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 03/10/2015 MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Young Jr., Eric
OF Eric Young Jr. hit a two-run homer against the Nationals on March
9 and threw a runner out at third base as he continued to make a
strong early impression. The veteran non-roster invitee had played
well in center field while stamping himself as the favorite to start
there with Melvin Upton Jr. opening the season on the disabled list.
Young, the Braves' best leadoff possibility, had three stolen bases
and three walks in his first four games.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Toscano, Dian
OF Dian Toscano still had not reported to camp by March 10 because
of visa issues, ensuring that he will start the season in the
minors. The 25-year-old native of Cuba signed a four-year,
$6-million deal on Jan. 28 that included a $1.2 million signing
bonus. Toscano, a left-handed hitter, batted .356 in 2012-13 for
Villa Clara in Cuba's top league, but didn't play last season.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Johnson, Chris
3B Chris Johnson was scheduled to return to the lineup on March 11
after missing three games because of a sore left wrist. He is
working on a new hands position at the plate and the wrist became
inflamed with extra batting practice. Second in the 2013 National
League batting race, Johnson fell off to .263 last year.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Minor, Mike
LHP Mike Minor had an injection in his shoulder March 9 after being
diagnosed with rotation cuff inflammation and will have to open the
season on the disabled list. An MRI found no structural damage.
Minor missed the first month a year ago because of shoulder issues.
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MLB Note - Miami Marlins Morse, Michael
1B Michael Morse has played 10 big-league seasons but mostly as an
outfielder. He has played just 139 games at first base, the position
the Marlins acquired him to play. In Thursday's spring training
opener, Morse had a ball go off his glove, and if any fans were
worried about his defense, that play surely did not ease the
concern. Make no mistake, though. Morse was brought in for his bat.
At 6-5 and 245 pounds, he has power to all fields. He is 32 now and
is no longer the same hitter who banged out 31 homers and drove in
95 runs four years ago, but he is still productive on offense. He
hit .279 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs last season for the Giants, and
the Marlins are expecting similar numbers from him in the middle of
their lineup.
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MLB Note - Miami Marlins Ozuna, Marcell
CF Marcell Ozuna has been compared to former standouts Vladimir
Guerrero and Ruben Sierra. Ozuna emerged last season, hitting 23
homers and driving in 85 runs. He also placed second in the National
League with 10 outfield assists. He needs to cut down on his 164
strikeouts, which were seventh most in the league. But that could
require just a bit more focus. Ozuna is just 24 and a true force at
6-1 and 230 pounds. He can learn to steal more often -- he is 8 of
10 on stolen bases for his two-year career. And he can improve his
.313 career on-base percentage. But Ozuna was 4.4 Wins Above
Replacement last season, and the Marlins may have a budding star.
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Stroman, Marcus
RHP Marcus Stroman sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament that
will sideline him for the 2015 season. Stroman was injured during a
drill March 10 at spring training when he was fielding a bunt, and
he heard a pop in his left knee. The 23-year-old was coming off an
impressive debut season in the major leagues. Stroman posted an 11-6
record with one save and a 3.67 ERA in 26 games and 20 starts
covering 130 2/3 innings in 2014. His walks-to-strikeouts ratio was
an impressive 28/111. With Stroman out of the rotation, the Blue
Jays are expected to turn to RHP Marco Estrada, LHP Daniel Norris
and RHP Aaron Sanchez to compete for the opening.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Minor, Mike
LHP Mike Minor has inflammation in the rotator cuff of his pitching
shoulder that will force him to miss the Braves' opening day.
Minor will not be allowed to throw for two weeks during spring
training, but noted surgeon Dr. James Andrews on Monday found no
structural damage to the shoulder.
Braves general manager John Hart said the diagnosis was "about as
good of news as we could have had."
Minor experienced shoulder problems last season that delayed his
first start until May 2. He was scratched from his first spring
start this year after feeling tightness while throwing batting
practice last week.
"I don't think this is like what Mike went through last year," Hart
said. "It's an entirely different situation."
Minor finished last season with a 6-12 record and a 4.77 ERA in 145
innings covering 25 starts.
"They say there is nothing wrong structurally," Minor said.
"Hopefully, the stretching and shoulder exercises will knock it out.
... There is no tearing or frays. It is just weak, and that is
causing it to pinch."
Among the pitchers who could fill Minor's spot until he returns are
Wandy Rodriguez, Eric Stults, Cody Martin and Manny Banuelos.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Floyd, Gavin
RHP Gavin Floyd developed more elbow problems in spring training
that could lead to another surgery. The Indians said March 10 that
Floyd, who signed a one-year, $4 million contract as a free agent
with the team on Dec. 16, is sidelined for the foreseeable future
and that surgery is a possibility.
The 32-year-old came back from Tommy John elbow ligament surgery
last season to post a 2-2 record with a 2.65 ERA for the Atlanta
Braves before suffering a stress fracture in his right elbow in
June. He had surgery to repair a bone behind the elbow and missed
the remainder of the 2014 season.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Nieuwenhuis, Kirk
OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis may have already won the Mets' fourth outfielder
job. Nieuwenhuis was the heavy favorite entering spring training
because he is out of options, but he has opened Grapefruit League
play by hitting .529 (9-for-17) with a .579 on-base percentage in
his first five games. He hit .259 with three homers, 16 RBIs and
four stolen bases in 112 at-bats last season.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Gonzalez, Miguel Alfredo
RHP Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez wound up with a bruised right knee after
being struck by a batted ball during Tuesday's game against Detroit.
Gonzalez limped off the field, but the Phillies do not expect him to
miss any starts.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Franco, Maikel
3B Maikel Franco was away from camp Tuesday while undergoing a root
canal. He is expected to miss a day or two.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Asche, Cody
3B Cody Asche sustained a bruised right triceps when hit by a pitch
during Monday's game against Baltimore. While Asche figures to be
the opening day third baseman, the Phillies also plan to use him in
left field and at first base in exhibition games this spring in an
effort to increase his versatility. Asche figures to make way for
Franco, a top prospect, at some point during the season.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Billingsley, Chad
RHP Chad Billingsley began throwing live batting practice Monday and
will likely see his first game action around March 22. Billingsley
will start the season on the disabled list but the Phillies are
optimistic that he could join their rotation by the beginning of
May.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Hester, John
C John Hester underwent surgery to repair a complex tear of the
medial meniscus in his left knee and will likely be out until late
April. In camp as a non-roster invitee, Hester was a longshot to
make the team and will likely be assigned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley
once he is healthy.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Carlyle, Buddy
RHP Buddy Carlyle began Grapefruit League play with three scoreless
innings. Carlyle is in camp as a non-roster invitee but has an out
clause that allows him to become a free agent if he's not on the
Opening Day roster. He had a 1.45 ERA in 27 relief appearances for
the Mets last season.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Gilmartin, Sean
LHP Sean Gilmartin's chances of making the Opening Day roster may
have dramatically increased March 10, when LHP Josh Edgin underwent
an MRI to determine the cause of the left elbow discomfort he's been
battling. Gilmartin was selected by the Mets from the Twins in the
Rule 5 draft in December and must be offered back to the Twins if he
doesn't make the Mets out of spring training. He allowed three runs
over two innings in his first two Grapefruit League appearances.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Edgin, Josh
LHP Josh Edgin (sore left elbow) underwent an MRI on March 10, one
day after he gave up consecutive run-scoring triples to left-handed
batters in the Mets' 13-2 loss to the Marlins. According to
ESPNNewYork.com, Edgin's velocity was in the 88-91 mph range, down
from his usual peak of 93 mph. Edgin told ESPNNewYork.com that
"everything" in his arm is sore. He is penciled in as the only
left-handed reliever in the Mets' bullpen.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Duda, Lucas
1B Lucas Duda (left side strain) took batting practice for the first
time on March 9. He didn't swing a bat for about a month due to an
injury he suffered in workouts earlier in the offseason. The Mets
hope he can make his Grapefruit League debut on or around March 13.
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MLB Note - New York Mets d'Arnaud, Travis
C Travis d'Arnaud (cut left index finger) returned to action March
10 after missing one game. D'Arnaud was hurt while trying to break
up a double play March 8.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Cumpton, Brandon
RHP Brandon Cumpton underwent Tommy John elbow ligament
reconstruction surgery on March 10, costing the Pirates' pitching
staff a starter/long reliever. The procedure, performed by Dr. James
Andrews, will sideline Cumpton, 26, for this year and possibly the
early part of the 2016 season. Last year, the Cumpton pitched in 16
games, including 10 starts, and posted a 3-4 record with a 4.89 ERA
in 70 innings. He made his major league debut with the Pirates in
2013 and went 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA in six games (five starts).
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MLB Note - Chicago Cubs Turner, Jacob
RHP Jacob Turner is expected to start the season on the disabled
list after an MRI revealed a mild right flexor strain and a bone
bruise on his pitching elbow. He hurled two innings March 5 and
complained of soreness, which prompted the MRI. The Cubs acquired
Turner from the Marlins in August. Despite a rocky season in which
he went 6-11 in 18 starts for the two teams, Turner was being viewed
as an important member of the Cubs' staff. Turner is expected to
seek a second opinion before deciding on a course of treatment.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Taylor, Michael A.
OF Michael A. Taylor had an outside chance to make the Opening Day
roster at the start of March. Those odds increased March 9 when CF
Denard Span underwent right core muscle surgery in Philadelphia, and
there is now a good chance Taylor could start on Opening Day against
the Mets on April 6. Span told MLB.com that he doesn't expect to be
ready for Opening Day. Manager Matt Williams said that Taylor will
see more action in center field in spring training. Taylor started
in center on March 8 against the Yankees in Tampa and he hit the
first pitch over the fence for a homer. He had the day off March 9
and then started in center as the leadoff hitter March 10 on the
road against the Marlins. Taylor was hitless in three at bats March
10, and his spring average fell to .375.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Espinosa, Danny
INF Danny Espinosa made the start at short March 10 against the
Marlins as Ian Desmond got the day off. Espinosa has given up
switch-hitting, and he batted from the right side against RHP Dan
Haren and hit a double in the third for his first hit of the spring.
"He's had five good at-bats the last two days. He's on track,"
manager Matt Williams said.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Werth, Jayson
OF Jayson Werth (arthroscopic right shoulder surgery in January
2015) was doing hitting drills as of March 10. He might begin
throwing in mid-March, according to manager Matt Williams. It is
uncertain if Werth will be ready for the start of the season.
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MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Taylor, Michael
OF Michael Taylor announced his retirement March 10 in a move that
surprised the team and shocked some of his teammates. The former
fifth-round pick out of Stanford was acquired by the White Sox last
season from the Athletics. He saw action in only 11 games with
Chicago last season, and he played in only 37 big league games since
2011. Taylor, 29, was rated as a top-20 prospect coming out of
college and had a stellar minor league career, but that success
never translated in the majors.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Rodriguez, Wandy
LHP Wandy Rodriguez, competing for a rotation spot, was as good in
his second Grapefruit League start as he had been bad in his first
for the Braves. The veteran non-roster invitee allowed two hits over
three scoreless innings against Washington on March 9 after
struggling with his control while needing 30 pitches to make it
through an inning against the Mets in the exhibition opener. "I want
to make the team," said Rodriguez, beset by injuries with Pittsburgh
the past two seasons. "It's very important for me each start."
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Martin, Cody
RHP Cody Martin got a start in place of LHP Mike Minor on March 8
against a Houston split squad and made an impression by striking out
three over two innings as eight Braves pitchers combined to no-hit
the Astros over 10 innings in a 2-2 tie. He struck out three and
walked two. Martin, 25, was 7-8 with a 3.52 ERA for Class AAA
Gwinnett last season.
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MLB Note - Miami Marlins Kolek, Tyler
RHP Tyler Kolek is the Marlins' next great pitching hope. Kolek, 19,
was the Marlins' first-round pick last year. The team's two previous
first-rounders -- third baseman Colin Moran in 2013 and left-hander
Andrew Heaney in 2012 -- fell short of expectations and have since
been traded. Kolek, though, has a chance to be the Marlins' best
draft pick since right-hander Jose Fernandez in 2011. That's because
Kolek, drafted out of a Texas high school, has a fastball clocked at
100 mph. He's a huge young man at 6-5, 260 pounds, and he still
needs three or four years of development. But the Marlins believe he
will be the real deal once he settles his control issues -- 13 walks
in 22 innings of Rookie League ball last season.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Minor, Mike
LHP Mike Minor has inflammation in the rotator cuff of his pitching
shoulder that will force him to miss Opening Day. Minor will not be
allowed to throw for two weeks during spring training, but noted
surgeon James Andrews on March 9 found no structural damage to the
shoulder. Braves GM John Hart said the diagnosis was "about as good
of news as we could have had."
Minor experienced shoulder problems last season that delayed his
first start until May 2. He was scratched from his first spring
start this year after feeling tightness while throwing batting
practice last week. "I don't think this is like what Mike went
through last year," Hart said. "It's an entirely different
situation."
Minor finished last season with a 6-12 record and a 4.77 ERA in 145
innings covering 25 starts.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals Gwynn Jr., Tony
OF Tony Gwynn Jr. was signed by the Nationals on March 2 as a
non-roster spring training invitee. He will now see more playing
time in center field after CF Denard Span had right core muscle
surgery March 9 in Philadelphia. Gwynn, who played last year for the
Phillies, started in right field and batted second March 10 in a
spring training game on the road against the Marlins. He had one hit
in three at-bats, leaving his spring average at .500.
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MLB Note - Washington Nationals McLouth, Nate
OF Nate McLouth (right shoulder surgery in August 2014) was getting
at-bats in minor league games in early March and continuing a
throwing program, according to manager Matt Williams. He had not
played the field in minor league games.
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