|
|
|
|
 |
| MLB |
|
Scores Schedules Standings Statistics Transactions Injuries: AL | NL Players Offseason moves Message Board Minor Leagues MLB Stat Search MLB en espaņol Clubhouses |
|
SportsMall
|
| Sport Sections |
|
|
| Monday, March 12 | ||||||
| Pedro nearly perfect in first outing | ||||||
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Pedro Martinez looked like he was ready
for Opening Day.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Chuck Knoblauch bounced a throw. Then he threw the ball wide. Then he threw another one low and another one wide. Four bad throws, two more errors. The New York Yankees' second baseman doesn't appear to have solved the arm problems that have plagued him since 1998. "It was a rough day, that's about all I can say," Knoblauch said Monday following the Yankees' 8-7 loss to the Minnesota Twins. "From a defensive standpoint, it was tough. You have to have some adversity and learn from it. You have to stay positive." On an afternoon when Roger Clemens was pounded for six runs and 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings, Knoblauch's arm was far more significant than that of the five-time Cy Young Award winner. Knoblauch has made seven bad throws – including four errors – in his past three games. He had 15 errors in 82 games at second base last season. "It was a bad day," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "You just have to fight your way through it. There's no magic formula. He's addressing it, he's working hard. The only thing we can do is support him." Knoblauch has five errors, four on throws, in 10 exhibition games. "The bottom line, you're going to throw the baseball away," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. "I'm going to throw it way. Everybody does it. The difference is every time he does it, people make a big deal about it. He knows how to play second. He's going to be fine. Basically, he has to block it out." Knoblauch bounced a throw in front of first baseman Nick Johnson after charging a second-inning soft chopper by Cristian Guzman, a play that was ruled an infield hit. In the fourth, Knoblauch fielded David Ortiz's routine grounder, look at the ball as he took it out of his glove, then made a throw to the outfield side of first base, pulling Johnson off the bag for an error. Luis Sojo, playing first base in the fifth, saved Knoblauch from getting an error by scooping a low throw following A.J. Pierzynski's routine grounder. In the sixth, after making a nice backhanded play on Mike Moriarty's hard grounder up the middle, Knoblauch made another throw to the outfield side of first, skipping past Sojo. Moriarty was awarded a single and went to second on the error. "I didn't expect to have it cured in one day," Knoblauch said. "You take it, file it, put it away and work on it tomorrow." Knoblauch, who spoke with Torre during the game, did throw out Doug Mientkiewicz on his final chance to end the sixth. "Joe just said, 'It's not going to be easy,' Knoblauch said. "That's no secret." Knoblauch was previously scheduled to skip Tuesday's game against the Kansas City Royals at Haines City and have Wednesday off. "Tomorrow might be a perfect day for a work day," Knoblauch said. "We still have 20 some games left. It's a lot of time to get ready." McGwire connects for second homer of spring JUPITER, Fla. – Mark McGwire hit his second home run of the spring, a two-run drive Monday that helped the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 in a split-squad game. McGwire connected in the first inning off Ramon Martinez and added an RBI single in the fifth off Yorkis Perez, giving him four RBIs this spring. Coming off knee surgery during the offseason, wouldn't say he was approaching full strength. "There's a long ways to go," McGwire said. Darryl Kile, coming off his first 20-win season, allowed three hits in five innings. "Right now, I'm just trying to get rhythm," he said. "If you notice, I'm a little herky jerky. My No. 1 priority is to try to find my rhythm and, hopefully, get into sync quick." Mike Timlin and Steve Kline completed a four-hitter, each pitching two innings. Kline struck out the last four batters. "Beware National League," McGwire said. "We've got a nice staff." Middle of A's order more Long's speed PHOENIX – After a season as the leadoff batter for the Oakland Athletics, outfielder Terrence Long is moving to more comfortable territory. Long is headed to the middle of the order this season, probably batting sixth or seventh. The A's acquired Johnny Damon from Kansas City in an offseason trade, and he'll take over the leadoff role. Long is far from disappointed about the move. "That's where I was – in the minor leagues I used to hit in the middle of the order, and that's where I can drive in some runs," he said. Long, 25, set an Oakland rookie record with 104 runs scored last season, breaking Mark McGwire's mark of 97 set in 1987. He tied the franchise record for rookies with 168 hits and a 17-game hitting streak. Long also led all rookies in runs and hits, as well as his 34 doubles and 80 RBI, and finished second to Seattle's Kazuhiro Sasaki for AL Rookie of the Year honors. Overall, he batted .288 with 18 home runs. Nen's first relief appearance of spring goes smoothly PEORIA, Ariz. – Giants closer Robb Nen made his first appearance of the spring in San Francisco's 6-3 exhibition loss to the San Diego Padres. Nen, who has been bothered by soreness in his arm, threw just 12 pitches and retired the side in order in the fifth. He struck out one. Giants manager Dusty Baker said he put Nen in after Giants starter Russ Ortiz so that he would face San Diego's starters. Gwynn scratched due to sore knee: Padres right fielder Tony Gwynn was scratched from the lineup Monday because of soreness in his left knee, the first time this spring he's been unable to make a scheduled appearance. Gwynn has been on a limited work regimen due to season-ending knee surgery June 27. He has yet to appear on defense in consecutive games. Trainer Todd Hutcheson said Gwynn had no swelling in the knee. "He's doing a lot better than we expected," he said. "He's doing fine." Gwynn, 40, was to have played right field against the Giants. Manager Bruce Bochy said he will wait to see how Gwynn feels before planning his next appearance. Relievers Slocumb, Corsi among Cardinals' cuts JUPITER, Fla. – Relievers Heathcliff Slocumb and Jim Corsi, both non-roster invitees to St. Louis Cardinals spring training, were among 19 cuts Monday. Slocumb, 34, was 2-3 with a 5.44 ERA with St. Louis last year before going to San Diego at the trade deadline for catcher Carlos Hernandez. He signed a minor league contract with the Cardinals during the offseason and appeared in two games during spring training, allowing seven runs in three innings. Corsi, 39, came to spring training with biceps tendinitis and did not appear in a game. He previously played for manager Tony La Russa in Oakland. "There was an opportunity here to make an impression," La Russa said. "An injury is an injury. Get well and go about your business." Left-hander Bud Smith also was among the pitchers cut. Smith was the Cardinals' minor league pitcher of the year after going a combined 17-2 at Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Memphis last season. Suzuki's shoulder feels OK after outing LAKELAND, Fla. – One day after throwing two perfect innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City pitcher Mac Suzuki felt fine. "There's no soreness, just tightness like always," Suzuki said a day after throwing 28 pitches in his spring training debut. Suzuki pitched in pain last September, when he went 0-3 with a 6.59 ERA in five starts, and had athroscopic shoulder surgery the following month. "I was happy with my performance and the way my shoulder is feeling," Suzuki said. "I still had a little control problems, but I've always had control problems." The Royals were pleasantly surprised with his velocity, 91 to 93 miles per hour. "My velocity is coming along good," he said. "Still, I'm not 100 percent." Suzuki said he hopes to pitch in five or six more games before spring training ends. Veteran Belcher showing young Angels how it's done TEMPE, Ariz. – The way Tim Belcher is pitching this spring, he might just be joining several younger teammates in the Anaheim Angels' rotation. Belcher, a 39-year-old non-roster invitee with a 6.76 ERA for the Angels during the last two seasons, pitched four effective innings Monday as the Angels lost to the Seattle Mariners 4-3 in a split-squad game. Belcher allowed only one hit in the first three innings. The Mariners scored twice on three hits in the fourth. Belcher said he felt he was throwing better than at any time since the beginning of the 1999 season. "My command was good, I feel like I'm strong, and there is more to come," he said.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories | ALSO SEE Spring report: Feeling better, Jeter goes 0-for-3 in debut | |||||
