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 03/13/2015 MLB Note - Chicago Cubs Hammel, Jason
RHP Jason Hammel gave up three earned runs on five hits over three
innings in his start on May 12 against the Los Angeles Angels.
Hammel struck out two and walked a pair. He returned to the Cubs
after a mid-season trade to Oakland on July 5 last season. Hammel
went 8-5 with a 2.98 ERA (36 ER/108.2 IP) in 17 starts with the Cubs
in 2014.
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MLB Note - Chicago Cubs Schwarber, Kyle
C Kyle Schwarber's five RBIs are tied for fourth-most in the Cactus
League. Schwarber, who spent last season in the lower minor leagues,
was batting .200 (2-for-10) through midweek.
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MLB Note - Chicago Cubs Baez, Javier
INF Javier Baez is still struggling with strikeouts with four in 11
at-bats through March 11. Baez, who made his major-league debut last
Aug. 5, struck out 95 times in 52 games and batted .169.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Hart, Corey
1B/OF Corey Hart made his major league exhibition debut March 12 and
singled in his only at-bat against the Red Sox. Hart had been out
since cutting his right foot March 1 when he stepped on a loose
filter in a hot tub in the Pirates' training room. Hart is expected
to be the right-handed-hitting part of a platoon with 1B Pedro
Alvarez at first base.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Morton, Charlie
RHP Charlie Morton is pleased that he has got through his first two
spring appearances without pain after undergoing surgery on his
right hip last September to repair a torn labrum. However, Morton
wants to improve the command of his pitches as he has walked three
batters in five innings.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Parra, Gerardo
OF Gerardo Parra was working out at first base, and according to
manager Ron Roenicke, he could see some action there at some point
this season. Parra is a two-time Gold Glove outfielder but will
begin the season coming off the bench behind Ryan Braun, Carlos
Gomez and Khris Davis. Parra said that while he never played first
bae during his 10-year major league career, he was a first baseman
when he was signed out of Venezuela by the Diamondbacks in 2004.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Lind, Adam
1B Adam Lind walked and scored in two at-bats March 12 in his Cactus
League debut. Lind batting fifth and served as the designated hitter
when the Brewers faced Colorado. Lind, acquired last December from
Toronto, was sidelined for roughly a week because of back spasms, a
problem that plagued him at times during the last few seasons with
the Blue Jays.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Garza, Matt
RHP Matt Garza said he was working on some adjustments to his
delivery this spring in hopes of avoiding the disabled list. Garza
spent nearly a month on the shelf last season because of a left
oblique strain but still threw 163 innings. Garza, 31, is beginning
his 10th major league season and his second since signing a
four-year, $50 million contract with Milwaukee.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Nelson, Jimmy
RHP Jimmy Nelson looked strong in his first action of the spring
March 9. He went two innings and allowed one hit with no walks or
strikeouts while inducing four groundouts. Nelson was slightly
behind the rest of the starters due to hamstring tightness early in
camp but is on track to open the season as Milwaukee's No. 5
starter.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Hellweg, Johnny
RHP Johnny Hellweg was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs, where
he is expected to join the rotation after completing his rehab from
Tommy John surgery performed last May. A top prospect in the
Brewers' organization, Hellweg was acquired in July 2012 as part of
the deal that sent RHP Zack Greinke to the Los Angeles Angels. He
appeared in eight big league games (seven starts) in 2013 and went
1-4 with a 6.75 ERA.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Wang, Wei-Chung
LHP Wei-Chung Wang was optioned to Class A Brevard County in
mid-March after working three scoreless innings and striking out
three over two appearances in Cactus League action. A Rule 5
selection a year ago, Wang appeared in 17 games for the Brewers and
posted an 10.90 ERA in 2013.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Rodriguez, Francisco
RHP Francisco Rodriguez could join the Brewers during the weekend of
March 14-15. Rodriguez, who saved 44 games for Milwaukee last
season, signed a two-year free agent deal with the Brewers early in
spring training but has remained in his native Venezuela while
awaiting a work visa.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Willis, Dontrelle
LHP Dontrelle Willis had yet to pitch an inning for the Brewers this
spring through March 12, and manager Ron Roenicke wasn't sure when
the veteran would make his debut. Willis was scratched from his
first scheduled appearance March 7 due to a stiff neck. Willis has
been out of the big leagues since 2011 but is attempting a comeback
this season as a non-roster player with Milwaukee.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Lucroy, Jonathan
C Jonathan Lucroy took part in another minor league intrasquad game
March 12, and he was on track to join the Brewers for Cactus League
games, possibly as early as next week.
Lucroy, who emerged as a cornerstone last season, batting a
team-leading .301 with 13 home runs, 69 RBIs and a National
League-best 53 doubles, got off to a slow start in spring because of
a upper hamstring strain in his right leg sustained just before camp
began.
He also was held back the first week of camp because of the flu, but
he was taking part in bullpen sessions and other drills, and he was
running again before mid-March.
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MLB Note - St. Louis Cardinals Lynn, Lance
RHP Lance Lynn (left hip strain flexor) was scratched from his
scheduled start March 13 against Miami in an exhibition game. Lynn
was forced from his last start March 1 against the Marlins because
of the injury but the Cardinals are optimistic he will be able to
begin the season on the active roster.
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MLB Note - St. Louis Cardinals Jay, Jon
CF Jon Jay is expected to make his spring debut at some point during
the weekend of March 14-15. The Cardinals have been slowly easing
Jay back into action while he recovers from offseason surgery on his
right wrist.
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MLB Note - St. Louis Cardinals Gonzales, Marco
RHP Marco Gonzales is making a strong case in the fifth starter's
competition. The rookie has pitched six scoreless innings over two
exhibition starts, allowing two hits and two walks while striking
out three. He is competing with LHP Jaime Garcia and RHP Carlos
Martinez. Despite Gonzales' strong performances, Martinez is still
considered the favorite.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Bailey, Homer
RHP Homer Bailey threw his fifth bullpen session on March 11 and
told the Cincinnati Enquirer it was his "best day" yet. Bailey had
season-ending surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right
forearm on Sept. 5. He is expected to miss two starts to begin the
regular season.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Lorenzen, Michael
RHP Michael Lorenzen is bidding to make the club as a reliever. The
23-year old Lorenzen, who was a 38th round selection in the 2013
draft, is projected to be a starter. But, after beginning the spring
with four scoreless innings during which he walked one and fanned
four, the Anaheim, Calif., native is in the discussion for an open
bullpen spot.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Leake, Mike
RHP Mike Leake continued his strong spring with three scoreless
innings on March 12, giving up two hits with a walk and two
strikeouts. Leake hadn't allowed a run in his first five innings.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Mesoraco, Devin
C Devin Mesoraco was expected to miss several days after suffering a
concussion when he took a foul ball of his mask in a game on March
7. Mesoraco is coming off an All-Star season in which he hit .273
with 25 homers and 80 RBIs. He had returned to hitting in the cage
by March 11.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Pena, Brayan
C Brayan Pena made his spring training debut on March 10. Two days
later, he went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. That's all good
news for Pena, who had surgery this offseason to remove bone chips
in his right elbow and still had some soreness when he reported to
spring camp.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Marshall, Sean
LHP Sean Marshall's journey back to a big-league mound has hit
another setback. He had shoulder surgery in June and has encountered
some flexibility issues in spring training. Marshall has made just
31 appearances since 2013.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Bruce, Jay
RF Jay Bruce, who's had an encouraging start to the spring, was
scratched from the starting lineup on March 11 with a calf strain.
He also sat out the next day's game and is considered day-to-day.
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MLB Note - New York Yankees Tanaka, Masahiro
RHP Masahiro Tanaka made his spring training debut Thursday against
the Atlanta Braves, and he threw two perfect innings, firing 15 of
his 19 pitches for strikes. "I feel better," he said. "I've had more
time to prepare myself."
It was Tanaka's third game since last July, when he received the
diagnosis of a partially torn elbow ligament that may require Tommy
John surgery at some point. Tanaka made a pair of September starts
after missing two months, and he had mixed results.
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MLB Note - Boston Red Sox Moncada, Yoan
INF Yoan Moncada officially signed with the Red Sox on March 12.
Boston agreed to a record $31.5 million signing bonus in February,
but Moncada was required to pass a physical before the contract
could be finalized. The Red Sox will be required to pay a 100
percent tax, another $31.5 million, to Major League Baseball for
signing Moncada because they exceeded their international bonus
pool. The team has until July 15 to pay the tax and up to three
years to pay the bonus. The 19-year-old switch hitter, who played in
Cuba's top league for two years, was working out in spring training
with the Red Sox and will be assigned to the club's minor league
camp.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Taillon, Jameson
RHP Jameson Taillon, one of the Pirates' top prospects, is
tentatively scheduled to pitch in an extended spring training game
April 9. That would come one year and one day after he underwent
Tommy John elbow ligament-replacement surgery that forced him to
miss last season. Taillon will likely be assigned to Triple-A
Indianapolis in early May then make his major league debut at some
point in the second half of the season.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Cueto, Johnny
RHP Johnny Cueto said he felt "normal" after his first three spring
training starts. The National League Cy Young Award runner-up
certainly has looked like himself. In his first two spring outings,
Cueto posted a 1.80 ERA, with one walk and five strikeouts in five
innings.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Votto, Joey
1B Joey Votto went 1-for-3 with a walk in his first two spring
appearances after missing 100 games last season with a left quad
strain. Votto played flawlessly in the field and says he feels good,
calming concerns that he wasn't ready to go full speed at the start
of camp.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Rahier, Tanner
3B Tanner Rahier, a second round selection in the 2012 draft, who in
2013 was ranked by Baseball America as the organization's best
defensive infielder, was arrested on March 7 in Glendale, Ariz.,
allegedly for striking his girlfriend with a rock, knocking her
unconscious. Rahier, who was placed in a treatment program by the
Reds organization, hit .238 with nine homers and 54 RBIs last season
at Class A Dayton.
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