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 03/17/2015 MLB Note - Texas Rangers Lewis, Colby
RHP Colby Lewis had an excused absence from the Rangers' May 15 game
as he was down in Avondale attending the Sprint Cup race at Phoenix
International Raceway. The Bakersfield, Calif., native is friends
with another Bakersfield native -- Sprint Cup champion Kevin
Harvick. Lewis got to watch Harvick win Sunday's race and celebrated
with him in Victory Lane.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Gallo, Joey
3B Joey Gallo has little chance of making the club out of camp, but
that isn't keeping Gallo from having a big spring. Gallo, 21, came
into the March 16 game hitting .350 in Cactus League play and was
leading the club in homers (two) and tied for the club lead with six
RBIs. Maybe the most impressive number, though, is Gallo only has
three strikeouts in his first 20 at-bats. Last year between Class A
and Double-A Gallo had 179 strikeouts in 439 at-bats. Of course, he
also had 42 home runs.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers DeShields Jr., Delino
CF Delino DeShields Jr., who was acquired in the Rule 5 Draft, isn't
having a good camp in his bid to secure the backup job in center
field to Leonys Martin. DeShields is batting just .176 in the eight
games he's played. He's also been bothered by a sore right
hamstring.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Gattis, Evan
LF Evan Gattis was scratched on May 15 against the Washington
Nationals with right wrist discomfort and did not participate on
March 16 as a precaution, the lone position player unavailable for
split-squad action. Gattis, who is making the transition from behind
the plate to part-time duties in the outfield, was sidelined after
taking a couple of unusual swings on March 14. He is batting
.357/.438/.429 in five games this spring.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Appel, Mark
RHP Mark Appel struggled with his command in his first start (and
second appearance) this spring, allowing one run on two hits and two
walks with one strikeout over two innings in a 2-1 loss to the
Washington Nationals on March 16. Appel, who was temporarily
sidelined by forearm tightness earlier this spring, is likely to
being the season with Double-A Corpus Christi. He is the Astros' top
pitching prospect.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Cruz, Luis L.
LHP Luis Cruz was optioned to minor league camp.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Trout, Mike
CF Mike Trout has three stolen bases this spring, reflecting his
intention of running more this season. Trout stole 49 and 33 bases
in his first two seasons, but only 16 last season. Much of the
reason for last year's decline was that pitchers were quicker to the
plate with Trout on base. "If the pitcher is trying to shut Mike
down, it's going to be an advantage for Albert (Pujols) or Matt
Joyce," manager Mike Scioscia said, referring to the hitters batting
behind Trout in the lineup.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Weaver, Jered
RHP Jered Weaver's fastball averaged 86.8 mph last season,
continuing a downward trend in his career. But because he won 18
games last year, it wasn't a big issue. However, in his most recent
spring training start, he hit 85 mph on the radar gun only twice,
his fastball usually clocking between 82-84 mph. Manager Mike
Scioscia, though, said it is not a concern, noting that Weaver "has
a lot of moving parts" and is still working out kinks in his
mechanics.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Featherston, Taylor
INF Taylor Featherston has not played above Double-A but stands a
good chance of making the team as a utility infielder. Featherston
has hit well in camp -- .368 (7-for-19) with six RBIs. But he's also
helped because he was acquired from the Rockies as a Rule 5 player,
meaning if he isn't on the Angels' 25-man roster out of spring
training, the club must offer him back to the Rockies. The Rockies
presumably would take him back. Featherston has shown he can hit,
but he also needs to show he can handle shortstop and third base.
Featherston has played second base in the minors but was a shortstop
at TCU.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Heaney, Andrew
LHP Andrew Heaney and RHP Nick Tropeano are neck-and-neck vying for
the final spot in the rotation.
Heaney, a left-hander, was acquired from the Dodgers in a trade for
second baseman Howie Kendrick, and Tropeano, a right-hander, was
acquired from the Astros in a trade for catcher Hank Conger. Both
will pitch in split-squad spring training games Thursday, March 19,
with much on the line.
Heaney will pitch in the "main" game against the Dodgers while
Tropeano will pitch in the B game.
Their numbers so far are nearly identical. Heaney, 23, has allowed
three earned runs in six innings, while Tropeano, 24, has allowed
three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Tropeano, Nick
RHP Nick Tropeano and LHP Andrew Heaney are neck-and-neck vying for
the final spot in the rotation.
Heaney, a left-hander, was acquired from the Dodgers in a trade for
second baseman Howie Kendrick, and Tropeano, a right-hander, was
acquired from the Astros in a trade for catcher Hank Conger. Both
will pitch in split-squad spring training games Thursday, March 19,
with much on the line.
Heaney will pitch in the "main" game against the Dodgers while
Tropeano will pitch in the B game.
Their numbers so far are nearly identical. Heaney, 23, has allowed
three earned runs in six innings, while Tropeano, 24, has allowed
three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings.
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MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Weeks, Rickie
UT Rickie Weeks has been battling hamstring tightness but was back
in the lineup over the weekend. The veteran second baseman is
working on a move to the outfield, where he could serve as a backup
and provide an experienced bat off the bench -- if healthy.
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MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Luetge, Lucas
LHP Lucas Luetge gave up three hits and two earned runs during an
inning of work last week, which may or may not be significant in
terms of the Mariners building their 25-man roster. Luetge appears
to be the best option to team with LHP Charlie Furbush if the
Mariners decide to have two southpaws in their bullpen. It's
possible that Seattle could only have one lefty reliever on the
Opening Day roster, as Luetge and lesser-known lefties like Tyler
Olsen, Rafael Perez and Rule 5 pick David Rollins are hoping to join
Furbush in the bullpen. Another possibility is LHP Edgar Olmos, a
veteran whose spring has been delayed by a sore shoulder.
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MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Taylor, Chris
SS Chris Taylor suffered a wrist injury that will keep him out
four-to-six weeks, thereby putting an end to the Mariners' only
position battle of spring training. Taylor's injury means SS Brad
Miller will be the starting shortstop on Opening Day. Taylor,
meanwhile, will be wearing a brace on his right wrist for
seven-to-10 days, then will take it off only to resume
rehabilitation activities. He took a ball off the wrist during a
March 14 at-bat, suffering a fractured bone. The best-case-scenario
is that Taylor would be available to return before the team's first
prolonged homestand in April, but it's more likely that he begins
his season at Triple-A Tacoma.
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MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Hernandez, Felix
RHP Felix Hernandez was on schedule to be involved in one of the
best pitching matchups the game has to offer, but the Mariners had
other plans for him Sunday. Seattle's game against the Dodgers and
ace Clayton Kershaw looked like a must-see matchup of the spring
before manager Lloyd McClendon decided to scratch Hernandez as a
scheduled starter. McClendon told reporters that he didn't want to
give Los Angeles batters a chance to face Hernandez, seeing as how
the teams play each other for real in less than a month, so
Hernandez threw a simulated game featuring Mariners minor leaguers
Sunday.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Peacock, Brad
MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Miller, Brad
SS Brad Miller will be the starting shortstop on Opening Day. He had
been battling SS Chris Taylor for the spot but Taylor suffered a
wrist injury that will keep him out four-to-six weeks, thereby
putting an end to the Mariners' only position battle of spring
training.
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RHP Brad Peacock (right hip surgery in October 2014) threw batting
practice in mid-March. He is questionable to pitch in spring
training games, and he likely will open the season on the disabled
list.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Wheeler, Zack
RHP Zack Wheeler was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament
in his pitching elbow. The Mets have not yet committed to Tommy John
surgery, but that is the likely treatment for such an injury.
The team statement said Wheeler underwent an MRI on March 15 in Port
St. Lucie, Fla., that was also reviewed by team doctor David
Altchek. Wheeler was due to travel to New York on March 16 or March
17 to confirm the diagnosis and discuss the next steps with Altchek
at the Hospital for Special Surgery. GM Sandy Alderson described
Wheeler's situation as "pretty clear-cut."
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Floyd, Gavin
RHP Gavin Floyd, who has battled elbow problems for three years,
needs surgery again and could miss the 2015 season. For the second
time in nine months, Floyd will have surgery to repair a broken bone
in his right elbow. The 32-year-old missed most of last season for
the Braves after undergoing surgery in June.
Floyd, who was signed by the Indians to a one-year deal worth $4
million, will have the operation on Tuesday at the Cleveland Clinic,
Indians manager Terry Francona said Monday. Floyd will miss "a good
portion if not the whole year," Francona said.
Floyd also underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013 while with the White
Sox.
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MLB Note - Boston Red Sox Kelly, Joe
RHP Joe Kelly left his March 16 start in the middle of the third
inning with tightness in his biceps. Kelly appeared to be in some
discomfort after delivering a pitch to Mets C Anthony Recker in the
spring training game in Fort Myers, Fla. Kelly exited in the middle
of the at-bat. Kelly said later he has had the problem before, but
he didn't seem concerned. "Usually, it doesn't last long," he said.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Lee, Cliff
LHP Cliff Lee went on the 60-day disabled list March 16, six days
after he learned that he has a torn flexor tendon in his pitching
elbow. Knowing he would miss the season if he opts for surgery, Lee
is going to try to rehab the elbow. "It's tough to stay positive
about it, but ... there's nothing I can do," Lee told the
Philadelphia Inquirer. "To me, it came down to either have the
surgery, or don't. I'm going to give it a chance of not to. The
doctor wanted me to have the surgery and recommended it, but I can
still do that two to three months from now if I'm not able to
pitch."
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MLB Note - Oakland Athletics Burns, Billy
OF Billy Burns is still a long shot to make Oakland's Opening Night
roster, but he is making a strong case for himself. Burns, a switch
hitter, was batting .441 through games of March 15 and led the major
leagues with 15 hits. He had two doubles and three triples. The
speedster also had three stolen bases and 10 runs. "Both right- and
left-handed, he's really made some strides from what we saw last
year," A's manager Bob Melvin said. Burns went 1-for-6 with three
stolen bases and four runs last season in 13 appearances for the
A's.
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MLB Note - Oakland Athletics Leon, Arnold
RHP Arnold Leon was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on March 15 after
pitching just four innings over three spring training appearances.
Leon, 26, made 27 starts for Triple-A Sacramento last season, then
pitched in the Mexican winter league and the Caribbean Series.
Manager Bob Melvin said he decided to limit Leon's work in spring
training. "Arnold is a guy that's on the cusp with us," Melvin said.
"With the influx of new pitching, I don't want to say it feels like
he's gone under the radar because he hasn't with us. We really
haven't stretched him out because of the workload he had last year."
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MLB Note - Oakland Athletics Ravelo, Rangel
1B/3B Rangel Ravelo, one of four players who came to the A's from
the Chicago White Sox in the deal for RHP Jeff Samardzija, had
surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right wrist March 13 in
Phoenix. He won't resume baseball activities until late April at the
earliest. Ravelo's wrist bothered him during the offseason, but he
was cleared for spring training. He aggravated the injury while
batting. Ravelo hit .309 with 11 home runs and 66 RBI last season
for Double-A Birmingham and made the Southern League postseason
all-star team. He led the league with 37 doubles. Ravelo was
optioned to Triple-A Nashville on March 16.
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MLB Note - Oakland Athletics Gray, Sonny
RHP Sonny Gray will be the starting pitcher for Oakland's Opening
Night game against the Rangers on April 6 at the O.co Coliseum. Gray
will become the first A's pitcher to start back-to-back season
openers since Barry Zito in 2005-06. "He's made for this," manager
Bob Melvin said. "It's kind of who he is. He's extremely
competitive. He's talented. He loves the spotlight games. If anyone
was made for it, it's him."
Gray struck out four and walked none in his second spring training
start March 15. "I thought it was night and day better than last
time," he said. "I thought it was awesome. I felt great."
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MLB Note - Oakland Athletics Nolin, Sean
LHP Sean Nolin threw his first bullpen session of the spring March
15. He is behind the other pitchers in camp after undergoing sports
hernia surgery in November.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Harrison, Matt
LHP Matt Harrison, who is attempting to become the first player to
pitch in the majors after undergoing spinal fusion surgery, took
another step toward that goal on March 15. Harrison threw off a half
mound for the first time and didn't have any issues. Harrison threw
15 pitches and could do so again Tuesday. He could return to a
regular mound next week. Harrison underwent spinal fusion surgery
last June.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Oberholtzer, Brett
LHP Brett Oberholtzer was scratched from a minor league start over
the weekend with a mild left lat strain. Oberholtzer, considered a
favorite to land the No. 4 spot in the Astros' rotation, could be
sidelined for a week. Oberholtzer suffered the injury during a
pickoff attempt last week. He finished 5-13 with a 4.39 ERA over 24
starts last season.
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MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Cano, Robinson
2B Robinson Cano returned to the team after missing five days to
attend his grandfather's funeral in the Dominican Republic. Cano
jumped back into the action after LF Dustin Ackley did a pretty good
impersonation of him in the No. 3 hole, going 3-for-3 in one of his
starts there.
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