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 02/25/2015 MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Thornburg, Tyler
RHP Tyler Thornburg will be stretched out with the rest of the
Brewers' starters this spring but will likely begin the season
working out of the bullpen as Milwaukee's long reliever, available
to make spot starts. Thornburg began last season in the same role
but pitched well enough to work the seventh and eighth innings
before an elbow injury brought his season to an end in May. He was
3-1 last year with a 4.25 ERA in 27 appearances and in parts of
three seasons with the Brewers, Thornburg is 6-2 with a 3.04 ERA.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Lucroy, Jonathan
C Jonathan Lucroy, already limited in spring training due to a
strained right hamstring, has been battling the flu for much of the
last week and held out of drills. He returned to camp Wednesday, and
expects to be back to full strength -- save for the hamstring -- in
the next few days. Because of the injury, Lucroy will hit but will
be kept back from running and catching drills until close to the end
of camp. It also thwarted the Brewers' plans to get Lucroy some reps
at first base, where they hope to use him to spell Adam Lind against
left-handed pitching this season.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Segura, Jean
SS Jean Segura reported to camp a day before most of Milwaukee's
positional players and is hoping to bounce back from a disappointing
and traumatic 2014 season. An All-Star in 2013, Segura never got
going last year. In spring training, he turned down a contract
extension believed to be in the neighborhood of $38 million over six
years. He was hit in the face when teammate Ryan Braun was warming
up in front of the dugout then, just before the All-Star break,
learned his infant son died in the Dominican Republic. He finally
seemed to snap out of is funk in September, when he hit .319 with a
.364 on-base percentage, but for the year, Segura batted .246 with
five home runs, 31 RBIs and 20 stolen bases with a .289 on-base
percentage. Segura played winter ball this past offseason, where he
focused on some mechanical adjustments, and is hoping to revert to
his 2013 form, when he hit .294.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Braun, Ryan J.
RF Ryan Braun is hoping for a bounce-back season. After a 65-game
suspension for PED use that ended his 2013 season in July, he showed
no signs of rust in the first half of last season but faltered down
the stretch because of a nagging injury to his right thumb. An
offseason procedure to freeze the problematic nerve seems to have
solved the puzzle and a healthy Braun arrived at Maryvale Baseball
Park on Wednesday ready to turn the page and move forward.
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MLB Note - New York Yankees Beltran, Carlos
RF Carlos Beltran is hopeful that his second season with the Yankees
will be significantly healthier than his first, when elbow pain
required three cortisone shots and offseason surgery to treat a bone
spur in his right elbow. To get ready for spring training, the
37-year-old spent most of the winter working out at Yankee Stadium.
Once the elbow injury appeared in May, Beltran was limited to being
a designated hitter and wound up hitting .233 with 15 home runs and
49 RBIs in 109 games. To prepare for playing right field, Beltran is
making throws at distances of 150 feet.
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MLB Note - New York Yankees Nova, Ivan
RHP Ivan Nova is not quite a year removed from Tommy John surgery
but is inching closer toward a return. Without any setbacks, that is
likely to happen after April. So far, he has thrown three bullpen
sessions since the surgery. On Tuesday, he threw 25 pitches -- all
fastballs. Nova will have one more session with just fastballs
before adding in changeups.
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MLB Note - New York Yankees Bailey, Andrew
RHP Andrew Bailey has been in Tampa since shortly after the Super
Bowl as he attempts a comeback from shoulder surgery that curtailed
his 2013 season with the Red Sox. He had numerous setbacks last
season, but the Yankees re-signed him in November; and, so far,
Bailey has thrown five bullpen sessions. Bailey is considered to
have an outside shot at making the Yankees but seems to be making
progress. So far he has been able to throw all of his pitches
without pain for the first time since getting injured in July 2013.
The Yankees will get a better sense of how Bailey progresses once he
starts throwing live batting practice, and that will start around
the time the exhibition season begins.
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MLB Note - New York Yankees Rodriguez, Alex
DH Alex Rodriguez has never played an inning at first base, but that
may change. On Tuesday, manager Joe Girardi said he would ask
Rodriguez about taking ground balls at first base. Rodriguez seemed
surprised by that idea Monday; but a day later, he seemed willing.
"I'm willing to try whatever Joe wants me to try." If Rodriguez does
see some time at first base, the Yankees may have a third backup
option if Mark Teixeira gets hurt or needs a day off.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Angels Hamilton, Josh
OF Josh Hamilton, a former drug addict and alcoholic, admitted to
Major League Baseball officials Feb. 25 that he had a relapse
involving cocaine, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reported.
Hamilton confessed to a "binge that involved cocaine" several months
ago, according to Heyman. He reportedly did not fail a drug test,
and he could be treated as a first-time violator of baseball's drug
policy.
Earlier on Feb. 25, the Los Angeles Times reported that the Angels
were anticipating potential penalties involving Hamilton, who is
also recovering from right shoulder surgery.
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MLB Note - St. Louis Cardinals Wainwright, Adam
RHP Adam Wainwright said Wednesday that he doesn't believe his
abdominal pain is the sign of a serious injury. "I want to be fair
to you and say that anything I say about it would just be
speculation," Wainwright said before departing camp in Florida for a
Thursday exam in Missouri. "I don't think it's very serious at all.
I think going up there, (Dr. Michael Brunt) is probably not going to
see much of anything at all. But I don't know that. I don't want to
be answering 100 questions about it without really knowing."
 Wainwright said he began feeling the twinge in his abdomen Feb. 16
while returning a 45-pound barbell back to the weight rack. He went
through multiple issues without any sign of the issue but has
experienced pain while running or quickly changing direction
laterally.
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MLB Note - Baltimore Orioles Hassan, Alex
OF Alex Hassan was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Feb.
25 to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for newly signed INF Everth
Cabrera. Hassan, 26, was claimed off waivers by the Orioles from the
A's in November after Oakland acquired him off waivers from Boston.
In three games for the Red Sox last year, Hassan went 1-for-8. He
spent the bulk of the 2014 season with Triple-A Pawtucket, hitting
.287/.378/.426 with eight homers and 55 RBIs in 114 games.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Anderson, Brett
LHP Brett Anderson (back surgery in August 2014) was participating
at the start of spring training but was getting additional rest
between throwing sessions.
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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Ziegler, Brad
RHP Brad Ziegler is cautiously optimistic he will be ready for the
season opener after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on Sept. 9,
2014. "If my knee holds up, I'm all for it," Ziegler said. "I'm
excited about that possibility. If it doesn't happen, then it
shouldn't be long after that, barring a major setback. It's going to
be close. I can feel myself getting stronger, which is a good thing,
but I haven't pitched off a mound yet." Ziegler usually gets 12 or
so spring appearances, but he is likely to have only about half many
this spring.
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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Ahmed, Nick
SS Nick Ahmed, who spent a small amount of time in the major leagues
last season, has caught the D-backs' attention with his glove. "Nick
Ahmed, we feel, is a guy who defensively is as good as anybody in
the major leagues," said manager Chip Hale, using the scouting scale
of 20-80 as a guide. "An 80 is the best you can be, a (Albert)
Pujols in his prime. A Barry Bonds in his prime. This guy is close
to that as a defender. We have to work with him on certain hitting
fundamentals, and he is working hard on that."
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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Stites, Matt
RHP Matt Stites appreciated the advice of Hall of Famer Randy
Johnson, an advisor this spring who spoke to the pitching staff
Monday. Johnson's message was to make every start as if it is your
last. "For me, it's more like every pitch and every appearance,"
Stites said. "Focus on the now. You have a guy like that telling you
something, you listen. He went through it. He's one of the greats.
That's the guy you want to listen to, take advice from, pick his
brain and follow what he does."
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Ryu, Hyun-Jin
LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (back stiffness) was slowed in late February, but
he was not expected to miss more than a workout or two.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Peralta, Joel
RHP Joel Peralta (right shoulder discomfort) did not start his
throwing program on time. He was limited to playing catch in the
first week of camp.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Stoltz, Eric
LHP Eric Stoltz, competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, had
an 8-17 record and 4.30 ERA with San Diego last season, but the
Braves hope that was misleading. The veteran posted a 2.74 ERA in
his last 11 starts after making mechanical changes that slowed down
his tempo. Stoltz began that effective stretch by allowing one
unearned run over 6 1/3 innings against the Braves on Aug. 1. He
signed a minor league deal with the Braves.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Johnson, Jim
RHP Jim Johnson, trying to bounce back from a frightful 2014 season
with Oakland and Detroit, seemed to have his sinker back on track
early in camp. He chose to sign with the Braves in part because it
would give him a chance to work with pitching coach Roger McDowell,
himself a former sinkerball reliever. Johnson had a 7.09 ERA in 55
games for the A's and Tigers last season after saving 101 games the
previous two years with Baltimore.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Greinke, Zack
RHP Zack Greinke received a "lubricating injection" in his right
elbow after reporting to camp, and he did not throw for the first
three days of workouts. The Dodgers characterized the injection as a
precautionary measure to treat some annual soreness Greinke
experiences in his elbow. He also received the injection last
spring.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers McGowan, Dustin
RHP Dustin McGowan signed a one-year contract on Feb. 23, and he
will compete for a spot in the Dodgers' bullpen. McGowan has a
checkered injury past. He underwent three shoulder surgeries during
his time with the Blue Jays and missed three entire seasons while
rehabbing (2009, 2010 and 2012). The 32-year-old said he has not had
any arm problems in more than two years. He went 5-3 with a 4.17 ERA
last season, splitting time as a starter and reliever with Toronto.
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MLB Note - New York Yankees Miller, Andrew
LHP Andrew Miller has one career save but could get some
opportunities closing. On Monday, Miller had his first bullpen
session as a Yankee, throwing 20 pitches while pitching coach Larry
Rothchild stood in the batter's box. Though he will get asked about
closing constantly during spring training, Miller is doing his best
to downplay it. "I've shown I can pitch in big situations," he said.
"I've proved a lot to myself personally in playoff games and some of
the situations I came in are more stressful than saving a game in
May."
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Markakis, Nick
RF Nick Markakis, who had fusion surgery for a herniated disk in his
neck on Dec. 17, won't play in early Grapefruit League games but
still hopes to be ready by the start of the season. "Opening Day is
a goal," he said. "It's one of those things you work for and try to
get there as far as injuries. ... Neck surgery is pretty serious, so
you don't want to rush it. I will have six weeks to do my thing and
try to get ready for Opening Day." Markakis signed a four-year, $44
million deal with the Braves after previously spending his entire
career with Baltimore.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Teheran, Julio
RHP Julio Teheran, barring any health issues, is penciled in to make
his second consecutive Opening Day start when the Braves begin play
at Miami on April 6. The 22-year-old made his first All-Star Game
last season and finished with a 2.89 ERA in 33 starts. Teheran had
four complete games, including two shutouts, while pitching 221
innings. He had 14 victories in each of his first two full seasons.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Beachy, Brandon
RHP Brandon Beachy (Tommy John surgery in March 2014) went on the
60-day disabled list Feb. 23. He progressed to throwing long-toss in
late February, but he is not expected back until midseason. He
underwent his second Tommy John surgery and third elbow surgery in
less than three years.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Ethier, Andre
OF Andre Ethier reported to camp with the rest of the position
players. Before the first workout, he had a private meeting with
manager Don Mattingly, GM Farhan Zaidi and president of baseball
operations Andrew Friedman to discuss his situation. Ethier has made
it clear he wants to be traded if he does not have an everyday role.
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