|
 Baltimore Orioles: Santana, Johan LHP Johan Santana signed a minor league contract that included an
invitation to spring training. The two-time Cy Young Award-winner is
coming off two shoulder procedures in the past three seasons and
isn't ready to compete for a roster spot in spring camp. In a
workout prior to signing, his fastball topped out in the low-80s,
according to reports. The Orioles view adding Santana as a no-risk
deal. They hope Santana can build up arm strength in the spring and
possibly contend for a bullpen or spot-starting role in the summer.
Baltimore Orioles: Escalona, Edgmer
RHP Edgmer Escalona was shut down for at least three weeks due to
inflammation in his pitching shoulder, the Orioles announced March
4. The offseason acquisition, who is on the 40-man roster and
competing for a relief role, was touched up for five runs in his
spring debut. He was pitching with discomfort early in camp, and the
setback will make his roster hopes an uphill climb.
Baltimore Orioles: Yoon, Suk-min
RHP Suk-min Yoon was still without a visa as the club entered its
second week of spring games. He was slated to travel to Canada to
obtain the visa, which is required before he can begin competing for
a roster spot.
Baltimore Orioles: O'Day, Darren
RHP Darren O'Day is working on adding a change up in spring
training. The submarine pitcher rarely throws the off-speed pitch.
He is getting an assist from former Orioles submarine hurler Todd
Frohwirth in camp, The Sun reported.
Baltimore Orioles: Gausman, Kevin
RHP Kevin Gausman is trying out prescription glasses to combat
farsightedness, MASNsports.com reported. Looking down causes him
blurred vision and headaches, according to the report. Gausman has
an outside shot of cracking the roster, but he stands a better
chance of starting the season in the Triple-A Norfolk rotation.
Baltimore Orioles: Casilla, Alexi
INF Alexi Casilla (sore right hamstring) was nearing a return after
making progress on his right hamstring as of March 5. He was slated
to hit outdoors after doing pool running. Casilla sat out after
feeling tightness in his hamstring while taking ground balls in late
February.
Baltimore Orioles: Urrutia, Henry
OF Henry Urrutia (sore right shoulder) was limited defensively as of
March 5. The club gave him time off, and he was building up arm
strength in a throwing progression plan.
Baltimore Orioles: Gonzalez, Miguel
RHP Miguel Gonzalez (back tightness) was throwing again in early
March after he was held back on the first few days in Sarasota, Fla.
Washington Nationals: Marrero, Chris
1B Chris Marrero (oblique) began taking dry cuts but was still
sidelined as of March 5. It is his first oblique injury.
Baltimore Orioles: Berry, Quintin
OF Quintin Berry (back spasms) returned to action after being
sidelined early in camp. He is a non-roster roster player in the
Orioles' camp.
Tampa Bay Rays: Odorizzi, Jake
RHP Jake Odorizzi, a candidate for the fifth starter's spot, has a
new toy this spring that, based on early results, could be a huge
factor in his success. Odorizzi asked RHP Alex Cobb to show him how
to throw the hybrid splitter-changeup Cobb calls "The Thing," and
had good results in the two games he has it, although on a limited
basis. "It just keeps getting more encouraging each time out,"
Odorizzi said after saving Wednesday's game. "Last time it was good,
this time I would categorize it as really good. I'm really happy
with the direction it's heading right now. I think it'll be a huge,
huge plus going into the season."
Tampa Bay Rays: Oviedo, Juan Carlos
RHP Juan Carlos Oviedo has missed the first three weeks of camp due
to visa delays in his native Dominican Republic, though his agent
says he has been working out regularly and the Rays say his chances
to make the team are intact. Oviedo has not pitched in the majors
since 2011, missing 2012 and 2013 due to legal issues stemming from
identity fraud as he played as Leo Nunez with the Marlins, and then
an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.
Tampa Bay Rays: Jennings, Desmond
OF Desmond Jennings reported to camp noticeably bulked up, saying he
added weight (around 10 pounds, though he wouldn't say for sure) to
offset what he usually loses in the spring in an effort to stay
strong all season. One benefit is obviously the potential for added
power, and he showed that Wednesday with a home run that went over
the left-field boardwalk at the Charlotte Sports Park. "I definitely
want to drive the ball more," Jennings said.
Tampa Bay Rays: Myers, Wil
OF Wil Myers, who won the AL Rookie of the Year award, had his
contract renewed by the Rays, the only one of their 21
pre-arbitration players who did not agree to terms. Myers and agent
Jeff Berry both said it was a non-issue, that they considered it
part of the process, and that Myers was very excited for the season.
Tampa Bay Rays: Zobrist, Ben
2B Ben Zobrist appears to be fully over the back soreness and
tightness that caused him to miss the first week of workouts. Zobrist made his game debut on
March 3, then played again on Wednesday, and plans to do so again on Saturday, all home games for
the Rays to reduce stress on his back from travel. Zobrist looked fine Wednesday when he homered,
hit a fly to deep center and singled. "I've felt really good for at least a few days now," he
said. "So I don't have any feeling like it might hold me back from continuing to play as much
as possible."
Tampa Bay Rays: Ramos, Cesar
LHP Cesar Ramos, their long reliever the past three seasons, will
get serious consideration for the fifth starter spot.
"If you look at Cesar, he's a guy who has a bucketful of average to
above-average pitches," Rays executive vice president Andrew
Friedman said. "We feel like he's a guy who can get out
right-handers and left-handers, and he had started in the past."
Ramos made a good impression Wednesday in his first start of the
spring, working into the third inning against the Yankees, using his
full four-pitch repertoire and making what adjustments were needed.
He had been a starter in college and in the minors for the Padres,
and he said he approached the Rays with the idea after Jeremy
Hellickson was injured and found out they had been thinking the same
thing.
Manager Joe Maddon said he would like to make a decision by March
15-20, but these things tend to take a while to sort out.
New York Yankees: Sabathia, CC
LHP CC Sabathia, coming off a season in which he posted a career
worst 4.78 ERA, saw his fastball top out at 88 mph in his first
spring start. "My fastball is what it is. If it gets better, it
will. If it's not, it won't," Sabathia said. "I can pitch. I'm fine.
As long as I'm healthy, I'll be good."
New York Yankees: Nova, Ivan
RHP Ivan Nova, the Yankees' likely No. 4 starter, had an impressive
start to camp, according to manager Joe Girardi and new C Brian
McCann. "There is no ceiling on a guy like him," McCann said. "He
can do whatever he wants. If he gets into a groove, he can ride it
out for a full season. Certain things click and players take their
game to another level. He's looking really good down here."
[to top of second column] |
New York Yankees: Robertson, David
RHP David Robertson says he is concentrating on getting in his work
during spring training, not on replacing retired legend Mariano
Rivera as the Yankees' closer. "Just get back out there and get the
feeling back of having players behind you, no net in front of you,"
Robertson said after his first spring outing on March 3. "All in
all, it was a decent outing. I would have liked to have thrown a few
better pitches, but I'll get another chance."
New York Yankees: Ryan, Brendan
SS Brendan Ryan, who will serve as SS Derek Jeter's primary backup
and a utility infielder this season, was clipped by a line drive
near the base of his left thumb March 5, but he avoided a serious
injury. "I was lucky," Ryan said. "Could have been a much worse
spot. Pretty scary, kind of escaped one there."
Toronto Blue Jays: Janssen, Casey
RHP Casey Janssen has been sitting out with a sore right shoulder
but it does not seem related to the shoulder problems that the
closer had last season after offseason shoulder surgery. It is in
the back part of the shoulder and not the top and it was not
expected to keep him out long. "I think it's just the inflammation,
it's going to subside," Janssen said. "Just take a couple of days
off and get right back on and throwing again." "It's just inflamed,"
manager John Gibbons said. "There's a lot of wear and tear on a guy
over the years. He's smart, backed off and we'll give him a little
breather. There's still a full month (of spring training) left.
He'll be ready to go." Janssen made only two appearances in spring
training games last year and went on to record 34 saves in 36
opportunities in 56 outings.
Toronto Blue Jays: Rasmus, Colby
CF Colby Rasmus missed some games early in the spring training
schedule with a stiff neck. He said he probably would have played a
regular-season game with it when he was scratched from a March 2
game against the Yankees. "I feel all right, just woke up on the
wrong side of the bed," Rasmus said. "I have a little crick in my
neck."
Toronto Blue Jays: Walden, Marcus
RHP Marcus Walden led the Eastern League with 162 1/3 innings
pitched in a career-high 26 starts in 2013 while going 6-14 with a
3.71 ERA after winning 14 games between Class A Lansing and Class A
Dunedin in 2012. But his future would seem to be in the bullpen and
that is where he has been pitching during major league spring
training after being re-signed by the organization as a minor league
free agent. The ninth-round draft pick in 2007 picked up a save
against the Philadelphia Phillies in his first spring training
outing with two strikeouts in a clean inning. The eventual move to
the bullpen is not a surprise. "They've told me that for a long time
now," the 25-year-old said. "I think starting was more about getting
innings and getting my repetitions in and I kind of see myself going
to the bullpen and I like the idea and I'm not going to hesitate to
go out there and be ready to pitch every day."
Toronto Blue Jays: Goins, Ryan
INF Ryan Goins, who did a solid job at second base for 35 games to
close out last season, has been given the starting job to begin the
season. "Goins is our guy right now," manager John Gibbons said. "We
want to see him do his thing." Goins is a left-handed hitter so he
may not get the start on Opening Day on March 31 when the Tampa Bay
Rays are expected to start left-hander David Price. "So maybe you'd
rather have a righty facing him and that could always be a
possibility," Gibbons said. "But we're giving Goins every
opportunity to be the guy." That means INF Maicer Izturis will be in
a backup role. Goins came up through the minor league system as a
shortstop but made a smooth transition to second base, making only
one error while pulling off some spectacular plays after being
promoted from Triple-A Buffalo on Aug. 22. Hitting is the big
question about him. After starting his major league career with an
eight-game hitting streak, he batted .252 with two home runs and
eight RBIs and had an on-base percentage of .264. But early in
spring training he has shown an ability to do some of the small
things that will be needed from him such as a bunt he put down for a
single in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on March 4. "The
defense knows he's going to bunt, so those guys are going to play
pretty tight so it's not a surprise play and you have to put it in
the right place spot. If you so that you've got a chance. He's been
working hard and his placement was perfect. He's got to play the
little guy's game, advance runners, lay own bunts when you have
to...and he's fully capable of it."
Toronto Blue Jays: Dickey, R.A.
RHP R.A. Dickey threw 65 pitches over four innings in his second
start of spring training against the Philadelphia Phillies. The
knuckleball pitcher would like to reach 100 pitches or more at least
twice before the end of spring trainings. "I may err on the side of
more because I like that," he said. "It's nice mentally to go out
there for a couple of clean innings after an inning where you give
up a two-run homer. You have to simulate some of those things that
may happen to you during the season. ... One of the things that you
have to be able to do in the AL East is after having a couple of
rough innings to come back and right the ship for a few innings so
that your bullpen doesn't get crushed."
Toronto Blue Jays: Perez, Luis
LHP Luis Perez has been sent to the minor league complex to continue
his rehabilitation while still on the 40-man roster as he continues
to come back from Tommy John surgery performed in 2012. He was 0-1
with a 5.40 ERA in six outings with Toronto after rejoining the team
late last season. But during the offseason he had a procedure to
clean up scar tissue in the left elbow and he has some numbness in a
couple of fingers in the left hand as the nerves are still
regenerating.
Toronto Blue Jays: Ohka, Tomo
RHP Tomo Ohka, a former major-leaguer who is working on a
knuckleball and was signed to a minor league contract was reassigned
to the minor league camp in one of the first moves made during
spring training. Three other players who were at the major league
camp as non-roster players also were reassigned to the minor league
complex -- LHP Juan Perez, C Jack Murphy and C Derrick Chung. Perez
was 1-2 with a 3.69 ERA in 19 games with Toronto but his season
ended in August when he suffered a partial tear to the ulnar
collateral ligament in his left elbow but he avoided surgery.
Texas Rangers: Saunders, Joe
LHP Joe Saunders finalized a one-year, $500,000 contract with the
Rangers on March 5. The Rangers were in need of pitching depth with
LHPs Derek Holland and Matt Harrison battling injuries, so Saunders,
32, could compete for one of the final spots in the Texas rotation.
In 32 starts last year for the Mariners, Saunders posted an 11-16
record with a 5.26 ERA in 183 innings. Opponents batted .311 against
Saunders, who signed a $6.5 million contract with Seattle before the
2013 season.
Texas Rangers: Castellanos, Alex
UT Alex Castellanos was designated for assignment by the Rangers on
March 5 to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for newly signed LHP
Joe Saunders. Castellanos, 27, hit a combined .171 in 24 games for
the Dodgers in 2012 and 2013. He was traded by Los Angeles to Boston
in October, then was acquired by Texas off waivers in December.
Kansas City Royals: Hochevar, Luke
RHP Luke Hochevar sprained the ulnar collateral ligament in his
pitching elbow, and he is expected to be sidelined for at least two
months. Hochevar suffered the injury March 3 while pitching to the
last batter he faced in a two-inning stint against the White Sox in
a spring training game. Tests on March 4 confirmed the sprain.
Hochevar made 58 relief appearances last year for the Royals and
posted a 5-2 record with a 1.92 ERA and two saves. He was attempting
to win a rotation spot this spring.
Tampa Bay Rays: Zobrist, Ben
2B Ben Zobrist (sore back) missed the first week of full-squad
workouts. He was back in game action in early March, and he homered
on March 5.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
