| Gil Meche, P, Kansas City Royals | Wednesday 3/5, 11:28 PM CT |
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| Gil Meche allowed two hits in three shutout innings Wednesday in a Cactus League win over the Kansas City Royals, 3-1, according to the Associated Press. Meche did not record a single strikeout but also did not allow a single runner past first base. It was Meche's second positive outing this spring who hopes to work as the catalyst for success in Kansas City this season. |
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| B.J. Ryan, P, Toronto Blue Jays | Wednesday 3/5, 10:03 PM CT |
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| B.J. Ryan will look to make his spring training debut on Saturday after a solid outing on Wednesday in a simulated game, this according to MLB.com. "I still try not to do too much, too fast, but on the other hand, I need to get ready to get out there and pitch in some games." Ryan is hoping to be the team's closer from day one this year, though that would be less than one year after he had TJ surgery. Ryan appears to be on his way to closing in April, but we would still caution against putting too much faith in him early until we seem him have solid outings on the mound in game-action. As such, Jeremy Accardo is a must grab for those of you who plan on rostering Ryan. |
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| Milton Bradley will likely begin to serve as a DH in minor league games starting March 12th in his attempt to return to the field from the ACL tear he suffered late last season, this according to MLB.com. "There's nothing I want to rush with Milton. I want him to be right because if he's right, he's going to be productive," manager Ron Washington said. Washington also said that, barring a setback, that Bradley should be able to see some time in the OF before the team leaves camp. Bradley, a big time risk to do the injury factor, could be an all-star if he could ever remain healthy. |
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| Hank Blalock didn't play on Wednesday as he continued to recover from his minor car injury. Blalock's sore neck kept him out of action on Wednesday and will likely do so on Thursday as well, this according to MLB.com. "He's still got whiplash from being hit," manager Ron Washington said. "He's still got residue from that. We'll just take that a day at a time." Blalock hopes to return to DH on Friday in his attempt to reestablish himself as one of the top third basemen in the game in 2008. |
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| Howie Kendrick will be looking to run more this season, this according to MLB.com. "Howie certainly has the ability to steal between 20 and 30 bases a year," manager Mike Scioscia said. This is the type of non-sense we hear from managers each spring. Kendrick does have 11 SB in 160 career games so he offers some 5x5 value for sure, doubling that figure this year seems like a stretch. |
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| Chris Bootcheck, and his strained left oblique, will likely be on the sidelines for up to eight weeks, this according to MLB.com. "I've heard anywhere from four to six [weeks], six to eight," Bootcheck said. "The doctor said within four to 10 days, they'll know a lot about timeframes for throwing off a mound and all that." Bootcheck doesn't figure to be worthy of much attention except in deep AL Only leagues anyway, and for now it's best to leave him on waivers. |
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| Erick Aybar, SS, Los Angeles Angels | Wednesday 3/5, 9:22 PM CT |
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| In the Angels' 5-6 loss to Seattle in Cactus League play on Wednesday, none of the three top candidates for the starting SS job emerged as a player to watch, according to the Associated Press. Erick Aybar went 0-for-1, Maicer Izturis went 1-for-3, and Brandon Wood did not register an at bat. This is a major concern for Angel fans, so hopes of a breakout performance loom large. |
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| Torii Hunter, CF, Los Angeles Angels | Wednesday 3/5, 9:19 PM CT |
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| Torii Hunter doubled, tripled, and scored two run for the Angles in a 5-6 loss to Seattle in Cactus League play today, according to the Associated Press. |
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| Nick Adenhart pitched two and 2/3 of an inning in the Angels' 5-6 loss to Seattle in Cactus League play on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. Adenhart gave up three runs on seven hits in the loss. |
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| Updating an earlier story, Yuniesky Betancourt went 3-for-4 and scored a run in the Mariners' 6-5 victory over the Angels in Cactus League play, according to the Associated Press. |
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| Erik Bedard, P, Seattle Mariners | Wednesday 3/5, 9:16 PM CT |
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| Erik Bedard completed three innings of efficient pitching for Seattle in a 6-5 win over the Angels in Cactus League action today, according to the Associated Press. Bedard, enjoying his first season with the Mariners after joining the team via trade with the Baltimore Orioles, allowed two hits, one run, and a walk with one strikeout in his first spring training appearance. |
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| Adam Miller, P, Cleveland Indians | Wednesday 3/5, 9:15 PM CT |
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| Adam Miller has upped his throwing to 120 feet in his bid to return from a finger blister and he hopes to throw a bullpen session on Friday, this according to MLB.com. "It's been a little frustrating," Miller said. "I'm pretty much ready to go forward." Miller can ill afford any other setbacks if he hopes to make the team out of camp. As it stands now, he will likely begin the year at Triple-A. |
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| Last year Kelly Shoppach was Paul Byrd's personal catcher, though with the team wanting to have Victor Martinez and Ryan Garko's bats in the lineup every day, Shoppach may find himself on the bench more frequently, this according to MLB.com. "We're going to match them up, but I'm not saying they're going to be matched up every single time," manager Eric Wedge said. "There may be situations that dictate otherwise, depending on the rest of our lineup." The other option for the team would be to sit Travis Hafner, and that isn't any more palatable an option than sitting Garko or V-Mart, so the bottom line is that Shoppach may find it difficult to match last seasons total of 161 AB. |
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| In his never ending attempt to play every position on the field, Brandon Inge started in CF for the Tigers on Wednesday, this according to MLB.com. "It's really common sense out there," he said. "It's almost like a golf game. Just figure out the elements and play them." Inge, if he isn't traded, could serve as the backup at C, 3B and CF given his overall athletic ability. Still, without the knowledge of ample AB, it'd hard to recommend him at this point. |
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| Vance Wilson's recovery from TJ surgery doesn't look like it will enable him to be ready by opening day, this according to MLB.com. "More than likely, Vance will not be ready by Opening Day, from what I've seen," manager Jim Leyland said. The team is still trying to convince Brandon Inge to fill the backup catchers role, though they have been less than effective on that front. |
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| Jason Frasor has been dealing with the stomach flu the past week, and though he hasn't pitched in a game he did throw 16 pitches in a simulated game on Wednesday, this according to MLB.com. With B.J. Ryan nearing full health, and Jeremy Accardo around to fill the set up role, Frasor is nothing more than a late round pick in AL Only leagues. |
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| Scott Rolen, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays | Wednesday 3/5, 8:51 PM CT |
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| Scott Rolen has batted second in the Jays lineup the past two games, though manager John Gibbons says that it is just so that Rolen can pick up more AB, this according to MLB.com. "We're trying to get him at least three [at-bats] a day," Gibbons said. "Right now, at this stage, five innings is his limit that we're going with. No, we're not looking at [Rolen batting second in the regular season]." Rolen had only eight HR in 392 AB last season, and the Jays need him to do a whole lot better than that this season since he will hit in a run producing slot in the order. |
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| Starting pitcher Lenny DiNardo allowed just one run and four hits in three innings of work for the A's, helping Oakland to a triumphant 15-4 win over San Diego in Cactus League action today, according to the Associated Press. Getting additional pitching strength out of DiNardo would be a huge plus for the A's. Stay tuned. |
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| Daric Barton, 1B, Oakland Athletics | Wednesday 3/5, 8:36 PM CT |
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| Following an earlier story, Daric Barton has missed the A's last four spring training games due to soreness on the side of his left hand, according to MLB.com. Barton states the injury is due to repitition from taking too many swings with the bat so early in the season. He fielded ground balls with the team before Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Padres but was not included in the starting lineup. The team hopes to get him back in action as early as Thursday when the A's play the Cubs at home, but that may be optimistic. |
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| Mike Sweeney, 1B, Oakland Athletics | Wednesday 3/5, 8:13 PM CT |
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| Mike Sweeney recorded two doubles and three RBIs, going 3-for-3 in Oakland's 15-4 trouncing of the Padres in the Cactus League today, according to the Associated Press. Sweeney has struggled to regain his old form, but veteran have a knack for playing like the days of old when they come to Oakland. Thus far he is hitting .500 (7-for-14) in spring training, a good sign for his effort to earn a job as the backup 1B/DH. |
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| Joe Nathan, P, Minnesota Twins | Wednesday 3/5, 8:00 PM CT |
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| Joe Nathan's injured ankle has healed to the point that he will be able to take the hill on Friday, this according to the AP. Nathan landed oddly last week, and though the team has been very careful with him, the injury is thought to be extremely minor and one that will have no bearing on his ability to take the ball on opening day. |
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| Hideki Matsui took 33 swings in batting practice, the first time he has swung a bat since straining his neck on Saturday, this according to the AP. Matsui is also dealing with an injured knee that is a greater concern, though he is still on schedule to to make the opening day lineup, though he might need to DH at the start of the year. |
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| Ian Kennedy, P, New York Yankees | Wednesday 3/5, 7:49 PM CT |
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| Ian Kennedy started and went two innings for the Yankees on Wednesday as he allowed two hits and one run against the Twins. Kennedy is trying to solidify his spot in the starting rotation with a big spring, so a couple more outings along this line should do the trick. |
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| Kevin Slowey allowed three runs and five hits in two innings of action on Wednesday for the Twins. Slowey also walked two batters on the day. Slowey has now struggled in back-to-back outings as he has had trouble locating his pitches thus far. Still, Slowey figures to be in the lead for the Twins final rotation spot so unless his struggles continue he figures to open the year as the team's number five hurler. |
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| Shelley Duncan continued his impressive start with the Yankees as he hit a solo HR to up his spring numbers to .636 with two HR and nine RBI in four games. “Very impressive,” manager Joe Girardi said to the AP. “He’s done everything a man could do. He’s a ball of energy.” Duncan has started off like a house on fire, but it remains to be seen how much playing time he will be able to pick up given that he is battling Jason Giambi, Wilson Betemit and Morgan Ensberg for AB. |
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| Delmon Young hit a home run and went 2-for-3 for the Twins on Wednesday. “He’s very excited to be here. He’s done everything we’ve asked," manager Ron Gardenhire said in a report on the AP. "[He] said he’ll do whatever we need him to do, and that’s been the way he’s gone about everything.” Young certainly needs to grow as a ballplayer, especially with his plate discipline, but he still hit .288 with 93 RBI as a rookie last year and figures to build on those numbers moving forward. |
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| Joba Chamberlain allowed two hits, walked one, hit a batter and allowed a 2-run homer to Garret Jones on Wednesday. Joba threw only 20 of 36 pitches for strikes against the Twins. “Joba was missing with his breaking ball early in the count, and getting in some bad counts,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “It’s a learning experience.” Momma said there will be days like this. Look for Chamberlain to start the year in the bullpen for the Yanks before being transitioned into the rotation. |
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| Jason Hammel, battling for a spot in the Rays starting rotation, allowed four hits and two runs (one earned), on Wednesday. Hammel owns some pretty horrible career numbers in 129 innings including a 6.70 ERA and 1.72 WHIP, so he's going to need a strong spring to hold off Andy Sonnanstine. |
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| Bartolo Colon threw what is being described as 41 impressive pitches in a bullpen session on Wednesday, 10 days before he is scheduled to take the hill for the Red Sox, this according to the AP. “The expectation was there,” Boston pitching coach John Farrell said. “...I think initially and, again, this is very premature, he’s on the positive side of those expectations.” Colon was thought to be a long shot to join the Red Sox rotation out of camp, but there is always a chance that a strong spring will change that belief. Colon is nothing more than a late round grab at this point as he still has a long way to go to reclaim his Cy Young form. |
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| Jon Lester, P, Boston Red Sox | Wednesday 3/5, 5:14 PM CT |
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| Rebounding from a poor first start, Jon Lester had a solid outing on Wednesday as he allowed one run in three innings to the Reds, this according to the AP. “There was nothing wrong mechanically," he said referring to his last start. “You see somebody other than your own team for the first time, you’re more amped up. That could have resulted in me being a little erratic.” With Curt Schilling starting the year on the DL, Lester will be one of the team's starters unless he has an awful spring. |
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| Joe Borowski allowed three runs in the fourth inning on Wednesday as he continues to be an adventure while on the hill. Borowski will start the season as the Indians closer, but if he continues to make his managers heart race every time he takes the hill, the Indians might turn to Rafael Betancourt or Masahide Kobayashi to take over that role. |
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| Roy Halladay worked three scoreless innings on Wednesday allowing only one hit while striking out two. Halladay also worked on his curveball and appeared to be in mid-season form in this outing. Halladay, who has won 32 games while throwing 445.1 innings the past two seasons, is one of the top-15 hurlers in baseball this year, especially in leagues that award points for complete games (he has 11 the past two seasons). |
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| Coco Crisp, CF, Kansas City Royals | Wednesday 3/5, 3:58 PM CT |
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| Coco Crisp missed a second straight game on Wednesday due to a sore groin, MLB.com notes. He is day-to-day. |
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| Daric Barton, 1B, Oakland Athletics | Wednesday 3/5, 3:55 PM CT |
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| Daric Barton will miss a fifth straight game on Wednesday due to a sore left wrist. He hopes to return Thursday. "He kind of wants to get back in there, but we want to make sure it's completely healed before he goes back out there," manager Bob Geren tells MLB.com. |
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| Kevin Millwood worked to live hitters on Wednesday, throwing 38 pitches. His hamstring appeared to be fine, the Dallas Morning News reports. Hamstring issues were a major problem for Millwood in 2007, and he's not worth touching in combo leagues unless he proves the problem is behind him. |
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| Mark Teahen, RF, Kansas City Royals | Wednesday 3/5, 3:41 PM CT |
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| Mark Teahen couldn't bear to play on Wednesday due to general soreness. “He is a little sore from all of the hitting he’s done,” manager Trey Hillman informs the Kansas City Star. “He’s staying back, taking it easy with his hitting today and work on his defense.” |
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| Jose Guillen, RF, Kansas City Royals | Wednesday 3/5, 3:39 PM CT |
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| Jose Guillen will make his spring debut sometime early next week. The team is letting him set his own schedule. "With Guillen, I’ll check him (Thursday) and see how he’s feeling with his body," manager Trey Hillman tells the Kansas City Star. "He says he’s getting close. I think it’ll definitely be by the ninth or the 10th, but I don’t want to nail it down yet.” |
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| The Mariners are using Yuniesky Betancourt in the No. 2 spot of the lineup on Wednesday. "We want to take a look at it." manager John McLaren informs the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Thus far, Betancourt is 2-for-2 in the game. The 26-year-old shortstop is an AL-only player when working out of the No. 8 or No. 9 spot, but if it works out, this move makes him more intriguing in mixed leagues. |
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| The White Sox will shut down Carlos Quentin for a few days in order to rest his surgically repaired left shoulder. "This kid is going to be here for good and I think he was creating bad habits with his swing and it led to some soreness, but he'll be fine," manager Ozzie Guillen tells the Chicago Tribune. We're beginning to wonder if Quentin's shoulder will cause him to open the year back in the minors. He remains an intriguing long-term prospect, but this injury and a crowded outfield cloud his 2008 value. |
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| Jerry Owens, CF, Chicago White Sox | Wednesday 3/5, 3:20 PM CT |
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| Jerry Owens remains out due to a sore groin, and he is expected to miss a few more days. "I don't like the way he was running the bases," manager Ozzie Guillen tells the Chicago Tribune. "The key for him is his legs and we have to keep those legs fresh." |
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| Carl Crawford collided with Astros catcher Humberto Quintero, but he emerged unscathed. "The bat was on the right side and that's where I was about to slide," Crawford informs the Tampa Tribune. "He was kind of up the line, more so than where a catcher usually stands, so I didn't really have too much of a choice." |
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| Carlos Guillen went 2-for-3 with a pair of homers and three RBI in a spring win over the Phillies on Wednesday. He will start at first base this year but is still eligible and most valuable as a fantasy shortstop. |
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| Francisco Liriano felt good on Wednesday morning, one day after throwing 45 pitches in a bullpen session. He confirms with the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he will make his spring debut on Friday. |
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| Aubrey Huff, DH, Baltimore Orioles | Wednesday 3/5, 1:19 PM CT |
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| Aubrey Huff is in the lineup on Wednesday. He is making his spring debut following offseason surgery to repair a sports hernia. Barring any setbacks, Huff has plenty of time to ramp up for the regular season. |
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| Julio Lugo, SS, Boston Red Sox | Wednesday 3/5, 1:15 PM CT |
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| Julio Lugo sat again on Wednesday due to a sore back, the Boston Globe reports. He is day-to-day, and we're not too concerned at this point. |
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| Rocco Baldelli remains stuck at DH. The Rays are eager to test his health with a stint in the outfield, but they are not ready. “The conversations up to this point, I’m just not comfortable getting him out there [in the outfield],” manager Joe Maddon tells the Tampa Tribune. “We would like to do it, but it just does not seem it’s appropriate right now.” Baldelli is not in lineup on Wednesday and will DH on Thursday or Friday. |
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| Scott Kazmir played catch on Wednesday morning, the Tampa Tribune reports. He threw about 25 tosses from 60 feet. Manager Joe Maddon hopes Kazmir can test his sore elbow with a bullpen session next Monday or Tuesday. |
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| Troy Percival will make his spring debut on Thursday, following a workout on Tuesday. "I spoke with him afterwards and he felt great, so he's on task," manager Joe Maddon tells MLB.com. He still has plenty of time to get up to speed and is expected to be the closer on opening day. |
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| Matt Thornton worked a scoreless inning on Tuesday, his first outing of the spring. He has been dealing with elbow soreness. "I felt fine all spring, it was just I was behind," Thornton tells the Chicago Tribune. "Now, I'm getting ready for the season. I'll be able to get another couple of one-inning outings and then get a two-inning outing and the back-to-backs." |
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| We're still relatively early in the spring schedule, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says that the catcher battle is still tight between Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The huge worry for fantasy owners is that Salty will lose and end up back in Triple-A. He has the ability to be a top-10 (if not top-5) fantasy catcher, but he obviously needs the job and the at-bats. |
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| Daisuke Matsuzaka was tipping his changeup in 2007, pitching coach John Farrell informs the Boston Globe. Thus, the hurler has been working to improve his technique this spring. "I spoke to a few pitchers that have good changeups as to the grip on the ball and as to form and things like that. I think I arranged that advice into my own style. But for now, it definitely feels good," Matsuzaka explains. Farrell adds that the changeup has turned into a "much more usable pitch." |
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| Jonathan Papelbon is the latest young player not happy about his contract situation. "It's a tough situation for me right now because basically I'm at a point to where I feel like the position I'm in, there's a certain standard that needs to be put in place here," he tells the Boston Globe. "I feel like with me being at the top of my position, I feel like that standard needs to be set and I'm the one to set that standard. And I don't think that the Red Sox are really necessarily seeing eye to eye with me on that subject right now." The Red Sox will likely renew Papelbon's contract soon, and he'll make something short of $1 million. |
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| Cubs general manager Jim Hendry has dismissed rumors that his team is on the verge of acquiring Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts. "There have been no active talks in any trade situation in the last five to six days," Hendry tells the Chicago Tribune. |
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