From the archives: March 2010
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