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expanded the bull pens. added someting to it. forget what. and i think seats were added. is the wall the same height, like add a foot or 2
2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by proshares,
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Some prospect stuff for the M's/Oakland:
Some notes from Monday's Seattle-Oakland tilt in Phoenix...
• Seattle right-hander Michael Pineda showed a big fastball Monday, touching 96 MPH a few times and working mostly at 93-95 in his two innings. The pitch will probably play up because the ball appears quite late to hitters even though it's not a classic delivery. Pineda struggled with command and especially with his breaking ball on Monday and threw just one changeup, a pin-straight offering at 88 that would grade out at a 35 if we wanted to go off that one sample. The slider was just very inconsistent; he threw several with good tilt but didn't locate them, and got away with a few spinners including one brutal hanger at 81 that a big league hitter could have jerked out of most parks. He has a few more weeks to make his case to be in the Opening Day rotation, but the two innings he threw on Monday did not show him to be ready for the majors; he'll need more consistency on the slider and and to show a much better third pitch.
• Joey Devine hasn't appeared in a big league game since the end of 2008, missing two years due to Tommy John surgery, and his appearance on Monday made it look like he's a long way from getting back. Devine walked the first hitter on four pitches, threw balls on 10 of his first 12 offerings, threw one pitch to the backstop, nearly hit right-handed batters with at least four others, and walked four of the five men he faced, all while failing to get over 91 MPH and sitting around 88. He had the surgery about 23 months ago, and his velocity isn't likely to improve from where it is today given the time since the operation.
• Fautino de los Santos is another Tommy John surgery survivor, throwing just 82 innings over the last three years around the May 2008 operation, but his stuff has bounced back better than Devine's has. De los Santos sat 91-93 on Monday but hit 95 a few times and flashed a plus slider in the low 80s, hard and sharp with good tilt. He had zero command -- although to be fair command wasn't a big part of his game pre-knife -- and while he accelerates his arm very quickly, his arm path is long, making it hard for him to repeat it. I do think he has promise as a reliever, but he could easily be Jesus Colome, tantalizing with plus stuff but never commanding it enough to be an elite closer or setup guy.
• Grant Green is becoming more and more frustrating to watch. He has athleticism, and has some instincts, but his throwing motion is totally inadequate for shortstop and his feet always seem to be going in the wrong direction. His at-bats were just as maddening, culminating in a strikeout against Josh Lueke, all on breaking balls. Shortstop can't be his long-term position, and I'd really like to see him in centerfield where his speed will play up while his inadequacies in the infield won't be such a problem.
The contract extension for Matt Thornton came in the middle of spring training, but it was everything that happened in the dead of winter that created this deal. The salary benchmarks haven't moved much for players at other positions in this offseason, most notably for the designated hitters and for the closers -- and even Albert Pujols was offered less per year than three other first basemen.
But for setup men, the prices exploded, as Joaquin Benoit (three years, $16.5 million), Scott Downs (three years), Matt Guerrier (three years, $12 million) and Rafael Soriano (three years, $35 million to be Mariano Rivera's pricey bullpen caddy) will testify. The history of these types of contracts for relievers is absolutely disastrous, but teams now are paying what they have to pay because they know they cannot win without bullpen help. "We really needed the guy," said one GM who dished out big dollars for a reliever in the past year.
Thornton is one of baseball's best-kept secrets: a durable lefty who has demonstrated total dominance over lefties at a time when right-handed power hitting is increasingly scarce. As noted in the ESPN.com story on the signing, the 34-year-old Thornton led all AL relievers in strikeouts per nine innings last season (12.02) and inherited runners scored percentage (12.9). He limited left-handed hitters to a .175 batting average with 44 strikeouts.
So the White Sox jumped the market, in a sense. Rather than allowing Thornton to hit the market and draw one of those inflation-driven three-year offers, they gave him a two-year deal extension along the lines of what Boston gave to Bobby Jenks (two years, $12 million), with a team option for $6 million in 2014 (and a $1 million buyout). There is the inherent risk in investing in an older reliever who has piled up a lot of appearances and has burned a lot of pitches in the bullpen, but the White Sox knew, from all the trade interest in Thornton through the years, that he would have no shortage of suitors if he ever became a free agent.
It wouldn't be a shocker if other relievers got similar deals in the next few months. Look, it might seem a little crazy to be paying $4.74 for a gallon for gas, but as anyone who drives through the Tampa area knows, the prices have climbed and you have to fill the tank. Similarly, no team succeeds these days -- in an era when innings thrown by starting pitchers continue to dissipate -- without having a strong core of relievers.
Thornton says he doesn't care whether he's the closer or not, as Daryl van Schouwen writes. The White Sox have committed about $30 million to six relievers this spring, as Dave van Dyck writes.
What will be interesting, going forward, is whether teams start to invest long-term multiyear deals in their young relievers the way that they have at other positions -- for someone like a Chris Sale or a Drew Storen or a Sergio Santos.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• The concern about Chase Utley within the Phillies' organization is much higher than the public posture has been, writes Paul Hagen, and he runs through the team's options in the event that Utley can't contribute much.
• Justin Morneau says he can get ready in a hurry, once he's been cleared, as Sid Hartman writes. It's been 213 days since his most recent game.
• The Padres should get an upgrade in the leadoff spot, with Cameron Maybin. By the way: Colleague Bobby Valentine saw Maybin work out this winter and swing in a cage and came away very, very impressed and thinking that Maybin is going to be better than he's shown.
• The Yankees will be looking at Brett Myers, writes George King.
• By the way: The Red Sox and Adrian Gonzalez have not resumed contract talks since the weekend they traded for him, but since negotiating that weekend, Boston's front office has had an understanding of what it will take to sign him -- seven years, about $22 million a year -- and presumably, a deal will be completed. And no, Albert Pujols' looming free agency will not have a bearing on that, because in the end, Gonzalez is younger and he will probably be cheaper.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Corey Hart injured an oblique. Not good. The Brewers are serious contenders in the NL Central, but they don't have a lot of lineup depth.
2. Jason Heyward created a scare in his first game back from a groin injury.
3. Carlos Beltran gave his manager a scare, writes Karen Crouse.
4. Justin Duchscherer will start Tuesday, as mentioned within this Jeff Zrebiec notebook.
5. The Rangers got a big scare with Neftali Feliz, but he's OK.
6. Chris Carpenter threw from a mound, a sign of progress for the veteran.
7. Miguel Olivo thinks he'll be ready for Opening Day.
8. James Loney is expected back by Wednesday.
9. Aaron Cook is feeling no pain, writes Troy Renck.
[h3]The Battle for Jobs[/h3]
1. The Marlins are increasingly pleased with what they are seeing in Matt Dominguez.
2. Charlie Manuel is getting a look at some of his right-field candidates. Ben Francisco has looked good so far.
3. James McDonald of the Pirates is thankful for the role he has, as Ron Musselman writes.
4. Jeremy Accardo couldn't be happier as he works for a job with the Orioles.
5. Alexi Casilla seems wiser this spring, as he takes over.
6. Edgar Renteria is not in the mix at third base for the Reds.
7. Mike Aviles is answering any doubts about his defense.
8. Defense will be important as the Diamondbacks consider the starter at first base, writes Nick Piecoro.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Brett Gardner could supplant Derek Jeter as the leadoff hitter, writes Mark Feinsand.
2. The Astros are looking at their options for catcher in the aftermath of the Jason Castro injury.
[h3]Sunday's games[/h3]
1. Brian Wilson threw the heck out of the ball in his first outing.
2. Carlos Gonzalez hit a monster homer.
3. Every day, it seems, Brett Lawrie is doing something great.
4. Johnny Cueto was The Man for the Reds.
5. Buster Posey is hitting .643 this spring, as mentioned within this Andrew Baggarly notebook.
6. Bryce Harper hit the cutoff man.
7. Zack Greinke is not worried about his tough outing.
8. Russell Martin got a chance to catch Phil Hughes.
9. The Rays continue to lose, as Marc Topkin writes.
10. Justin Masterson had an interesting inning.
11. Heath Bell had a really good outing, writes Dan Hayes.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• A-Rod looks great this spring, writes John Harper.
• Adrian Gonzalez looks like a great fit for Fenway Park. He is making progress as he comes back from shoulder surgery.
• The Indians' Drew Pomeranz has looked good this spring, writes Bud Shaw.
• Dan Haren continues to evolve.
• The Dodgers will let Matt Kemp run again this year.
• Dustin Ackley is making adjustments.
• Adam Dunn is feeling better than his batting average indicates.
• Mike Maddux wants his pitchers to keep it down in the strike zone.
• Willie Bloomquist is a role model.
• There are no signs that Ryan Franklin is slowing down, writes Derrick Goold.
• Alex Avila is getting comfortable at the plate, writes Shawn Windsor.
• Alfonso Soriano is off to a great start in spring training.
• Dirk Hayhurst is no Jim Bouton, as far as how he treats sensitive clubhouse information.
• Aramis Ramirez wants to steal bases. Hold on, big fella; I'm sure the Cubs would prefer he do everything he can do to stay in the lineup.
• Chris Davis is having a good spring, writes Jennifer Floyd Engel.
• Fans got a look at a top Atlanta prospect.
• It will be difficult for the Marlins to make up for the power they lost with Dan Uggla's departure.
• Jemile Weeks got a chance to play against his brother, as John Shea writes.
• Victor Martinez is the total package for the Tigers.
• Pat Hughes is collaborating on a book about Ron Santo. It should be a great read.
• A Padres coach who is fighting cancer is keeping his routine as normal as possible, writes Tyler Kepner.
• The Blue Jays are thrilled to have Brian Butterfield back.
The Milwaukee Brewers made two big acquisitions this winter, adding starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum to their rotation in a bid to contend for the National League Central crown. Most analysis is focused on how well they're going to pitch, but another key question is this: Can they hit? These two should provide a significant upgrade on the mound, and having two quality arms behind Yovani Gallardo in the rotation may give the Brewers the lift they need to get over the hump. However, the chances of the Brewers' success hinges not just on how the new guys pitch, but how well they can adjust to life in the National League, where pitchers also have to bat.
Last season, the Brewers held a huge advantage over the rest of the league in offense produced by their pitchers. Led by Gallardo and his four home runs, the Brewers' pitching staff hit .207/.249/.280, or just a little bit worse than the worst-hitting regular position player in baseball last year, Cesar Izturis. Being less productive offensively than Izturis is rarely a compliment, but when compared to the futility of other pitchers, Milwaukee's performance looks positively Ruthian.
If you exclude the Brewers, the average line put up by an NL pitcher was just .137/.170/.167. Milwaukee trounced that, and its Weighted On Base Average of .239 was 83 points higher than the .156 wOBA of its competitors. With each team's pitchers accounting for about 350 trips to the plate, the differences can really begin to add up. Greinke and Marcum are coming over from the American League, so we don't know how they handle the stick. If they hit like typical pitchers, as opposed other Brewers pitchers, then Milwaukee stands to lose a decent amount of production on offense.
Below are the best and worst offensive performances from pitchers among NL teams in 2010. wRAA is Weighted Runs Above Average (or in this case, below average, since each team is in the negative compared to a league average hitting position player). Believe it or not, having a staff of good hitting pitchers can make an enormous difference.
[h3]The Good[/h3]
1. Milwaukee Brewers: .239 wOBA, -23.9 wRAA
Gallardo was the second-best hitting pitcher in baseball last year (behind only Dan Haren), and his .363 wOBA was the same as Jay Bruce's. Chris Narveson also brought some offense to the table, hitting .327 and posting a .365 on base percentage. He didn't hit for any power, but he got on base enough to be a valuable offensive performer. Randy Wolf and Manny Parra didn't embarrass themselves either, giving the Brewers some legitimate offense from the No. 9 spot in the lineup nearly each day they came to the park.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks: .207 wOBA, -33.7 wRAA
As mentioned, Haren was the star here, putting up a .364/.375/.527 line that was on par with what Luke Scott did for the Orioles as a DH. The D-backs lost some punch when they dealt Haren to Anaheim, and although Ian Kennedy and Barry Enright were respectable at the plate, Arizona got some awful performances from Rodrigo Lopez and Joe Saunders.
3. New York Mets: .191 wOBA, -36.6 wRAA
While the Mets didn't get much offense from big bat acquisition Jason Bay, a couple of newcomers to the rotation managed to provide some offense from the bottom of the order. R.A. Dickey's breakout wasn't limited to his knuckleball, as he hit .255 and struck out only eight times. Perhaps more impressively, Jon Niese drew eight walks in 66 trips to the plate, getting halfway to A.J. Pierzynski's season total despite the catcher having 400 at-bats.
[h3]The Bad[/h3]
1. Los Angeles Dodgers: .113 wOBA, -60.6 wRAA
Talk about a total team "effort" ... Vicente Padilla and Chad Billingsley were the best of the worst, but the entire staff failed to hit. Clayton Kershaw and Hiroki Kuroda combined for just five hits -- all singles -- between them, while Jon Ely and Ted Lilly weren't much better. Overall, the pitching staff managed just 24 hits, with only two of those going for doubles, and no home runs all season. It's no wonder the Dodgers led the league in sacrifice bunts from their pitchers.
2. San Francisco Giants: .127 wOBA, -58.2 wRAA
While the Giants' pitchers helped lead the team to a World Series title, they didn't help their own cause very often in the regular season. Madison Bumgarner was the only member of the rotation to beat the league average line for a pitcher, and as a group, Giants pitchers drew fewer walks than Niese did by himself.
3. Philadelphia - .136 wOBA, -56.5 wRAA
The Marlins and Pirates posted worse overall lines from their pitchers, but wRAA accounts for the fact that the Phillies' stadium is a pretty good place to hit -- unless, of course, you pitch for the Phillies. We shouldn't be surprised that AL escapees Roy Halladay and Joe Blanton aren't much with the bat, but Roy Oswalt is a lifelong NL pitcher and he was just as useless at the plate.
Given that a team can add one win to its expected total for every 10 runs, the gap between the Brewers and Dodgers was worth nearly four wins in the standings last year. With two AL pitchers joining the group in Milwaukee, don't expect a repeat performance. If Marcum and Greinke struggle as many pitchers do when switching leagues, they could give back a significant amount of their value at the plate. The Giants showed that you can win despite bad hitting pitchers, so this doesn't necessarily spell impending doom for Milwaukee, but it is something they will have to account for this year. For all the gains the Brewers will make in terms of run prevention, they're going to give some of that up on the other side of the ball.
http://[h3][/h3][h3]Cause of concern with Beltran?[/h3]
11:09AM ET
[h5]Carlos Beltran | Mets [/h5]
Carlos Beltran will have his second straight day off after making his Grapefruit League debut as a designated hitter on Sunday, manager Terry Collins told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
Beltran was not in the starting lineup for a split squad game and won%u2019t participate in a simulated game either.
Beltran is making the move from center to right field, in part because of reduced mobility following knee surgery last January. Collins insists that nothing is wrong with Beltran outside of a little stiffness and tendinitis, but any ailment to the $18 million outfielder will draw plenty of attention.
Beltran will hit the free agent market again next winter and wants to eliminate any concerns regarding his health.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Carpenter could miss Friday start[/h3]
10:45AM ET
[h5]Chris Carpenter | Cardinals [/h5]
UPDATE: Carpenter's Friday start is now in doubt after the right-hander "felt a twinge" Sunday in the left hamstring that forced his removal from a spring start last week. If the former Cy Young winner doesn't get on the mound and build some arm strength fairly soon, his availability come Opening Day may be in jeopardy.
...
UPDATE: Carpenter left the game last Tuesday because he felt a twinge in his hamstring, tweets Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Carpenter left the game as a precaution, so it sounds like this is nothing serious at this time.
...
Right-hander Chris Carpenter, the St. Louis Cardinals other ace, left the game in the third inning Tuesday after throwing four wide ones. He was escorted off the field by the team's head trainer, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
This could be, of course, a disaster for the Cardinals, and if Carpenter misses any extended period of time it could take the club out of the race in the National League Central.
There are no indications just yet on what the injury is, but without Carpenter the Cardinals rotation is wide open, not only to Kyle McLellan but for youngsters such as Lance Lynn, as well. Free agents Jeremy Bonderman and Kevin Millwood could also get calls from GM John Mozeliak, as could the Phillies who may be willing to move Joe Blanton.
Mitchell Boggs, another potential candidate to get a look as a starter, replaced Carpenter but was also removed from the game due to an injury. Strauss tweets that it appears Boggs' back is giving him problems.
- Jason A. Churchill
[h5]Doug Mittler[/h5]
Cardinals rotation options
[h5]Dan Szymborski[/h5]
ZiPS on the Cardinals rotation
http://[h3]King Felix won't be dealt[/h3]
10:32AM ET
[h5]Felix Hernandez | Mariners [/h5]
Every few weeks, there is speculation as to whether any team could possibly figure out a way to pry Felix Hernandez away from the Seattle Mariners.
Jon Heyman of SI.com wrote Monday that teams may call asking about a trade, but the answer remains the same regarding the 24-year-old Cy Young Award winner with a reasonable five-year contract worth $78 million.
"He's not going anywhere," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "We've got him. We'll keep him. We're not going to move him."
Heyman says the Yankees called expressing interest over the winter, but it's been months since the two teams have talked.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]How many games for Rolen?[/h3]
10:22AM ET
[h5]Scott Rolen | Reds [/h5]
Scott Rolen endured a series of nagging injuries last season and still managed to play in 133 games for the Cincinnati Reds. That was the highest total since 2006 for Rolen, and manager Dusty Baker has to be realistic with how many at-bats he can expect from a third baseman who turns 36 month.
Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that while Baker has suggested a 120-game season for Rolen, club officials quietly think that total may be too optimistic.
Only now, the wonder is how much a 36-year-old Rolen can give the Reds. Dusty Baker has suggested 120 games. Quietly, the club is thinking 120 could be optimistic.
The Reds have Miguel Cairo listed as the backup third baseman and Juan Francisco could be spending more time in the majors than in Triple A.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Reduced role for Pronk?[/h3]
9:57AM ET
[h5]Travis Hafner | Indians [/h5]
American League managers are increasingly giving at least a share of the DH at-bats to regular position players needing a day off from fielding duties.
Bud Shaw of the Plain Dealer writes the trend will find its way to Cleveland, meaning a platoon or reduced role for Travis Hafner.
Hafner opened the door to a diminished role thanks to injuries as well as a decline in production. Hafner had 100-RBI seasons in 2006 and 2007, but has driven in no more than 50 RBI in any season since.
Manager Manny Acta listed Carlos Santana, Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo among the players who could get occasional duties as a DH. Hafner still has the chance to get the bulk of the at-bats, but his past production needs to return.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Madson's future in Philly[/h3]
9:33AM ET
[h5]Ryan Madson | Phillies [/h5]
Ryan Madson's ultimate goal is to be a closer. Whether that chance comes with the Philadelphia Phillies remains an open question.
Madson, the Phils' primary set-up man, will be a free agent after the season. He could be joined on the market by current teammate Brad Lidge, who, barring a spectacular season, will have his $12.5 million option declined by the Phillies.
Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the Phillies already have $107 million committed to just nine players in 2012, leaving it highly unlikely that both Madson and Lidge will be retained.
Assuming Lidge remains healthy, Madson, who wants to stay in Philly, will face another challenge. He could be asking for closer's money without having a large body of work in a closer's role.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Dirks stays in roster mix[/h3]
9:03AM ET
[h5]Detroit Tigers [/h5]
Andy Dirks still faces an uphill climb to win an Opening Day roster spot on the Detroit Tigers, but the 25-year-old outfielder is at least making it a tough choice for manager Jim Leyland, reports Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press.
An eighth-round draft pick in 2008, Dirks doubled and tripled Monday against the Mets and is 11-for-23 this spring. Dirks hit a combined .296 at Double-A and Triple-A last season.
Windsor warns that there are probably a half-dozen players in contention for the final two roster spots, so Dirks might have to beat out either Clete Thomas or Danny Worth.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Zumaya's elbow[/h3]
8:41AM ET
[h5]Joel Zumaya | Tigers [/h5]
Tigers manager Jim Leyland insists it is not a "red flag," but it can't be welcome news that injury-plagued reliever Joel Zumaya went for an independent exam on his elbow.
Zumaya, who missed the second half of last season with elbow trouble, has not pitched in more than a week since the team disclosed the right-hander felt some elbow soreness. A medical update is expected Tuesday.
The Tigers have plenty invested in Zumaya, who is part of a bullpen that has been reinforced with the signing of Joaquin Benoit. If Zumaya is out for an extended period, it would mean more pivotal innings for Ryan Perry, who got plenty of work at the end of last season.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Ollie's final ride?[/h3]
8:19AM ET
[h5]Oliver Perez | Mets [/h5]
Oliver Perez will make what is most likely his last Grapefruit League start for the Mets on Tuesday and manager Terry Collins will be along for the ride.
Collins promised Perez a chance to win a start in the rotation, so the skipper will make the two-hour bus ride for the left-hander?s start against the Astros. Andy Martino of the Daily News writes Tuesday that it is a mere formality since "the lost lefty will soon be nothing more than a memory."
Perez pitched two scoreless innings with no walks against the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/stl/st-louis-cardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, but the lack of velocity on his fastball was striking.
Perez, scheduled to make $12 million this season, practiced a scorched earth policy last season in Queens, frustrating his teammates as well as Mets fans with an 0-5 record and a 6.80 ERA in 17 games.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Molina still looking, says no to Padres[/h3]
8:02AM ET
[h5]Bengie Molina | Rangers [/h5]
Reports of Bengie Molina's retirement are premature. The veteran catcher instead appears to be very picky on where he might work for one more season.
Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News reports Molina "remains close to his phone" in case a team loses a catcher and offers him enough cash to return.
The San Diego Padres seemed like a logical destination after Gregg Zaun surprisingly announced his retirement Monday. The Padres checked in with Molina, according to Marty Caswell, but Caswell tweets that Molina appears uninterested at this time.
Molina could be waiting for a job where he might get more playing time. In San Diego, his job would be primarily as a backup to Nick Hundley.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Ng bolts Dodgers front office[/h3]
7:39AM ET
[h5]Los Angeles Dodgers [/h5]
Kim Ng is leaving her job as vice president assistant general manager of the Dodgers to become an assistant VP for Major League Baseball, reports Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
Ng would be part of the major restructuring of baseball's front office that includes the hiring of former Dodgers manager Joe Torre as executive vice president of baseball operations.
Bill Madden of the New York Daily News reports that Ng wanted out of Los Angeles in order to escape a front office that is in turmoil over the McCourt divorce proceedings.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Prospect putting up numbers[/h3]
7:16AM ET
[h5]Los Angeles Angels [/h5]
While Mike Trout has virtually no chance to break camp with the big-league club this spring, first base prospect Mark Trumbo does, and he sparked some discussion Monday with four hits, including his third long ball of the Cactus League schedule. The Halos may have to find room for the slugger.
Trumbo, however, is a first baseman or occasional outfielder, and those positions are taken on the Angels roster by proven veterans.
One way Trumbo could make the club is if Kendry Morales is still less than 100 percent, but the Angels still expect their best hitter top be ready.
- Jason A. Churchill
http://[h3]Leake falling behind?[/h3]
7:15AM ET
[h5]Cincinnati Reds [/h5]
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Mike Leake struggled mightily Monday allowing four runs on nine hits over just three innings of work. He's throwing strikes but has just one strikeout against one walk in five frames this spring, and could be falling behind the other candidates for the final two spots in the rotation.
With the first three spots locked in -- Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Bronson Arroyo -- Travis Wood and Homer Bailey are in a three-way fight, and Leake isn't winning that contest right now.
Wood has thrown two scoreless innings with two whiffs in his lone appearance so far but Bailey was torched in his last outing as well. Leake, however, has three options remaining and could start the season in Triple-A to solve the log jam.
Manager Dusty Baker said Leake has added some velocity, but it didn?t help in Monday's outing against the Brewers.
Some prospect stuff for the M's/Oakland:
Some notes from Monday's Seattle-Oakland tilt in Phoenix...
• Seattle right-hander Michael Pineda showed a big fastball Monday, touching 96 MPH a few times and working mostly at 93-95 in his two innings. The pitch will probably play up because the ball appears quite late to hitters even though it's not a classic delivery. Pineda struggled with command and especially with his breaking ball on Monday and threw just one changeup, a pin-straight offering at 88 that would grade out at a 35 if we wanted to go off that one sample. The slider was just very inconsistent; he threw several with good tilt but didn't locate them, and got away with a few spinners including one brutal hanger at 81 that a big league hitter could have jerked out of most parks. He has a few more weeks to make his case to be in the Opening Day rotation, but the two innings he threw on Monday did not show him to be ready for the majors; he'll need more consistency on the slider and and to show a much better third pitch.
• Joey Devine hasn't appeared in a big league game since the end of 2008, missing two years due to Tommy John surgery, and his appearance on Monday made it look like he's a long way from getting back. Devine walked the first hitter on four pitches, threw balls on 10 of his first 12 offerings, threw one pitch to the backstop, nearly hit right-handed batters with at least four others, and walked four of the five men he faced, all while failing to get over 91 MPH and sitting around 88. He had the surgery about 23 months ago, and his velocity isn't likely to improve from where it is today given the time since the operation.
• Fautino de los Santos is another Tommy John surgery survivor, throwing just 82 innings over the last three years around the May 2008 operation, but his stuff has bounced back better than Devine's has. De los Santos sat 91-93 on Monday but hit 95 a few times and flashed a plus slider in the low 80s, hard and sharp with good tilt. He had zero command -- although to be fair command wasn't a big part of his game pre-knife -- and while he accelerates his arm very quickly, his arm path is long, making it hard for him to repeat it. I do think he has promise as a reliever, but he could easily be Jesus Colome, tantalizing with plus stuff but never commanding it enough to be an elite closer or setup guy.
• Grant Green is becoming more and more frustrating to watch. He has athleticism, and has some instincts, but his throwing motion is totally inadequate for shortstop and his feet always seem to be going in the wrong direction. His at-bats were just as maddening, culminating in a strikeout against Josh Lueke, all on breaking balls. Shortstop can't be his long-term position, and I'd really like to see him in centerfield where his speed will play up while his inadequacies in the infield won't be such a problem.
The contract extension for Matt Thornton came in the middle of spring training, but it was everything that happened in the dead of winter that created this deal. The salary benchmarks haven't moved much for players at other positions in this offseason, most notably for the designated hitters and for the closers -- and even Albert Pujols was offered less per year than three other first basemen.
But for setup men, the prices exploded, as Joaquin Benoit (three years, $16.5 million), Scott Downs (three years), Matt Guerrier (three years, $12 million) and Rafael Soriano (three years, $35 million to be Mariano Rivera's pricey bullpen caddy) will testify. The history of these types of contracts for relievers is absolutely disastrous, but teams now are paying what they have to pay because they know they cannot win without bullpen help. "We really needed the guy," said one GM who dished out big dollars for a reliever in the past year.
Thornton is one of baseball's best-kept secrets: a durable lefty who has demonstrated total dominance over lefties at a time when right-handed power hitting is increasingly scarce. As noted in the ESPN.com story on the signing, the 34-year-old Thornton led all AL relievers in strikeouts per nine innings last season (12.02) and inherited runners scored percentage (12.9). He limited left-handed hitters to a .175 batting average with 44 strikeouts.
So the White Sox jumped the market, in a sense. Rather than allowing Thornton to hit the market and draw one of those inflation-driven three-year offers, they gave him a two-year deal extension along the lines of what Boston gave to Bobby Jenks (two years, $12 million), with a team option for $6 million in 2014 (and a $1 million buyout). There is the inherent risk in investing in an older reliever who has piled up a lot of appearances and has burned a lot of pitches in the bullpen, but the White Sox knew, from all the trade interest in Thornton through the years, that he would have no shortage of suitors if he ever became a free agent.
It wouldn't be a shocker if other relievers got similar deals in the next few months. Look, it might seem a little crazy to be paying $4.74 for a gallon for gas, but as anyone who drives through the Tampa area knows, the prices have climbed and you have to fill the tank. Similarly, no team succeeds these days -- in an era when innings thrown by starting pitchers continue to dissipate -- without having a strong core of relievers.
Thornton says he doesn't care whether he's the closer or not, as Daryl van Schouwen writes. The White Sox have committed about $30 million to six relievers this spring, as Dave van Dyck writes.
What will be interesting, going forward, is whether teams start to invest long-term multiyear deals in their young relievers the way that they have at other positions -- for someone like a Chris Sale or a Drew Storen or a Sergio Santos.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• The concern about Chase Utley within the Phillies' organization is much higher than the public posture has been, writes Paul Hagen, and he runs through the team's options in the event that Utley can't contribute much.
• Justin Morneau says he can get ready in a hurry, once he's been cleared, as Sid Hartman writes. It's been 213 days since his most recent game.
• The Padres should get an upgrade in the leadoff spot, with Cameron Maybin. By the way: Colleague Bobby Valentine saw Maybin work out this winter and swing in a cage and came away very, very impressed and thinking that Maybin is going to be better than he's shown.
• The Yankees will be looking at Brett Myers, writes George King.
• By the way: The Red Sox and Adrian Gonzalez have not resumed contract talks since the weekend they traded for him, but since negotiating that weekend, Boston's front office has had an understanding of what it will take to sign him -- seven years, about $22 million a year -- and presumably, a deal will be completed. And no, Albert Pujols' looming free agency will not have a bearing on that, because in the end, Gonzalez is younger and he will probably be cheaper.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Corey Hart injured an oblique. Not good. The Brewers are serious contenders in the NL Central, but they don't have a lot of lineup depth.
2. Jason Heyward created a scare in his first game back from a groin injury.
3. Carlos Beltran gave his manager a scare, writes Karen Crouse.
4. Justin Duchscherer will start Tuesday, as mentioned within this Jeff Zrebiec notebook.
5. The Rangers got a big scare with Neftali Feliz, but he's OK.
6. Chris Carpenter threw from a mound, a sign of progress for the veteran.
7. Miguel Olivo thinks he'll be ready for Opening Day.
8. James Loney is expected back by Wednesday.
9. Aaron Cook is feeling no pain, writes Troy Renck.
[h3]The Battle for Jobs[/h3]
1. The Marlins are increasingly pleased with what they are seeing in Matt Dominguez.
2. Charlie Manuel is getting a look at some of his right-field candidates. Ben Francisco has looked good so far.
3. James McDonald of the Pirates is thankful for the role he has, as Ron Musselman writes.
4. Jeremy Accardo couldn't be happier as he works for a job with the Orioles.
5. Alexi Casilla seems wiser this spring, as he takes over.
6. Edgar Renteria is not in the mix at third base for the Reds.
7. Mike Aviles is answering any doubts about his defense.
8. Defense will be important as the Diamondbacks consider the starter at first base, writes Nick Piecoro.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Brett Gardner could supplant Derek Jeter as the leadoff hitter, writes Mark Feinsand.
2. The Astros are looking at their options for catcher in the aftermath of the Jason Castro injury.
[h3]Sunday's games[/h3]
1. Brian Wilson threw the heck out of the ball in his first outing.
2. Carlos Gonzalez hit a monster homer.
3. Every day, it seems, Brett Lawrie is doing something great.
4. Johnny Cueto was The Man for the Reds.
5. Buster Posey is hitting .643 this spring, as mentioned within this Andrew Baggarly notebook.
6. Bryce Harper hit the cutoff man.
7. Zack Greinke is not worried about his tough outing.
8. Russell Martin got a chance to catch Phil Hughes.
9. The Rays continue to lose, as Marc Topkin writes.
10. Justin Masterson had an interesting inning.
11. Heath Bell had a really good outing, writes Dan Hayes.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• A-Rod looks great this spring, writes John Harper.
• Adrian Gonzalez looks like a great fit for Fenway Park. He is making progress as he comes back from shoulder surgery.
• The Indians' Drew Pomeranz has looked good this spring, writes Bud Shaw.
• Dan Haren continues to evolve.
• The Dodgers will let Matt Kemp run again this year.
• Dustin Ackley is making adjustments.
• Adam Dunn is feeling better than his batting average indicates.
• Mike Maddux wants his pitchers to keep it down in the strike zone.
• Willie Bloomquist is a role model.
• There are no signs that Ryan Franklin is slowing down, writes Derrick Goold.
• Alex Avila is getting comfortable at the plate, writes Shawn Windsor.
• Alfonso Soriano is off to a great start in spring training.
• Dirk Hayhurst is no Jim Bouton, as far as how he treats sensitive clubhouse information.
• Aramis Ramirez wants to steal bases. Hold on, big fella; I'm sure the Cubs would prefer he do everything he can do to stay in the lineup.
• Chris Davis is having a good spring, writes Jennifer Floyd Engel.
• Fans got a look at a top Atlanta prospect.
• It will be difficult for the Marlins to make up for the power they lost with Dan Uggla's departure.
• Jemile Weeks got a chance to play against his brother, as John Shea writes.
• Victor Martinez is the total package for the Tigers.
• Pat Hughes is collaborating on a book about Ron Santo. It should be a great read.
• A Padres coach who is fighting cancer is keeping his routine as normal as possible, writes Tyler Kepner.
• The Blue Jays are thrilled to have Brian Butterfield back.
The Milwaukee Brewers made two big acquisitions this winter, adding starting pitchers Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum to their rotation in a bid to contend for the National League Central crown. Most analysis is focused on how well they're going to pitch, but another key question is this: Can they hit? These two should provide a significant upgrade on the mound, and having two quality arms behind Yovani Gallardo in the rotation may give the Brewers the lift they need to get over the hump. However, the chances of the Brewers' success hinges not just on how the new guys pitch, but how well they can adjust to life in the National League, where pitchers also have to bat.
Last season, the Brewers held a huge advantage over the rest of the league in offense produced by their pitchers. Led by Gallardo and his four home runs, the Brewers' pitching staff hit .207/.249/.280, or just a little bit worse than the worst-hitting regular position player in baseball last year, Cesar Izturis. Being less productive offensively than Izturis is rarely a compliment, but when compared to the futility of other pitchers, Milwaukee's performance looks positively Ruthian.
If you exclude the Brewers, the average line put up by an NL pitcher was just .137/.170/.167. Milwaukee trounced that, and its Weighted On Base Average of .239 was 83 points higher than the .156 wOBA of its competitors. With each team's pitchers accounting for about 350 trips to the plate, the differences can really begin to add up. Greinke and Marcum are coming over from the American League, so we don't know how they handle the stick. If they hit like typical pitchers, as opposed other Brewers pitchers, then Milwaukee stands to lose a decent amount of production on offense.
Below are the best and worst offensive performances from pitchers among NL teams in 2010. wRAA is Weighted Runs Above Average (or in this case, below average, since each team is in the negative compared to a league average hitting position player). Believe it or not, having a staff of good hitting pitchers can make an enormous difference.
[h3]The Good[/h3]
1. Milwaukee Brewers: .239 wOBA, -23.9 wRAA
Gallardo was the second-best hitting pitcher in baseball last year (behind only Dan Haren), and his .363 wOBA was the same as Jay Bruce's. Chris Narveson also brought some offense to the table, hitting .327 and posting a .365 on base percentage. He didn't hit for any power, but he got on base enough to be a valuable offensive performer. Randy Wolf and Manny Parra didn't embarrass themselves either, giving the Brewers some legitimate offense from the No. 9 spot in the lineup nearly each day they came to the park.
2. Arizona Diamondbacks: .207 wOBA, -33.7 wRAA
As mentioned, Haren was the star here, putting up a .364/.375/.527 line that was on par with what Luke Scott did for the Orioles as a DH. The D-backs lost some punch when they dealt Haren to Anaheim, and although Ian Kennedy and Barry Enright were respectable at the plate, Arizona got some awful performances from Rodrigo Lopez and Joe Saunders.
3. New York Mets: .191 wOBA, -36.6 wRAA
While the Mets didn't get much offense from big bat acquisition Jason Bay, a couple of newcomers to the rotation managed to provide some offense from the bottom of the order. R.A. Dickey's breakout wasn't limited to his knuckleball, as he hit .255 and struck out only eight times. Perhaps more impressively, Jon Niese drew eight walks in 66 trips to the plate, getting halfway to A.J. Pierzynski's season total despite the catcher having 400 at-bats.
[h3]The Bad[/h3]
1. Los Angeles Dodgers: .113 wOBA, -60.6 wRAA
Talk about a total team "effort" ... Vicente Padilla and Chad Billingsley were the best of the worst, but the entire staff failed to hit. Clayton Kershaw and Hiroki Kuroda combined for just five hits -- all singles -- between them, while Jon Ely and Ted Lilly weren't much better. Overall, the pitching staff managed just 24 hits, with only two of those going for doubles, and no home runs all season. It's no wonder the Dodgers led the league in sacrifice bunts from their pitchers.
2. San Francisco Giants: .127 wOBA, -58.2 wRAA
While the Giants' pitchers helped lead the team to a World Series title, they didn't help their own cause very often in the regular season. Madison Bumgarner was the only member of the rotation to beat the league average line for a pitcher, and as a group, Giants pitchers drew fewer walks than Niese did by himself.
3. Philadelphia - .136 wOBA, -56.5 wRAA
The Marlins and Pirates posted worse overall lines from their pitchers, but wRAA accounts for the fact that the Phillies' stadium is a pretty good place to hit -- unless, of course, you pitch for the Phillies. We shouldn't be surprised that AL escapees Roy Halladay and Joe Blanton aren't much with the bat, but Roy Oswalt is a lifelong NL pitcher and he was just as useless at the plate.
Given that a team can add one win to its expected total for every 10 runs, the gap between the Brewers and Dodgers was worth nearly four wins in the standings last year. With two AL pitchers joining the group in Milwaukee, don't expect a repeat performance. If Marcum and Greinke struggle as many pitchers do when switching leagues, they could give back a significant amount of their value at the plate. The Giants showed that you can win despite bad hitting pitchers, so this doesn't necessarily spell impending doom for Milwaukee, but it is something they will have to account for this year. For all the gains the Brewers will make in terms of run prevention, they're going to give some of that up on the other side of the ball.
http://[h3][/h3][h3]Cause of concern with Beltran?[/h3]
11:09AM ET
[h5]Carlos Beltran | Mets [/h5]
Carlos Beltran will have his second straight day off after making his Grapefruit League debut as a designated hitter on Sunday, manager Terry Collins told Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
Beltran was not in the starting lineup for a split squad game and won%u2019t participate in a simulated game either.
Beltran is making the move from center to right field, in part because of reduced mobility following knee surgery last January. Collins insists that nothing is wrong with Beltran outside of a little stiffness and tendinitis, but any ailment to the $18 million outfielder will draw plenty of attention.
Beltran will hit the free agent market again next winter and wants to eliminate any concerns regarding his health.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Carpenter could miss Friday start[/h3]
10:45AM ET
[h5]Chris Carpenter | Cardinals [/h5]
UPDATE: Carpenter's Friday start is now in doubt after the right-hander "felt a twinge" Sunday in the left hamstring that forced his removal from a spring start last week. If the former Cy Young winner doesn't get on the mound and build some arm strength fairly soon, his availability come Opening Day may be in jeopardy.
...
UPDATE: Carpenter left the game last Tuesday because he felt a twinge in his hamstring, tweets Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Carpenter left the game as a precaution, so it sounds like this is nothing serious at this time.
...
Right-hander Chris Carpenter, the St. Louis Cardinals other ace, left the game in the third inning Tuesday after throwing four wide ones. He was escorted off the field by the team's head trainer, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
This could be, of course, a disaster for the Cardinals, and if Carpenter misses any extended period of time it could take the club out of the race in the National League Central.
There are no indications just yet on what the injury is, but without Carpenter the Cardinals rotation is wide open, not only to Kyle McLellan but for youngsters such as Lance Lynn, as well. Free agents Jeremy Bonderman and Kevin Millwood could also get calls from GM John Mozeliak, as could the Phillies who may be willing to move Joe Blanton.
Mitchell Boggs, another potential candidate to get a look as a starter, replaced Carpenter but was also removed from the game due to an injury. Strauss tweets that it appears Boggs' back is giving him problems.
- Jason A. Churchill
[h5]Doug Mittler[/h5]
Cardinals rotation options
[h5]Dan Szymborski[/h5]
ZiPS on the Cardinals rotation
http://[h3]King Felix won't be dealt[/h3]
10:32AM ET
[h5]Felix Hernandez | Mariners [/h5]
Every few weeks, there is speculation as to whether any team could possibly figure out a way to pry Felix Hernandez away from the Seattle Mariners.
Jon Heyman of SI.com wrote Monday that teams may call asking about a trade, but the answer remains the same regarding the 24-year-old Cy Young Award winner with a reasonable five-year contract worth $78 million.
"He's not going anywhere," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "We've got him. We'll keep him. We're not going to move him."
Heyman says the Yankees called expressing interest over the winter, but it's been months since the two teams have talked.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]How many games for Rolen?[/h3]
10:22AM ET
[h5]Scott Rolen | Reds [/h5]
Scott Rolen endured a series of nagging injuries last season and still managed to play in 133 games for the Cincinnati Reds. That was the highest total since 2006 for Rolen, and manager Dusty Baker has to be realistic with how many at-bats he can expect from a third baseman who turns 36 month.
Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that while Baker has suggested a 120-game season for Rolen, club officials quietly think that total may be too optimistic.
Only now, the wonder is how much a 36-year-old Rolen can give the Reds. Dusty Baker has suggested 120 games. Quietly, the club is thinking 120 could be optimistic.
The Reds have Miguel Cairo listed as the backup third baseman and Juan Francisco could be spending more time in the majors than in Triple A.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Reduced role for Pronk?[/h3]
9:57AM ET
[h5]Travis Hafner | Indians [/h5]
American League managers are increasingly giving at least a share of the DH at-bats to regular position players needing a day off from fielding duties.
Bud Shaw of the Plain Dealer writes the trend will find its way to Cleveland, meaning a platoon or reduced role for Travis Hafner.
Hafner opened the door to a diminished role thanks to injuries as well as a decline in production. Hafner had 100-RBI seasons in 2006 and 2007, but has driven in no more than 50 RBI in any season since.
Manager Manny Acta listed Carlos Santana, Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo among the players who could get occasional duties as a DH. Hafner still has the chance to get the bulk of the at-bats, but his past production needs to return.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Madson's future in Philly[/h3]
9:33AM ET
[h5]Ryan Madson | Phillies [/h5]
Ryan Madson's ultimate goal is to be a closer. Whether that chance comes with the Philadelphia Phillies remains an open question.
Madson, the Phils' primary set-up man, will be a free agent after the season. He could be joined on the market by current teammate Brad Lidge, who, barring a spectacular season, will have his $12.5 million option declined by the Phillies.
Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the Phillies already have $107 million committed to just nine players in 2012, leaving it highly unlikely that both Madson and Lidge will be retained.
Assuming Lidge remains healthy, Madson, who wants to stay in Philly, will face another challenge. He could be asking for closer's money without having a large body of work in a closer's role.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Dirks stays in roster mix[/h3]
9:03AM ET
[h5]Detroit Tigers [/h5]
Andy Dirks still faces an uphill climb to win an Opening Day roster spot on the Detroit Tigers, but the 25-year-old outfielder is at least making it a tough choice for manager Jim Leyland, reports Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press.
An eighth-round draft pick in 2008, Dirks doubled and tripled Monday against the Mets and is 11-for-23 this spring. Dirks hit a combined .296 at Double-A and Triple-A last season.
Windsor warns that there are probably a half-dozen players in contention for the final two roster spots, so Dirks might have to beat out either Clete Thomas or Danny Worth.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Zumaya's elbow[/h3]
8:41AM ET
[h5]Joel Zumaya | Tigers [/h5]
Tigers manager Jim Leyland insists it is not a "red flag," but it can't be welcome news that injury-plagued reliever Joel Zumaya went for an independent exam on his elbow.
Zumaya, who missed the second half of last season with elbow trouble, has not pitched in more than a week since the team disclosed the right-hander felt some elbow soreness. A medical update is expected Tuesday.
The Tigers have plenty invested in Zumaya, who is part of a bullpen that has been reinforced with the signing of Joaquin Benoit. If Zumaya is out for an extended period, it would mean more pivotal innings for Ryan Perry, who got plenty of work at the end of last season.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Ollie's final ride?[/h3]
8:19AM ET
[h5]Oliver Perez | Mets [/h5]
Oliver Perez will make what is most likely his last Grapefruit League start for the Mets on Tuesday and manager Terry Collins will be along for the ride.
Collins promised Perez a chance to win a start in the rotation, so the skipper will make the two-hour bus ride for the left-hander?s start against the Astros. Andy Martino of the Daily News writes Tuesday that it is a mere formality since "the lost lefty will soon be nothing more than a memory."
Perez pitched two scoreless innings with no walks against the http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/stl/st-louis-cardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals on Thursday, but the lack of velocity on his fastball was striking.
Perez, scheduled to make $12 million this season, practiced a scorched earth policy last season in Queens, frustrating his teammates as well as Mets fans with an 0-5 record and a 6.80 ERA in 17 games.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Molina still looking, says no to Padres[/h3]
8:02AM ET
[h5]Bengie Molina | Rangers [/h5]
Reports of Bengie Molina's retirement are premature. The veteran catcher instead appears to be very picky on where he might work for one more season.
Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News reports Molina "remains close to his phone" in case a team loses a catcher and offers him enough cash to return.
The San Diego Padres seemed like a logical destination after Gregg Zaun surprisingly announced his retirement Monday. The Padres checked in with Molina, according to Marty Caswell, but Caswell tweets that Molina appears uninterested at this time.
Molina could be waiting for a job where he might get more playing time. In San Diego, his job would be primarily as a backup to Nick Hundley.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Ng bolts Dodgers front office[/h3]
7:39AM ET
[h5]Los Angeles Dodgers [/h5]
Kim Ng is leaving her job as vice president assistant general manager of the Dodgers to become an assistant VP for Major League Baseball, reports Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
Ng would be part of the major restructuring of baseball's front office that includes the hiring of former Dodgers manager Joe Torre as executive vice president of baseball operations.
Bill Madden of the New York Daily News reports that Ng wanted out of Los Angeles in order to escape a front office that is in turmoil over the McCourt divorce proceedings.
- Doug Mittler
http://[h3]Prospect putting up numbers[/h3]
7:16AM ET
[h5]Los Angeles Angels [/h5]
While Mike Trout has virtually no chance to break camp with the big-league club this spring, first base prospect Mark Trumbo does, and he sparked some discussion Monday with four hits, including his third long ball of the Cactus League schedule. The Halos may have to find room for the slugger.
Trumbo, however, is a first baseman or occasional outfielder, and those positions are taken on the Angels roster by proven veterans.
One way Trumbo could make the club is if Kendry Morales is still less than 100 percent, but the Angels still expect their best hitter top be ready.
- Jason A. Churchill
http://[h3]Leake falling behind?[/h3]
7:15AM ET
[h5]Cincinnati Reds [/h5]
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Mike Leake struggled mightily Monday allowing four runs on nine hits over just three innings of work. He's throwing strikes but has just one strikeout against one walk in five frames this spring, and could be falling behind the other candidates for the final two spots in the rotation.
With the first three spots locked in -- Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Bronson Arroyo -- Travis Wood and Homer Bailey are in a three-way fight, and Leake isn't winning that contest right now.
Wood has thrown two scoreless innings with two whiffs in his lone appearance so far but Bailey was torched in his last outing as well. Leake, however, has three options remaining and could start the season in Triple-A to solve the log jam.
Manager Dusty Baker said Leake has added some velocity, but it didn?t help in Monday's outing against the Brewers.
Blue Jays preview:
Summary
The 2011 Jays do not enter the season looking like a 90-win club but there is enough young talent on this team – and impact prospects on the cusp of the Majors like Drabek and Brett Lawrie – to make things interesting. Although the club many not be playing post-season ball, it’s definitely headed in the right direction and should be competitive in 2011, even against the likes of New York, Boston and Tampa Bay.
National preview:
Toronto really is the dark horse candidate in the vaunted American League East division. The club will face an uphill battle for division supremacy against the likes of Boston, New York and Tampa Bay. However, each club has its weaknesses so a fourth or fifth place finish for the Canadian club is not guaranteed. New manager John Farrell is a bit of a wild card. Fans of the team have no idea what to expect from the first-time manager. The strength of the team appears to be its pitching so the former big league hurler and pitching coach should be the right man for the job.
The Starting Nine
CF Rajai Davis
SS Yunel Escobar
3B Jose Bautista
1B Adam Lind
DH Edwin Encarnacion
2B Aaron Hill
LF Juan Rivera
RF Travis Snider
C J.P. Arencibia
This is not a lineup that will strike a lot of fear in its opponents. With any luck, though, the grip-and-rip approach of the 2010 Jays under now-deposed manager Cito Gaston is long gone. However, hitting coach Dwayne Murphy kept his job during the off-season so it remains to be seen how quickly the old approach will morph into a more balanced offensive attack. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has given the team flexibility on the base paths with the additions of Davis and (currently injured) Scott Podsednik. The club loses some pop with the surprising trade of former No. 1 draft pick Vernon Wells, who played parts of 12 seasons in Toronto. To help fill the power void, Rivera – obtained in the Wells trade – could see his power output increase with the move to the homer-happy home stadium, while rookie catcher Arencibia has the potential to produce a .200+ ISO rate (He might, though, hit just .220).
The club will look for big bounce-back seasons from Hill and Lind. The second baseman produced a Major-League-low BABIP of .196, which is unsustainably low to the extreme.
After slugging 36 homers in ’09, Hill spent the ’10 season trying to hit every ball out of the park but he saw his line-drive rate nosedive from 18.5% career to 10.6%. He’ll be a much more valuable player to Toronto if he once again focuses on simply hitting the ball hard. I’ll have more on Lind in a moment.
The new No. 1 go-to guy in the lineup will be Bautista, who is coming off of an unexpected season in which he just missed becoming a 7 win player. Although no one expects another 54-homer season (expect perhaps Bautista himself), there are signs that point to a true breakout, rather than a one-time blip. He posted a 14.6% walk rate and also saw his strikeout rate improve by 5.0% over the past two seasons. His BABIP in 2010 was only .233, which is hard to believe (His career rate is .270) despite the fact that he’s never hit for average. Bautista could be a very valuable player for Toronto if he can produce a 5.0 WAR season and help fill the void at the hot corner (after spending much of 2010 in right field).
Escobar is entering his first full season with Toronto after coming over in a surprise 2010 trade with Atlanta. The Cuban shortstop had overstayed his welcome in Atlanta’s conservative organization but he has the potential to be an impact player – both on defense and at the plate. Even with a so-so season in 2010, Escobar matches up favorably to the other shortstops in the league, and he possesses the most upside of the bunch.
He also has a positive relationship with Bautista, who has been mentoring the younger player since his arrival in Toronto. Speaking of young players, Snider will look to have a fully healthy season (although he’s off to a bumpy start this spring with an intercostal muscle injury). With two part seasons at the MLB level already under his belt, it’s easy to forget that he’s still just 23 years old.
The Pitching Staff
LHP Ricky Romero
RHP Brandon Morrow
LHP Brett Cecil
RHP Jesse Litsch
RHP Kyle Drabek
LHP Marc Rzepczynski
RHP Frank Francisco
RHP Octavio Dotel
RHP Jon Rauch
RHP Jason Frasor
RHP Shawn Camp
RHP Carlos Villanueva
RHP Casey Janssen
RHP Josh Roenicke
LHP David Purcey
LHP Jesse Carlson
With the trade of veteran No. 3 hurler Shaun Marcum (to Milwaukee), the club’s depth in the starting rotation has been significantly impacted. There are a lot of arms in the picture but Major League experience is limited. No starting pitcher should be older than 26 years of age (Romero, Morrow, and Litsch). Only Romero has surpassed the 200.0 inning mark in a season, and he’s done that just once. Cecil has a good shot at hitting the 200.0 innings threshold in 2011 but Morrow would have to see an increase of 54.0 innings to hit that mark, which means he’s going to have to be a lot more efficient with his pitch counts.
Litsch has pitched just 55.0 innings over the past two seasons after undergoing significant surgeries on both his throwing elbow and hip; hoping for more than 130-150 innings might be a bit much. Rookie Drabek is penciled in for the fifth spot in the rotation but he could experience some growing pains with just 17.0 innings above the double-A level. Extra starters like Rzepczynski, Jo-Jo Reyes (although he’s out of options) and Brad Mills, all left-handers and all currently slated for triple-A work to begin the year, could become important depth players for the club.
The club went out and spent a fair bit of money on improving the bullpen depth after losing two key contributors from 2010′s relief corps (Scott Downs and Kevin Gregg), as well as long man Brian Tallet. The newcomers include three veteran pitchers with experience at closing games: Francisco, Dotel, and Rauch. Those three appear set to eat up the majority of the eighth- and ninth-inning duties.
Returnees Jason Frasor and Shawn Camp are also near-locks to make the club out of spring training. That leaves a number of bodies vying for another two spots: Villanueva (acquired from Milwaukee during the off-season), Janssen, Roenicke, as well as lefties Purcey and Carlson. Rzepczynski and Reyes also have outside shots at breaking camp as southpaw relievers.
Key Player
Summary
The 2011 Jays do not enter the season looking like a 90-win club but there is enough young talent on this team – and impact prospects on the cusp of the Majors like Drabek and Brett Lawrie – to make things interesting. Although the club many not be playing post-season ball, it’s definitely headed in the right direction and should be competitive in 2011, even against the likes of New York, Boston and Tampa Bay.
National preview:
Blue Jays preview:
Summary
The 2011 Jays do not enter the season looking like a 90-win club but there is enough young talent on this team – and impact prospects on the cusp of the Majors like Drabek and Brett Lawrie – to make things interesting. Although the club many not be playing post-season ball, it’s definitely headed in the right direction and should be competitive in 2011, even against the likes of New York, Boston and Tampa Bay.
National preview:
Toronto really is the dark horse candidate in the vaunted American League East division. The club will face an uphill battle for division supremacy against the likes of Boston, New York and Tampa Bay. However, each club has its weaknesses so a fourth or fifth place finish for the Canadian club is not guaranteed. New manager John Farrell is a bit of a wild card. Fans of the team have no idea what to expect from the first-time manager. The strength of the team appears to be its pitching so the former big league hurler and pitching coach should be the right man for the job.
The Starting Nine
CF Rajai Davis
SS Yunel Escobar
3B Jose Bautista
1B Adam Lind
DH Edwin Encarnacion
2B Aaron Hill
LF Juan Rivera
RF Travis Snider
C J.P. Arencibia
This is not a lineup that will strike a lot of fear in its opponents. With any luck, though, the grip-and-rip approach of the 2010 Jays under now-deposed manager Cito Gaston is long gone. However, hitting coach Dwayne Murphy kept his job during the off-season so it remains to be seen how quickly the old approach will morph into a more balanced offensive attack. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has given the team flexibility on the base paths with the additions of Davis and (currently injured) Scott Podsednik. The club loses some pop with the surprising trade of former No. 1 draft pick Vernon Wells, who played parts of 12 seasons in Toronto. To help fill the power void, Rivera – obtained in the Wells trade – could see his power output increase with the move to the homer-happy home stadium, while rookie catcher Arencibia has the potential to produce a .200+ ISO rate (He might, though, hit just .220).
The club will look for big bounce-back seasons from Hill and Lind. The second baseman produced a Major-League-low BABIP of .196, which is unsustainably low to the extreme.
After slugging 36 homers in ’09, Hill spent the ’10 season trying to hit every ball out of the park but he saw his line-drive rate nosedive from 18.5% career to 10.6%. He’ll be a much more valuable player to Toronto if he once again focuses on simply hitting the ball hard. I’ll have more on Lind in a moment.
The new No. 1 go-to guy in the lineup will be Bautista, who is coming off of an unexpected season in which he just missed becoming a 7 win player. Although no one expects another 54-homer season (expect perhaps Bautista himself), there are signs that point to a true breakout, rather than a one-time blip. He posted a 14.6% walk rate and also saw his strikeout rate improve by 5.0% over the past two seasons. His BABIP in 2010 was only .233, which is hard to believe (His career rate is .270) despite the fact that he’s never hit for average. Bautista could be a very valuable player for Toronto if he can produce a 5.0 WAR season and help fill the void at the hot corner (after spending much of 2010 in right field).
Escobar is entering his first full season with Toronto after coming over in a surprise 2010 trade with Atlanta. The Cuban shortstop had overstayed his welcome in Atlanta’s conservative organization but he has the potential to be an impact player – both on defense and at the plate. Even with a so-so season in 2010, Escobar matches up favorably to the other shortstops in the league, and he possesses the most upside of the bunch.
He also has a positive relationship with Bautista, who has been mentoring the younger player since his arrival in Toronto. Speaking of young players, Snider will look to have a fully healthy season (although he’s off to a bumpy start this spring with an intercostal muscle injury). With two part seasons at the MLB level already under his belt, it’s easy to forget that he’s still just 23 years old.
The Pitching Staff
LHP Ricky Romero
RHP Brandon Morrow
LHP Brett Cecil
RHP Jesse Litsch
RHP Kyle Drabek
LHP Marc Rzepczynski
RHP Frank Francisco
RHP Octavio Dotel
RHP Jon Rauch
RHP Jason Frasor
RHP Shawn Camp
RHP Carlos Villanueva
RHP Casey Janssen
RHP Josh Roenicke
LHP David Purcey
LHP Jesse Carlson
With the trade of veteran No. 3 hurler Shaun Marcum (to Milwaukee), the club’s depth in the starting rotation has been significantly impacted. There are a lot of arms in the picture but Major League experience is limited. No starting pitcher should be older than 26 years of age (Romero, Morrow, and Litsch). Only Romero has surpassed the 200.0 inning mark in a season, and he’s done that just once. Cecil has a good shot at hitting the 200.0 innings threshold in 2011 but Morrow would have to see an increase of 54.0 innings to hit that mark, which means he’s going to have to be a lot more efficient with his pitch counts.
Litsch has pitched just 55.0 innings over the past two seasons after undergoing significant surgeries on both his throwing elbow and hip; hoping for more than 130-150 innings might be a bit much. Rookie Drabek is penciled in for the fifth spot in the rotation but he could experience some growing pains with just 17.0 innings above the double-A level. Extra starters like Rzepczynski, Jo-Jo Reyes (although he’s out of options) and Brad Mills, all left-handers and all currently slated for triple-A work to begin the year, could become important depth players for the club.
The club went out and spent a fair bit of money on improving the bullpen depth after losing two key contributors from 2010′s relief corps (Scott Downs and Kevin Gregg), as well as long man Brian Tallet. The newcomers include three veteran pitchers with experience at closing games: Francisco, Dotel, and Rauch. Those three appear set to eat up the majority of the eighth- and ninth-inning duties.
Returnees Jason Frasor and Shawn Camp are also near-locks to make the club out of spring training. That leaves a number of bodies vying for another two spots: Villanueva (acquired from Milwaukee during the off-season), Janssen, Roenicke, as well as lefties Purcey and Carlson. Rzepczynski and Reyes also have outside shots at breaking camp as southpaw relievers.
Key Player
Summary
The 2011 Jays do not enter the season looking like a 90-win club but there is enough young talent on this team – and impact prospects on the cusp of the Majors like Drabek and Brett Lawrie – to make things interesting. Although the club many not be playing post-season ball, it’s definitely headed in the right direction and should be competitive in 2011, even against the likes of New York, Boston and Tampa Bay.
National preview:
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I'm mad that article only talks about how bad some of our prospects are doing. Michael Choice and Jemile Weeks have looked superb.
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I'm mad that article only talks about how bad some of our prospects are doing. Michael Choice and Jemile Weeks have looked superb.
PHOENIX -- Zack Greinke, the offseason acquisition the Milwaukee Brewers hoped would put them over the top in their pursuit of an NL Central title, is expected to begin the season on the 15-day disabled list after suffering a hairline fracture in one of his ribs playing pickup basketball.
Greinke
The Brewers previously had said only that Greinke suffered an injury a couple of weeks ago during an off-the-field activity, but Greinke didn't receive the diagnosis of a broken rib until Tuesday, just after the team's Cactus League game with the Los Angeles Dodgers. At that point, Greinke told reporters he suffered the injury going for a rebound during a basketball game, before he pitched in any spring-training games.
Greinke, not knowing how severe the injury was, made two spring training starts after being hurt, allowing a total of one run on six hits over 3 1/3 innings. Now that the hairline fracture, which is between the seventh and eighth ribs on his left side, has been diagnosed, Greinke is expected to miss four to six weeks, which means he likely will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list.
In a winter in which it was clear early on that the low-budget Kansas City Royals would trade Greinke, their longtime ace who won the AL Cy Young two years ago, the Brewers wound up winning the sweepstakes on Dec. 19. Milwaukee sent two promising major leaguers in center fielder Lorenzo Cain and infielder Alcides Escobar and two pitching prospects and former first-round draft picks in right-handers Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress to the Royals for Greinke and veteran shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.
The move immediately put the Brewers among the favorites to win the NL Central.
PHOENIX -- Zack Greinke, the offseason acquisition the Milwaukee Brewers hoped would put them over the top in their pursuit of an NL Central title, is expected to begin the season on the 15-day disabled list after suffering a hairline fracture in one of his ribs playing pickup basketball.
Greinke
The Brewers previously had said only that Greinke suffered an injury a couple of weeks ago during an off-the-field activity, but Greinke didn't receive the diagnosis of a broken rib until Tuesday, just after the team's Cactus League game with the Los Angeles Dodgers. At that point, Greinke told reporters he suffered the injury going for a rebound during a basketball game, before he pitched in any spring-training games.
Greinke, not knowing how severe the injury was, made two spring training starts after being hurt, allowing a total of one run on six hits over 3 1/3 innings. Now that the hairline fracture, which is between the seventh and eighth ribs on his left side, has been diagnosed, Greinke is expected to miss four to six weeks, which means he likely will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list.
In a winter in which it was clear early on that the low-budget Kansas City Royals would trade Greinke, their longtime ace who won the AL Cy Young two years ago, the Brewers wound up winning the sweepstakes on Dec. 19. Milwaukee sent two promising major leaguers in center fielder Lorenzo Cain and infielder Alcides Escobar and two pitching prospects and former first-round draft picks in right-handers Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress to the Royals for Greinke and veteran shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.
The move immediately put the Brewers among the favorites to win the NL Central.
jpzx
Supporter
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Tough break for Milwaukee.
However, silver lining is that they detected this now and not closer to the regular season.
This is certainly not that awful. Yovani Gallardo and Shawn Marcum will be able to keep them afloat until the return of Greinke.
However, silver lining is that they detected this now and not closer to the regular season.
This is certainly not that awful. Yovani Gallardo and Shawn Marcum will be able to keep them afloat until the return of Greinke.
jpzx
Supporter
- 55,670
- 25,230
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2008
Tough break for Milwaukee.
However, silver lining is that they detected this now and not closer to the regular season.
This is certainly not that awful. Yovani Gallardo and Shawn Marcum will be able to keep them afloat until the return of Greinke.
However, silver lining is that they detected this now and not closer to the regular season.
This is certainly not that awful. Yovani Gallardo and Shawn Marcum will be able to keep them afloat until the return of Greinke.
Daniel Hudson started for Arizona in their evisceration of Cleveland on Tuesday in Goodyear, showing two above-average pitches but with the same delivery that led the White Sox to decide to trade him (a deal that I still like more for Arizona).
AP Photo/Charlie RiedelHudson showed two above-average pitches on Tuesday, which should be enough to succeed in the NL.
Hudson sat mostly 91-93, touching 94 twice and 95 once, sliding back down to mostly 90-92 in the third inning, and paired it with an above-average to plus changeup at 82-84 with good fade and tumble. He uses the changeup to left- and right-handed hitters and clearly has confidence in the pitch. He still doesn't have a breaking ball he trusts -- he threw one fringe-average slider, then went back to the changeup -- and it's a tough arm action, very long and hard to repeat with potential stress on his shoulder. The White Sox felt he'd probably end up a reliever or back-end starter, and in the American League that is probably true. In the National League, however, two above-average pitches and even an average breaking ball would probably play up to a mid-rotation spot; for the price of one (expensive) year of Edwin Jackson, that's a good get for Arizona.
• Cleveland threw a pair of relief prospects after Fausto Carmona worked himself out of the game. First up was Alex White, still working as a minor league starter but showing reliever stuff as usual. He sat 90-93, touching 94 once, mostly throwing four-seamers but flashing a two-seamer at 90-91 that had life that the four-seamer lacked. Hitters were all over the four-seamer because he worked almost exclusively with fastballs, flashing his mid-80s splitter and messing around with a below-average slider that breaks early out of his hand and that he doesn't command. He accelerates his arm quickly but cuts himself off when he lands, which could explain some of the command issues.
• The second Cleveland reliever was Bryce Stowell, who hit 100 mph in relief last summer and worked in the mid-90s consistently, was just 87-91 on Tuesday and the pitch was true, as Wily Mo Pena -- who deposited a 91 mph fastball over the fence after Stowell served it up on a tee -- can attest. Stowell is 6-foot-2 and comes from a very high slot, but threw a fringy slider instead of the curveball I expected to see given his arm slot.
• Indians third base prospect Lonnie Chisenhall continued his Tris Speaker impression at the plate with four hits, including a triple to right-center on a fastball on the outer half of the plate. The left-handed hitter's most impressive swing of the day came against Hudson, who threw him a changeup away only to have Chisenhall stay back on the ball and punch it to left for a single. I saw Chisenhall in a few big league games last spring and he struggled with pitchers changing speeds on him, so seeing him recognize and adjust to a pretty good changeup was a big positive.
• Two Arizona relievers acquired in trades were extremely unimpressive -- Kam Mickolio and Rafael Rodriguez. Rodriguez in particular showed a below-average fastball and nothing else to get hitters out, while Mickolio's stuff isn't much better and the way he cuts himself off in his delivery makes me think he'll never command the ball.
For some teams, the start of this spring training has been about finding answers to problems, about finding solutions. For other teams, the early signs are ominous.
Bad news: The Brewers. For Milwaukee to win, the team must function as designed, with dominant starting pitching overcoming the seeming flaws -- the defense, the lack of lineup depth. Well, right out of the gate, Milwaukee will not have its projected No. 1 starter, Zack Greinke, who cracked a rib playing pickup basketball near the outset of camp.
The Brewers of have bet a lot on this season, trading prospects for Greinke and Shaun Marcum, partly because this is probably Prince Fielder's last season with Milwaukee, after he turned down a $100 million offer. Fielder needs to get off to a good start, to stay clear of the pressure that prospective free agents often feel. The Brewers need to start well. And now they will not have their best pitcher at the start.
There is no contract violation in Greinke's situation, says GM Doug Melvin.
Good news: The Twins. Justin Morneau played in a game Tuesday for the first time in 214 days, after an hour-long conversation with his doctor about his concussion symptoms, as Joe Christensen writes. From the story:
Morneau is right to be cautious; undoubtedly he is aware of the history of others who have come back from concussion symptoms, only to be overtaken again. But this was the first step. There were no cheers, no standing ovations, but this was a big day, as Kelsie Smith, writes. Morneau's wife and child cheered him up during his time away from the game, as Patrick Reusse writes.
- Morneau, 29, spent the game smiling and giving fist bumps, clearly enjoying himself, but he warned afterward that this is still a process.
"I just don't want to get overly excited by [four] innings of one game," Morneau said. "It's great to be out there, but I've been through some setbacks along the way." He added: "[Wednesday], when I wake up, if everything feels good, I think the confidence will start to grow then."
Joe Mauer still hasn't played, as he gets treatment on his knee.
Bad news: The Phillies. Chase Utley stood in the cage Tuesday, taking his turn in batting practice with other teammates, and looked he OK -- but his patellar tendinitis really isn't that much of a factor for him at the plate.
The injury manifests when he's in the field, when he moves side to side at second base, when he's running the bases, and the fact is that as of today, the Phillies really have no idea how much they'll get out of Utley in 2011 -- how many games he'll play, or how he'll perform. At the very least, the Phillies presumably are starting the process of considering possible Plan Bs that might evolve as other teams drift out of contention, such as (and what follows is 100 percent speculation) the Mariners' Chone Figgins or Houston's Jeff Keppinger.
Utley and the Phillies are not saying much about his condition, and no news is not good news, writes Phil Sheridan. The notion of shifting him to a different position isn't necessarily a solution, writes Paul Hagen.
Good news: The Yankees. In time, we'll know whether Ivan Nova or Bartolo Colon will be effective during the regular season, or whether A.J. Burnett can maintain the good command he has shown this spring. But so far, so good -- every pitcher vying for a spot in the rotation has generated good results in exhibition games, including Freddy Garcia, who threw three perfect innings on Tuesday.
Given their investment in Burnett, and given his spot in their rotation, the Yankees need a lot of production from him during the regular season. And keep in mind that the bar is set low for the No. 4 and No. 5 starters, given the structure of the team. If Nova and Garcia win the No. 4 and No. 5 spots and generate 320-350 innings of a 5.00 ERA, the Yankees would probably take that right now, considering how deep their bullpen is.
Joba Chamberlain also looks great to scouts. After Chamberlain showed up in spring training overweight, he was put through extra work and looks completely different than when he arrived.
Bad news: The Mets. Now Carlos Beltran is having trouble with both knees, and to see him run is painful, scouts say. The Mets have their same old problems with Beltran and Oliver Perez, writes John Harper. It'll be interesting to see if Perez is still with the Mets a week from today. The Mets need fewer bad days, writes Joel Sherman.
Bad news: The Orioles. There has been a new and better feel to this team since Buck Showalter took over, and the optimism felt by the fan base is greater now than at any point in a decade, because of the team's big-name offseason acquisitions. But injuries are nagging at Baltimore. Derrek Lee is not getting better and went to see a specialist Tuesday, and Brian Roberts continues to have problems, as Peter Schmuck writes. Lee is going to have an MRI.
Look, ultimately the Orioles will be as good as their pitching allows, in a division of extraordinary run production. The most important player on this team is probably Brian Matusz, not Roberts or Lee. But their chances for climbing into contention improve if their best every-day position players are on the field.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• The Phillies' acquisition of Cliff Lee flew so deeply under the radar during negotiations that not even manager Charlie Manuel was aware of how much progress the team was making. Right after the season, Manuel and GM Ruben Amaro discussed possible offseason targets, and when Manuel asked about Lee, Amaro indicated that this probably was not something that would happen, given the financial challenge of adding a player at that salary. And when Manuel heard at the winter meetings that the Yankees and Rangers had thrown big numbers at Lee, he assumed the left-hander would land with New York or Texas.
But at about 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 13, Manuel got a phone call from Amaro. "Are you sitting down or standing?" Amaro asked. "We signed Cliff Lee."
Manuel remembers joking about how this was a wonderful Christmas present -- which will presumably continue to keep giving in the summer.
• One rival talent evaluator on the opportunity of a career in front of the Phillies' Ben Francisco: "He's either going to be pumping gas by June, or he'll have 110 RBIs."
• The Baltimore Orioles are extremely impressed and intrigued with Zach Britton, a left-hander who threw against the Yankees on Monday night, and the question of whether to keep him at the outset of this season is open, at this point.
• By the way: In talking with rival talent evaluators who have seen teams in Florida, there is a growing consensus that Boston is easily -- easily -- the best team in the majors, on paper. "I don't think it's close," said one influential decision-maker Tuesday. "But you still have to play the games."
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Adrian Gonzalez is just about ready to play in games.
2. It was a good day for Chris Carpenter, as Rick Hummel writes.
3. Joel Zumaya will not be ready for the start of the season, writes Tom Gage.
4. Domonic Brown had surgery on his hamate bone.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Kim Ng feels like her new job in the commissioner's office will help her in her pursuit of a GM job.
2. A former Mets officer is considering an investment in the team, writes Peter Lattman.
3. Ryan Madson, who is eligible for free agency this fall, looks forward to becoming a closer, writes Matt Gelb.
4. Edinson Volquez's first start was pushed back to Thursday.
[h3]The Battle for Jobs[/h3]
1. Craig Kimbrel was The Man in his most recent exhibition outing, as David O'Brien writes.
2. A couple of candidates for the Atlanta rotation will do battle in a B game.
3. The Red Sox have a whole lot of outfielders, as Nick Cafardo writes.
4. Matt Diaz is ready to accept a platoon in right field.
5. J.R. Towles wants to be the Astros' starting catcher.
6. The competition for the No. 5 spot in the Rockies' rotation is wide open, after Felipe Paulino struggled.
7. One player might have his last shot with the Mariners.
8. Rob Johnson is refreshed by the opportunity he's getting with the Padres, writes Dan Hayes.
[h3]Tuesday's games[/h3]
1. Carlos Zambrano was fantastic, writes Paul Sullivan.
2. John Ely had a nice outing.
3. Nyjer Morgan had a good day.
4. Justin Duchscherer threw two scoreless innings. The big question with Duchscherer always is how he feels the next day, before his next scheduled outing.
5. Jair Jurrjens walked away wondering if he was tipping pitches, after the Yankees stole some bases against him.
6. Tim Stauffer was sharp.
7. Max Scherzer had a rough day.
8. Lonnie Chisenhall keeps hammering the ball, writes Paul Hoynes.
9. The Brewers and Dodgers had a brief dust-up. Prince Fielder was in the middle of it -- something he should avoid in his free-agent year.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• Benito Santiago was injected by Barry Bonds' trainer.
• A hot dog toss is now the subject of a lawsuit, writes Mark Morris.
• Last year was a learning experience for Brandon Morrow, writes Richard Griffin.
• Kirk Gibson doesn't like how the Diamondbacks are playing defense.
• Troy Percival likes what he sees in the Angels' bullpen.
• So far, the Royals are running wild on the bases, writes Bob Dutton.
• Alexei Ramirez is viewed as a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop by his teammates.
• Seth Smith plans to hit his stride this year, writes Jim Armstrong.
• Jeff Suppan is a newspaperman at heart, writes Andrew Baggarly.
• The big fear about the Mariners is that they still can't hit, writes Larry Stone.
• Cody Ross has joined a club that includes Mark Lemke and Bucky Dent, as Henry Schulman writes.
• Andy LaRoche is happy to get his shot with Oakland.
• The Cardinals' outfield is out to prove critics wrong.
• Dayan Viciedo is transitioning to the outfield, writes Dave van Dyck.
• Burke Badenhop is trying to write a movie.
• The Pirates' Chris Snyder is trying to end his tendency toward all or nothing, as Ron Musselman writes.
• Carl Crawford is eager to get his first game against the Rays out of the way.
• Danny Duffy needs to harness his fastball.
• Chris Davis is having a great spring.
• Alexi Ogando is a real sleeper in the Rangers' camp, writes Jennifer Floyd Engel.
• Matt Dominguez continues to be impressive.
• Jonny Gomes has a unique story, as Paul Daugherty writes.
• Congrats to old friend Rick Byrd, who is taking Belmont back to the NCAA tournament.
The first week of spring training games can be frustrating for more casual fans, with few television broadcasts, only brief views of the veterans and lots of high uniform numbers. For prospect watchers, however, this is the golden hour, as young players are rewarded for their prospect status by playing with the big leaguers, while others take their first steps in legitimately competing for jobs. After just a handful of games, here are 10 players that are catching teams, scouts and even fans' eyes.
[h3]Domonic Brown, OF, Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
To call Brown's brief spring training an up-and-down affair doesn't really do it justice. The departure of Jason Werth via free agency seemed to hand right-field duties to Brown, but Phillies officials were cautious in the offseason, insisting that Brown would battle Ben Francisco for the job. Charlie Manuel seemed more optimistic early in camp, but a 0-for-15 start to his spring with nine strikeouts moved the needle toward the negative once again.
It all became moot Saturday when Brown finally got a hit but also injured his hand, with initial examinations indicating hamate bone surgery is in his immediate future. That will leave him out until late April, at the earliest, and he'll likely have to prove himself fully healthy at Triple-A before getting another big league look. This is just a delay; he's still the long-term solution at the position and a potential All-Star.
[h3]Manny Banuelos, LHP, New York Yankees[/h3]
The Yankees are admittedly in a tough spot, with a who's who of washed-up veterans competing for a job in the back of the big league rotation and two elite-level pitching prospects in Dellin Betances and Banuelos opening plenty of eyes and forcing undue pressure to rush their timetables. Banuelos was in midseason form Friday, sitting at 92-94 mph, touching 96 and already showing the advanced changeup that earned so much praise last year.
But let's make it clear: He's still not ready and neither is Betances. No matter how good they are -- and they're both excellent -- if either is on the big league roster on Opening Day, they're not going to be around come September. The two combined for just 150 innings last year, and neither has topped 125 frames in any single season. The excitement is understandable, but go with the head over the heart here, as the focus is still on development, where pacing can be everything.
[h3]Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, Cleveland Indians[/h3]
One of the top offensive prospects in the Indians' system, Chisenhall hit .294/.364/.505 in the second half of the 2010 season at Double-A Akron and was lining himself up for a September look this year and a real shot at the third-base job in 2012. The Indians are hoping Jason Donald can hold down the gig in 2011, but Chisenhall is giving indications that he might be ready sooner than expected, as the 2008 first-round pick went 5-for-9 over the weekend with a pair of home runs. He'll still likely bring one of the prettiest swings in the minors to Triple-A to start the year, but there's not much in his way to the big leagues if he starts off hot.
[h3]Zack Cozart, SS, Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
The Reds shortstop job seems to revolve around slick fielding, with light-hitting Paul Janish and veterans Edgar Renteria and Miguel Cairo providing a pair of backup plans. The leaves Cozart set to repeat Triple-A for now, but he deserves a closer look.
A second-round pick in 2007, the 25-year-old will never hit for much of an average, but coming off a season that included 30 doubles, 17 home runs and 30 stolen bases, he more than makes up for it with secondary skills. While he's not as rangy as Janish, his defensive fundamentals are the best in the system. A home run Sunday left his spring mark at 5-for-11 with nine total bases, and he at least has a shot at forcing the Reds' hand at some point in the season.
[h3]Chris Davis, 3B, Texas Rangers[/h3]
The Rangers have given Davis plenty of chances and the results are just not there, with a .248/.300/.459 big league mark in 238 games while striking out once every 2.9 at-bats. At the same time, he certainly has nothing left to prove in the minors, with a career line of .311/.370/.569 and production at every level. Going 8-for-19 (.421) this spring with a pair of home runs, Davis seems like a good fit for a multi-purpose bench job that covers first base, third base and designated hitter duties, but that job is already spoken for with the Adrian Beltre signing moving Michael Young to the jack-of-all-trades role. Of course Young still technically wants a trade, which could open up the job for Davis, but based on the price tag, talent and the fact that he's potentially stuck at Triple-A, more teams are asking about Davis.
[h3]Andy Dirks, OF, Detroit Tigers[/h3]
Even in a weak Tigers system, Dirks doesn't get much attention. He's not going to sniff a Top 100 list, but that doesn't mean he's not worth keeping an eye on. A 2008 eighth-round pick who put up big numbers at Wichita State, Dirks is a bit on the small side, not much of a runner, has power a tick below average and a bit of a weak arm. That said, he can hit, and he's one of those max-effort grinders who gets the most from his limited tools. The Tigers don't mask the fact that he's one of their favorite players in the system, and with a 5-for-10 weekend that included two doubles and a triple, he's now 9-for-19 and could force his way onto the roster as the fourth outfielder.
[h3]Matt Dominguez, 3B, Florida Marlins[/h3]
Despite being only 21 years old and coming off a somewhat pedestrian .252/.333/.411 showing at Double-A last year, Dominguez is still in the lead for Florida's third-base job. Part of that is because there are no other good options, unless one wants to count Wes Helms and Emilio Bonifacio.
The good news is that Dominguez is ready with the glove, as he's seen by many as the best defensive third baseman in the minors. The bat is another question, but Dominguez is doing his best to assure the Marlins in that department as well, going 4-for-13 (.30with a double and a home run so far this spring. He won't put up big numbers as a rookie, but he'll grab Web Gems with regularity, while learning to hit in a bit of a trial by fire.
[h3]Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals[/h3]
When the 2010 No. 1 overall pick showed up to camp, he said he wanted to make the big league squad. A cocky statement, to be sure, but do you really want him saying he wants to ride in a bus all year?
Harper has had his fair share of struggles so far, going 2-for-11 with three strikeouts, but there have been good at-bats with hard contact, and the talent is clear. The expectations he's facing are bordering on unfair, as he's as old as most high school seniors, meaning that even if he doesn't reach the big leagues until 2013 he'll still be just 20 years old. The hype is well-deserved based on Harper's talent, but the expectations might need some more management.
[h3]Jose Iglesias, SS, Boston Red Sox[/h3]
I was recently asked on Twitter who was the last prospect to match Iglesias defensively. My first reaction was Rey Ordonez, also a Cuban defector, whose defensive wizardry was matched only by his offensive impotence; he lasted nine years in the big leagues on glove work alone, finishing his career with averages of .246/.289/.310. Iglesias had similar questions about his bat when the Red Sox signed him to the biggest bonus in team history 18 months ago, but he was a pleasant surprise offensively in 2010, and has continued to impress this spring by tallying six hits in his first 14 at-bats. While much of the talk this spring in Boston revolves around the big league shortstop battle between Marcus Scutaro and Jed Lowrie, the winner will just be holding the fort for Iglesias in 2012.
[h3]Brett Lawrie, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays[/h3]
A first-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008, Lawrie was originally drafted as a catcher, but when he told the Brewers he didn't want to play behind the plate they acquiesced and moved him to second base. While he played at Double-A last year as a 20-year-old and hit well, Lawrie's defensive reviews were still poor, prompting the Blue Jays, who acquired him in the offseason for Shaun Marcum, to try him at the hot corner.
Lawrie has started like gangbusters at the plate this spring, going 6-for-11 with a double and his first home run Saturday, but he's surprised many with his glove as well. That said, he has always had the tools and athleticism to be a good defender, be it behind the plate, at second or his new position. But that has been the case for many players, including Ryan Braun, who had all the physical skills to play third base but in the end just wasn't good enough. For now, it's spring training and hope springs eternal. But don't be surprised if Lawrie ends up in right field.
Daniel Hudson started for Arizona in their evisceration of Cleveland on Tuesday in Goodyear, showing two above-average pitches but with the same delivery that led the White Sox to decide to trade him (a deal that I still like more for Arizona).
AP Photo/Charlie RiedelHudson showed two above-average pitches on Tuesday, which should be enough to succeed in the NL.
Hudson sat mostly 91-93, touching 94 twice and 95 once, sliding back down to mostly 90-92 in the third inning, and paired it with an above-average to plus changeup at 82-84 with good fade and tumble. He uses the changeup to left- and right-handed hitters and clearly has confidence in the pitch. He still doesn't have a breaking ball he trusts -- he threw one fringe-average slider, then went back to the changeup -- and it's a tough arm action, very long and hard to repeat with potential stress on his shoulder. The White Sox felt he'd probably end up a reliever or back-end starter, and in the American League that is probably true. In the National League, however, two above-average pitches and even an average breaking ball would probably play up to a mid-rotation spot; for the price of one (expensive) year of Edwin Jackson, that's a good get for Arizona.
• Cleveland threw a pair of relief prospects after Fausto Carmona worked himself out of the game. First up was Alex White, still working as a minor league starter but showing reliever stuff as usual. He sat 90-93, touching 94 once, mostly throwing four-seamers but flashing a two-seamer at 90-91 that had life that the four-seamer lacked. Hitters were all over the four-seamer because he worked almost exclusively with fastballs, flashing his mid-80s splitter and messing around with a below-average slider that breaks early out of his hand and that he doesn't command. He accelerates his arm quickly but cuts himself off when he lands, which could explain some of the command issues.
• The second Cleveland reliever was Bryce Stowell, who hit 100 mph in relief last summer and worked in the mid-90s consistently, was just 87-91 on Tuesday and the pitch was true, as Wily Mo Pena -- who deposited a 91 mph fastball over the fence after Stowell served it up on a tee -- can attest. Stowell is 6-foot-2 and comes from a very high slot, but threw a fringy slider instead of the curveball I expected to see given his arm slot.
• Indians third base prospect Lonnie Chisenhall continued his Tris Speaker impression at the plate with four hits, including a triple to right-center on a fastball on the outer half of the plate. The left-handed hitter's most impressive swing of the day came against Hudson, who threw him a changeup away only to have Chisenhall stay back on the ball and punch it to left for a single. I saw Chisenhall in a few big league games last spring and he struggled with pitchers changing speeds on him, so seeing him recognize and adjust to a pretty good changeup was a big positive.
• Two Arizona relievers acquired in trades were extremely unimpressive -- Kam Mickolio and Rafael Rodriguez. Rodriguez in particular showed a below-average fastball and nothing else to get hitters out, while Mickolio's stuff isn't much better and the way he cuts himself off in his delivery makes me think he'll never command the ball.
For some teams, the start of this spring training has been about finding answers to problems, about finding solutions. For other teams, the early signs are ominous.
Bad news: The Brewers. For Milwaukee to win, the team must function as designed, with dominant starting pitching overcoming the seeming flaws -- the defense, the lack of lineup depth. Well, right out of the gate, Milwaukee will not have its projected No. 1 starter, Zack Greinke, who cracked a rib playing pickup basketball near the outset of camp.
The Brewers of have bet a lot on this season, trading prospects for Greinke and Shaun Marcum, partly because this is probably Prince Fielder's last season with Milwaukee, after he turned down a $100 million offer. Fielder needs to get off to a good start, to stay clear of the pressure that prospective free agents often feel. The Brewers need to start well. And now they will not have their best pitcher at the start.
There is no contract violation in Greinke's situation, says GM Doug Melvin.
Good news: The Twins. Justin Morneau played in a game Tuesday for the first time in 214 days, after an hour-long conversation with his doctor about his concussion symptoms, as Joe Christensen writes. From the story:
Morneau is right to be cautious; undoubtedly he is aware of the history of others who have come back from concussion symptoms, only to be overtaken again. But this was the first step. There were no cheers, no standing ovations, but this was a big day, as Kelsie Smith, writes. Morneau's wife and child cheered him up during his time away from the game, as Patrick Reusse writes.
- Morneau, 29, spent the game smiling and giving fist bumps, clearly enjoying himself, but he warned afterward that this is still a process.
"I just don't want to get overly excited by [four] innings of one game," Morneau said. "It's great to be out there, but I've been through some setbacks along the way." He added: "[Wednesday], when I wake up, if everything feels good, I think the confidence will start to grow then."
Joe Mauer still hasn't played, as he gets treatment on his knee.
Bad news: The Phillies. Chase Utley stood in the cage Tuesday, taking his turn in batting practice with other teammates, and looked he OK -- but his patellar tendinitis really isn't that much of a factor for him at the plate.
The injury manifests when he's in the field, when he moves side to side at second base, when he's running the bases, and the fact is that as of today, the Phillies really have no idea how much they'll get out of Utley in 2011 -- how many games he'll play, or how he'll perform. At the very least, the Phillies presumably are starting the process of considering possible Plan Bs that might evolve as other teams drift out of contention, such as (and what follows is 100 percent speculation) the Mariners' Chone Figgins or Houston's Jeff Keppinger.
Utley and the Phillies are not saying much about his condition, and no news is not good news, writes Phil Sheridan. The notion of shifting him to a different position isn't necessarily a solution, writes Paul Hagen.
Good news: The Yankees. In time, we'll know whether Ivan Nova or Bartolo Colon will be effective during the regular season, or whether A.J. Burnett can maintain the good command he has shown this spring. But so far, so good -- every pitcher vying for a spot in the rotation has generated good results in exhibition games, including Freddy Garcia, who threw three perfect innings on Tuesday.
Given their investment in Burnett, and given his spot in their rotation, the Yankees need a lot of production from him during the regular season. And keep in mind that the bar is set low for the No. 4 and No. 5 starters, given the structure of the team. If Nova and Garcia win the No. 4 and No. 5 spots and generate 320-350 innings of a 5.00 ERA, the Yankees would probably take that right now, considering how deep their bullpen is.
Joba Chamberlain also looks great to scouts. After Chamberlain showed up in spring training overweight, he was put through extra work and looks completely different than when he arrived.
Bad news: The Mets. Now Carlos Beltran is having trouble with both knees, and to see him run is painful, scouts say. The Mets have their same old problems with Beltran and Oliver Perez, writes John Harper. It'll be interesting to see if Perez is still with the Mets a week from today. The Mets need fewer bad days, writes Joel Sherman.
Bad news: The Orioles. There has been a new and better feel to this team since Buck Showalter took over, and the optimism felt by the fan base is greater now than at any point in a decade, because of the team's big-name offseason acquisitions. But injuries are nagging at Baltimore. Derrek Lee is not getting better and went to see a specialist Tuesday, and Brian Roberts continues to have problems, as Peter Schmuck writes. Lee is going to have an MRI.
Look, ultimately the Orioles will be as good as their pitching allows, in a division of extraordinary run production. The most important player on this team is probably Brian Matusz, not Roberts or Lee. But their chances for climbing into contention improve if their best every-day position players are on the field.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• The Phillies' acquisition of Cliff Lee flew so deeply under the radar during negotiations that not even manager Charlie Manuel was aware of how much progress the team was making. Right after the season, Manuel and GM Ruben Amaro discussed possible offseason targets, and when Manuel asked about Lee, Amaro indicated that this probably was not something that would happen, given the financial challenge of adding a player at that salary. And when Manuel heard at the winter meetings that the Yankees and Rangers had thrown big numbers at Lee, he assumed the left-hander would land with New York or Texas.
But at about 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 13, Manuel got a phone call from Amaro. "Are you sitting down or standing?" Amaro asked. "We signed Cliff Lee."
Manuel remembers joking about how this was a wonderful Christmas present -- which will presumably continue to keep giving in the summer.
• One rival talent evaluator on the opportunity of a career in front of the Phillies' Ben Francisco: "He's either going to be pumping gas by June, or he'll have 110 RBIs."
• The Baltimore Orioles are extremely impressed and intrigued with Zach Britton, a left-hander who threw against the Yankees on Monday night, and the question of whether to keep him at the outset of this season is open, at this point.
• By the way: In talking with rival talent evaluators who have seen teams in Florida, there is a growing consensus that Boston is easily -- easily -- the best team in the majors, on paper. "I don't think it's close," said one influential decision-maker Tuesday. "But you still have to play the games."
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Adrian Gonzalez is just about ready to play in games.
2. It was a good day for Chris Carpenter, as Rick Hummel writes.
3. Joel Zumaya will not be ready for the start of the season, writes Tom Gage.
4. Domonic Brown had surgery on his hamate bone.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Kim Ng feels like her new job in the commissioner's office will help her in her pursuit of a GM job.
2. A former Mets officer is considering an investment in the team, writes Peter Lattman.
3. Ryan Madson, who is eligible for free agency this fall, looks forward to becoming a closer, writes Matt Gelb.
4. Edinson Volquez's first start was pushed back to Thursday.
[h3]The Battle for Jobs[/h3]
1. Craig Kimbrel was The Man in his most recent exhibition outing, as David O'Brien writes.
2. A couple of candidates for the Atlanta rotation will do battle in a B game.
3. The Red Sox have a whole lot of outfielders, as Nick Cafardo writes.
4. Matt Diaz is ready to accept a platoon in right field.
5. J.R. Towles wants to be the Astros' starting catcher.
6. The competition for the No. 5 spot in the Rockies' rotation is wide open, after Felipe Paulino struggled.
7. One player might have his last shot with the Mariners.
8. Rob Johnson is refreshed by the opportunity he's getting with the Padres, writes Dan Hayes.
[h3]Tuesday's games[/h3]
1. Carlos Zambrano was fantastic, writes Paul Sullivan.
2. John Ely had a nice outing.
3. Nyjer Morgan had a good day.
4. Justin Duchscherer threw two scoreless innings. The big question with Duchscherer always is how he feels the next day, before his next scheduled outing.
5. Jair Jurrjens walked away wondering if he was tipping pitches, after the Yankees stole some bases against him.
6. Tim Stauffer was sharp.
7. Max Scherzer had a rough day.
8. Lonnie Chisenhall keeps hammering the ball, writes Paul Hoynes.
9. The Brewers and Dodgers had a brief dust-up. Prince Fielder was in the middle of it -- something he should avoid in his free-agent year.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• Benito Santiago was injected by Barry Bonds' trainer.
• A hot dog toss is now the subject of a lawsuit, writes Mark Morris.
• Last year was a learning experience for Brandon Morrow, writes Richard Griffin.
• Kirk Gibson doesn't like how the Diamondbacks are playing defense.
• Troy Percival likes what he sees in the Angels' bullpen.
• So far, the Royals are running wild on the bases, writes Bob Dutton.
• Alexei Ramirez is viewed as a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop by his teammates.
• Seth Smith plans to hit his stride this year, writes Jim Armstrong.
• Jeff Suppan is a newspaperman at heart, writes Andrew Baggarly.
• The big fear about the Mariners is that they still can't hit, writes Larry Stone.
• Cody Ross has joined a club that includes Mark Lemke and Bucky Dent, as Henry Schulman writes.
• Andy LaRoche is happy to get his shot with Oakland.
• The Cardinals' outfield is out to prove critics wrong.
• Dayan Viciedo is transitioning to the outfield, writes Dave van Dyck.
• Burke Badenhop is trying to write a movie.
• The Pirates' Chris Snyder is trying to end his tendency toward all or nothing, as Ron Musselman writes.
• Carl Crawford is eager to get his first game against the Rays out of the way.
• Danny Duffy needs to harness his fastball.
• Chris Davis is having a great spring.
• Alexi Ogando is a real sleeper in the Rangers' camp, writes Jennifer Floyd Engel.
• Matt Dominguez continues to be impressive.
• Jonny Gomes has a unique story, as Paul Daugherty writes.
• Congrats to old friend Rick Byrd, who is taking Belmont back to the NCAA tournament.
The first week of spring training games can be frustrating for more casual fans, with few television broadcasts, only brief views of the veterans and lots of high uniform numbers. For prospect watchers, however, this is the golden hour, as young players are rewarded for their prospect status by playing with the big leaguers, while others take their first steps in legitimately competing for jobs. After just a handful of games, here are 10 players that are catching teams, scouts and even fans' eyes.
[h3]Domonic Brown, OF, Philadelphia Phillies[/h3]
To call Brown's brief spring training an up-and-down affair doesn't really do it justice. The departure of Jason Werth via free agency seemed to hand right-field duties to Brown, but Phillies officials were cautious in the offseason, insisting that Brown would battle Ben Francisco for the job. Charlie Manuel seemed more optimistic early in camp, but a 0-for-15 start to his spring with nine strikeouts moved the needle toward the negative once again.
It all became moot Saturday when Brown finally got a hit but also injured his hand, with initial examinations indicating hamate bone surgery is in his immediate future. That will leave him out until late April, at the earliest, and he'll likely have to prove himself fully healthy at Triple-A before getting another big league look. This is just a delay; he's still the long-term solution at the position and a potential All-Star.
[h3]Manny Banuelos, LHP, New York Yankees[/h3]
The Yankees are admittedly in a tough spot, with a who's who of washed-up veterans competing for a job in the back of the big league rotation and two elite-level pitching prospects in Dellin Betances and Banuelos opening plenty of eyes and forcing undue pressure to rush their timetables. Banuelos was in midseason form Friday, sitting at 92-94 mph, touching 96 and already showing the advanced changeup that earned so much praise last year.
But let's make it clear: He's still not ready and neither is Betances. No matter how good they are -- and they're both excellent -- if either is on the big league roster on Opening Day, they're not going to be around come September. The two combined for just 150 innings last year, and neither has topped 125 frames in any single season. The excitement is understandable, but go with the head over the heart here, as the focus is still on development, where pacing can be everything.
[h3]Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, Cleveland Indians[/h3]
One of the top offensive prospects in the Indians' system, Chisenhall hit .294/.364/.505 in the second half of the 2010 season at Double-A Akron and was lining himself up for a September look this year and a real shot at the third-base job in 2012. The Indians are hoping Jason Donald can hold down the gig in 2011, but Chisenhall is giving indications that he might be ready sooner than expected, as the 2008 first-round pick went 5-for-9 over the weekend with a pair of home runs. He'll still likely bring one of the prettiest swings in the minors to Triple-A to start the year, but there's not much in his way to the big leagues if he starts off hot.
[h3]Zack Cozart, SS, Cincinnati Reds[/h3]
The Reds shortstop job seems to revolve around slick fielding, with light-hitting Paul Janish and veterans Edgar Renteria and Miguel Cairo providing a pair of backup plans. The leaves Cozart set to repeat Triple-A for now, but he deserves a closer look.
A second-round pick in 2007, the 25-year-old will never hit for much of an average, but coming off a season that included 30 doubles, 17 home runs and 30 stolen bases, he more than makes up for it with secondary skills. While he's not as rangy as Janish, his defensive fundamentals are the best in the system. A home run Sunday left his spring mark at 5-for-11 with nine total bases, and he at least has a shot at forcing the Reds' hand at some point in the season.
[h3]Chris Davis, 3B, Texas Rangers[/h3]
The Rangers have given Davis plenty of chances and the results are just not there, with a .248/.300/.459 big league mark in 238 games while striking out once every 2.9 at-bats. At the same time, he certainly has nothing left to prove in the minors, with a career line of .311/.370/.569 and production at every level. Going 8-for-19 (.421) this spring with a pair of home runs, Davis seems like a good fit for a multi-purpose bench job that covers first base, third base and designated hitter duties, but that job is already spoken for with the Adrian Beltre signing moving Michael Young to the jack-of-all-trades role. Of course Young still technically wants a trade, which could open up the job for Davis, but based on the price tag, talent and the fact that he's potentially stuck at Triple-A, more teams are asking about Davis.
[h3]Andy Dirks, OF, Detroit Tigers[/h3]
Even in a weak Tigers system, Dirks doesn't get much attention. He's not going to sniff a Top 100 list, but that doesn't mean he's not worth keeping an eye on. A 2008 eighth-round pick who put up big numbers at Wichita State, Dirks is a bit on the small side, not much of a runner, has power a tick below average and a bit of a weak arm. That said, he can hit, and he's one of those max-effort grinders who gets the most from his limited tools. The Tigers don't mask the fact that he's one of their favorite players in the system, and with a 5-for-10 weekend that included two doubles and a triple, he's now 9-for-19 and could force his way onto the roster as the fourth outfielder.
[h3]Matt Dominguez, 3B, Florida Marlins[/h3]
Despite being only 21 years old and coming off a somewhat pedestrian .252/.333/.411 showing at Double-A last year, Dominguez is still in the lead for Florida's third-base job. Part of that is because there are no other good options, unless one wants to count Wes Helms and Emilio Bonifacio.
The good news is that Dominguez is ready with the glove, as he's seen by many as the best defensive third baseman in the minors. The bat is another question, but Dominguez is doing his best to assure the Marlins in that department as well, going 4-for-13 (.30
[h3]Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals[/h3]
When the 2010 No. 1 overall pick showed up to camp, he said he wanted to make the big league squad. A cocky statement, to be sure, but do you really want him saying he wants to ride in a bus all year?
Harper has had his fair share of struggles so far, going 2-for-11 with three strikeouts, but there have been good at-bats with hard contact, and the talent is clear. The expectations he's facing are bordering on unfair, as he's as old as most high school seniors, meaning that even if he doesn't reach the big leagues until 2013 he'll still be just 20 years old. The hype is well-deserved based on Harper's talent, but the expectations might need some more management.
[h3]Jose Iglesias, SS, Boston Red Sox[/h3]
I was recently asked on Twitter who was the last prospect to match Iglesias defensively. My first reaction was Rey Ordonez, also a Cuban defector, whose defensive wizardry was matched only by his offensive impotence; he lasted nine years in the big leagues on glove work alone, finishing his career with averages of .246/.289/.310. Iglesias had similar questions about his bat when the Red Sox signed him to the biggest bonus in team history 18 months ago, but he was a pleasant surprise offensively in 2010, and has continued to impress this spring by tallying six hits in his first 14 at-bats. While much of the talk this spring in Boston revolves around the big league shortstop battle between Marcus Scutaro and Jed Lowrie, the winner will just be holding the fort for Iglesias in 2012.
[h3]Brett Lawrie, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays[/h3]
A first-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008, Lawrie was originally drafted as a catcher, but when he told the Brewers he didn't want to play behind the plate they acquiesced and moved him to second base. While he played at Double-A last year as a 20-year-old and hit well, Lawrie's defensive reviews were still poor, prompting the Blue Jays, who acquired him in the offseason for Shaun Marcum, to try him at the hot corner.
Lawrie has started like gangbusters at the plate this spring, going 6-for-11 with a double and his first home run Saturday, but he's surprised many with his glove as well. That said, he has always had the tools and athleticism to be a good defender, be it behind the plate, at second or his new position. But that has been the case for many players, including Ryan Braun, who had all the physical skills to play third base but in the end just wasn't good enough. For now, it's spring training and hope springs eternal. But don't be surprised if Lawrie ends up in right field.
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar regained consciousness and was breathing on his own Thursday afternoon, after being hit by a line-drive foul ball during Atlanta’s Grapefruit League game against St. Louis.
Salazar, 54, was hit in the face by a line drive off the bat of Braves catcher Brian McCann while standing in the dugout in the first inning of a game at Champion Stadium. He was unconscious for more than 15 minutes, and some players and others in the dugout feared he was dead.
McCann was so shaken by the incident that he left the game before the second inning.
praying for all involved....
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar regained consciousness and was breathing on his own Thursday afternoon, after being hit by a line-drive foul ball during Atlanta’s Grapefruit League game against St. Louis.
Salazar, 54, was hit in the face by a line drive off the bat of Braves catcher Brian McCann while standing in the dugout in the first inning of a game at Champion Stadium. He was unconscious for more than 15 minutes, and some players and others in the dugout feared he was dead.
McCann was so shaken by the incident that he left the game before the second inning.
praying for all involved....
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I hope everything turns out fine.
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SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Texas Rangers announced Friday that team president Nolan Ryan is adding the title of CEO, replacing Chuck Greenberg, who is leaving the organization.
Ryan will oversee all baseball and business operations for the organization, reporting directly to the board of directors.
In a Rangers news release, Greenberg, who was managing general partner and CEO, said he, Ryan and co-chairmen of the board Ray Davis and Bob Simpson have "somewhat different styles" and he said he was disappointed that they "did not work through our differences."
Sources said Greenberg's departure was the result of a variety of factors that built up during the offseason.
[h4]2011 Texas Rangers[/h4]
April 1, 2011 | Arlington, Texas
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One included Greenberg selling a suite at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington that general manager Jon Daniels used for meetings and to entertain family members and various opposing front office people. Ryan and Daniels didn't want the suite sold.
Greenberg also got more involved in the Michael Young trade talks than the baseball operations staff wanted, sources confirmed.
"I really think that we shouldn't bring up any differences that we had, so I'm really not going to go into that," Ryan said during a Friday afternoon press conference with Davis and Simpson at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. "I don't really think there was an event that created the separation that we had. I think it's just a combination of philosophy. Like a marriage, you think things are going to work, but we all know in business that until you get in there on a day-to-day basis, you don't get a feel for how it's going to work."
Ryan said he did not envision his role changing significantly after serving as the team president the previous three seasons. Several Rangers officials, including Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels, said Greenberg's exit would not affect baseball operations.
"Nothing changes as far as how we operate, organizational structure, budget," Daniels said. "All of that remains the same. We're looking to keep our baseball management leadership group in place for an extended period of time. None of that changes."
Daniels, who agreed to a four-year contract extension through 2015 last week, said his relationship with Ryan is strong and he is confident the Rangers' baseball operations side is stable.
Davis and Simpson, the largest investors in the Rangers Baseball Express ownership group, thanked Greenberg for his time with the club in a statement and again during the press conference.
"Chuck's departure will have no effect on the team's operation and we look forward to working with Nolan Ryan as this organization continues to grow and prosper," the two said in a statement.
The departure ends a seven-month stay for Greenberg with the club, though he worked for more than a year prior in his eventually successful attempt to buy the club.
"While I am disappointed we did not work through our differences, I remain wholeheartedly committed to doing what's right for the franchise," Greenberg said in the Rangers' news release. "Together we concluded it is best for all concerned for me to sell my interest back to Rangers Baseball Express and move on. I do so with a heavy heart, but with every confidence in the direction that the new management team is taking the Rangers and, with Nolan at the helm, I know this franchise will continue to thrive and reach even greater heights both on and off the field."
Simpson said that Rangers Baseball Express had already bought out Greenberg's share of the team. He said Greenberg declined an offer to stay with the Rangers in a different role.
"He chose to move on," Simpson said. "He likes to do deals."
Greenberg's group won an auction over a group that included Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in bankruptcy court last August. Greenberg's group was unanimously approved by MLB shortly thereafter.
Greenberg, who had a small stake in the team, had been a visible owner since then, appearing at numerous events on behalf of the team and sharing in the celebration of the club's 2010 American League championship.
"We liked having Chuck out there," Davis said. "We liked what he brought to the fan base, stimulating the fan base and the interviews he gave. Nolan will pick up some of that now, as will some of the other people on his staff. This wasn't about one person being too visible."
Greenberg, a Pittsburgh sports attorney, teamed up with Ryan early in the process and then went about forming a group of investors, mostly local ones, to purchase the team from lenders after Hicks Sports Group defaulted on loans. The team filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late May.
Through numerous hearings in bankruptcy court in Fort Worth, the team was eventually put up for auction on Aug. 4. The auction didn't end until shortly before 1 a.m. on Aug. 5, when the Greenberg group won with a final offer of $593 million, which included $385 million in cash.
The auction ended a process that really got going in December 2009, when Greenberg's group was chosen to enter into exclusive negotiating rights with Hicks Sports Group, led by owner Tom Hicks. A deal was struck in late January, but HSG's lenders didn't approve the sale. That started the dominos on putting the team in bankruptcy and eventually the auction.
While the ownership drama was unwinding in the courtrooms, the Rangers were on there way to their most successful season ever, winding up in their first World Series.
Players vowed the latest change won't affect the team.
"Chuck was a great guy the time I talked to him," second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "Other than that, there's really nothing to say, I guess. It seemed like he had good ideas. I don't know exactly what happened. It doesn't affect the club in the locker room or on the field. So we're not going to worry about it. I hope Chuck has success wherever he goes."
Outfielder David Murphy said he wasn't aware of anything until he was asked about it by the media Friday morning.
"Things like this aren't going to affect us on the field," Murphy said. "I don't know details, but the time that Chuck was here, he was an awesome guy. He seemed like he was going to steer the franchise in the right direction. We'll miss him, but in this profession, whether it's the front office or ownership or players, it's a constant revolving door. We're used to people coming and going."
Whether they like it or not, the Baltimore Orioles are stuck in the AL East, so general manager Andy MacPhail's job description is to accumulate enough talent to take down the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, not even mentioning the quality rosters in both Tampa Bay and Toronto. Several years into another rebuilding process, the Orioles have some players who were supposed to be franchise cornerstones, but as of yet they haven't quite lived up to the billing.
The best example is Matt Wieters. He wasn't just supposed to be a good catcher -- he was billed as a switch-hitting Joe Mauer with more power. To date, the only part of that description that has proven accurate is the fact that Wieters does indeed hit from both sides of the plate. His career .266 AVG/.328 OBP/.393 SLG line is simply not what was envisioned when he burst on the scene, and after two years of letdowns, questions are beginning to surface about just what the Orioles have in Wieters.
While he isn't likely to live up to the expectations that were thrust upon him -- no one should be expected to perform at that level, really -- history suggests that Wieters' slow start isn't abnormal. It's simply a truism in baseball that young catchers don't hit.
Over the past 50 years, 70 catchers have accumulated at least 600 plate appearances before the end of their age-24 seasons, giving us a decent sample of players who had at least one full season's worth of playing time in the big leagues by the time they were Wieters' age. As a group, their overall line was .259/.325/.390, nearly a dead ringer for Wieters' performance. Of course, the average is skewed up by the fact that the guys who hit well got more playing time than the guys who hit poorly, so his career .721 OPS actually ranks 23rd on that list, putting him in the top third of all the players in the sample.
[h4]MAG iPAD APP FREE FOR INSIDERS[/h4]
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While he hasn't made an immediate impact like Mike Piazza and Brian McCann did, there are far more examples of catchers who didn't really show much offense in the big leagues until after they turned 25. Mike Sweeney, Charles Johnson, Craig Biggio and Todd Hundley all hit worse than Wieters did in the majors through the same point of their careers, but still became quality offensive players despite their early struggles.
The similarity in all four breakouts was late developing power, as none of them showed much in the way of driving the ball before turning 25. This is also the skill that is most surprisingly absent from Wieters' performance; he was a prolific power hitter at Georgia Tech as well as during his climb up the minor league ladder, slugging .576 in two minor league seasons. At 6-foot-5 with the build of a first baseman, power should come naturally to Wieters. History suggests that we can't make too many judgments about his relative lack of thump so far, as few catchers develop into big home run threats at an early age.
Perhaps more interesting, however, are the group of good hitting catchers who aren't on the list we mentioned earlier -- they simply weren't good enough to get significant playing time in the big leagues before turning the big 25. Among those who fell outside the scope of our original sample are Jorge Posada, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek and Chris Hoiles. By WAR (wins above replacement), those are four of the top 12 catchers in the past 20 years, and at the same point in their careers as Wieters is now, they were still trying to convince their organizations that they were worth regular major league playing time.
In fact, if you look at the 10 best hitting catchers since 1990 by wRC+ (an index where 100 is average), the list is dominated by guys who didn't establish themselves as big league stars early in their careers.
[h4]Top Catchers: 1990-2010 (min 1000 PA)[/h4]
WRC+ measures how a player's offensive contribution measures against the league, with 100 representing league average.
[table][tr][th=""]Rank. Player[/th][th=""]WRC+[/th][/tr][tr][td]1. Mike Piazza[/td][td]140[/td][/tr][tr][td]2. Joe Mauer[/td][td]135[/td][/tr][tr][td]3. Jorge Posada[/td][td]125[/td][/tr][tr][td]4. Darren Daulton[/td][td]125[/td][/tr][tr][td]5. Mike Stanley[/td][td]125[/td][/tr][tr][td]6. Mickey Tettleton[/td][td]123[/td][/tr][tr][td]7. Chris Hoiles[/td][td]122[/td][/tr][tr][td]8. Brian McCann[/td][td]121[/td][/tr][tr][td]9. Victor Martinez[/td][td]120[/td][/tr][tr][td]10. Mike Napoli[/td][td]118[/td][/tr][tr][td] -- Matt Wieters [/td][td]88[/td][/tr][/table]
Piazza, Mauer, and McCann were great at a young age, but the other seven guys were all late bloomers. In fact, until Mauer and McCann came along, Piazza essentially stood alone with Johnny Bench as examples of modern-day catchers who came into the league and were dominant offensive forces right out of the gate.
Wieters' career path is the historical norm, but unfortunately for the perception of his future, he came along right on the heels of a pair of anomalies. If he had debuted a decade earlier, we would think nothing of his early struggles, as it was just accepted that catchers take longer to figure out how to hit big league pitching. Mauer and McCann raised the bar, and perhaps unfairly so, as they set levels that few catchers in history have been able to live up to.
Patience is almost universally required with young backstops. The fans in Minnesota and Atlanta got a free pass on the learning curve, but what Baltimore is going through is completely normal. Given his pedigree and history of offensive performances, it is far too early to be throwing out your list of Matt Wieters Facts right now. Given another year or two, the hype may not seem so crazy after all.
The high-water mark for any traded ballplayer, through the eyes of the executives who acquire him, is probably the day that he is dealt, as Royals general manager Dayton Moore mused on Thursday. After that, hidden weaknesses in any player can become more apparent as you watch a player day after day. "Very rarely do you feel as good or better about a move after you get the player," Moore observed.
But the Royals have been happy with what they've seen in shortstop Alcides Escobar so far -- his range, his instincts for the position, like when he holds his ground on a hit-and-run play. "He's been very accurate throwing from different angles," said Moore, who made the acquisition of middle-of-the-diamond players a priority as he talked to other teams about Zack Greinke during the winter, before completing the blockbuster with Milwaukee. "We feel very good about his ability to play shortstop."
After seeing Escobar hit -- "He hasn't swung and missed much at all, and he's made hard contact," Moore said -- some members of the Royals staff are convinced that he's going to be a natural No. 2 hitter, although that transition is more likely to take place sometime in the future than at the outset of this season.
Some other developments in Royals camp:
1. Melky Cabrera, climbing the arbitration ladder, is in a year in which he's at a crossroads for his career -- he can either establish himself as a regular player, or go forward being viewed as a part-timer. And Cabrera arrived at the Royals' camp in excellent condition, with 9 percent body fat, and he has put himself in good position to contend for at-bats.
[h4]Keith Law at Camp[/h4]
Keith Law was out scouting the Royals yesterday, and has a report on what he saw from some of the young prospects that have made their system the best in baseball. Scouting the Royals
Lorenzo Cain, the Royals' new center fielder, is going to be an everyday player because Kansas City is working to develop him. There is no significant playing time guaranteed for Cabrera, Jeff Francoeur, Kila Ka'aihue and Alex Gordon; essentially, that group of four players will contend for playing time at three different spots.
2. Other teams are interested in Gordon, the former No. 1 pick whose time with the Royals has been marred by injury and inconsistency. Kansas City has invested so much money and time in Gordon through the years that one of two things will happen: Either Gordon -- who can play in the outfield or at first or third base -- will establish himself with the Royals, or he will demonstrate once and for all that K.C.'s pick hasn't worked out. The Royals are not keen on selling Gordon at 50 cents on the dollar of what his value may be, only to see him flourish with another team, and he has shown he's capable of hitting with a lot of power.
3. While rival executives are in awe of the talent that Kansas City has collected in its farm system, the Royals are more circumspect, because the reality is that that while prospects like Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer are seen as future stars, all of the damage they have done has been in the minor leagues. There is still much work to be done by this wave of prospects before they are established in the big leagues, and the Royals have the challenge of creating a wave of talent behind the Hosmer-Moustakas wave -- which is something the Tampa Bay Rays have accomplished in their system.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• At a time when Luis Salazar is hospitalized, Brian McCann is playing with a heavy heart. Franklin Gutierrez left the Mariners' camp to be with him, writes Bob Condotta.
• Chuck Greenberg will be out as CEO of the Rangers, writes Evan Grant. He overstepped his authority, writes Grant. His method of operation could have created some disagreements within the front office, writes Jeff Wilson.
This is a stunner, although folks within other organizations did wonder if there would inevitably be clashes because of how many Texas executives spoke loudly for the organization -- general manager Jon Daniels (naturally), president Nolan Ryan and Greenberg. The Red Sox had a similar battle for elbow room, until John Henry stepped in to carve out a wide swath of autonomy for Theo Epstein in working within baseball operations, free and clear of others.
• The Giants got some great answers about their pitching on Thursday: Madison Bumgarner was dominant, and Matt Cain had a good day, Andrew Baggarly writes.
• Charlie Manuel and the Phillies wrapped up their negotiations on a new deal, D. Murphy writes.
• Yogi Berra fell in the Yankees' clubhouse but is OK.
[h3]Observations[/h3]
Some observations from talent evaluators:
1. Francisco Liriano is having a difficult time keeping the ball down in the strike zone right now. "He's really struggling to throw a pitch below the thigh," said one evaluator. Liriano told La Velle Neal his shoulder feels fine, and that he's dealing with some mechanical issues.
2. Daisuke Matsuzaka's velocity is about 87-89 mph -- he touched 90 mph in his start Thursday -- and he has left observers wondering if he is just getting his work in, or if this is the type of pitcher he is now. We'll see. He was off the mark, Peter Abraham writes. He was roughed up again, Michael Silverman writes.
3. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, the Twins' new second baseman, looks very comfortable flicking the ball to the opposite field, one evaluator notes -- and presumably what this means is that opposing pitchers will work like crazy to pound Nishioka inside with fastballs. "It's like [Kosuke] Fukudome all over again, because the style of hitting is similar," said the evaluator. "He's going to get challenged inside, and the question will be whether he can turn on the inside pitch, and whether he can do damage."
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Dayan Viciedo broke his thumb.
2. Joe Mauer is the only one not worried about his health, writes Tom Powers.
3. Andrew Bailey pitched in a game for the first time since his surgery, writes Susan Slusser.
4. Erik Bedard thinks he's back to being the pitcher he can be, writes Larry Stone.
5. Melvin Mora has a sore neck after being in a minor accident.
6. Manny Parra's back is bothering him.
7. Jon Garland is going to miss about a month, after hurting his side.
8. The Mets' slow handling of Johan Santana tells you they are thinking more about 2012 for the lefty.
[h3]The battle for jobs[/h3]
1. Oliver Perez knows he is down to his last chance with the Mets, writes Dave Waldstein.
2. Chad Gaudin is making his case to be the Nationals' fifth starter.
3. Matt Carpenter continues to impress in the Cardinals' camp, writes Derrick Goold.
4. Danny Worth has to show more stick to win a job, writes Shawn Windsor.
5. Bobby Wilson is in better shape to contend for the Angels' catching job.
6. Lou Marson thinks he's going to catch a lot -- and of course this would mean that Carlos Santana would be playing a lot of first base, or that Marson would be in the minors.
7. There are six openings still up in the air in the Cleveland camp, writes Sheldon Ocker.
8. Paul Daugherty isn't sure who will hit leadoff for the Reds, and he's not sure that it matters.
9. Brent Morel is getting a lot of time to prove himself for the White Sox, writes Mark Gonzales.
10. Mark Teahen has the bat and versatility to help Chicago.
11. Garrett Atkins is trying to catch on with the Pirates.
12. The Rockies are looking for a spot for Jordan Pacheco's bat, writes Troy Renck.
13. The third baseman of the future has already arrived for the Jays, writes Richard Griffin.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Some rival clubs sense that the Rangers would prefer to move Michael Young before he gains complete veto power in mid-May, when his 10-and-5 rights will kick in -- but the rival officials also think Texas won't make what it thinks is a bad deal simply to avoid an uncomfortable situation. The Phillies, of course, have reason to step up and make a deal for Young, Paul Hagen writes. The Chase Utley issue is a dark cloud over the Phillies' camp.
2. With Zack Greinke out of commission, Yovani Gallardo will get the ball on Opening Day for the Brewers.
3. It looks like Ricky Romero will be the No. 1 starter for the Blue Jays.
4. Ricky Nolasco will make his first spring start on Sunday, writes Ted Hutton.
5. Toby Hall signed with an independent league team.
6. Jeremy Hellickson will make his first start today, after missing time with a hamstring issue.
7. Kendrys Morales has asked that the spelling of his first name be changed, writes Kevin Baxter.
[h3]Thursday's games[/h3]
1. Edinson Volquez got back to his work at pitcher.
[h4]Buster's New Book[/h4]
Buster Olney is the author of the book "recipient of the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYS.
"Surprising and unforgettable." - Mike Krzyzewski
"Olney knows the beating heart of life and the pulse of humanity that makes sports matter." - George F. Will
"A true inspiration." - Pat Summitt
2. Randy Wells was outstanding and is a near lock for the Cubs' rotation, writes Paul Sullivan.
3. Kyle McClellan had to rely on his sinker on Thursday.
4. Within this La Velle Neal piece, there is word that Joe Nathan threw another scoreless inning.
5. Derek Lowe just keeps putting up zeroes. He was dominant at the end of last season, and he has been training like crazy, according to others in the Atlanta organization.
6. CC Sabathia looked good.
[h3]From the mailbag[/h3]
Q: The Brewers have five guys with 100 RBI capability. They strike out a lot and the OBP at the bottom of their lineup isn't very good, but I have a hard time believing many of the starting pitchers in the NL Central would claim they have issues with lineup depth. -- Parker Gabriel (Madison, Wis.)
A: Parker: In saying that, you are assuming that everything goes right -- that Rickie Weeks goes the full season without getting hurt, that Corey Hart stays healthy, that the league's pitchers don't confound Casey McGehee with the inevitable adjustments in how they work to him, that Prince Fielder doesn't start slowly and isn't impacted by the enormous pressure of looming free agency in his walk year. The Brewers finished a respectable 12th among 30 teams in runs last year, and the only significant changes are that Carlos Gomez and Yuniesky Betancourt are replacing Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar in their lineup. Their 6-7-8 hitters will probably be Betancourt, Jonathan Lucroy and Gomez. That could turn out to be good enough, because of their strong rotation and the emergence of John Axford at closer, but the defense is more likely to be a problem than a solution and there is not a lot of fallback behind those five guys that you mention. Nobody is suggesting the Brewers can't compete, but the equation is fragile, which is why the injury to Greinke will be such an early concern.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• A cop's flippant attitude in the arrest of Miguel Cabrera may help the player's case, an expert tells Tim Twentyman. His issues are bad PR for the Tigers, writes Lynn Henning.
• There is sad news about a former major league umpire.
• Richard Justice gives you 50 reasons to watch the 2011 Astros.
• Health is a welcome relief for the Orioles, writes Jeff Zrebiec.
• Chris Denorfia's situation has changed, writes Bill Center.
• The Rays are worrying only about themselves, writes Joe Henderson.
• The Pirates are looking for consistency from Ronny Cedeno, writes Ron Musselman.
• Marlins reliever Ryan Webb hopes that success is in the stars for him.
• Emilio Bonifacio is adjusting to his new role, writes Manny Navarro.
• Ben Revere keeps killing the ball and proving experts wrong, writes Patrick Reusse.
• Drew Storen is working on his fastball.
• Wilton Lopez has become a strike-throwing machine.
• The Santo family is touched by the tributes to the longtime Cub.
Split-squad games aren't always great for fans hoping to see major-league players when they head to Arizona for spring training*, but they're great for me because it typically means a few more prospects get to play, which was the case on Thursday for Kansas City's split squad against Oakland.
(* I'm told there are, in fact, spring training locations outside of Arizona, although for the life of me I can't figure out why.)
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AP Photo/Chris CarlsonWill Smith may need a fresh approach.
The Royals ran out four arms from their farm system in this game, led by Will Smith, acquired last July from the Angels for Alberto Callaspo. Smith is a finesse lefty, hiding the ball very well and working around the fringes of the zone, but his stuff is very ordinary, with an 87-91 MPH fastball that hitters square up very easily once they pick it up out of his hand. Neither his curveball nor his cutter is an above-average pitch and he'll have to try to trick hitters by changing speeds or relying on deception, a formula that probably won't work that well in the American League.
• Aaron Crow threw two innings, looking stronger in the first than in the second. Overall, he was 89-93 but showed a very sharp 83-87 hard slider with good late tilt, a two-pitch combination that could work very well in a bullpen role. He popped what I assume were two curveballs and didn't show a change. His best pitch of the afternoon wasn't about stuff, but aggressiveness, when he fell behind a hitter 3-1 and went right after him with a 93 MPH fastball on the inner half.
• Louis Coleman ... if you want a definition of what it means for a pitcher to cut himself off, watch where Coleman's front leg lands. If you drew a line from the rubber to the midpoint of the line from third base to home plate, you'll probably run it through Coleman's landing spot. He was 87-92 with a usable slider at 77-78 but couldn't get the fastball to his glove side because he might as well be releasing the ball from the third-base dugout.
• The Royals also ran out what I presume is a young starter named Soria who showed three average or better pitches, threw strikes, and had what looked from my vantage point like a pretty simple delivery.
• More Royals notes before I get to the A's: Jeremy Jeffress was 90-96 with very little command and threw just one breaking ball, a big slow-roller curve at 77 mph ... Christian Colon looked much better than he did in instructs, with no signs of the fatigue that plagued him in the fall. He played a smooth, easy shortstop and showed plenty of arm for the position ... Wil Myers was a little overmatched, but I think we can forgive that since he's barely 20 and has yet to reach Class AA. Lonnie Chisenhall looked just as overmatched last spring and seems to have learned from the experience ... Lorenzo Cain looked awful at the plate and in the field, badly fooled by breaking balls and getting late reads on some fly balls to him in center.
• Oakland started Brett Anderson seemed to be mostly getting his work in, throwing at what I'd guess was about 80 percent effort at 87-91 and dialing up to 92-93 whenever he needed to make a pitch. If he hadn't been hurt last year, I wouldn't think twice about this, but I think you have to be at least a little concerned that he was taking it easy because he had to. The A's did run a number of prospects out there late in the game, but only for one plate appearance apiece, including a walk by Michael Choice where Jeffress threw four pitches that were closer to Oakland than they were to the strike zone.
Sometimes numbers from the previous season can be deceiving. In many cases, poor numbers from one season don't necessarily mean the same poor numbers the next. To take that a step further, sometimes a subpar campaign allows fantasy owners to get a decent player at a bargain price.
This year, I've run across several starting pitchers who didn't pitch up to their potential in 2010, but I still like them. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say I think these guys can turn things around in 2011.
Scott Kazmir is not one of those pitchers.It wasn't that long ago that Kazmir was good. He put together solid seasons from 2006-2008. But things have spiraled downward ever since. He has battled his mechanics, his fastball velocity has declined and his slider, once an out pitch, has morphed into some type of bland cutter hybrid, which has forced him to rely more on his fastball location (never his strong suit) and improve his changeup. It has been a recipe for bad numbers, including a strikeout rate that has fallen off a cliff, declining three years in a row.
Too many things must change and go right for Kazmir to be fantasy-relevant again after posting a 5.94 ERA in 2010. However, there are at least 10 other pitchers who posted 5.00-plus ERAs last season who can be relevant. Fantasy owners are always trying to find good value, and one of the ways to do so is by taking calculated risks when others are jumping off the bandwagon.
Some of the guys below might seem a little obvious, but that doesn't make them any less qualified. Meanwhile, others are more under the radar. With that, here is my "not-Scott Kazmir" list:
[h3]Five veterans[/h3]
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Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireLuck was not on James Shields' side in 2010.
1. James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays, 2010 ERA: 5.18. Luck played a bigger role in Shields' poor surface numbers last season than most people realize. His velocity was as good as ever, and his changeup was still the plus offering it was prior to 2010. At times, Shields struggled with his location, but a .341 batting average on balls in play (more than 30 points higher than his career mark) and a 14 percent home run-per-fly ball rate (the highest in the big leagues among qualified starters) sent his ERA and WHIP in the wrong direction. The underlying skills were pretty much the same, though. It's also worth noting that even in the midst of a ballooning ERA, Shields was still posting a career-high strikeout rate of more than eight batters per nine innings last season.
2. Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox, 2010 ERA: 5.78. Beckett was sidelined for two months last season because of a back injury … and wasn't that good when he did take the mound. A combination of things contributed to that. A batting average on balls in play that was almost 50 points higher than his career mark certainly didn't help, but he also fell in love with a recently developed cutter too much, instead of relying on his proven fastball-curve-changeup mix (he went with more of a fastball/cutter combo at times). His curve also went through prolonged stretches in which it lacked depth, perhaps because his back didn't allow him to get on top of it. And remember what I said about Shields' homer-per-fly ball rate? Well, Beckett's was even higher -- over 14 percent (he just didn't get enough innings to qualify).
All that said, despite his struggles, he still fanned more than eight batters per nine innings, and he still induced a decent ground ball rate. With better health and a shift back to what works best for him, you can make the case for taking Beckett among the top-50 starters again. But that's just it: You shouldn't have to take him that early to get him. Regardless, he looms as a good bounce-back play this season.
3. Aaron Harang, San Diego Padres, 2010 ERA: 5.32. It appears this veteran right-hander is in the right situation to bounce back. The move from Great American Ball Park to Petco Park is not insignificant for a fly ball, homer-prone pitcher such as Harang. After a season of poor numbers, bad luck and a balky back, which contributed to him trying to nibble too much to compensate, the price for him will be dirt cheap. If better health helps his strikeout rate bounce back a little, he could be useful in fantasy, at least in favorable matchups, if nothing else. He still has upside if he stays healthy enough to put up 150-plus innings again, and if he doesn't pan out he won't have cost you much.
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Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireThings can only get better for A.J. Burnett, right?
4. A.J. Burnett, New York Yankees, 2010 ERA: 5.26. Well, it seems there's only one direction for Burnett to go after a year in which he posted career-worst numbers in ERA, WHIP, strikeout-to-walk ratio and strikeouts per nine. Burnett has always been basically a two-pitch guy, and when that second pitch, his curveball, kind of abandoned him at times last season as he battled his delivery, he had nothing else to fall back on. As such, the strikeouts and the rest of his numbers suffered. New pitching coach Larry Rothschild and Burnett think they have his mechanics back on track, and if that's indeed the case it would go a long way to getting his numbers in order again this season.
5. Kevin Correia, Pittsburgh Pirates, 2010 ERA: 5.40. Last season, Correia focused more on throwing a cutter, which showed promise but was inconsistent. Although he might rely on it a little too much, I think we can expect some improvement in the pitch in its second year of use, especially because he can still throw that true slider (which is a quality pitch) when he needs to. I think he's going to do a better job this year of staying off the barrel of the bat against lefties and has a chance to improve his numbers even moving out of Petco. His homers-per-fly ball rate was just under 15 percent, which as I've already mentioned is a very high number. It's unlikely to be as high again. Correia posted the best ground ball rate of his career in 2010 and his best strikeout rate as a starter, which are two more promising signs.
One other thing that at least bears mentioning here: Kevin's brother, Trevor Brent Correia, died in a tragic hiking accident last May, and you have to think that might have affected him in some capacity. When the tragedy happened, the pitcher was clicking along with a 3.97 ERA; after it, he posted a 5.84 ERA.
[h3]Five youngsters[/h3]
1. Charlie Morton, Pittsburgh, 2010 ERA: 7.57. Chuckle all you want -- especially you Pirates and Braves fans -- but I'm not ready to write Morton off. Nothing went right for Morton last year, in either performance or luck, but don't cast him away just yet. First, for a little background, check out this complimentary blog about him that I wrote early last season.
Now let's fast-forward to the present. Let's just say I'm looking forward to checking out Morton when I trek from Arizona to Florida a week from now, because spring training reports about him have been very positive thus far. In fact, earlier this week, I discussed him with another scout who has seen him as much as I have in the past, and he offered a glowing report.
New Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage has gotten Morton back to using his two-seam fastball, a pitch he had abandoned in recent years. It appears to have quickly become a go-to pitch he can rely on when he really needs to throw a quality offering for a strike, something that he has been missing as a major leaguer. Also, the scout I talked to noted that "his delivery is as smooth as I've ever seen it and his [arm] slot looks a little lower. He's working 91-94 mph but still getting that sink and dumping that fastball down in the zone. I think if he's that smooth with his delivery, he has a chance to command the ball now. I didn't trust his command before because he couldn't repeat his delivery."
It's quite possible that Morton will tease us yet again, but he's a four-pitch guy with a chance to have three (especially his curveball) that are plus if he can command the ball consistently and pitch with confidence. It's early, but I'll take a chance on his raw stuff one more time, given the positives I'm hearing and the apparently substantive changes in his repertoire. Don't dismiss him because of last year's implosion; there's upside here, if he wins a rotation spot.
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Mark Cunningham/Getty ImagesChris Tillman posted a 3.34 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in Triple-A last season.
2. Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles. 2010 ERA: 5.87 ERA. Tillman is still trying to put it all together in the big leagues and find consistency. We know he can get hitters out at the upper levels of the minors; now it's just a matter of carrying that command to the majors and not letting things snowball when they begin to go bad. He was continually backing off his pitches to find his location instead of just letting them go, but he should be able to settle in more as he gains experience.
Normally his horrible 1-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2010 would be a deal-breaker, but he turns just 23 years old in April and has a good scouting pedigree. There's still time for him to shine, especially if he improves the cutter he added to his repertoire last season and/or has more consistent fastball location. Orioles pitchers get no favors by having four of the top-10 run-scoring offenses in baseball last season in their division, but Tillman has enough raw talent to make it work. He isn't likely to start the year with a rotation job, but he could finish with one. This is a player I'd definitely stash away in AL-only leagues.
3. Jesse Litsch, Toronto Blue Jays, 2010 ERA: 5.79. Hip surgery derailed Litsch's return from Tommy John surgery last season, and when he did pitch his strikeout rate was barely above three K's per nine innings, a career low. That said, Litsch was a useful hurler in AL-only leagues in 2007 and 2008. If he can get the K's back up over five per nine innings again with a strong ground ball profile, he can have some value in deep single-league formats, if he wins the fifth starter job. He doesn't have huge upside, but given his ability to throw as many as six pitches at hitters and locate them and keep hitters off-balance, he can have his uses.
4. Felipe Paulino, Colorado Rockies, 2010 ERA: 5.11. The Rockies' Bob Apodaca is one of the more underrated pitching coaches in baseball, and Paulino is his next big project after helping Ubaldo Jimenez and Jorge De La Rosa, among others, develop. Nobody questions Paulino's live arm and raw ability. The Rockies are going to start him in the bullpen, where he can concentrate on throwing his high-90s gas and sharp slider and focus on improving his overall command. He can be dominant and overpowering in a bullpen role, but he still has value as a potential starter. He's worth stashing on reserve in deep NL-only leagues.
5. Sean West, Florida Marlins, 2010 ERA: 7.71. Presuming the elbow issues that sidelined West at the Arizona Fall League and early in camp are behind him, the 6-foot-8 southpaw could emerge from a likely assignment to Triple-A to start the season to have some utility in NL-only play later this year. He has the three-pitch mix to have success at the big league level and make batters miss, but he has battled various injury problems that haven't allowed him to develop consistency, especially in regard to throwing strikes. Taller pitchers can take a little longer to get their mechanics dialed in, and missing time on the mound hasn't helped West in that regard.
It seems to be a pivotal year for West, as he needs to show he can stay out of the trainer's room. But he's at least one name to monitor if you play in a deep NL-only format. There's more potential here than we've seen the past couple seasons.
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Texas Rangers announced Friday that team president Nolan Ryan is adding the title of CEO, replacing Chuck Greenberg, who is leaving the organization.
Ryan will oversee all baseball and business operations for the organization, reporting directly to the board of directors.
In a Rangers news release, Greenberg, who was managing general partner and CEO, said he, Ryan and co-chairmen of the board Ray Davis and Bob Simpson have "somewhat different styles" and he said he was disappointed that they "did not work through our differences."
Sources said Greenberg's departure was the result of a variety of factors that built up during the offseason.
[h4]2011 Texas Rangers[/h4]
April 1, 2011 | Arlington, Texas
20192124
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One included Greenberg selling a suite at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington that general manager Jon Daniels used for meetings and to entertain family members and various opposing front office people. Ryan and Daniels didn't want the suite sold.
Greenberg also got more involved in the Michael Young trade talks than the baseball operations staff wanted, sources confirmed.
"I really think that we shouldn't bring up any differences that we had, so I'm really not going to go into that," Ryan said during a Friday afternoon press conference with Davis and Simpson at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. "I don't really think there was an event that created the separation that we had. I think it's just a combination of philosophy. Like a marriage, you think things are going to work, but we all know in business that until you get in there on a day-to-day basis, you don't get a feel for how it's going to work."
Ryan said he did not envision his role changing significantly after serving as the team president the previous three seasons. Several Rangers officials, including Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels, said Greenberg's exit would not affect baseball operations.
"Nothing changes as far as how we operate, organizational structure, budget," Daniels said. "All of that remains the same. We're looking to keep our baseball management leadership group in place for an extended period of time. None of that changes."
Daniels, who agreed to a four-year contract extension through 2015 last week, said his relationship with Ryan is strong and he is confident the Rangers' baseball operations side is stable.
Davis and Simpson, the largest investors in the Rangers Baseball Express ownership group, thanked Greenberg for his time with the club in a statement and again during the press conference.
"Chuck's departure will have no effect on the team's operation and we look forward to working with Nolan Ryan as this organization continues to grow and prosper," the two said in a statement.
The departure ends a seven-month stay for Greenberg with the club, though he worked for more than a year prior in his eventually successful attempt to buy the club.
"While I am disappointed we did not work through our differences, I remain wholeheartedly committed to doing what's right for the franchise," Greenberg said in the Rangers' news release. "Together we concluded it is best for all concerned for me to sell my interest back to Rangers Baseball Express and move on. I do so with a heavy heart, but with every confidence in the direction that the new management team is taking the Rangers and, with Nolan at the helm, I know this franchise will continue to thrive and reach even greater heights both on and off the field."
Simpson said that Rangers Baseball Express had already bought out Greenberg's share of the team. He said Greenberg declined an offer to stay with the Rangers in a different role.
"He chose to move on," Simpson said. "He likes to do deals."
Greenberg's group won an auction over a group that included Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in bankruptcy court last August. Greenberg's group was unanimously approved by MLB shortly thereafter.
Greenberg, who had a small stake in the team, had been a visible owner since then, appearing at numerous events on behalf of the team and sharing in the celebration of the club's 2010 American League championship.
"We liked having Chuck out there," Davis said. "We liked what he brought to the fan base, stimulating the fan base and the interviews he gave. Nolan will pick up some of that now, as will some of the other people on his staff. This wasn't about one person being too visible."
Greenberg, a Pittsburgh sports attorney, teamed up with Ryan early in the process and then went about forming a group of investors, mostly local ones, to purchase the team from lenders after Hicks Sports Group defaulted on loans. The team filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late May.
Through numerous hearings in bankruptcy court in Fort Worth, the team was eventually put up for auction on Aug. 4. The auction didn't end until shortly before 1 a.m. on Aug. 5, when the Greenberg group won with a final offer of $593 million, which included $385 million in cash.
The auction ended a process that really got going in December 2009, when Greenberg's group was chosen to enter into exclusive negotiating rights with Hicks Sports Group, led by owner Tom Hicks. A deal was struck in late January, but HSG's lenders didn't approve the sale. That started the dominos on putting the team in bankruptcy and eventually the auction.
While the ownership drama was unwinding in the courtrooms, the Rangers were on there way to their most successful season ever, winding up in their first World Series.
Players vowed the latest change won't affect the team.
"Chuck was a great guy the time I talked to him," second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "Other than that, there's really nothing to say, I guess. It seemed like he had good ideas. I don't know exactly what happened. It doesn't affect the club in the locker room or on the field. So we're not going to worry about it. I hope Chuck has success wherever he goes."
Outfielder David Murphy said he wasn't aware of anything until he was asked about it by the media Friday morning.
"Things like this aren't going to affect us on the field," Murphy said. "I don't know details, but the time that Chuck was here, he was an awesome guy. He seemed like he was going to steer the franchise in the right direction. We'll miss him, but in this profession, whether it's the front office or ownership or players, it's a constant revolving door. We're used to people coming and going."
Whether they like it or not, the Baltimore Orioles are stuck in the AL East, so general manager Andy MacPhail's job description is to accumulate enough talent to take down the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, not even mentioning the quality rosters in both Tampa Bay and Toronto. Several years into another rebuilding process, the Orioles have some players who were supposed to be franchise cornerstones, but as of yet they haven't quite lived up to the billing.
The best example is Matt Wieters. He wasn't just supposed to be a good catcher -- he was billed as a switch-hitting Joe Mauer with more power. To date, the only part of that description that has proven accurate is the fact that Wieters does indeed hit from both sides of the plate. His career .266 AVG/.328 OBP/.393 SLG line is simply not what was envisioned when he burst on the scene, and after two years of letdowns, questions are beginning to surface about just what the Orioles have in Wieters.
While he isn't likely to live up to the expectations that were thrust upon him -- no one should be expected to perform at that level, really -- history suggests that Wieters' slow start isn't abnormal. It's simply a truism in baseball that young catchers don't hit.
Over the past 50 years, 70 catchers have accumulated at least 600 plate appearances before the end of their age-24 seasons, giving us a decent sample of players who had at least one full season's worth of playing time in the big leagues by the time they were Wieters' age. As a group, their overall line was .259/.325/.390, nearly a dead ringer for Wieters' performance. Of course, the average is skewed up by the fact that the guys who hit well got more playing time than the guys who hit poorly, so his career .721 OPS actually ranks 23rd on that list, putting him in the top third of all the players in the sample.
[h4]MAG iPAD APP FREE FOR INSIDERS[/h4]
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While he hasn't made an immediate impact like Mike Piazza and Brian McCann did, there are far more examples of catchers who didn't really show much offense in the big leagues until after they turned 25. Mike Sweeney, Charles Johnson, Craig Biggio and Todd Hundley all hit worse than Wieters did in the majors through the same point of their careers, but still became quality offensive players despite their early struggles.
The similarity in all four breakouts was late developing power, as none of them showed much in the way of driving the ball before turning 25. This is also the skill that is most surprisingly absent from Wieters' performance; he was a prolific power hitter at Georgia Tech as well as during his climb up the minor league ladder, slugging .576 in two minor league seasons. At 6-foot-5 with the build of a first baseman, power should come naturally to Wieters. History suggests that we can't make too many judgments about his relative lack of thump so far, as few catchers develop into big home run threats at an early age.
Perhaps more interesting, however, are the group of good hitting catchers who aren't on the list we mentioned earlier -- they simply weren't good enough to get significant playing time in the big leagues before turning the big 25. Among those who fell outside the scope of our original sample are Jorge Posada, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek and Chris Hoiles. By WAR (wins above replacement), those are four of the top 12 catchers in the past 20 years, and at the same point in their careers as Wieters is now, they were still trying to convince their organizations that they were worth regular major league playing time.
In fact, if you look at the 10 best hitting catchers since 1990 by wRC+ (an index where 100 is average), the list is dominated by guys who didn't establish themselves as big league stars early in their careers.
[h4]Top Catchers: 1990-2010 (min 1000 PA)[/h4]
WRC+ measures how a player's offensive contribution measures against the league, with 100 representing league average.
[table][tr][th=""]Rank. Player[/th][th=""]WRC+[/th][/tr][tr][td]1. Mike Piazza[/td][td]140[/td][/tr][tr][td]2. Joe Mauer[/td][td]135[/td][/tr][tr][td]3. Jorge Posada[/td][td]125[/td][/tr][tr][td]4. Darren Daulton[/td][td]125[/td][/tr][tr][td]5. Mike Stanley[/td][td]125[/td][/tr][tr][td]6. Mickey Tettleton[/td][td]123[/td][/tr][tr][td]7. Chris Hoiles[/td][td]122[/td][/tr][tr][td]8. Brian McCann[/td][td]121[/td][/tr][tr][td]9. Victor Martinez[/td][td]120[/td][/tr][tr][td]10. Mike Napoli[/td][td]118[/td][/tr][tr][td] -- Matt Wieters [/td][td]88[/td][/tr][/table]
Piazza, Mauer, and McCann were great at a young age, but the other seven guys were all late bloomers. In fact, until Mauer and McCann came along, Piazza essentially stood alone with Johnny Bench as examples of modern-day catchers who came into the league and were dominant offensive forces right out of the gate.
Wieters' career path is the historical norm, but unfortunately for the perception of his future, he came along right on the heels of a pair of anomalies. If he had debuted a decade earlier, we would think nothing of his early struggles, as it was just accepted that catchers take longer to figure out how to hit big league pitching. Mauer and McCann raised the bar, and perhaps unfairly so, as they set levels that few catchers in history have been able to live up to.
Patience is almost universally required with young backstops. The fans in Minnesota and Atlanta got a free pass on the learning curve, but what Baltimore is going through is completely normal. Given his pedigree and history of offensive performances, it is far too early to be throwing out your list of Matt Wieters Facts right now. Given another year or two, the hype may not seem so crazy after all.
The high-water mark for any traded ballplayer, through the eyes of the executives who acquire him, is probably the day that he is dealt, as Royals general manager Dayton Moore mused on Thursday. After that, hidden weaknesses in any player can become more apparent as you watch a player day after day. "Very rarely do you feel as good or better about a move after you get the player," Moore observed.
But the Royals have been happy with what they've seen in shortstop Alcides Escobar so far -- his range, his instincts for the position, like when he holds his ground on a hit-and-run play. "He's been very accurate throwing from different angles," said Moore, who made the acquisition of middle-of-the-diamond players a priority as he talked to other teams about Zack Greinke during the winter, before completing the blockbuster with Milwaukee. "We feel very good about his ability to play shortstop."
After seeing Escobar hit -- "He hasn't swung and missed much at all, and he's made hard contact," Moore said -- some members of the Royals staff are convinced that he's going to be a natural No. 2 hitter, although that transition is more likely to take place sometime in the future than at the outset of this season.
Some other developments in Royals camp:
1. Melky Cabrera, climbing the arbitration ladder, is in a year in which he's at a crossroads for his career -- he can either establish himself as a regular player, or go forward being viewed as a part-timer. And Cabrera arrived at the Royals' camp in excellent condition, with 9 percent body fat, and he has put himself in good position to contend for at-bats.
[h4]Keith Law at Camp[/h4]
Keith Law was out scouting the Royals yesterday, and has a report on what he saw from some of the young prospects that have made their system the best in baseball. Scouting the Royals
Lorenzo Cain, the Royals' new center fielder, is going to be an everyday player because Kansas City is working to develop him. There is no significant playing time guaranteed for Cabrera, Jeff Francoeur, Kila Ka'aihue and Alex Gordon; essentially, that group of four players will contend for playing time at three different spots.
2. Other teams are interested in Gordon, the former No. 1 pick whose time with the Royals has been marred by injury and inconsistency. Kansas City has invested so much money and time in Gordon through the years that one of two things will happen: Either Gordon -- who can play in the outfield or at first or third base -- will establish himself with the Royals, or he will demonstrate once and for all that K.C.'s pick hasn't worked out. The Royals are not keen on selling Gordon at 50 cents on the dollar of what his value may be, only to see him flourish with another team, and he has shown he's capable of hitting with a lot of power.
3. While rival executives are in awe of the talent that Kansas City has collected in its farm system, the Royals are more circumspect, because the reality is that that while prospects like Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer are seen as future stars, all of the damage they have done has been in the minor leagues. There is still much work to be done by this wave of prospects before they are established in the big leagues, and the Royals have the challenge of creating a wave of talent behind the Hosmer-Moustakas wave -- which is something the Tampa Bay Rays have accomplished in their system.
[h3]Notables[/h3]
• At a time when Luis Salazar is hospitalized, Brian McCann is playing with a heavy heart. Franklin Gutierrez left the Mariners' camp to be with him, writes Bob Condotta.
• Chuck Greenberg will be out as CEO of the Rangers, writes Evan Grant. He overstepped his authority, writes Grant. His method of operation could have created some disagreements within the front office, writes Jeff Wilson.
This is a stunner, although folks within other organizations did wonder if there would inevitably be clashes because of how many Texas executives spoke loudly for the organization -- general manager Jon Daniels (naturally), president Nolan Ryan and Greenberg. The Red Sox had a similar battle for elbow room, until John Henry stepped in to carve out a wide swath of autonomy for Theo Epstein in working within baseball operations, free and clear of others.
• The Giants got some great answers about their pitching on Thursday: Madison Bumgarner was dominant, and Matt Cain had a good day, Andrew Baggarly writes.
• Charlie Manuel and the Phillies wrapped up their negotiations on a new deal, D. Murphy writes.
• Yogi Berra fell in the Yankees' clubhouse but is OK.
[h3]Observations[/h3]
Some observations from talent evaluators:
1. Francisco Liriano is having a difficult time keeping the ball down in the strike zone right now. "He's really struggling to throw a pitch below the thigh," said one evaluator. Liriano told La Velle Neal his shoulder feels fine, and that he's dealing with some mechanical issues.
2. Daisuke Matsuzaka's velocity is about 87-89 mph -- he touched 90 mph in his start Thursday -- and he has left observers wondering if he is just getting his work in, or if this is the type of pitcher he is now. We'll see. He was off the mark, Peter Abraham writes. He was roughed up again, Michael Silverman writes.
3. Tsuyoshi Nishioka, the Twins' new second baseman, looks very comfortable flicking the ball to the opposite field, one evaluator notes -- and presumably what this means is that opposing pitchers will work like crazy to pound Nishioka inside with fastballs. "It's like [Kosuke] Fukudome all over again, because the style of hitting is similar," said the evaluator. "He's going to get challenged inside, and the question will be whether he can turn on the inside pitch, and whether he can do damage."
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Dayan Viciedo broke his thumb.
2. Joe Mauer is the only one not worried about his health, writes Tom Powers.
3. Andrew Bailey pitched in a game for the first time since his surgery, writes Susan Slusser.
4. Erik Bedard thinks he's back to being the pitcher he can be, writes Larry Stone.
5. Melvin Mora has a sore neck after being in a minor accident.
6. Manny Parra's back is bothering him.
7. Jon Garland is going to miss about a month, after hurting his side.
8. The Mets' slow handling of Johan Santana tells you they are thinking more about 2012 for the lefty.
[h3]The battle for jobs[/h3]
1. Oliver Perez knows he is down to his last chance with the Mets, writes Dave Waldstein.
2. Chad Gaudin is making his case to be the Nationals' fifth starter.
3. Matt Carpenter continues to impress in the Cardinals' camp, writes Derrick Goold.
4. Danny Worth has to show more stick to win a job, writes Shawn Windsor.
5. Bobby Wilson is in better shape to contend for the Angels' catching job.
6. Lou Marson thinks he's going to catch a lot -- and of course this would mean that Carlos Santana would be playing a lot of first base, or that Marson would be in the minors.
7. There are six openings still up in the air in the Cleveland camp, writes Sheldon Ocker.
8. Paul Daugherty isn't sure who will hit leadoff for the Reds, and he's not sure that it matters.
9. Brent Morel is getting a lot of time to prove himself for the White Sox, writes Mark Gonzales.
10. Mark Teahen has the bat and versatility to help Chicago.
11. Garrett Atkins is trying to catch on with the Pirates.
12. The Rockies are looking for a spot for Jordan Pacheco's bat, writes Troy Renck.
13. The third baseman of the future has already arrived for the Jays, writes Richard Griffin.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. Some rival clubs sense that the Rangers would prefer to move Michael Young before he gains complete veto power in mid-May, when his 10-and-5 rights will kick in -- but the rival officials also think Texas won't make what it thinks is a bad deal simply to avoid an uncomfortable situation. The Phillies, of course, have reason to step up and make a deal for Young, Paul Hagen writes. The Chase Utley issue is a dark cloud over the Phillies' camp.
2. With Zack Greinke out of commission, Yovani Gallardo will get the ball on Opening Day for the Brewers.
3. It looks like Ricky Romero will be the No. 1 starter for the Blue Jays.
4. Ricky Nolasco will make his first spring start on Sunday, writes Ted Hutton.
5. Toby Hall signed with an independent league team.
6. Jeremy Hellickson will make his first start today, after missing time with a hamstring issue.
7. Kendrys Morales has asked that the spelling of his first name be changed, writes Kevin Baxter.
[h3]Thursday's games[/h3]
1. Edinson Volquez got back to his work at pitcher.
[h4]Buster's New Book[/h4]
Buster Olney is the author of the book "recipient of the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYS.
"Surprising and unforgettable." - Mike Krzyzewski
"Olney knows the beating heart of life and the pulse of humanity that makes sports matter." - George F. Will
"A true inspiration." - Pat Summitt
2. Randy Wells was outstanding and is a near lock for the Cubs' rotation, writes Paul Sullivan.
3. Kyle McClellan had to rely on his sinker on Thursday.
4. Within this La Velle Neal piece, there is word that Joe Nathan threw another scoreless inning.
5. Derek Lowe just keeps putting up zeroes. He was dominant at the end of last season, and he has been training like crazy, according to others in the Atlanta organization.
6. CC Sabathia looked good.
[h3]From the mailbag[/h3]
Q: The Brewers have five guys with 100 RBI capability. They strike out a lot and the OBP at the bottom of their lineup isn't very good, but I have a hard time believing many of the starting pitchers in the NL Central would claim they have issues with lineup depth. -- Parker Gabriel (Madison, Wis.)
A: Parker: In saying that, you are assuming that everything goes right -- that Rickie Weeks goes the full season without getting hurt, that Corey Hart stays healthy, that the league's pitchers don't confound Casey McGehee with the inevitable adjustments in how they work to him, that Prince Fielder doesn't start slowly and isn't impacted by the enormous pressure of looming free agency in his walk year. The Brewers finished a respectable 12th among 30 teams in runs last year, and the only significant changes are that Carlos Gomez and Yuniesky Betancourt are replacing Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar in their lineup. Their 6-7-8 hitters will probably be Betancourt, Jonathan Lucroy and Gomez. That could turn out to be good enough, because of their strong rotation and the emergence of John Axford at closer, but the defense is more likely to be a problem than a solution and there is not a lot of fallback behind those five guys that you mention. Nobody is suggesting the Brewers can't compete, but the equation is fragile, which is why the injury to Greinke will be such an early concern.
[h3]Other stuff[/h3]
• A cop's flippant attitude in the arrest of Miguel Cabrera may help the player's case, an expert tells Tim Twentyman. His issues are bad PR for the Tigers, writes Lynn Henning.
• There is sad news about a former major league umpire.
• Richard Justice gives you 50 reasons to watch the 2011 Astros.
• Health is a welcome relief for the Orioles, writes Jeff Zrebiec.
• Chris Denorfia's situation has changed, writes Bill Center.
• The Rays are worrying only about themselves, writes Joe Henderson.
• The Pirates are looking for consistency from Ronny Cedeno, writes Ron Musselman.
• Marlins reliever Ryan Webb hopes that success is in the stars for him.
• Emilio Bonifacio is adjusting to his new role, writes Manny Navarro.
• Ben Revere keeps killing the ball and proving experts wrong, writes Patrick Reusse.
• Drew Storen is working on his fastball.
• Wilton Lopez has become a strike-throwing machine.
• The Santo family is touched by the tributes to the longtime Cub.
Split-squad games aren't always great for fans hoping to see major-league players when they head to Arizona for spring training*, but they're great for me because it typically means a few more prospects get to play, which was the case on Thursday for Kansas City's split squad against Oakland.
(* I'm told there are, in fact, spring training locations outside of Arizona, although for the life of me I can't figure out why.)
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AP Photo/Chris CarlsonWill Smith may need a fresh approach.
The Royals ran out four arms from their farm system in this game, led by Will Smith, acquired last July from the Angels for Alberto Callaspo. Smith is a finesse lefty, hiding the ball very well and working around the fringes of the zone, but his stuff is very ordinary, with an 87-91 MPH fastball that hitters square up very easily once they pick it up out of his hand. Neither his curveball nor his cutter is an above-average pitch and he'll have to try to trick hitters by changing speeds or relying on deception, a formula that probably won't work that well in the American League.
• Aaron Crow threw two innings, looking stronger in the first than in the second. Overall, he was 89-93 but showed a very sharp 83-87 hard slider with good late tilt, a two-pitch combination that could work very well in a bullpen role. He popped what I assume were two curveballs and didn't show a change. His best pitch of the afternoon wasn't about stuff, but aggressiveness, when he fell behind a hitter 3-1 and went right after him with a 93 MPH fastball on the inner half.
• Louis Coleman ... if you want a definition of what it means for a pitcher to cut himself off, watch where Coleman's front leg lands. If you drew a line from the rubber to the midpoint of the line from third base to home plate, you'll probably run it through Coleman's landing spot. He was 87-92 with a usable slider at 77-78 but couldn't get the fastball to his glove side because he might as well be releasing the ball from the third-base dugout.
• The Royals also ran out what I presume is a young starter named Soria who showed three average or better pitches, threw strikes, and had what looked from my vantage point like a pretty simple delivery.
• More Royals notes before I get to the A's: Jeremy Jeffress was 90-96 with very little command and threw just one breaking ball, a big slow-roller curve at 77 mph ... Christian Colon looked much better than he did in instructs, with no signs of the fatigue that plagued him in the fall. He played a smooth, easy shortstop and showed plenty of arm for the position ... Wil Myers was a little overmatched, but I think we can forgive that since he's barely 20 and has yet to reach Class AA. Lonnie Chisenhall looked just as overmatched last spring and seems to have learned from the experience ... Lorenzo Cain looked awful at the plate and in the field, badly fooled by breaking balls and getting late reads on some fly balls to him in center.
• Oakland started Brett Anderson seemed to be mostly getting his work in, throwing at what I'd guess was about 80 percent effort at 87-91 and dialing up to 92-93 whenever he needed to make a pitch. If he hadn't been hurt last year, I wouldn't think twice about this, but I think you have to be at least a little concerned that he was taking it easy because he had to. The A's did run a number of prospects out there late in the game, but only for one plate appearance apiece, including a walk by Michael Choice where Jeffress threw four pitches that were closer to Oakland than they were to the strike zone.
Sometimes numbers from the previous season can be deceiving. In many cases, poor numbers from one season don't necessarily mean the same poor numbers the next. To take that a step further, sometimes a subpar campaign allows fantasy owners to get a decent player at a bargain price.
This year, I've run across several starting pitchers who didn't pitch up to their potential in 2010, but I still like them. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say I think these guys can turn things around in 2011.
Scott Kazmir is not one of those pitchers.It wasn't that long ago that Kazmir was good. He put together solid seasons from 2006-2008. But things have spiraled downward ever since. He has battled his mechanics, his fastball velocity has declined and his slider, once an out pitch, has morphed into some type of bland cutter hybrid, which has forced him to rely more on his fastball location (never his strong suit) and improve his changeup. It has been a recipe for bad numbers, including a strikeout rate that has fallen off a cliff, declining three years in a row.
Too many things must change and go right for Kazmir to be fantasy-relevant again after posting a 5.94 ERA in 2010. However, there are at least 10 other pitchers who posted 5.00-plus ERAs last season who can be relevant. Fantasy owners are always trying to find good value, and one of the ways to do so is by taking calculated risks when others are jumping off the bandwagon.
Some of the guys below might seem a little obvious, but that doesn't make them any less qualified. Meanwhile, others are more under the radar. With that, here is my "not-Scott Kazmir" list:
[h3]Five veterans[/h3]
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Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireLuck was not on James Shields' side in 2010.
1. James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays, 2010 ERA: 5.18. Luck played a bigger role in Shields' poor surface numbers last season than most people realize. His velocity was as good as ever, and his changeup was still the plus offering it was prior to 2010. At times, Shields struggled with his location, but a .341 batting average on balls in play (more than 30 points higher than his career mark) and a 14 percent home run-per-fly ball rate (the highest in the big leagues among qualified starters) sent his ERA and WHIP in the wrong direction. The underlying skills were pretty much the same, though. It's also worth noting that even in the midst of a ballooning ERA, Shields was still posting a career-high strikeout rate of more than eight batters per nine innings last season.
2. Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox, 2010 ERA: 5.78. Beckett was sidelined for two months last season because of a back injury … and wasn't that good when he did take the mound. A combination of things contributed to that. A batting average on balls in play that was almost 50 points higher than his career mark certainly didn't help, but he also fell in love with a recently developed cutter too much, instead of relying on his proven fastball-curve-changeup mix (he went with more of a fastball/cutter combo at times). His curve also went through prolonged stretches in which it lacked depth, perhaps because his back didn't allow him to get on top of it. And remember what I said about Shields' homer-per-fly ball rate? Well, Beckett's was even higher -- over 14 percent (he just didn't get enough innings to qualify).
All that said, despite his struggles, he still fanned more than eight batters per nine innings, and he still induced a decent ground ball rate. With better health and a shift back to what works best for him, you can make the case for taking Beckett among the top-50 starters again. But that's just it: You shouldn't have to take him that early to get him. Regardless, he looms as a good bounce-back play this season.
3. Aaron Harang, San Diego Padres, 2010 ERA: 5.32. It appears this veteran right-hander is in the right situation to bounce back. The move from Great American Ball Park to Petco Park is not insignificant for a fly ball, homer-prone pitcher such as Harang. After a season of poor numbers, bad luck and a balky back, which contributed to him trying to nibble too much to compensate, the price for him will be dirt cheap. If better health helps his strikeout rate bounce back a little, he could be useful in fantasy, at least in favorable matchups, if nothing else. He still has upside if he stays healthy enough to put up 150-plus innings again, and if he doesn't pan out he won't have cost you much.
[+] Enlarge
Derick E. Hingle/US PresswireThings can only get better for A.J. Burnett, right?
4. A.J. Burnett, New York Yankees, 2010 ERA: 5.26. Well, it seems there's only one direction for Burnett to go after a year in which he posted career-worst numbers in ERA, WHIP, strikeout-to-walk ratio and strikeouts per nine. Burnett has always been basically a two-pitch guy, and when that second pitch, his curveball, kind of abandoned him at times last season as he battled his delivery, he had nothing else to fall back on. As such, the strikeouts and the rest of his numbers suffered. New pitching coach Larry Rothschild and Burnett think they have his mechanics back on track, and if that's indeed the case it would go a long way to getting his numbers in order again this season.
5. Kevin Correia, Pittsburgh Pirates, 2010 ERA: 5.40. Last season, Correia focused more on throwing a cutter, which showed promise but was inconsistent. Although he might rely on it a little too much, I think we can expect some improvement in the pitch in its second year of use, especially because he can still throw that true slider (which is a quality pitch) when he needs to. I think he's going to do a better job this year of staying off the barrel of the bat against lefties and has a chance to improve his numbers even moving out of Petco. His homers-per-fly ball rate was just under 15 percent, which as I've already mentioned is a very high number. It's unlikely to be as high again. Correia posted the best ground ball rate of his career in 2010 and his best strikeout rate as a starter, which are two more promising signs.
One other thing that at least bears mentioning here: Kevin's brother, Trevor Brent Correia, died in a tragic hiking accident last May, and you have to think that might have affected him in some capacity. When the tragedy happened, the pitcher was clicking along with a 3.97 ERA; after it, he posted a 5.84 ERA.
[h3]Five youngsters[/h3]
1. Charlie Morton, Pittsburgh, 2010 ERA: 7.57. Chuckle all you want -- especially you Pirates and Braves fans -- but I'm not ready to write Morton off. Nothing went right for Morton last year, in either performance or luck, but don't cast him away just yet. First, for a little background, check out this complimentary blog about him that I wrote early last season.
Now let's fast-forward to the present. Let's just say I'm looking forward to checking out Morton when I trek from Arizona to Florida a week from now, because spring training reports about him have been very positive thus far. In fact, earlier this week, I discussed him with another scout who has seen him as much as I have in the past, and he offered a glowing report.
New Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage has gotten Morton back to using his two-seam fastball, a pitch he had abandoned in recent years. It appears to have quickly become a go-to pitch he can rely on when he really needs to throw a quality offering for a strike, something that he has been missing as a major leaguer. Also, the scout I talked to noted that "his delivery is as smooth as I've ever seen it and his [arm] slot looks a little lower. He's working 91-94 mph but still getting that sink and dumping that fastball down in the zone. I think if he's that smooth with his delivery, he has a chance to command the ball now. I didn't trust his command before because he couldn't repeat his delivery."
It's quite possible that Morton will tease us yet again, but he's a four-pitch guy with a chance to have three (especially his curveball) that are plus if he can command the ball consistently and pitch with confidence. It's early, but I'll take a chance on his raw stuff one more time, given the positives I'm hearing and the apparently substantive changes in his repertoire. Don't dismiss him because of last year's implosion; there's upside here, if he wins a rotation spot.
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Mark Cunningham/Getty ImagesChris Tillman posted a 3.34 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in Triple-A last season.
2. Chris Tillman, Baltimore Orioles. 2010 ERA: 5.87 ERA. Tillman is still trying to put it all together in the big leagues and find consistency. We know he can get hitters out at the upper levels of the minors; now it's just a matter of carrying that command to the majors and not letting things snowball when they begin to go bad. He was continually backing off his pitches to find his location instead of just letting them go, but he should be able to settle in more as he gains experience.
Normally his horrible 1-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2010 would be a deal-breaker, but he turns just 23 years old in April and has a good scouting pedigree. There's still time for him to shine, especially if he improves the cutter he added to his repertoire last season and/or has more consistent fastball location. Orioles pitchers get no favors by having four of the top-10 run-scoring offenses in baseball last season in their division, but Tillman has enough raw talent to make it work. He isn't likely to start the year with a rotation job, but he could finish with one. This is a player I'd definitely stash away in AL-only leagues.
3. Jesse Litsch, Toronto Blue Jays, 2010 ERA: 5.79. Hip surgery derailed Litsch's return from Tommy John surgery last season, and when he did pitch his strikeout rate was barely above three K's per nine innings, a career low. That said, Litsch was a useful hurler in AL-only leagues in 2007 and 2008. If he can get the K's back up over five per nine innings again with a strong ground ball profile, he can have some value in deep single-league formats, if he wins the fifth starter job. He doesn't have huge upside, but given his ability to throw as many as six pitches at hitters and locate them and keep hitters off-balance, he can have his uses.
4. Felipe Paulino, Colorado Rockies, 2010 ERA: 5.11. The Rockies' Bob Apodaca is one of the more underrated pitching coaches in baseball, and Paulino is his next big project after helping Ubaldo Jimenez and Jorge De La Rosa, among others, develop. Nobody questions Paulino's live arm and raw ability. The Rockies are going to start him in the bullpen, where he can concentrate on throwing his high-90s gas and sharp slider and focus on improving his overall command. He can be dominant and overpowering in a bullpen role, but he still has value as a potential starter. He's worth stashing on reserve in deep NL-only leagues.
5. Sean West, Florida Marlins, 2010 ERA: 7.71. Presuming the elbow issues that sidelined West at the Arizona Fall League and early in camp are behind him, the 6-foot-8 southpaw could emerge from a likely assignment to Triple-A to start the season to have some utility in NL-only play later this year. He has the three-pitch mix to have success at the big league level and make batters miss, but he has battled various injury problems that haven't allowed him to develop consistency, especially in regard to throwing strikes. Taller pitchers can take a little longer to get their mechanics dialed in, and missing time on the mound hasn't helped West in that regard.
It seems to be a pivotal year for West, as he needs to show he can stay out of the trainer's room. But he's at least one name to monitor if you play in a deep NL-only format. There's more potential here than we've seen the past couple seasons.
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I hope we get to see healthy pitchers this year...Marcum was nasty for a while in Toronto.
Do you guys believe Bedard has anything left?
That trade killed Seattle
Bedard's future
11:09
AM ET
Erik Bedard | Mariners
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Left-hander Erik Bedard threw 55 pain-free pitches Thursday, allowing a run on three hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings. It was the first run -- and hits -- he's allowed in 5 2/3 innings of work this spring, while compiling an 8-2 K/BB ratio. Furthermore, Bedard sat 89-91 mph with his fastball, touching 92 on a handful of occasions, a good sign that his shoulder continues to get stronger. So what's this mean?
Well, not much right now, as it's just spring training and Bedard hasn't been truly tested yet. Next time out he may approach 70-75 pitches, and then finally into the 90-100 range as spring closes. If all goes well, there may be reason for optimism. If the southpaw stays healthy and pitches the way he's capable of -- which he believes he will -- he may be trade bait for the rebuilding Mariners.
Considering Bedard has missed most of the past two seasons, however, the M's are likely to take his return slow and stay away from deep pitch counts, which may mean he starts the year as the No. 4 starter.
- Jason A. Churchill
Do you guys believe Bedard has anything left?
That trade killed Seattle
Bedard's future
11:09
AM ET
Erik Bedard | Mariners
TopEmailComments
Share
Left-hander Erik Bedard threw 55 pain-free pitches Thursday, allowing a run on three hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings. It was the first run -- and hits -- he's allowed in 5 2/3 innings of work this spring, while compiling an 8-2 K/BB ratio. Furthermore, Bedard sat 89-91 mph with his fastball, touching 92 on a handful of occasions, a good sign that his shoulder continues to get stronger. So what's this mean?
Well, not much right now, as it's just spring training and Bedard hasn't been truly tested yet. Next time out he may approach 70-75 pitches, and then finally into the 90-100 range as spring closes. If all goes well, there may be reason for optimism. If the southpaw stays healthy and pitches the way he's capable of -- which he believes he will -- he may be trade bait for the rebuilding Mariners.
Considering Bedard has missed most of the past two seasons, however, the M's are likely to take his return slow and stay away from deep pitch counts, which may mean he starts the year as the No. 4 starter.
- Jason A. Churchill
- 8,956
- 39
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
I hope we get to see healthy pitchers this year...Marcum was nasty for a while in Toronto.
Do you guys believe Bedard has anything left?
That trade killed Seattle
Bedard's future
11:09
AM ET
Erik Bedard | Mariners
TopEmailComments
Share
Left-hander Erik Bedard threw 55 pain-free pitches Thursday, allowing a run on three hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings. It was the first run -- and hits -- he's allowed in 5 2/3 innings of work this spring, while compiling an 8-2 K/BB ratio. Furthermore, Bedard sat 89-91 mph with his fastball, touching 92 on a handful of occasions, a good sign that his shoulder continues to get stronger. So what's this mean?
Well, not much right now, as it's just spring training and Bedard hasn't been truly tested yet. Next time out he may approach 70-75 pitches, and then finally into the 90-100 range as spring closes. If all goes well, there may be reason for optimism. If the southpaw stays healthy and pitches the way he's capable of -- which he believes he will -- he may be trade bait for the rebuilding Mariners.
Considering Bedard has missed most of the past two seasons, however, the M's are likely to take his return slow and stay away from deep pitch counts, which may mean he starts the year as the No. 4 starter.
- Jason A. Churchill
Do you guys believe Bedard has anything left?
That trade killed Seattle
Bedard's future
11:09
AM ET
Erik Bedard | Mariners
TopEmailComments
Share
Left-hander Erik Bedard threw 55 pain-free pitches Thursday, allowing a run on three hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings. It was the first run -- and hits -- he's allowed in 5 2/3 innings of work this spring, while compiling an 8-2 K/BB ratio. Furthermore, Bedard sat 89-91 mph with his fastball, touching 92 on a handful of occasions, a good sign that his shoulder continues to get stronger. So what's this mean?
Well, not much right now, as it's just spring training and Bedard hasn't been truly tested yet. Next time out he may approach 70-75 pitches, and then finally into the 90-100 range as spring closes. If all goes well, there may be reason for optimism. If the southpaw stays healthy and pitches the way he's capable of -- which he believes he will -- he may be trade bait for the rebuilding Mariners.
Considering Bedard has missed most of the past two seasons, however, the M's are likely to take his return slow and stay away from deep pitch counts, which may mean he starts the year as the No. 4 starter.
- Jason A. Churchill
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