|
 LHP Jose Quintana is penciled in as the No. 2 starter for the
White Sox in camp, following up LHP Chris Sale. What Quintana would
also like to follow up is the $32.5 million contract extension Sale
earned last spring. Like Sale, Quintana will likely receive Super 2
arbitration status before next season. The White Sox wanted to avoid
arbitration with Sale, so they locked him up. Quintana, who threw
200 innings and had a 3.51 ERA last season, knows that type of money
is not awaiting him, but would still like that security. "I was
happy for Chris when he got that contract," Quintana said. "He's a
good teammate, he pitches hard in every start and the team has a
chance to win every time he pitches." And while there haven't been
discussions yet, it's still a long camp. "We did it with Chris last
year when he was coming off his All-Star appearance and was top-six
in Cy Young voting," White Sox GM Rick Hahn said. "We're not afraid
to lock in young guys with a deal that makes sense for both sides."
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MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Dunn, Adam
DH/1B Adam Dunn was given permission to leave the team and attend
the Oscars on Sunday, and was given the blessing by both Hahn and
manager Robin Ventura. "I appreciate Rick and Robin doing it
face-to-face because if I saw anything remotely that they really,
truly weren't 100 percent on board, I wouldn't do it," Dunn said of
leaving the team. Dunn was attending for the movie "Dallas Buyers
Club," in which he played a small, non-speaking role as a bartender,
but was also an investor in the film, which had six nominations,
including best picture.
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MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Paulino, Felipe
RHP Felipe Paulino is quietly putting together a solid camp so far,
not only because of his stuff on the mound, but also because there
have been no setbacks or restrictions in the wake of Tommy John
surgery and having a cyst removed from his right shoulder last fall.
"I'm trying to do the best I can to show everybody I'm back,"
Paulino said. "No restrictions at all. My arm is responding well.
Hopefully everything is OK." The veteran is competing for a spot in
the starting rotation, and would give the Sox another right-hander,
along with youngster Erik Johnson.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Masterson, Justin
RHP Justin Masterson avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a
one-year deal worth $9.75 million. However, the Indians and
Masterson will continue to talk through spring training in hopes of
reaching an agreement on a multiyear extension. Masterson can become
a free agent after the 2014 season.
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Iglesias, Jose
SS Jose Iglesias will get "about a week" of rest due to shin splints
in both legs. It's the same ailment that Iglesias played with most
of last season, finally putting him out of action late in the
regular season. Manager Brad Ausmus took him out of Detroit's Feb.
27 exhibition game when he noticed the shortstop was slow running to
first. "It's inflammation for which he's started treatment," Ausmus
said. "Talking to him after the game, we decided to try and nip this
in the bud now. So he probably won't play in the neighborhood of a
week. The amount of time is adjustable, but that's the process right
now. He had an MRI done to rule out a stress fracture and that has
been ruled out. But he didn't look like he was running great." The
Tigers will use Minor League shortstops and UTL Steve Lombardozzi in
the interim. The Tigers are mildly concerned it may be a recurring
issue.
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Lombardozzi, Steve
UTL Steve Lombardozzi will get plenty of game work at shortstop to
see if he's a viable option should regular SS Jose Iglesias get hurt
or need a day or two of rest. The Tigers let backup middle infielder
Ramon Santiago go at the end of last season and need a backup at the
position. Lombardozzi has played less than a handful of games at the
position in the Majors and just slightly more than that all told.
"We'll find out," manager Brad Ausmus said recently. "I just want to
see him play short. "I think he can make the plays. But I want to
see his range. And I'll consult Omar Vizquel (Tigers infield
coach)."
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Garcia, Avisail
RF Avisail Garcia has been seeing most of his starts for the White
Sox as a middle-of-the-order type hitter, but Ventura revealed that
there could be a stint in Cactus League play where they give Garcia
some looks in the No. 2 hole. "He could very easily (bat third), and
there's really an opportunity for him even if we want to bat him
second," Ventura said. "He has that kind of approach at the plate.
He does have some speed that you can utilize there. There are some
ideas of throwing him in there. When you look at it, you like what
you see when you see it in there. It might happen." For now, Adam
Eaton was hitting leadoff and Alexei Ramirez was getting chances in
the No. 2 hole, but that could change.
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MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Belisario, Ronald
RHP Ronald Belisario was given a $3 million contract in free agency
this offseason to solidify the White Sox bullpen, but that's been
hard to do so far, as he entered last weekend not even in camp yet.
Belisario has visa problems, something that became an issue for him
almost annually while he was with the Dodgers. "It's certainly not
something that is in our control, but it is something we hope is
coming to a resolution in the coming days," Hahn said. "I don't have
a specific time frame, but I do know there's been some progress, and
we're hopeful in the coming week we'll have resolution."
 -----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Harang, Aaron
RHP Aaron Harang was a late addition, signed to a minor league
contract and invited to the big league camp as a non-roster player.
Harang is competing with RHP Carlos Carrasco, RHP Josh Tomlin and
RHP Trevor Bauer for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation. "He's
a veteran who knows how to pitch. We're looking forward to seeing
what he can do," Indians manager Terry Francona said.
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Porcello, Rick
RHP Rick Porcello worked two strong innings against Atlanta in his
first exhibition outing, working on his curveball from the start.
"Throwing my curve and sticking to it as my main breaking pitch was
a decision we made last year," Porcello said. "It's the pitch I saw
some really good results from -- and feel a lot more confident in.
Now is the time to get better with it and really use it as a
weapon." He struck out three straight batters in his second inning
as he employed the breaking ball to great effect. "You guys saw me
throw three years ago, and you see me throw now," he said. "I feel
I'm throwing my breaking ball a lot better and more consistently
than in the past. The curve felt pretty good. It's not quite as
sharp as I'd like it to be, but it was the first time out. So it's
something to keep working toward."
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Jackson, Austin
CF Austin Jackson may not lead off a great deal during exhibition
games but that's strictly to give rookie manager Brad Ausmus a look
at his alternatives. Ausmus can see what other players look like
leading off and how Jackson functions at different spots lower in
the batting order. "The plan is, when he's in there, to try him in a
few different spots," Ausmus said. "But let's put it this way: If we
decide to hit him leadoff, it's not as if he's never done it
before."
-----------------------------------------------MLB Note - Detroit
Tigers Verlander, Justin
RHP Justin Verlander hasn't had his first exhibition start announced
but it's likely to be late in the first week of March. Verlander was
up to 60 pitches in his bullpen sessions as February ended and had
pitched batting practice. He was declared to be finished with his
rehab Feb. 20 following early January surgery for sports hernia
repair. Verlander has been saying he's pain free after throwing and
the next day. "If there are no setbacks, Justin Verlander will be
right around 100 pitches (when Spring Training ends)," manager Brad
Ausmus said recently. "If he's up to 100 pitches, Justin Verlander
could probably will himself to be Justin Verlander." At some point
Ausmus will have to choose between Verlander and Cy Young winner Max
Scherzer to pitch Opening Day.
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Chamberlain, Joba
RHP Joba Chamberlain had a scoreless first spring exhibition inning
as he works to re-establish himself as a dominant relief pitcher.
Chamberlain didn't walk a batter and gave up a hit while throwing
first-pitch strikes to all four batters he faced. "Just to be able
to throw my slider early for a strike, and then to be able to put it
where I wanted to at the end of the at-bat (was big)," Chamberlain
said. "My fastball command was really good and got some swing and
misses and got some ground balls." He was clocked at 90-92 mph, down
from the 95 he averaged last season, but his goal is to throw
strikes and put the ball where he wants it. "I want to go out and
throw 92-93 in my first couple outings," he said. "Every pitch I
think was around 92, which for me is great. When I'm younger, you
can kind of go out and let your emotions get the best of you,
because you're in a game situation. But I've learned to slow the
game down and get what I need to get done, which for me is just
fastball location and getting my slider to be back where it needs to
be. Those two things I really wanted to focus on." He's lost weight
since last season, hired a personal chef and is paying more
attention to his conditioning.
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Avila, Alex
C Alex Avila, who lost more than two weeks as the result of a
concussion during a home plate collision last season, likes the new
rules Major League Baseball has put in place in an effort to reduce
damage on plays at the plate this season. "It's not too involved,
not too detailed," Avila said recently. "The runner can still do
what he can to score, and the catcher can still do whatever he can
to prevent it. What it's eliminating is the play where there's an
unnecessary collision; where the catcher is in front of the plate
waiting for the ball and the runner ends up hitting him to make sure
he doesn't catch it. That's the dangerous one. But I like what
they've done, because I didn't want the plate to be turned into just
any old base."
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Escobar, Alcides
SS Alcides Escobar missed the first three exhibition games,
returning to Florida to be with his wife for the birth of their
first child Saturday. SS Pedro Ciriaco replaced him and committed
two errors, one fielding and one throwing Thursday in the spring
training opener, a loss to the Texas Rangers. Rookie Christian Colon
started at shortstop Friday and contributed a two-run single.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Raburn, Ryan
OF Ryan Raburn is expected to get a lot of his at-bats this year as
the right-handed platoon with left-handed hitting David Murphy in
right field. Raburn is coming off the best year of his career,
hitting .272 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs in just 243 at-bats last
season. Raburn says he enjoys his role as a bench player. "Having a
bench role can be hard for some guys to accept because everyone
wants to play," he said. "But I'm at the point in my career where I
know what's best for me, and that's coming off the bench."
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Santana, Carlos
C Carlos Santana, who is trying to make the conversion from catcher
to third base this spring, will play only third base for the first
couple of weeks of spring training games, according to Cleveland
manager Terry Francona. "The first couple of weeks he'll play third,
then at some point we'll get him behind the plate," Francona said.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Swisher, Nick
1B Nick Swisher was held out of the Indians' first few spring
training games, not because of an injury but to allow Swisher time
to ease into the season. Swisher struggled early in the regular
season in 2013. "He felt like he got ready a little too quick last
season," manager Terry Francona said.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Chen, Bruce
LHP Bruce Chen, who is penciled in as the No. 4 starter, yielded two
runs, one unearned, in two innings in the exhibition-opening loss on
Thursday to the Rangers. Chen threw 18 strikes in 26 pitches.
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Aoki, Norichika
RF Norichika Aoki reached base four times Friday in the 11-1 rout of
the Rangers. He singled, doubled, walked and reached on a throwing
error. "That's who Aoki is," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He's a
real consistent performer."
-----------------------------------------------
MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Shields, James
RHP James Shields threw only 10 pitches and one inning, getting
three groundouts, on Friday in his spring training debut against the
Rangers. Shields then went to the bullpen and threw another 20
pitches. "It's all about pacing yourself," said Shields, who has
thrown 200-plus innings the past seven years.
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MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Cleto, Maikel
RHP Maikel Cleto, who was designated for assignment Feb. 17, was
claimed off waivers Wednesday by the Chicago White Sox. Cleto was
DFA after the Royals picked up OF Jimmy Paredes off the waiver wire
from the Orioles. Cleto, who has a 97-98 mph fastball, had a 3.55
ERA and averaged 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 38 innings last
season with Triple-A Omaha.
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