Friday, March 14, 2014
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[March 14, 2014]  (The Sports Xchange) — Major League Baseball player notes:

Pittsburgh Pirates: Lambo, Andrew

OF/1B Andrew Lambo got off to poor start in his effort to show he should be a platoon mate with right-handed-hitting 1B Gaby Sanchez. Lambo, a left-handed-hitting rookie, went 2-for-23 (.087) in Grapefruit League play through March 13. However, the Pirates remain intrigued by Lambo after the 25-year-old hit a combined 32 home runs with Triple-A Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona last season. "As an organization, we need to look at Andrew's power," manager Clint Hurdle said. "You can spend $10 million, $15 million on a free agent with power, but you're obviously better served to find your own internally."

Pittsburgh Pirates: Polanco, Gregory

RF Gregory Polanco has been the talk of the Pirates' camp this spring. The 22-year-old started off 6-for-22 (.273) in Grapefruit League play with two doubles and one home run, but he routinely put on shows during workouts with his power and strong arm. "He's a true five-tool talent," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. "We're excited about his future."

The key word is future.

Polanco will begin the season at Triple-A Indianapolis regardless of what happens this spring. Part of it has to do with the fact that he has played just two games at that level, and part of it has to do with the fact the Pirates don't want to start his arbitration and free agency clocks.


Pittsburgh Pirates: Tabata, Jose

OF Jose Tabata and OF Travis Snider are vying to be the everyday right fielder. They spent most of last season platooning while the Pirates enjoyed both their first winning season and their first postseason appearance since 1992. The left-handed-hitting Snider faced right-handed pitchers, and the right-handed-hitting Tabata started against left-handers. Both took a seat on the bench, though, after veteran Marlon Byrd was acquired Aug. 27 from the New York Mets in a trade.

Snider is making the better showing this spring, going 6-for-21 (.286) with two doubles and one homer through March 13. Tabata is just 3-for-22 (.136) with no extra-base hits.

Cincinnati Reds: Marshall, Sean

LHP Sean Marshall, shut down after his shoulder flared up, is set to return to throwing off the mound. "He's definitely behind schedule but if we don't have any setbacks, we're optimistic in that he'll be ready in that first week or two of the regular season," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I don't know how to estimate when he'll be ready. We haven't seen him off the mound yet." It would be challenging at this point in time to start the season on the roster. But we'll wait and see." When his shoulder stiffened early the spring, the Reds went the conservation route. Marshall feels good now. "It's been going really well," he said. "It's been an arm-building week. I feel great — no sore after throwing. I'm getting back on track."

Cincinnati Reds: Broxton, Jonathan

RHP Jonathan Broxton, coming off elbow surgery, will pitch in a game for the first time on Monday. Broxton threw a live batting practice session Tuesday. "We didn't want him to have another live session," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We wanted to give his arm a little bit of a breather. He's done a lot of throwing."

Cincinnati Reds: Latos, Mat

RHP Mat Latos will throw his second live batting practice session Friday. If that goes well, Latos will be allowed to pitch in a game. Latos is coming off Feb. 14 knee surgery and Oct. 10 elbow surgery. He recently began throwing breaking balls again.

Tampa Bay Rays: Price, David

LHP David Price will start the Rays' season opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 31 at Tropicana Field. "After many hours of discussion and back and forth among the staff and discussion on my Twitter account, we've decided to go with David Price as the Opening Day starter," manager Joe Maddon said March 13 with tongue in cheek.

Price, 28, won the American League Cy Young Award in 2012, but he took a step back in 2013. In 27 starts last year, Price went 10-8 with a 3.33 ERA. He also missed six weeks at midseason due to a triceps strain.


Pittsburgh Pirates: Snider, Travis

OF Travis Snider and OF Jose Tabata are vying to be the everyday right fielder. They spent most of last season platooning while the Pirates enjoyed both their first winning season and their first postseason appearance since 1992. The left-handed-hitting Snider faced right-handed pitchers, and the right-handed-hitting Tabata started against left-handers. Both took a seat on the bench, though, after veteran Marlon Byrd was acquired Aug. 27 from the New York Mets in a trade.

Snider is making the better showing this spring, going 6-for-21 (.286) with two doubles and one homer through March 13. Tabata is just 3-for-22 (.136) with no extra-base hits.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Morris, Bryan

RHP Bryan Morris is working on a new pitch this spring as he tries to include a two-pitch sinking fastball into his arsenal. He is achieving mixed results, allowing three runs and three hits in first 4 1/3 innings, though he worked two perfect innings March 13 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Morris, 26, spent his first full season in the major leagues last year and had a 3.46 ERA in 55 relief appearances. He is out of minor league options and could be used as trade bait in the next few weeks as the Pirates try to acquire a left-handed-hitting first baseman before Opening Day.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Cole, Gerrit

RHP Gerrit Cole's fastball consistently hitting 95-97 mph on the radar gun during his spring starts, which is in line with how hard Cole threw last season as a rookie. His fastball averaged 95.5 mph in 2013, according to FanGraphs. Cole has five strikeouts in five innings so far in exhibition play.

Rodriguez, Henry

INF Henry Rodriguez was recently released by the Reds. Rodriguez played briefly in the majors the last two years. He was a .297 career hitter in the minors. "We all think very highly of Henry," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He's been in the system a while. He's always been a great kid. He's well-liked in the organization. We felt like he wasn't going to get the same amount of playing time as in years past after coming off the roster."

Cincinnati Reds: Holmberg, David

LHP David Holmberg, 22, was among 16 to go in the first round of cut. He came to the Reds from Arizona in the three-team trade that sent Ryan Hanigan to Tampa Bay. Holmberg was slowed after taking a ball off the shin. "We had to skip him and push him back," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He ended up pitching in that (intrasquad) game. He wasn't real sharp. Right now, we're just building up guys ahead of him. Especially with (Alfredo) Simon in there, it was going to be hard to get him the repetitions and get him stretched out. We would have liked to take a longer look at him. That being said, should he go out and be the best pitcher in Triple-A for us, he's still head of the class if we have any issues with our starting rotation. But he's got to get regular work to get himself locked in."


Cincinnati Reds: Hannahan, Jack

3B Jack Hannahan, who underwent right shoulder surgery after last season, finally made his spring debut March 13. He flied out as a pinch hitter. Hannahan was not yet ready to field his position.

Cleveland Indians: Giambi, Jason

DH Jason Giambi will miss three to four weeks due to a fractured rib, the Indians announced March 13. Giambi was injured when he was hit by a pitch thrown by Chicago Cubs RHP Edwin Jackson on March 7. Giambi had an MRI on March 12, and the fracture was revealed.

The 43-year-old is a non-roster invitee to spring training. He hit .183 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs in 186 at-bats last year.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Ishikawa, Travis

1B Travis Ishikawa made his Grapefruit League debut March 10 after straining his right calf Feb. 25 in an intrasquad game. In camp as a non-roster player, Ishikawa has an outside chance to become the left-handed-hitting half of a platoon at first base with 1B Gaby Sanchez, though fellow lefties Andrew Lambo and Chris McGuinness are also vying for at-bats.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Taillon, Jameson

RHP Jameson Taillon, considered the Pirates' top pitching prospect, was among the first wave of cuts on March 10. He was reassigned to the minor league camp. He pitched twice in Grapefruit League play and allowed three runs — one earned — and four hits in 2 2/3 innings with one walk and no strikeouts. Taillon was bothered by a blister on his pitching hand in his second outing. He is likely begin the season at Triple-A Indianapolis after going a combined 5-10 with a 3.73 ERA in 26 games between Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona last season.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Locke, Jeff

LHP Jeff Locke (tightness in right side) was scratched from his scheduled start against Toronto on March 5, then suffered a setback during a throwing session March 10. There is no timetable for when he will return to game action. He likely will begin the season on the disabled list.

Pittsburgh Pirates: McPherson, Kyle

RHP Kyle McPherson (Tommy John surgery in July 2013) is throwing off a mound in his recovery and expected to be able to pitch in minor league rehab games by June.


Philadelphia Phillies: Rollins, Jimmy

SS Jimmy Rollins, hitless in his past 12 at-bats this spring and batting .133 (2-for-15), was held out of three consecutive games March 11-13. Rollins wasn't certain if the benching was caused by remarks he made to the Philadelphia Daily News about preseason stats not counting, but manager Ryne Sandberg denied that was the case. Sandberg said he merely wanted to get a look at Freddy Galvis at shortstop, and that he thought Rollins needed a break.

Boston Red Sox: Peavy, Jake

RHP Jake Peavy made his Grapefruit League debut March 13, and he threw three-plus innings of one-run ball against the Minnesota Twins. Peavy allowed two hits and two walks, and he struck out two. "Given it was his first outing in this setting, I thought he threw the ball very well," manager John Farrell said, according to the Boston Globe. "It was good to see him get challenged in that way." Peavy missed the first two weeks of exhibition action after he sustained minor nerve damage when he cut through a tendon in his left index finger with a fishing knife March 1.

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Pittsburgh Pirates: Hughes, Jared

RHP Jared Hughes believes the bite is back on his sinker this spring after he struggled last season in the major leagues, posting a 4.78 ERA in 29 games. Hughes led National League rookies with 66 relief appearances in 2012 and had a 2.85 ERA, which was aided by having an outstanding 61 percent ground-ball rate.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Marte, Starling

LF Starling Marte is having a so-so spring, going 7-for-26 (.269) with one extra-base hit, a double, through March 13. While spring training stats don't usually mean anything, Marte's lack of power is somewhat concerning. Last year, he had just four extra-base hits in his last 56 plate appearances, including the postseason, after being out from Aug. 19-Sept. 8 because of a bruised right index finger.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Alvarez, Pedro

3B Pedro Alvarez struck out four times in his first 28 plate appearances of the Grapefruit League season. That is an encouraging sign after he led the National League with 186 strikeouts last season in 614 trips to the plate. Alvarez also hit 36 home runs in 2013, tying Arizona Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt for the league lead.

Milwaukee Brewers: Gallardo, Yovani

RHP Yovani Gallardo was named the Brewers' Opening Day starter once again by manager Ron Roenicke. Gallardo will be the first pitcher in club history to start on Opening Day in five consecutive seasons.

Milwaukee Brewers: Rodriguez, Francisco

RHP Francisco Rodriguez, already behind the other pitchers after arriving late in camp, suffered another setback when he stepped bare-foot on a cactus in the backyard of his spring home. Rodriguez had several spines removed from his left foot and the lingering swelling and soreness delayed his first exhibition appearance.

Boston Red Sox: Olmsted, Michael

RHP Michael Olmsted, a non-roster invitee to the Milwaukee Brewers camp, was released after posting a 6.75 ERA in two exhibition outings. Olmsted, who had been removed from the 40-man roster after a rough 2013 in the minors, signed a minor league deal with Boston after being released.


Milwaukee Brewers: Duke, Zach

LHP Zach Duke, a non-roster invitee to camp, impressed manager Ron Roenicke and his stuff with the way he performed in exhibition games. In five appearances, Duke was 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA and had six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. The former starter said he embraced a change to relief pitching.

Milwaukee Brewers: Weeks, Rickie

2B Rickie Weeks (offseason hamstring surgery) had scar tissue break up while running the bases March 12, but that was viewed as a good thing. Weeks said he felt freer moving around afterward and expected to only get better.

Milwaukee Brewers: Gorzelanny, Tom

LHP Tom Gorzelanny (shoulder surgery) will open the season on the 15-day disabled list. Gorzelanny is making progress in a throwing program but does not have enough time left to be ready by Opening Day.

St. Louis Cardinals: Taveras, Oscar

OF Oscar Taveras, who had right ankle surgery last season, was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on March 13. He missed a week with a tight hamstring in the same leg after playing in only two spring games.

St. Louis Cardinals: Wong, Kolten

2B Kolten Wong, after starting the spring 0-for-10, exploded for seven hits in his next 13 at-bats, including home runs on back-to-back days as he eased some doubts about whether he could become the regular second baseman. "He's finding his rhythm," manager Mike Matheny said of Wong, who was the Cardinals' top draft pick in 2011.

St. Louis Cardinals: Motte, Jason

RHP Jason Motte should be ready for game duty, probably on minor league fields, sometime in mid-March. Motte, ahead of schedule in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, likely would start the season on the disabled list and thus couldn't appear in major league games in Florida if the Cardinals want to backdate his disablement 10 days before the season opener.

St. Louis Cardinals: Piscotty, Stephen

OF Stephen Piscotty, 23, was one of the surprises in camp. Piscotty, a supplemental first-round pick in 2012, had four extra-base hits in a span of five at-bats in the third week of games and was playing right field well. However, Piscotty, who has only 1 1/2 years of minor league experience, probably will start the season at Triple-A Memphis where he can continue to play every day instead of sitting on the bench in the majors.

St. Louis Cardinals: Martinez, Carlos E.

RHP Carlos Martinez allowed just two runs in his first 10 spring innings as a starter, complicating the makeup of the Cardinals' rotation for the start of the season. Martinez, the lockdown, eighth-inning reliever last October, is dueling with holdover starter Joe Kelly for the final spot. Manager Mike Matheny said it was too early to make any sort of decision but conceded Martinez, 22, was making it interesting.


Chicago Cubs: Olt, Mike

3B Mike Olt entered the weekend not having played a minute of third base for the Chicago Cubs, but he was well on his way to solving a big problem there and at other spots. Olt hit two home runs as the designated hitter in a March 12 game against the Seattle Mariners. That gave him three for the Cactus League season and had him tied for the team lead with shortstop prospect Javier Baez.

The Cubs have been hoping Olt can step up and win the third base job in the spring. That would fill a gaping hole the Cubs have had since Aramis Ramirez left after the 2011 season. It also would allow them to slot players such as Luis Valbuena and Donnie Murphy into backup and utility roles instead of having them play too much and getting overexposed.

Chicago Cubs: Jackson, Edwin

RHP Edwin Jackson said there was no issue or problem between him and manager Rick Renteria over pitch selection. While facing minor leaguers this past week, Jackson threw a full repertoire of pitches. In his previous Cactus League start, however, he went with only fastballs, and that seemed to cause some communication problems between him and Renteria. Jackson said he merely wanted to work on fastball command. "I told them before the game," he said. "I don't know if they thought it was for real. I got tired of being asked about it." Renteria said the case is closed. "He threw three pitches (against the minor leaguers)," Renteria said. "It speaks for itself, I think."

Chicago Cubs: Samardzija, Jeff

RHP Jeff Samardzija continues to shrug off trade rumors. Every time Samardzija pitches, a good number of scouts are in attendance. Samardzija is the Cubs' probable Opening Day starter on March 31 at Pittsburgh. "Just going with the flow, man," Samardzija said. "I'm out here pitching, and I'm really excited with how I feel for this season and where I'm at right now."

Chicago Cubs: Castro, Starlin

SS Starlin Castro entered the weekend having not played since March 2 because of a sore left hamstring. The Cubs originally talked of getting him into game action by the end of the week, but it appears they will delay his return until the week of March 16. Manager Rick Renteria said the plan is to have Castro ready for the regular season and not risk re-injury. "We want him ready for April," Renteria said.


Chicago Cubs: Russell, James

LHP James Russell made his Cactus League debut March 12 after being brought along slowly because of a "dead arm." Russell, the workhorse of the Cubs' bullpen the past two seasons, gave up one hit and a run against the Seattle Mariners in his first spring outing. Russell worked in 74 games last year and 77 in 2012. This year, the Cubs got him some help from the left side in veteran Wesley Wright, whom they signed in the offseason.

Chicago Cubs: Baez, Javier

SS Javier Baez entered the weekend with three home runs to tie INF Mike Olt for the team lead. The Cubs insist Baez will open the season at Triple-A Iowa as a shortstop. However, expect Baez to see action at second base and possibly third in the upcoming week of the Cactus League season. Baez hit 37 home runs and drove in 111 runs in two minor league stops last year. Baez might come up this season, but with Starlin Castro firmly entrenched as the shortstop, somebody will have to move. Right now, it looks like the Cubs are preparing for that somebody to be Baez.

[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

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