Spring training scoreboard

Arizona Diamondbacks: Showing no sign that age has slowed his fastball or deteriorated his wicked slider, Randy Johnson struck out eight and allowed one hit in five scoreless innings Tuesday in Arizona's 6-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

	Johnson

"RJ was tremendous," manager Bob Brenly said. "Great command of everything, tremendous rhythm out there."

The 38-year-old left-hander even knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly against his former team.

"My age is the age that I am and I'm pitching the way I am," he said. "There's no rhyme nor reason except that I've worked extremely hard and I take a lot of pride in what I do."

In recent years, the Big Unit has struggled in the spring, but he has been sharp from the start this year.

In his three starts, Johnson has not allowed a run in 11 innings. He has struck out 17 and walked one.

"I feel I'm already ahead of the curve with my breaking ball right now. I'm not feeling for it as much as I would normally," Johnson said. "I would say it's probably because we didn't have as long of a period off. I came right back in and was throwing my slider probably the second time on the mound."

Johnson said his mechanics feel more comfortable than at any time last season. He threw 70 pitches, 46 strikes. His fastball topped out at 98 mph and was consistently around 96, yet his control was almost perfect.

This from a pitcher who was once one of the wildest in the game.

"I think people in this room who cover the Mariners and saw me come over from Montreal, they would attest that it's probably a night and day situation from where I was to where I'm at now," Johnson said.

Spivey showing signs of comeback: Junior Spivey rose from the minors to starting second baseman for the D-Backs last season, then vanished from the lineup as abruptly as he had appeared.

The inability to hit a curveball sent Spivey back to the bench, and kept him off Arizona's postseason roster. This spring, he's making a strong case that he deserves another shot at the big-time.

Spivey, 27, is hitting .464 (13-for-28) with 13 runs, four doubles, a triple and eight RBI. He's also walked six times. He was 4-for-5 in Monday night's 8-8 split-squad tie with Colorado, including a tying, two-run double in the eighth.

Spivey can play second or shortstop, and possibly third. He also can be an emergency catcher. Injuries to Matt Williams and Greg Colbrunn could create a spot for him on the roster, although Danny Klassen is another player who can play three infield positions.

"All you can do is go out and play hard," he said. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to try to stick."

San Francisco Giants: Right-hander Jason Schmidt underwent tests as the team tried to determine the extent of his groin injury.

	Schmidt

Schmidt was unable to make his scheduled start against the Chicago Cubs on Monday and has appeared in one game since the injury first occurred in late February.

"It's hard to plan when you don't know what he's capable of doing," Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti said.

If Schmidt was unable to return to action soon, there's a possibility he would be unable to start the season in the rotation. That would open another spot for Kirk Ainsworth, Joe Nathan and Ryan Jensen -- currently competing for the fifth spot in the rotation.

"Basically he's on the DL," Righetti said. "He didn't make the post, and I have to concentrate on other people. I don't want this to last all year."

New York Yankees: Outfielder Rondell White and reliever Ramiro Mendoza remain sidelined by injuries, increasing the likelihood they could start the season on the disabled list.

	White

White has not played this spring after straining his left rib cage on Feb. 26. Mendoza has pitched just once during the exhibition season and has had a stiff neck for the past week.

"We're taking it slow," Yankees manager Joe Torre said Tuesday. "Hopefully, by the end of the week he'll swing a bat."

White is slated to resume throwing Wednesday. He likely would have to start taking live batting practice by the middle of next week to be ready for the season opener April 1 at Baltimore.

Left-hander Andy Pettitte will test his strained left elbow in the bullpen Wednesday. And center fielder Bernie Williams could return to the lineup Wednesday after missing three games with right calf tightness.

Cincinnati Reds: Starter Lance Davis will undergo an MRI tomorrow.

Davis got bombed Monday in Clearwater as the Philadelphia Phillies scored six runs in the first inning of what turned into a 10-10, 10-inning tie.

Davis, who allowed six runs on four homers, two doubles, a single and a walk, said he felt like a batting practice pitcher.

He had skipped his scheduled start on Friday with shoulder soreness.

An MRI in December showed a frayed labrum, and now Davis is concerned that something else may be wrong.

	Kendall

Pittsburgh Pirates: Catcher Jason Kendall sat out a second straight day Tuesday because of bruised left index finger. He may not return to game action until later in the week. ... Reliever Josias Manzanillo, who did not re-sign with the Pirates as a free agent until Feb. 27, is expected to see his first action of the spring on Wednesday. Manzanillo is expected to pitch one inning against Philadelphia.

Colorado Rockies: Mike Hampton showed only slight improvement Tuesday as the Colorado Rockies lost to the Chicago White Sox 9-5.

Hampton allowed four runs -- all unearned -- six hits and three walks in four innings. Last Thursday, he gave up five runs and four hits over 1 1-3 innings against San Diego and walked five -- all in the first inning.

"I've still got a ways to go mechanically," Hampton said. "A lot of stuff goes into a delivery and that's what I'm searching for right now."

Hampton surrendered all of his runs in the third. Shortstop Juan Uribe committed a two-run throwing error that scored Kenny Lofton and Mark Buehrle.