Scoreboard:
Grapefruit League (Recaps)
Final
St. Louis 3
N.Y. Mets « 4
Final
Houston 2
Cleveland « 13
Final
Baltimore 6
Florida « 8
Final
Boston 1
Toronto « 4
Final
L.A. Dodgers 2
Atlanta « 7
Final
Cincinnati « 9
Pittsburgh 7
Final
Philadelphia 7
Detroit « 9
Final
Minnesota 1
N.Y. Yankees « 6
Cactus League (Recaps)
Final R
San Diego « 4
Seattle 3
Final
Oakland 8
Milwaukee « 14
Final
San Francisco « 9
Chi. Cubs 2
Final
Kansas City 6
L.A. Angels « 7
Final
Arizona « 8
Chi. White Sox 5
Final
Chi. White Sox 3
Colorado « 4
Player Movement:
Marlins – released RHP Travis Bowyer…
Reds – signed RHP Dustin Hermanson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training …
Around the Web:
Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects.
Kurt Angle reports for Spring Training.
Danks excited to be with Chicago.
Prospect of the Day:
Shannon Stewart Prospect Retro by John Sickels. The normal Prospect of the Day will be back next week.
Rumors:
Source: BenMaller.com
As it stands now, the crop of free-agent centerfielders next offseason could include Andruw Jones, Ichiro, Torii Hunter and Aaron Rowand…MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro is on the Veterans Committee that failed to vote in a new member for the third straight time this week. Niekro, appearing as a guest with Steve Czaban on Fox Sports Radio, offer some good insight into the mentality of the committee: “Stats don’t change year after year. It is what it is. And no matter how much one guy could tell you about how great a guy was someplace else, in your own mind you’ve still got to feel that it’s right or wrong. It’s tough sometimes. There’s so many guys right there on that bubble. You take the Blyleven, and you take the Jim Rice, and you take Jim Kaat, and you got Ron Santo, and you got Tony Oliva. Boy it’s difficult in those situations”…How About That? The 1977 Kansas City Royals were under .500 as late as June 20 and still won 102 games and made the playoffs. The 1973 St. Louis Cardinals started off 2-15 but finished 11/2 games behind the National League East champions, the Mets. They’re an example of a team that recovered from a bad start but wished it had a few more early wins…
A’s centerfielder Mark Kotsay is flying to Los Angeles this morning to get a second opinion about his chronic back trouble. Kotsay has had a herniated disk in his lower back since he was with San Diego in 2003, and he has had occasional back spasms since then, sometimes sidelining him for a week or more. The back tightness cropped up earlier than ever this season, just three days into camp. During Kotsay’s time with the A’s, he has focused on preventative measures, doing extensive rehab work along with flexibility workouts and Pilates…
Whenever you spot Curtis Thigpen – the young man the Blue Jays hope will be their front-line catcher soon and for years to come – he’s got that bat in his hands, usually heading back into the cage for a few extra swings. “Hard worker, tough kid, smart kid,” GM J.P. Ricciardi rattles off, summing up the young Texan…
“That’s stupid, in my opinion,†John Smoltz said of Curt Schilling’s stance, and said he wouldn’t make a similar demand. “That’s the reason I’ve been here so long, the reason the city is great [to me], the fans are great, is because I’ve avoided all that silly stuff. I had one little hiccup last year, which won’t happen again.†He was referring to his complaint late last season about the Braves’ delay in picking up the relatively bargain-rate $8 million 2007 option on his contract…In 28 career starts, Kyle Davies 9-11 with a 6.15 ERA, and scrutiny has been intense for the hometown boy. John Smoltz is concerned that Davies hasn’t had the luxury of learning from mistakes without so much pressure, the way Smoltz and other former Braves greats did in their first seasons with lesser teams. After 28 starts in the majors, Greg Maddux was 8-14 with a 5.39 ERA, Tom Glavine was 5-13 with a 5.44 ERA, and Smoltz was 11-13 with a 3.41 ERA. None of those three had surgery in that period. “Glavine will say the same thing, Maddux will say the same thing — we had our chance to learn in a non-pressure situation,” Smoltz said. “These guys [Davies and Chuck James] don’t have that luxury”…
As it turns out, the 60-yard dash claimed two victims in the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring camp. First baseman Prince Fielder was scratched from the starting lineup for the Brewers’ exhibition opener Thursday against Oakland with tightness in his left quadriceps. Assistant general manager Gord Ash said Fielder could be sidelined up to a week. Though Fielder said he “wasn’t sure” the problem was the result of the 60-yard dash all position players were required to run Wednesday, he began experiencing the tightness shortly afterward. “It just started bothering me,” Fielder said. “Whether it happened before or after, I’m not sure.” Outfielder Gabe Gross suffered a mild strain of his right hamstring running his second 60-yard sprint the previous day. Gross, who said the injury was not as bad as the left hamstring strain that sidelined him for most of the final month of last season, declined to say the 60-yard dash was a bad idea…
Tony La Russa said he “couldn’t disagree more” with Detroit Tigers first base coach Andy Van Slyke’s critique of Chris Duncan’s future in the outfield. Van Slyke, a former Gold Glove center fielder, labeled Duncan potentially “average at best, not worst.” La Russa repeatedly has predicted Duncan would leave spring training “average at worst” in the outfield, where he struggled after shifting from first base last season. “I’m surprised, because I know he was an outstanding outfielder, and Jimmy (Leyland) is real pleased with the way he approaches his outfielders,” La Russa said about Van Slyke. “But I’m surprised that he doesn’t remember experiences where a guy starts out struggling defensively and is permitted to work and becomes better than average”…The Cardinals’ enhanced awareness of Mexican talent became tangible earlier this week when the club acquired 21-year-old pitcher Fernando Salas from Saltilla of the Mexican League. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it is believed the Cardinals paid the Mexican club more than $200,000 for Salas, a righthanded reliever who might open the season at Double-A Springfield. “We want to be active,” said Jeff Luhnow, Cardinals vice-president for scouting and player development. “I’ve wanted to get involved in Mexico as long as I’ve been involved with the Cardinals. It’s a unique situation but I think we’re figuring it out”…In evaluating the NL East, Cards manager Tony La Russa said yesterday he believes the Mets are the “team to beat,” though he called it a “really good division”…
Cubs infielder Mark DeRosa played with Gary Matthews Jr. last year in Texas and said he was “shocked” to see Matthews’ name associated with a performance-enhancing drug scandal. DeRosa, like Matthews, had a career year in ’06, and doesn’t believe it’s fair to accuse players who have breakthrough seasons of using performance-enhancing drugs. “I have a huge problem with that,” he said. “You hear that a lot, and I understand that argument, but bottom line is that performance-enhancing drugs do not give you hand-eye coordination, do not make your eyes better, do not make you stay back on the slider. They don’t do those things”…Manager Lou Piniella was asked Thursday about the rumor that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was planning to buy the Cubs. “He’s a flamboyant guy,” Piniella said. Ever met him? “No, I’ve seen him on television,” he said. Piniella worked for loud owners George Steinbrenner and Marge Schott. Could he work for Cuban too? “Listen,” he said. “I’m very happy working for Tribune Co”…
IF Brendan Harris figures to be among the starters Saturday against Toronto. The utility player already has caught Maddon’s eye in his first Rays camp. “I really like what Brendan Harris has done to this point; he’s made a great first impression,” Maddon said. “He’s my kind of player, the way he goes about his business. He is all business, and he’s able to execute. I see this guy as being a consistent kind of a player as he matures. I like him. So he’s going to get a very good look during this camp”…
Discussions over whether Jason Schmidt or Brad Penny is more deserving to occupy the No. 2 spot in the starting rotation behind Derek Lowe can cease, as least temporarily. It’s going to be Randy Wolf. The left-hander about to begin his first season with the Dodgers is scheduled to start the second game of the season at Milwaukee on April 3. The rotation hasn’t been announced by Manager Grady Little, but the order of the first four starters was confirmed by two highly placed sources…
Cliff Lee will be on the sidelines for a while, although Indians officials hope that he misses only a few days with a strained abdominal muscle. “It happened five days ago during his first batting-practice session,” head trainer Lonnie Soloff said Thursday. “He threw a bullpen session yesterday for his start tomorrow and felt it again.” Lee will miss his start against the Philadelphia Phillies today, but Soloff doesn’t think the left-hander will be absent from the mound for long…
So you want to know who the Mariners’ Opening Day starting pitcher will be? All you’ve got to do is look at today’s starting lineup, look at the date of the opener, then start counting backward by five. Today’s starter is Felix Hernandez. If the math — and the staff — holds up the 20-year-old right-hander will be the starter April 2 at Safeco Field against Oakland.
Marlins starting pitcher Josh Johnson might miss at least the first month of the season and could be lost for the year because of possible nerve damage in his right arm, sources said Wednesday. Johnson is scheduled to have an MRI today because of lingering pain that has prevented him from throwing at full speed since September…Marlins right-handers Wes Obenmueller and Yusmeiro Petit and left-hander Chris George each had a chance Thursday to stake a claim to the fifth rotation spot if Josh Johnson’s arm discomfort continues…
Ambiorix Burgos’ career ERA in his two seasons is 4.81 (last year it was 5.52), and last year he blew 12 of his 30 save chances. In the winter, he was traded to the Mets for Brian Bannister, and said he was elated with the deal. “I feel like I just got called up to the big leagues,” he said when asked what his reaction was about getting dealt to New York. “I feel in Kansas City that I was in Triple-A.” Omar Minaya said yesterday Burgos is “not a lock” to make the Mets’ roster for Opening Day, but it’s clear he will be one of the contenders…Mets 3B David Wright, appearing as a guest on FSN’s “Best Damn Sports Show Period,” asked if his teammates have given him grief over his GQ photo spread: “Judging by the way my teammates dress, I don’t think they subscribe to GQ”…Mets 3B David Wright, appearing as a guest on FSN’s “Best Damn Sports Show Period,” on new teammate Moises Alou, who urinates on his hands to ward off calluses: “He can hit. I don’t care what he’s doing. Let him keep peeing on his hands if that’s what it takes…. We give the pound or the fist pump, no hand shaking going on”…Mets 3B David Wright, appearing as a guest on FSN’s “Best Damn Sports Show Period,” responding to Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins saying the Phillies are the team to beat in the NL East: “We don’t feel the need to run our mouths. We’re the defending National League East champions. Last I checked, whoever talks the most doesn’t get the division title. We’re going to go out there and do our talking with our bats and our gloves”…
Coming off a season for which he was honored as the team’s MVP, Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez will draw a salary that is $500 over the major league minimum. Gonzalez’s salary will be set at $380,500, General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday after negotiations failed to reconcile a $26,500 difference. “They should tear up the contract and talk about a multiyear contract,†closer Trevor Hoffman said. Because Gonzalez is ineligible for arbitration, the club can set his salary without his consent, provided his salary isn’t cut by more than $20,000 from the previous year or set below the major league minimum…Among the pitchers in Padres camp is lefthander Ryan Ketchner, who was diagnosed as being deaf as a child. Manager Bud Black said he and his staff have no problem communicating with Ketchner, who wears a hearing aid in each ear and reads lips…The Padres plan to unveil a statue of Hall of Famer-elect Tony Gwynn at Petco Park on July 21…
If the Phillies don’t come to an agreement with National League MVP Ryan Howard, they are expected to renew his contract today. Howard is expected to make at least $1 million this season, which would be a record for a player not eligible for salary arbitration. A multiyear contract is unlikely…
General manager Dave Littlefield said the Pirates have not received results from outfielder Xavier Nady’s colonoscopy, taken Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Nady was due back in Florida yesterday afternoon…
With slugger Mark Teixeira, because he is represented by the dreaded Scott Boras, the assumption by many is that the Rangers never will be able to keep him…When Rangers manager Ron Washington was asked Thursday if he plans to sit his top pitchers against AL West opponents in the spring, he smiled and said: “This was my secret, and you’re pulling my secret out of me. I’m going to try to keep [Eric] Gagné away from all American Leaguers. They’ll see him when the season starts. – I was in Minnesota one year when they got Jeff Reardon. That was the year (1987) they won the World Series. Jeff never faced an American League team until the season started. By the time they figured Jeff Reardon out, it was too late.” Washington said Gagné, who has been sick for two days but returned to practice Thursday, will pitch eight or nine innings in the spring. If he is scheduled to pitch on a day the Rangers play an AL team, he will throw in a simulated situation on the practice field…
It seems not every ex-Jay is a disgruntled malcontent waiting to vent on his former employer. An example of someone refusing to burn his bridges is Eric Hinske of the Red Sox, in town, yesterday, for the Grapefruit League opener. “I started on a high and it went downhill until I found myself in a bench player’s role,” Hinske shrugged, of his roller-coaster five-year Jays career. “I have no hard feelings against anybody. I had a great time in Toronto. I thank J.P. and the organization for everything they did for me. I think it’s a great organization with great people. I don’t have a bad word to say about anybody”…Non-roster invitee Adam Bernero won’t have the opportunity to play for the Sox at all this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow yesterday in Birmingham, Ala. The 30-year-old right-hander, who is 11-27 with a 5.91 ERA in 150 career appearances with the Tigers, Rockies, Braves, Phillies and Royals, is expected to be back at full strength during spring training next year. The Sox sent Bernero to noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday when the pitcher complained of soreness after throwing off the mound. “All winter he felt pretty good and he felt good when he got here,†Francona said. “It wasn’t flat-ground throwing, it was when he got on a hill when he started running into problems”…
The Reds have agreed to terms with right-hander Dustin Hermanson on a minor-league contract. But he could have a major impact. “If he’s healthy,” Reds manager Jerry Narron said. “We have someone else to pitch at the end of the game.” The Reds wanted to make sure Hermanson was healthy. He passed a physical Thursday in Cincinnati. “We wanted (our doctors) to sign off on it,” Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said. “He checked out. So rather than flying back to Scottsdale, he’s flying to Sarasota.” Hermanson is a potential solution to the Reds’ closer situation…
Kansas City GM Dayton Moore responds to this latest round of queries and criticism with a question: “Are the Royals better with him or without him? Tell me that. Are the Royals better with Gil Meche or without Gil Meche?”…
Tigers manager Jim Leyland acknowledged the importance of the quick start. It was a priceless confidence-builder for a team that hadn’t won. Certainly, starting quick was something Leyland stressed in spring training, right? Wrong. He never talked about it, never made it a goal. “It just worked out that way,” he said. “I don’t talk about that at all. What happens if you stress getting off to a quick start and you don’t? Are you going to cancel the season in May? I don’t buy that stuff. “In spring training, I don’t talk about winning much. I try to get them ready to play and let the chips fall where they may. If we’re good enough, we’ll win our share”…
Hennepin County has told the Minnesota Twins that building a new ballpark at a preferred site in downtown Minneapolis could likely require the team to spend more money, and has identified six sites across the metro area that could serve as an alternative location for a stadium. The newest disclosures come as county negotiators and a limited liability partnership that controls the 8-acre stadium site remain at an impasse over the sale price, with both sides publicly faulting one another for the standoff. The delay has already forced the Twins to postpone an unveiling of the stadium’s detailed design, pushed back this month’s site preparation work and threatened to undermine the start of major construction in August…Twins righthander Sidney Ponson, on being 16 months out of alcohol rehab: “I have a couple glasses of wine here and there, but I used to go out and drink 20 beers and stay up until 5, 6 o’clock in the morning”…
Manager Ozzie Guillen admitted knuckleballer Charlie Haeger might help the White Sox more as a reliever because of his versatility. Haeger helped his chances by pitching two scoreless innings against the Rockies in a 4-3 split-squad loss. “He can be the long man we didn’t have last year,” Guillen said. “I like what I see”…
For the purpose of financial flexibility, and maybe peace of mind too, Alex Rodriguez has not taken the option of opting out of his Yankees contract (worth $25 mil per) off the table. As long as the option to opt out at the end of this season is available, there will be buzz over whether A-Rod already has another destination in mind. Speculation will mount Monday night (10 p.m.) when Rodriguez appears on HBO’s “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel.” If you come away sensing the Yankees third baseman has the Windy City on his mind you will have plenty of company. During a profile of new Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who managed Rodriguez for seven seasons in Seattle, A-Rod is interviewed by Frank Deford. While Deford never asks Rodriguez to compare Piniella to Joe Torre, it is abundantly clear the managerial qualities – and style – A-Rod enthusiastically attributes to Piniella are not subscribed to by the Yankees manager. … And yet, yesterday, Rodriguez told Daily News Yankees beat writer Mark Feinsand a reunion with Pinella is not likely to be in the cards. “He’s on a different team in a different league,” Rodriguez said. “My memories of Lou are in the present and the past, not the future”…Carl Pavano yesterday threw off a mound for the first time since taking a comebacker off his left foot and pronounced himself ready for his spring debut this weekend. “I didn’t really have too many concerns from the beginning,” he said, “just because of the progress I’ve made.” Pavano, who has not pitched in the majors since June 2005, was hit Saturday while throwing batting practice to teammates (he declined to use a protective screen). An MRI showed the injury to be only a bone bruise…Yanks manager Joe Torre seemed most pleased with the performance of Ross Ohlendorf, the starter from Princeton who was acquired from Arizona in the trade for Randy Johnson. Ohlendorf pitched two scoreless innings and got ground balls with ease. “He had real good sink,†Torre said. “He looks like he’s real polished out there”…
