on a play at short where he planted and threw it.
"He said he felt OK on the run but it was tight."
Wilson was expected to be re-evaluated Saturday. -- Associated Press
ROCKIES' FRANCIS PITCHES FOR FIRST TIME SINCE '08 (6:00 p.m. ET)
After missing 18 months because of shoulder problems that required surgery, Jeff Francis was back on the mound again. He gave up four runs, four hits and two walks in two innings of the Colorado Rockies' 7-4, split-squad loss to the San Francisco Giants on Friday.
"It felt good to get out there and get the blood pumping against a familiar lineup. Physically, I felt good," said Francis, who last pitched on Sept. 12, 2008, and finished with a dismal 4-10 record after going 17-9 in 2007.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Francis tried to throw with an easy motion, mainly fastballs.
"I did throw a few changeups, but mostly I would throw five or six [fastballs] in a row, even behind in the count. That's pretty unusual," Francis said.
Francis said he was uncertain when he might throw again, but if he is trying to stick to pitching every fifth day, his next start would come on Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals in Tucson.
-- ESPN.com news services
ROYALS' GREINKE IN CY YOUNG FORM (5:35 p.m. ET)
Zack Greinke is off to a stellar start.
The Cy Young Award winner pitched three scoreless innings Friday and the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 4-2.
Greinke, who had a 9.21 ERA in eight spring training games last year, threw just 27 pitches, 19 for strikes. He struck out three and walked none. David Murphys two-out single in the first was the only hit Greinke allowed.
-- Associated Press
INDIANS VETERAN GRILLI, ROOKIE BROWN INJURED (2:59 p.m. ET)
Veteran pitcher Jason Grilli and promising rookie Jordan Brown were injured at the Cleveland Indians' camp in Goodyear, Ariz.
They were taken for MRI examinations and the Indians expect to issue an update Saturday.
Grilli, a right-hander in camp as a non-roster free agent, had his right leg immobilized as he rode a cart to the trainer's room after getting hurt during agility drills on Friday.
Brown, a 26-year-old first baseman/outfielder who won the Triple-A International League batting title with a .336 average last season, got into a cart on his own after being injured while shagging fly balls.
-- Associated Press
MARLINS' BAKER SIDELINED WITH TENDER ARM (11:59 a.m. ET)
Florida Marlins catcher John Baker has been scratched from their game against the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla., because of tenderness in his throwing arm.
The ailment is not considered serious, but manager Fredi Gonzalez said Baker probably will be kept out of action Saturday as a precaution.
Minor league catcher Brett Hayes replaced Baker in the starting lineup Friday against the Mets. Ronny Paulino will start Saturday against the Cardinals in Jupiter.
-- Associated Press
DODGERS MUST SORT OUT ROSTER GLUT (10:42 a.m. ET)
The Los Angeles Dodgers suddenly have a logjam of outfielders that could end up affecting the pitching staff come Opening Day.
With the signing of veteran Garret Anderson late Wednesday, the Dodgers could be in position to have five outfielders on their 25-man roster once spring training ends. That scenario might require the Dodgers to carry 11 pitchers into the season opener, instead of the 12 manager Joe Torre had originally projected.
"You think you're going to take 12 pitchers. Is 11 an option? I guess it is," Torre said Thursday, a day after Anderson was given a minor-league deal with an invitation to major-league camp.
"We have an awful lot of decisions to make but we can't really start making them until we get deep into the games. I don't bother thinking about it right now. I've written it down. I'm just happy I don't have to do that today or tomorrow."
-- Associated Press
JOHNSON REMAINS OUT OF YANKEES' LINEUP (9:46 a.m. ET)
New York Yankees designated hitter Nick Johnson will miss his second straight game because of a stiff lower back.
Johnson was hurt during batting practice Thursday when his spikes got caught on the mats used in the cage. He said his back "loosened up" after an exercise program before Friday's game against Tampa Bay. He doesn't think the injury is serious.
Johnson was signed during the offseason to take the spot of 2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, now with the Los Angeles Angels.
Catcher Jorge Posada was in Friday's lineup as the DH.
-- Associated Press
AYBAR GETS FIRST CRACK AS ANGELS' LEADOFF MAN (9:44 a.m. ET)
It appears Erick Aybar will get the first shot at winning the Los Angeles Angels' leadoff spot. Aybar led off against the White Sox in Thursday's Cactus League opener.
Maicer Izturis, who is also in consideration for the job, batted fifth. Aybar was 0 for 2 with a walk and scored the first run on Juan Rivera's third-inning single. Izturis was hitless in three trips to the plate.
-- Associated Press
This is a pitcher-catcher partnership that Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Rich Harden could like.Harden, in his Texas debut, pitched two innings of one-hit ball and Saltalamacchia and Matt Brown each hit a three-run homer, leading the Rangers to a 13-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.
Harden, who spent the past 11/2 years with the Chicago Cubs, had one walk and one strikeout and gave up one unearned run.
"Rich looked great," Rangers catcher Saltalamacchia said. "He was throwing all his pitches with command, which is big, and he was just working on things. He looked comfortable. I could call anything at any time."
-- The Associated Press
MARINERS' AARDSMA TWEAKS GROIN (7:07 p.m. ET)Seattle Mariners closer David Aardsma tweaked his
groin during his one-inning outing Thursday against San Diego, but
the Mariners do not believe he will miss much time.
"We don't think it's very serious and he might miss one outing hopefully and that's it," manager Don Wakamatsu said. "It was the very last pitch and he felt something in his groin. Hopefully, we caught it before it gets to be anything serious."
Aardsma worked the third inning, issuing a walk to leadoff batter Yorvit Torrealba. He then got Everth Cabrera to hit into a double play. He induced Tony Gwynn Jr. to end the inning with a left-side groundout.
Aardsma started last season as the team's set-up man, but when Brandon Morrow lost his effectiveness, Aardsma assumed the closer's role on May 15. He had 38 saves in 42 opportunities after going 128 big-league appearances without a save.
-- The Associated Press
MYERS STRUGGLES WITH CONTROL IN ASTROS DEBUT (6:11 p.m. ET)Brett Myers showed off his new threads during the Astros' windy spring training opener.
Unfortunately, the veteran pitcher's control wasn't quite as sharp as his new uniform.
Myers, the longtime Phillies hurler, allowed three runs -- two earned -- in two innings, but the Astros rallied with nine runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and cruised to a 15-5 win over a Washington Nationals split-squad on Thursday.
Myers is projected to be the Astros' No. 3 starter behind Roy Oswalt and Wandy Rodriguez.
"The good thing was that my ball was moving a lot," Myers said. "The bad thing is I couldn't control where it was moving."
-- The Associated Press
BAY 0-2 WITH WALK, K IN METS DEBUT (4:50 p.m. ET)Jason Bay's debut was low-key, but David Wright homered in his first at-bat and the New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 17-11 on Thursday.
Bay, a former Red Sox left fielder, went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout in his first game of the spring and first live action with the Mets since signing a four-year, $66 million contract in December.
The Mets brought in Bay to add power to the lineup after he recorded 36 homers last year.
-- The Associated Press
NEW A'S HURLER JENNINGS TO SEE ACTION SOON (2:59 p.m. ET)
Oakland right-hander Jason Jennings, who signed with the Athletics on Sunday, is scheduled to pitch in a game within a week.
Jennings threw live batting practice for the first time on Wednesday and will throw one more time in game-like situations before the A's slot him into their pitching plans.
Jennings said his arm felt great the morning after his latest throwing session. The A's plan to stretch him out as a starter or long relief. He moved to the bullpen with the Texas Rangers last year.
-- The Associated Press
YANKEES DH JOHNSON SCRATCHED WITH STIFF BACK (2:41 p.m. ET)New York Yankees designated hitter Nick Johnson was scratched from the starting lineup for Thursday's game against Philadelphia because of a stiff lower back.
Jamie Hoffmann replaced Johnson in the game that featured new Phillies ace Roy Halladay and Yankees star CC Sabathia.
Johnson was signed during the offseason to take the spot of 2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, who is now with the Los Angeles Angels. Johnson hit an RBI double in the Yankees' exhibition opener Wednesday.
Johnson was hurt during batting practice, saying the problem stemmed from wearing spikes for the first time instead of turf shoes on the mats used in the cage.
"Caught a spike," Johnson said. "I felt a little something. I could have played. We'll see how I feel tomorrow."
-- The Associated Press
RANGERS SIGN CRUZ, ANDRUS, 12 OTHERS (2:37 p.m. ET)Outfielder Nelson Cruz and shortstop Elvis Andrus are among 14 Texas Rangers who signed one-year contracts Thursday before the team's first spring training game.
With the moves, the Rangers have every player on their 40-man roster signed for the 2010 season.
Cruz, who hit .260 with 33 home runs and 76 RBIs in 128 games last season, got the biggest contract Thursday at $440,000. Andrus got $418,420 after being one of the AL's top rookies (.267, 33 stolen bases).
Jarrod Saltalamacchia ($418,580) and Taylor Teagarden ($407,010), catchers competing for the starting job, also signed.
The others who signed, all for at least the $400,000 major league minimum, were infielder Joaquin Arias; first baseman Chris Davis; left-hander Matt Harrison; right-handers Eric Hurley, Warner Madrigal, Guillermo Moscoso, Darren O'Day, Alexi Ogando and Pedro Strop; and catcher Max Ramirez.
-- The Associated Press
COMMERCIAL ORDEAL (10:30 a.m. ET)Big leaguers Ken Griffey Jr., Torii Hunter, Ryan Braun, Orlando Hudson and Carl Crawford appear in a new TV commercial for Dick's Sporting Goods. The ad shows Griffey and Hunter racing through the store, and concludes with the other players arguing vehemently over whether Hunter was out on a tag play with Griffey at home plate.
The five players filmed the spot at a Dick's store in Dallas in the first week in February. "It was an all-day event,'' Braun said. "It's amazing how much goes into a 30-second commercial.''
Hunter said he spent almost 11 hours at the store -- several more than any of the other participants.
"They all left after six or seven hours, and I was still there doing all the running in the store,'' Hunter said. "I was sweating so much, it took them 30 minutes to get the sweat off me. Man, it was a workout.''
Wherever Hunter goes this spring, somebody asks him, "Torii -- safe or out?''
"It was Griffey's commercial, so it's going to seem like I was out,'' Hunter said. "But I was safe. I got in there.''
-- Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com senior baseball writer
THERE GOES MY HERO (8:47 a.m. ET)
Tim Lincecum has back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards and a two-year, $23 million contract in his back pocket to show for it. But that hasn't made him jaded about meeting a childhood hero.
Lincecum, a Seattle native, was talking to reporters after throwing an inning against the Mariners when Ken Griffey Jr. -- a player he rooted for as a boy -- dropped by to say hello.
"Lincecum, what's up? I just wanted to say hi," Griffey said, extending his hand.
"It's a pleasure," Lincecum replied, looking awestruck as he shook Griffey's hand and watched him walk away. "It was nice meeting you," he added as Griffey headed for the Mariners' clubhouse.
Lincecum paused, let out a breath and said, "Man. Wow. He just came over. That was pretty cool."
He paused again. Then, he asked the media surrounding him, "What were we just talking about?"
Later, Lincecum acknowledged the experience took him by surprise.
"I followed him. I'm a Seattle native, so getting to watch him do his thing, actually all those guys -- [Jay] Buhner, [Joey] Cora was awesome," he said. "Just to have a guy like that come over, it caught me off guard."
-- ESPN.com news services
HAMELS EXPERIMENTING WITH SINKER (8:11 a.m. ET)Cole Hamels' bread-and-butter pitches have been his fastball and changeup. This spring, the Phillies starter has been working on sharpening his curveball and adding a cutter as well.
But Hamels is also tinkering with a fifth pitch -- a sinker. He's tried it out during games before, with mixed results, and now wants to see if it can become a permanent part of his arsenal, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
"A few games, I would throw it, but it would get hit, and I would say, 'Forget this,'" Hamels said, according to the report. "But it's still something I'm throwing in the bullpen and am working with."
Hamels and Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee don't remember how many times Hamels tried throwing a sinker last year.
"If you're trying to pin me down to specific dates, I don't remember, but he threw it more than you might think," Dubee said, according to the report. "It could be a good pitch for him."
-- ESPN.com news services
I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW (7:51 a.m. ET)A vision test during a team physical exam has confirmed what Brewers outfielder Corey Hart has suspected since last year -- he's nearsighted.
"It kind of started last year, but I didn't really think about it," he said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I just kept playing. The ball was a little fuzzy at times, but I didn't think it was that big of a deal."
Rather than eyeglasses or contact lenses, Hart plans to wear prescription goggles in the field to correct his vision, according to the report. He's hoping he can get accustomed to wearing them during spring training.
"I'm hoping they work for me," he said, according to the report. "I don't want to have any trouble picking the ball up. Right now, it's a little fuzzy."
Why wasn't the problem caught last year? "I guessed right [on what letters were shown on the eye chart]," Hart said, according to the report. "This year, I guessed wrong. By the third letter, I was like, 'Maybe H?'"
-- ESPN.com news services
Dodgers manager Joe Torre has been impressed with pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, especially with his resiliency. Kuroda spent just 21 days on the disabled list last year after getting hit on the front right side of his head by a comebacker and suffering a concussion."For him to come back as quickly as he did -- and he did have some testers during rehab with a line drive through the middle and a broken bat that came toward him -- I thought he recovered from that well," Torre said.
Kuroda figures to be the Dodgers' No. 3 starter this season behind Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley as he enters the final year of a three-year $35.3 million contract. On Thursday, he will have an extended throwing session before making his debut in a spring game Tuesday.
"I just have to keep moving forward. I can't give up," Kuroda said. "This game is my destiny so I just have to move forward."
-- The Associated Press
FANS, AND A LEGEND, LINE UP FOR LINCECUM (7:08 p.m. ET)San Francisco Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum, the NL Cy Young Award in back-to-back seasons, had a not-so-Cy outing in his spring debut against the Seattle Mariners.
Lincecum gave up three runs -- two earned -- on two hits while throwing 33 pitches in one inning. But fans didn't care about the numbers. They just wanted to see him pitch and get an autograph from the 25-year-old who signed a two-year, $23 million contract just days before reporting to camp.
Lincecum obliged for dozens of fans on his way to the visitors' clubhouse at the Peoria Sports Complex. Later he sat on a stool in front of his corner dressing stall in the clubhouse, where he was surrounded by a large group of reporters. A member of the Mariners infiltrated the group, extended his arm and shook Lincecum's hand.
"What's up?" center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. said.
-- The Associated Press
HUDSON, HEYWARD LOOK SHARP (5:09 p.m. ET)
Tim Hudson pitched two sharp innings and rookie Jason Heyward doubled and scored as the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets 9-5 in a Grapefruit League game.
Hudson missed most of the 2009 season after recovering from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander said he threw pain-free against the Mets and went to the bullpen for more tossing after facing only six batters.
Heyward, a 20-year-old outfielder considered by many the best prospect in baseball, walked twice, singled and stole a base Tuesday against the Mets in their exhibition opener.
-- The Associated Press
BONDERMAN SIGHT FOR SORE TIGERS EYES (4:42 p.m. ET)
Jeremy Bonderman pitched two shutout innings in the Tigers' 7-6 exhibition win over the Blue Jays after missing most of the last two seasons because of a blood clot in his right shoulder that required surgery.
"I was just all over the place. The adrenaline got me out of sync a little bit," Bonderman said. "I was able to get out of it and (in) the second inning I just kind of tried to stay within myself and work on using the mechanics I've been working on, just trying to stay on top of the ball and let my arm catch up."
Bonderman, a 14-game winner in 2005 and again in 2006, and winner of 11 in 2007 before having surgery in June '08, struck out three and allowed one hit. He allowed a single and a walk to the first two batters he faced before striking out Adam Lind and, after a double steal, striking out Vernon Wells and getting Lyle Overbay on a routine grounder. He had a 1-2-3 second inning.
-- The Associated Press
HARANG TO START OPENING DAY FOR REDS (2:01 p.m. ET)
For the fifth straight season, right-hander Aaron Harang will be the Cincinnati Reds' Opening Day starting pitcher.
Manager Dusty Baker said he wrestled with the decision, but chose Harang instead of Bronson Arroyo after talking it over with both pitchers. The Reds open at home on Monday, April 5 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The honor ties Harang with Pete Donahue (1923-27) and Mario Soto (1982-86) for the most consecutive Opening Day starts in team history. Soto holds the club record with six Opening Day starts overall.
Harang was excited about the news, but said he believed Arroyo deserved the honor. Opening Day is a big annual event in Cincinnati, with a downtown parade and on-field pregame ceremonies.
"You have to have a different approach with all the hoopla," Harang said. "After you've done it once, you know how to do it."
Harang is 1-3 in his previous four Opening Day starts. He got the win over the Cubs in 2007, and took losses against the Mets in 2009, the Diamondbacks in 2008 and the Cubs in 2006.
-- ESPN.com news services
JAYS' MARCUM, MCGOWAN PROGRESSING (12:29 p.m. ET)
The Blue Jays appear to be very encouraged by the progress of two injured pitchers from 2009, Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan.
The ball "is really coming out of Marcum's hand," said manager Cito Gaston. And McGowan, at times this spring, has shown some of the dominant stuff that he had two years ago.
The Jays have three potential closers in camp with Kevin Gregg, Jason Frasor and Scott Downs. Gaston said spring training will determine who will close, but said he could mix and match with all three of them in the late innings.
-- Tim Kurkjian, ESPN The Magazine
COMPETITION GOOD IN PIRATES CAMP (12:25 p.m. ET)
The Pirates have a lot of competition in camp, "and competition is good," said manager John Russell.
Jeff Clement will be given the first shot to win the job at first base, but if he doesn't play well enough, the Pirates can play Ryan Church in right field and move Garrett Jones from right field to first, which is his most natural position.
Lastings Milledge is scheduled to be the everyday left fielder, but only if he takes the job this spring. He came to camp in better shape, and said he is taking nothing for granted.
Several positions could change if 23-year-old third baseman Pedro Alvarez continues to progress. He has one year in pro ball, and has never played at Triple-A, but he could be up sometime this summer.
-- Tim Kurkjian, ESPN The Magazine
GIANTS' SANCHEZ DOUBTFUL FOR OPENING DAY (10:27 a.m. ET)San Francisco Giants second baseman Freddy Sanchez is not expecting to pick up a baseball bat for another week or two as he recovers from shoulder surgery, making it unlikely that he will be ready for Opening Day.
"I would agree with that because I'm missing a lot of time," Sanchez said Tuesday, according to the San Jose Mercury-News. "The closer we get, the harder it is to [envision] getting back by then."
Manager Bruce Bochy agrees with that assessment.
"I'd go with very doubtful," Bochy said, according to the report. "As much as he's moving along, that would be rushing him. We'd have concerns about that. And besides, we're covered. We have experienced guys to help out there."
The Giants could use Juan Uribe or Mark DeRosa at second until Sanchez is ready to return.
-- ESPN.com news services
CABRERA OPENS UP ABOUT ALCOHOL USE (10:16 a.m. ET)Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera says an inability to handle stress or communicate with those who care about him led him to use alcohol.
Cabrera, who sought help and gave up drinking after an embarrassing alcohol-related incident at the end of last season, told reporters that he held things inside instead and was ill-prepared to handle the pressures of the game.
"Everything was built up inside of me," Cabrera said. "I was angry at everybody."
"I would talk to nobody," Cabrera added. "But now, I go talk with my wife and my dad and go into everything. But I would talk to nobody, and so most people didn't know me.
"Now, I have conversations and I feel better. I communicate better. People can get to know me, and what's inside of me," he said.
-- ESPN.com news services
There was a time when two hits by a player named Kaline wouldn't have been so unusual in a Detroit Tigers game. This time the hits came against the Tigers in Tuesday's 13-1 exhibition victory over Florida Southern.Colin Kaline, a switch-hitting junior third baseman and the grandson of Tigers Hall of Famer Al Kaline, made an impression with two singles and a walk.
"He looked good," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.
Rookies Ryan Strieby and Casper Wells each homered and drove in three runs for the Tigers. Two-run doubles by Carlos Guillen and Eric Roof were among Detroit's 16 hits. Don Kelly went 2 for 2 with a sacrifice fly.
Johnny Damon played for Detroit for the first time. The Tigers' new left fielder went 0 for 1.
-- The Associated Press
COX TAKES LOSS IN LAST SPRING TRAINING OPENER WITH BRAVES (8:03 p.m. ET)Longtime Atlanta manager Bobby Cox got two scoreless innings from Tommy Hanson, but the New York Mets spoiled Cox's last spring training opener with a 4-2 victory over the Braves on Tuesday.
Cox announced last September that he plans to retire after his 21st consecutive season in Atlanta's dugout -- the longest tenure of any active manager -- and 25th overall. He has agreed to serve as a consultant for the team after he steps down.
On a damp day in Florida, the 68-year-old Cox seemed happy to be off and running with another round of spring games.
"Just getting ready," he said. "It's business as usual and nothing has changed. I don't look at it that way. It'll hit me the last week or so."
Hanson allowed a leadoff single to Feliciano before retiring six straight batters. The right-hander struck out three.
-- The Associated Press
GIANTS' BUMGARNER PLAYING THROUGH MOURNING (6:09 p.m. ET)This is supposed to be a joyous occasion for Madison Bumgarner.
Many around the San Francisco Giants' camp say the fifth spot in the starting rotation is his to lose. The 20-year-old left-hander is due to follow starter Tim Lincecum in Wednesday's spring opener against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria.
But he will be pitching with his family on his mind after the death last week of his half-sister, Dena Byrd, in North Carolina. He left the team to attend the funeral on Sunday, returned to camp Monday morning and went right to work, throwing a bullpen session.
"I feel good about the chance to pitch in that first game," he said. "I know I still have to go out and earn the job. I'm not guaranteed anything. All I can do is ask for a shot, and I have it. I just want to do whatever I can to help us win."
Since hearing his name called as the 10th overall pick by the Giants in the 2007 draft, Bumgarner has had a meteoric rise through the minor leagues. He has a 27-5 record, a 1.65 ERA and 256 strikeouts in 273 innings, starting 48 of his 49 games.
-- The Associated Press
UGGLA SURPRISED HE'S BACK WITH MARLINS (3:46 p.m. ET) Dan Uggla did everything but pack. He accepted the likelihood he would be traded this winter by the Marlins. He embraced the notion of a fresh start with a new team. And he worked out like crazy.
"I was trying to prepare myself as best I could if I was going to be with a new organization, so I could be in shape and not be the guy who comes into spring training out of shape," Uggla said. "So I'm in that much better shape than I was last year."
The team benefiting will be the Marlins. Unable to swing a deal for the slugging second baseman, the Marlins brought him back and gave him a $7.8 million, one-year contract.
"I was a little surprised when we got the deal done," Uggla said. "Pleasantly surprised. Very happy to be back. I thought there was a strong, strong possibility I was going to be traded."
Uggla will be in his familiar No. 5 spot in the batting order when the Marlins open their exhibition season Wednesday against the University of Miami. Manager Fredi Gonzalez says he would take the season Uggla had in 2009 again this year, and he's willing to live with the high strikeout total as a tradeoff for Uggla's run production.
-- The Associated Press
WELCOME CHANGE OF SCENERY FOR RED SOX (2:20 p.m. ET) After two weeks of daily drills and fundamentals at the team player development camp in Fort Myers, Fla., the Boston Red Sox are ready to start playing their Grapefruit League schedule. Tuesday, the major league team worked a shorter schedule, then packed for the move up Edison Avenue, to City of Palms Park.
"It's that time," said manager Terry Francona. "Everybody is packing up, so we'll get over to the stadium and get into that routine. A week from now you'll be asking if we're ready for the real games."
The Sox will play a doubleheader against Northeastern and Boston College on Wednesday. Francona is actually a big fan of playing the college teams. He says it's better than playing intrasquad games.
"I think [intrasquad games are] a waste of a lot of people's time," he said. "The guys who are pitching get a lot out of it, but everyone else is doing a lot of sitting around. Nobody likes facing a guy in the same uniform, so this is a really good way of getting into our games. I love them."
-- Joe McDonald, ESPNBoston.com. For more of ESPNBoston.com's Red Sox blog, click here.
ROMERO NOT WORRIED ABOUT OPENING DAY START (2:06 p.m. ET)Left-hander Ricky Romero will start the Toronto Blue Jays' spring training opener. Starting the regular-season opener, he says, is the furthest thing from his mind.
"You've still got to go out there and prove yourself and continue to do good," he said Tuesday. "As long as I'm part of the rotation and I'm part of the 25 guys going out there and competing, I'm fine with that."
The Blue Jays play Detroit on Wednesday. For the first trip through the starting rotation, pitchers will be limited to two innings, manager Cito Gaston said.
Gaston still has time to decide on who will be Toronto's closer. Jason Frasor and Scott Downs combined for 20 of Toronto's 25 saves. On Feb. 5 the Blue Jays signed seven-year veteran Kevin Gregg to a one-year, $2.75 million contract to compete for the closer's role.
-- The Associated Press
JOBA'S BULLPEN SESSION PUSHED BACK (1:40 p.m. ET)New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain has had his bullpen session pushed back by at least one day because of flu-like symptoms.
If Chamberlain can't take the mound Wednesday, he would likely have his first spring training appearance delayed.
Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, who is set to start Friday against Tampa Bay, are the front-runners for the fifth spot in the rotation.
The World Series champions play their exhibition opener Wednesday against Pittsburgh. Chad Gaudin, Alfredo Aceves and Sergio Mitre, who are in the mix for the last spot in the rotation, are supposed to face the Pirates.
-- The Associated Press
A CHANGE HE CAN BELIEVE IN? (12:29 p.m. ET)For years, Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett has been toying with adding a changeup to his repertoire. This time, it might finally stick.
Of the 30 pitches Burnett threw in batting practice on Monday, 12 were changeups.
"All winter, I really harped on it," Burnett told reporters. "Watching CC [Sabathia] throw last year, being a power guy and how much he uses it, it just kind of opened my eyes a little bit. Why not work on something, you know?
"It's going to be a big pitch. I think as [Jorge Posada] and I talk more, we'll figure out when to use it and not use it," Burnett said. "It's going to be key, especially those days when the hook isn't working. It gives me a second pitch."
Manager Joe Girardi, a catcher in his playing days, thinks it's a good idea.
"You can give them three different looks in three different at-bats, in a sense," Girardi said. "I think it's real important, and we've encouraged him to work on it."
-- ESPN.com news services
PAVANO TO START TWINS' HOME OPENER (8:50 a.m. ET)
Carl Pavano will start the Minnesota Twins' first regular-season game at Target Field, pitching coach Rick Anderson said Monday, according to The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune.
Scott Baker will get the start on Opening Day against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. But Pavano, penciled in as the Twins' No. 3 starter, will take the mound for the team's first outdoor home game since 1981, their last season at Metropolitan Stadium.
The Twins play their first seven on the road against the Angels and White Sox. Weather permitting, they'll host the Red Sox on Monday, April 12.
Pavano, who started the Montreal Expos' final home game at Olympic Stadium and what was expected to be the Twins' final game at the Metrodome (before a one-game playoff for the AL Central title), said getting the ball for the home opener was an honor, according to the report.
"It's obviously something to look forward to but I have a lot to accomplish before then," Pavano said, according to the report. "I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. But any time you get a chance [like this] -- especially with the tradition of sports in Minnesota and baseball specifically -- I'm excited."
-- ESPN.com news services
Chris Snyder is still with the team that tried so hard to trade him, and he finds himself in an uphill fight for playing time.The Arizona Diamondbacks catcher says he was fine with the purported deal last fall that would have sent him to the Toronto Blue Jays.
He called it "a new opportunity." But the trade, reportedly for one-time Diamondback Lyle Overbay, fell through. So Snyder remains with Arizona and must compete for playing time with Miguel Montero, the man who replaced him when he was injured last season.
Manager A.J. Hinch says Montero is ahead of Snyder in training camp but he expects both to be big contributors this season.
-- The Associated Press
VICTORINO HAS SORE SHOULDER (6:42 p.m. ET) Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino is nursing a sore shoulder and could miss Thursday's exhibition game against Florida State, the Philadelphia Daily News reported on Monday.
Victorino took batting practice on Sunday but was held out of throwing drills as a precaution.
"He's got a little soreness," Phils manager Charlie Manuel said, according to the newspaper. "He had it when he first came in to camp. Right now, we don't want to throw him in our drills -- cutoffs and relays and infield. We'll take it easy on him for a few days and make sure he's alright. That's kind of typical when you come into spring training and first start out. It can happen from sleeping on your arm, or anything, really."
-- ESPN.com news services
PORCELLO GETS NOD (6:40 p.m. ET) A year ago, Rick Porcello was considered by some too young to make the Detroit Tigers' pitching staff.
After leading American League rookies in wins last season, Porcello was named as the starting pitcher for Detroit's home opener April 9 against the Cleveland Indians.
"It's an honor, seeing how big the home opener was in Detroit last year," said Porcello, who won 14 games as a 20-year-old rookie in 2009. "Fans were coming out early and tailgating. It's obviously a pretty big deal. I remember how exciting it was and what the buzz was like with the crowd there for opening day. So I'm excited to be pitching in it."
A week ago, manager Jim Leyland chose 19-game winner Justin Verlander for the season opener at Kansas City on April 5. Max Scherzer, who came from Arizona in a December trade, will pitch the second game at Kansas City on April 7.
"I want Scherzer to get his first start under his belt on the road, and I don't know who the other two starters are," Leyland said. "You could pencil about four or five names in right now for the third game, and for the fifth game."
Jeremy Bonderman, Armando Galarraga, Nate Robertson, Dontrelle Willis and Eddie Bonine are in competition for two spots in the rotation as the Tigers prepare to open their exhibition schedule Tuesday against Florida Southern College. Porcello's first spring start is scheduled against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.
-- The Associated Press
STULTS KICKS OFF PITCHING COMPETITION (6:36 p.m. ET) Dodgers pitchers will begin their battle for the open fifth spot in the rotation three days before the official spring training game schedule begins.
Left-hander Eric Stults will pitch for the Dodgers on Tuesday in a B game against the Chicago White Sox, kicking off what figures to be one of the more interesting competitions of camp.
Stults also has been the named the starter in Saturday's second spring game.
Stults' confidence already was high, but now he will enter the outing after receiving instruction Monday from Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.
Stults was among a handful of pitchers who had a one-on-one session with Koufax. Josh Lindblom, Jon Link, Scot Elbert and Chad Billingsley also worked with the former Dodgers pitcher, who threw four no-hitters over a 12-year career, one of which was a perfect game.
"He does a great job relating to players," Stults said of Koufax. "I don't know if part of it is because he has that aura or awe about him. He's somebody that is special in the game of baseball. But he does have a way of communicating that you understand."
Stults is expected to pitch just one inning Tuesday and then go two innings against the White Sox on Saturday. But make no mistake, after struggling with a sprained left thumb last season and then working on the mental side of the game over the winter, Stults finally feels like it's showtime.
-- The Associated Press
POSEY LOOKING TO CATCH ON (5:24 p.m. ET) San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy knows a good catcher when he sees one. He spent parts of nine seasons as a catcher in the major leagues.
And he has no doubts about the future of Buster Posey.
"He's a complete guy," Bochy said Monday. "He can handle the bat, and has a strong arm behind the plate. He's an intelligent kid who knows what he's doing back there. He gets better and better. It's a matter of time before he's a front-line catcher in the major leagues."
The time probably will go much slower than the 23-year-old Posey would like.
Gerald Demp Posey III was the fifth overall pick by the Giants in the 2008 draft and won just about every award imaginable in college baseball at Florida State, including the Golden Spikes Award (top overall player) and the Johnny Bench Award (top catcher).
Posey played in 10 minor league games in 2008 and 115 in 2009, hitting a combined .327 with 19 home runs and 86 RBIs.
He got called up to the big club on Sept. 2 when veteran starter Bengie Molina suffered an injury. Posey played in seven games and started four after the team dropped from contention in the NL West. After the season, he got more work with the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League.
That probably wasn't quite enough experience to land him a spot on the 25-man roster when the Giants break camp at the end of March. He knows he likely will begin the season back at Triple-A Fresno, where he can play every day instead of riding the big league bench.
Posey's timetable of reaching the majors might have been accelerated had Molina, 35, gone to another club as a free agent over the winter. But Molina decided to return to the Giants, signing a one-year deal.
"The competitor in me wants to help the big club win, but if I do start at Fresno, I'm going to do everything I can to improve and get back up here," Posey said.
-- The Associated Press
REYES LOOKING HEALTHY AT METS CAMP (4:24 p.m. ET) Mets manager Jerry Manuel let loose one of his loud chuckles. Yes, Jose Reyes did look healthy during New York's intrasquad game.
Reyes hit the first pitch he saw Monday for a two-run triple in his first game-like setting since he was sidelined for most of last season by an injured right leg.
"I just feel happy that I made it to third base with no problem, at that time," a grinning Reyes said. "But like I said, there's nothing to worry about. I feel good. No pain, pain-free. I feel good to be playing the game again."
Reyes, who has been a leadoff hitter for most of his career, batted third during the scrimmage. Manuel is toying with the move while All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran is expected to miss the start of the season following right knee surgery.
The Mets also got an encouraging outing from Jonathon Niese, who is coming back after tearing his right hamstring last year. The left-hander struck out the side in the first and worked around a one-out walk during a scoreless second.
"It's a good feeling to face hitters in a game situation. It's been awhile," said Niese, who is trying to win the No. 5 spot in New York's rotation. "It's good to get off to a good start."
-- The Associated Press
A BRAND-NEW YOU (2:07 p.m. ET)Twins outfielder Delmon Young has a new attitude and a new body this spring.
He is far more personable and engaging, something that began developing the second half of last year when he become more comfortable with the way the Twins do things -- and because the Twins showed him how much they wanted him.
"He is a great teammate," said manager Ron Gardenhire. "He is a pleasure to be around."
Young says he has gone from 239 pounds at the end of last year to 207 this spring.
"I want to return the days of 2006," he said, referring to his rookie year, when he could run, and really play defense.
-- Tim Kurkjian, ESPN The Magazine
CARDINALS' FREESE LOOKS TO PUT ARREST BEHIND HIM (1:55 p.m. ET)The St. Louis Cardinals are pleased with the way David Freese has handled his personal issues.
Freese was arrested in December outside of St. Louis on a drunken-driving charge. He apologized and is still slotted to be the team's third baseman this season.
"Obviously we were very unhappy with what happened," general manager John Mozeliak said Monday. "The very next day I met with him in my office and we talked about it. I made sure he understood dealing with the alcohol problem and dealing with the legal side was more important than baseball.
"If he could do all that then there wouldn't be any disciplinary actions. And that's what he's done."
Freese, 26, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.23, nearly three times Missouri's legal limit of 0.08, when he was arrested on Dec. 12 in Maryland Heights. He immediately entered the team's employee assistance program and said he has not had a drink since.
The case still is pending.
"It was poor judgment on my part," said Freese. "But God puts things in front of you for a reason. I've definitely learned from it. I've got a great opportunity in front of me that a lot of kids would dream of having."
-- The Associated Press
AGENT: METS NOT ONLY TEAM LOOKING AT BEIMEL (11:50 a.m. ET)With Kelvim Escobar hurting and unlikely to make the opening day roster, the Mets are reportedly interested in free-agent reliever Joe Beimel. But they might not be alone in pursuit of the left-hander.
Beimel's agent, Joe Sroba, told 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand that the Mets are not the only team interested in the set-up man, but declined to name the other teams. "It is not a one-horse race," Sroba said. Escobar, who had been penciled in as the Mets' set-up man for Francisco Rodriguez, has not been able to throw off a mound yet this spring. To fill that gap, the team has been auditioning pitchers including Ryota Igarashi, Bobby Parnell, Sean Green and Fernando Nieve.
Last year, Beimel was 1-6 with a 3.58 ERA with the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies.
A year ago, Beimel didn't sign until March 18.
-- ESPN.com news services
A GOLDEN MOMENT FOR MORNEAU (10:26 a.m. ET)Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, who is Canadian, was all smiles Monday morning after Canada won the gold medal in hockey Sunday night. He watched the 3-2 overtime win over the United States with Twins minor league outfielder Rene Tosoni, who also is Canadian.
Morneau was a good hockey goalie growing up. "I had to make a decision," he said. "I made the right decision playing baseball. But I'll always love hockey. It's a great game. And it's a great team game."
Morneau said he is good friends with a number of players on the Canadian Olympic team, including Brenden Morrow.
"I texted four guys after the game," Morneau said. "They texted me back. They didn't have to do that with all that was going on."
-- Tim Kurkjian, ESPN The Magazine
MARINERS TAKING IT EASY WITH HERNANDEZ, LEE (9:19 a.m. ET)The Mariners know they have a potent one-two punch in starting pitchers Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee. And they're not going to rush either man during spring training.
Hernandez, for example, skipped an expected bullpen session on Sunday, playing long toss instead, and later told a reporter "I'm fine," cutting off an anticipated question about his health.
Manager Don Wakamatsu explained why the team is holding the reins tightly on both pitchers.
"The first bullpen Felix threw this spring, it looked like he was throwing 100 mph, and that's exactly what we didn't want," Wakamatsu said, according to the Tacoma News and Tribune. "We're trying to limit the innings Felix and Cliff throw this spring, and the intensity with which they throw early on.
"They're both competitive guys. You put Felix on the mound, he's going to go hard. So we're not putting him on the mound as much right now," Wakamatsu said, according to the report.
"I'm fine physically, but I throw when they tell me to throw," Lee said, according to the report. "They've got a plan and I'm good with it. I've played catch, I've played long toss. My arm feels great."
-- ESPN.com news services
MURPHY COMES TO METS CAMP PREPARED (9:06 a.m. ET) Mets first baseman Daniel Murphy had his struggles in the field and at the plate in 2009. He committed 10 errors in 101 games at first, including a flubbed grounder that handed a win to Atlanta in September. He slumped to .234 in June before hitting .282 the rest of the way.
But now that he's sure of his spot in the lineup, Murphy changed his offseason workout routine to prepare for the job. He also got some fielding lessons from 11-time Gold Glove first baseman Keith Hernandez right before spring training started.
"Keith was great. He added a lot of things to first base I hadn't ever really thought of, some things to work on," Murphy said. "The biggest thing I thought was just getting to know your other infielders."
Murphy impressed the Mets with his progress when he was the only position player to attend a team minicamp in January, and has looked more comfortable in the field since regular camp started.
"The goal in New York is to win, so it's not just the way I play first base or how I can play compared to some of the other guys that come through -- some great players," Murphy said. "At the end of the day I've got to find a way to help this team win."
-- ESPN.com news services
Jose Guillen is ready to play for the Kansas City Royals. Willie Bloomquist is not.Guillen, who had ankle and lower back surgery after his final game on Sept. 2, is penciled in to play in the outfield for the Royals on Wednesday in an intrasquad game.
"I talked to Jose about that today," Royals manager Trey Hillman said Sunday. "I gave him a heads up. I got him in one of the projected lineups in right field. He's said he's good to go."
The Royals want to see how Guillen, who hit .242 with nine home runs last season in only 81 games, is moving after the two operations. With the addition of outfielders Scott Podsednik and Rick Ankiel, Guillen will likely get the bulk of his at-bats as the designated hitter.
Bloomquist played in more games (125) and had more at-bats (434) last year with the Kansas City Royals than he had in his previous six seasons with the Seattle Mariners.
It took a toll.
The day after the season ended Bloomquist had arthroscopic surgery on both knees. He was on crutches for six weeks and spent most of the winter rehabbing at the Royals complex in Surprise.
The Royals have limited Bloomquist's activities in spring training and he won't be playing in any of the early exhibition games.
-- The Associated Press
ROBERTS TAKES BP (4:41 p.m. ET)
Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts took live batting practice for the first time this spring on Sunday, but manager Dave Trembley said he still isn't sure when Roberts, who has a herniated disk in his back, will play in a game.
Trembley said he'll wait for the trainers to give him the go-ahead before he gets Roberts any game action. In the meantime, "I can't put a timetable on it," Trembley said.
The Orioles have continued to portray Roberts' back issues as minor, but they've held Roberts back from normal spring activities. He reported back pain about a month before spring training and was diagnosed as having a small herniated disk a week ago. He is still expected to be ready for Opening Day.
"He's moving right along," Trembley said. "That [live BP] was the last phase. He's done everything else."
-- Jayson Stark, ESPN.com
CAMERON HURTS GROIN, SITS (4:28 p.m. ET) Red Sox outfielder Mike Cameron was forced to cut his morning short after he tweaked his groin during drills.
The outfielders were working out on Field 1 at the Player Development Complex when Cameron told Red Sox first base coach Ron Johnson that his groin was bothering him. Johnson told Cameron to go see Francona, who immediately told the outfielder to get off the field.
"He's felt it the last couple of days," said Francona. "During outfield drills today, he said something to RJ and RJ sent him over to me. Because we were getting pretty active with the relays, I told him to come in and get treatment. I don't think it's anything. He tested it out and his strength was good, his range of motion was good. But it's not something we want to make worse now."
Cameron received treatment and said he's fine.
"I just need to slow my pace down a little bit and let my body catch up," he said. "I just felt like I couldn't get loose today and I didn't want to push it too much."
-- Joe McDonald, ESPNBoston.com
LYON CLOSER TO MOUND (4:26 p.m. ET)Astros reliever Brandon Lyon is getting close to returning to the mound after having a cyst in his right, throwing shoulder drained in January.
"They think, from a health standpoint, he's fine and he just needs to continue to build the strength up," general manager Ed Wade said, according to MLB.com. "My guess is probably early in the week he'll get up on the mound, and we'll let him throw and continue to get comfortable with his surroundings. We're still of the mind he's going to be fine."
Lyon signed as a free agent in the offseason after spending last season with the Detroit Tigers, where he went 6-5 with a 2.86 ERA and registered 15 holds and three saves.
-- ESPN.com news services
ZIMMERMAN VOWS TO DO BETTER IN '10 (3:01 p.m. ET)Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman needed only four full seasons to establish himself as one of baseball's brightest stars.
And he's not satisfied.
His 2009 campaign -- a .292 average with 33 homers and a team-leading 106 RBIs -- was capped by the kind of first-time accolades every player dreams of: selection to the All-Star Game, a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger as the National League's top offensive player at his position.
So what does Zimmerman do for an encore?
Point out his flaws and vow to erase them.
"I honestly try to get better every year. Obviously, I had my best year individually last year. From when I went back and looked at it, I made a lot of mistakes," Zimmerman said Sunday. "I can do better than that. You just got to work hard, learn from what you did wrong and get better."
Zimmerman's message heading into 2010: The front office has done its job and fortified the roster, so it's the players' responsibility to enact a turnaround from a 103-loss season.
"Even if you have a $200 million team like the Yankees, if those guys don't go out there and play, [you don't win]. It's up to us to execute and to do the little things right and win," Zimmerman said. "When it comes down to it, it's our team and we're the ones who have to execute."
-- The Associated Press
BLUE JAYS WON'T RUSH MCGOWAN (2:57 p.m. ET)Dustin McGowan was pitching to major league hitters on Sunday for the first time in more than a year and a half.
Making Toronto's Opening Day roster is not a priority for the Blue Jays -- and shouldn't be for McGowan either.
"We've talked to him about it. That date is non-existent for us with him," general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "If it happens to fall on that date, great. If it happens a week later, that's fine as well, even three month after that."
The 27-year-old last pitched on July 8, 2008, removed early in a game against Baltimore with a sore right shoulder. Two days later he went on the disabled list and underwent surgery July 31 to repair fraying of the labrum. It finished him for that season and last year's as well. Then on July 9, 2009, he had surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his right knee, delaying his rehabilitation by about six weeks.
McGowan was scheduled to throw only in the bullpen on Sunday, without facing batters, "but I talked with (pitching coach) Bruce Walton," Anthopoulos said, "and our trainer signed off on it, and Dustin felt good and wanted to throw to hitters. We didn't have a problem with it."
-- The Associated Press
TIGERS CLOSER VALVERDE LEAVES CAMP (1:28 p.m. ET)New Detroit Tigers closer Jose Valverde has returned to his home country of the Dominican Republic for a death in the family, manager Jim Leyland said.
Valverde will be back at the Tigers' spring training camp in Lakeland, Fla., after a few days, Leyland said Friday.
Valverde came to the Tigers as a free agent after recording 116 saves in three years for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros.
"He's a big, strong, outstanding-stuff guy with a great personality," Leyland said.
-- ESPN.com news services
RANGERS' SKIPPER: CENTER IS BORBON'S JOB TO LOSE (1:02 p.m. ET)Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington said the center field and leadoff starting jobs are Julio Borbon's to lose.
"For me, Borbon is in the same position that [shortstop] Elvis Andrus was last year," Washington said Sunday. "It's up to us to keep him relaxed and let him be who he is."
Borbon made his debut with the Rangers last season as a substitute for an injured Josh Hamilton and hit .312 in 46 games. The 23-year-old entered this spring as the leading candidate to replace Marlon Byrd, who signed with the Chicago Cubs in the offseason.
One distinct difference in the way Borbon will be used is that Washington plans to play Borbon every day, versus both right-handers and left-handers. Last season, Borbon was a meager 2-for-15 against lefties in the limited opportunities he was given.
"I feel comfortable against lefties," Borbon said. "I've never had any doubts hitting versus righties or lefties. It's a matter of coming back out and doing it consistently."
-- The Associated Press
WISDOM FROM THE MASTER (10:46 a.m. ET)Who better to teach the Oakland Athletics' best base-stealing threat than baseball's all-time stolen base leader?
Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, who's visiting Oakland's camp as a special instructor this week, spent half an hour with center fielder Rajai Davis on Saturday. He predicted Davis, who stole 41 bases in 2009, could swipe as many as 80 bags this season.
"He had no balance, but then we kept talking. I said there's something you're doing wrong," Henderson said of his work with Davis. "Everything he did, he did flat-footed. I asked him how he got to be so fast when he's flat-footed. "I said, 'Get a little on your toes,' and he never knew it made such a difference. And that's one little thing that changed him already."
"He's a good kid, and to me he's got the heart that he wants to be a basestealer," Henderson added. "The biggest thing is fear that I got to get out of him -- fear in him going out and taking control of the bases and changing the game."
Davis welcomed the opportunity to learn from Henderson.
"To get another perspective from a guy who has proven his success at this level in the major leagues is a great opportunity," Davis said. I don't know how many teams get this chance to bring back guys who are in the Hall of Fame."
-- ESPN.com news services
ESCOBAR NOT LIKELY READY FOR OPENING DAY (10:46 a.m. ET)Mets right-hander Kelvim Escobar has yet to throw off the mound in spring training and is now expected to start the season on the disabled list with shoulder weakness, manager Jerry Manuel says.
The Mets signed Escobar to a one-year contract worth $1.25 million plus incentives, believing he could likely overcome the injury woes that sidelined him for most of 2008 and 2009 and recover the form that delivered 17 wins for the Los Angeles Angels in 2007. He was penciled in as a likely set-up man for closer Francisco Rodriguez.
Escobar said he's been playing catch every other day, but has no turntable for returning to the mound, according to MLB.com. "They don't want to rush me back, because I've already had a couple of setbacks trying to rush myself," he said. "This time, I want to do things right and make sure."
With Escobar not expected to be ready, the Mets are considering possibilities including Ryota Igarashi, Bobby Parnell, Sean Green and Fernando Nieve.
"If [Escobar's] healthy, it would have been a tremendous, tremendous fit for us," manager Jerry Manuel told reporters. "We felt like we kind of had that covered. But now with the injury situation, we have to have someone else step up and handle that role."
-- ESPN.com news services
When word first spread that veteran pitcher Jose Contreras was joining the Philadelphia Phillies last month, no one was happier than Danys Baez.
It wasn't just that one new member of the Phillies would be able to break in the pen with another. When Contreras joined the Phils, a team Baez had signed with earlier in January, it finalized a remarkable reunion of two men who escaped Cuba and found success in the major leagues.
Baez says he called Contreras right after he heard he signed.
Contreras told his wife that having Baez on his team made life easier.
Baez and Contreras were both members of the Cuban National team 10 years ago.
-- Associated Press
INGE CONFIDENT HE'LL BE READY (5:56 p.m. ET)Detroit Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge says he's ahead of schedule in his return from offseason knee surgery and expects to be completely healthy by the time the regular season begins.
After earning a spot in last year's All-Star game, Inge was hampered down the stretch by tendinitis in both knees and forced to have them repaired in November. He spent several weeks wearing braces on both legs that stretched from his ankles to his thighs.
The 32-year-old has gone through conditioning and workouts with the team, but won't begin playing until the latter part of spring training.
However, "I could play right now," Inge said.
"He's doing fine," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. "He's ahead of schedule, by his own admission. Exactly how far ahead of schedule I don't know."
-- Associated Press
RANGERS' HOLLAND THROWS BULLPEN SESSION (5:46 p.m. ET)
Texas Rangers left-hander Derek Holland threw a lengthy bullpen session on Saturday, his first work from the mound since spraining a knee last week.
"I had a little bit of adrenaline flowing," said Holland, who sprained his right knee during an agility drill on Feb. 20. "Nobody likes to be on the tables in the training room."
Holland threw from a full windup and the stretch in the bullpen under the supervision of Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux.
The 23-year-old said he expects to throw live batting practice Monday.
"I wanted to keep going but they want me to take it day to day," Holland said.
Holland was 8-13 in 33 appearances -- 21 starts -- with a 6.12 ERA last season.
-- Associated Press
METS HAVE ROTATION QUESTIONS BEHIND SANTANA (5:23 p.m. ET)
The top of the New York Mets' rotation is in good hands again, with Johan Santana looking healthy this spring after season-ending elbow surgery last year.
After Santana, well, there's a lot of ifs, maybes and question marks.
Mike Pelfrey regressed last year after a promising 2008 season. John Maine has struggled to stay on the field. Oliver Perez was so disappointing last season he was sent to the bullpen for a stretch. The top candidate for the final spot in the rotation is coming off surgery to repair a torn right hamstring.
And the consensus is this group could be the biggest key to New York's season.
-- Associated Press
HENDERSON TO LEAD BASE-STEALING SEMINAR (12:52 p.m. ET)
Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson arrived at the Oakland Athletics' spring training facilities Saturday in Phoenix and many of the A's said they were looking forward to working with him on stealing bases.
A's manager Bob Geren said Henderson's primary focus will be on stealing bases, but he won't be limited.
That's fine with A's outfielder Rajai Davis, who led the team with 41 steals last year. Davis wants to talk about batting leadoff and playing the outfield as well.
The A's were fourth in the majors in stolen bases last year and adding players such as Coco Crisp to the mix could increase those totals.
-- Associated Press