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 03/03/2015 MLB Note - New York Mets Gee, Dillon
RHP Dillon Gee is expected to end spring training as he began it --
as a member of the Mets. The website MLBDailyDish.com reported
Monday that Gee may be pursued by the Texas Rangers, who might
dangle promising yet oft-injured prospect Jurickson Profar. Mets
general manager Sandy Alderson said Tuesday there had been little
discussion with other teams about Gee, who has been a rotation
staple for the past four seasons but is expected to be nudged to the
bullpen following the return of RHP Matt Harvey from Tommy John
surgery.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Campbell, Eric
IF Eric Campbell will spend much of spring training being prepared
to serve as the Mets' super utilityman. Campbell, who caught in the
bullpen shortly after arriving at spring training, will see time in
the middle infield positions as well as catcher throughout the
Grapefruit League season so the Mets can evaluate whether or not
he's an emergency option at those positions. Campbell saw time at
six positions -- everywhere except catcher, center field and pitcher
-- as a rookie last season.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Syndergaard, Noah
RHP Noah Syndergaard learned a tough lesson Tuesday: Don't leave the
dugout during a game -- not even an intrasquad one. Mets captain and
3B David Wright saw Syndergaard eating lunch in the clubhouse during
the Mets' intrasquad scrimmage and scolded him as RHP Bobby Parnell
took what was left of Syndergaard's lunch and dumped it in the
trash. "I understand where David was coming from," Syndergaard told
Newsday. "We're playing a team sport. I should be out there
supporting my teammates."
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Harang, Aaron
RHP Aaron Harang has been scratched from his scheduled start against
the New York Yankees on Wednesday in an exhibition game. Harang said
he wanted to do more side work to iron out some issues with his
throwing mechanics but was also spotted wearing an ice pack on his
back. He is slated to be the No. 3 starter following RHP Cole Hamels
and LHP Cliff Lee after signing a one-year, $5-million contract as a
free agent in the offseason. Harang pitched for Atlanta last season
and went 12-12 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Howard, Ryan
1B Ryan Howard says he lost approximately 20 pounds over the winter
as he cut sugar from his diet. The Phillies spent the offseason
trying to trade the 35-year-old but found no takers as Howard is
owed $60 million over the final two years of his five-year,
$125-million contract. He hit just .223 with 23 home runs in 153
games last season and led the major leagues with 190 strikeouts.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Hamels, Cole
RHP Cole Hamels continues to draw trade interest from a number of
teams, including Boston. Charlie Kerfeld, a special assistant to GM
Ruben Amaro Jr., has been scouting the Red Sox's spring training
camp. The Phillies would love to acquire SS Xander Bogaerts or C
Blake Swihart, considered one of top prospects in baseball, but the
Red Sox have been unwilling to part with either.
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MLB Note - Miami Marlins Alvarez, Henderson
RHP Henderson Alvarez, 24, is the ace of this staff -- at least
until RHP Jose Fernandez comes off the disabled list this summer.
Alvarez went 12-7 with a 2.65 ERA in 30 starts last season and could
win about 15 games this season with the Marlins' improved lineup.
Everything Alvarez throws has a sink to it, including his 94 mph
fastball. That's why he finished tied for the NL lead with 24 double
plays induced last season. He was also second in groundball-to-fly
ball ratio.
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MLB Note - Miami Marlins Fernandez, Jose
RHP Jose Fernandez, who hasn't pitched since he hurt his right arm
on May 9, took the mound on Sunday for the first time in 291 days.
It wasn't even an exhibition game, but still, it was progress for
Fernandez, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery last May.
Fernandez, still only 22, was the 2014 National League Rookie of the
Year and figures to go right back to the top of the Marlins'
rotation when he is ready to pitch again this summer. Fernandez, who
threw 15 fastballs at half-speed on Sunday, has been throwing off
flat ground for the past five months. He expects to be big-league
ready by June or July.
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MLB Note - Miami Marlins Dietrich, Derek
INF Derek Dietrich, who is mainly a second baseman, has learned to
play left field and first base, enhancing his ability to try to win
a job as a utility player. He can now play every infield position
plus left field. Dietrich has good pop for a middle infielder -- 14
homers, 16 doubles and four triples in 373 big-league at-bats over
the past two seasons. But his career on-base percentage is just
.297, and he made 10 errors in 44 games last season. His .950
fielding percentage was 32 points below the league average, and that
is what ultimately cost him his shot at a starting job --- the
Marlins acquired Dee Gordon in the offseason to be their second
baseman. Now Dietrich, a former second-round pick out of Georgia
Tech, must go the utility route.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Oliver, Andy
RHP Andy Oliver, who was selected from Pittsburgh in the Rule 5
Draft in December, has a good chance of opening the season in the
Phillies' bullpen. Oliver, 27, was 3-4 with 13 saves and a 2.48 ERA
in 48 games with Triple-A Indianapolis last season. He struck out 85
in 64 innings but also walked 47. Oliver must stay on the major
league roster all season or be offered back to the Pirates for half
the $50,000 draft price.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Aumont, Phillippe
RHP Phillippe Aumont will get a long look during the exhibition
season because he is out of minor league options and would possibly
be lost on a waiver claim if the Phillies tried to send him down.
Aumont, 26, made 45 relief appearances for the Phillies over the
last three seasons, going 1-5 with two saves and 6.13 ERA. He struck
out 39 in 39 1/3 innings but also issued 27 walks. Aumont spent the
majority of last season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and was 3-3 with a
3.93 ERA in 35 games.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Utley, Chase
2B Chase Utley (sprained right ankle) sustained his injury in late
January and will be held out of at least the first week of
exhibition games.
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MLB Note - Philadelphia Phillies Biddle, Jesse
RHP Jesse Biddle (right elbow tendinitis) says he is completely
healthy after missing some time during the Venezuelan Winter League
season.
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MLB Note - New York Yankees Rodriguez, Alex
DH Alex Rodriguez will take a big step in his comeback from a PED
suspension when he faces live pitching for the first time in 17
months on Mawrch 4. Rodriguez, 39, will be in the lineup at
Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., when the Yankees play the
Phillies. The last time Rodriguez faced live pitching was Sept. 25,
2013. He will not play in the field March 4, although he has been
taking ground balls at third base and at first. He will face the
Phillies RHP Aaron Harang.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Simmons, Andrelton
SS Andrelton Simmons was limited at the beginning of camp because of
a left oblique strain and wasn't ready to play when Grapefruit
League action began. The injury, though, wasn't considered
significant and Simmons was mainly taking it easy as a precaution.
The Gold Glove winner wasn't expected to be held out of many spring
training games.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Callaspo, Alberto
2B Alberto Callaspo, signed to a one-year deal worth $3 million as a
free agent, battled weight issues the past two seasons and the
former Oakland Athletic reported to the Braves hardly looking trim.
The veteran switch-hitter had been the favorite to open the season
as a regular, holding the spot for top prospect 2B Jose Peraza. But
INF Jace Peterson, acquired from San Diego as part of the Justin
Upton deal, impressed manager Fredi Gonzalez early in camp.
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Rodriguez, Wandy
LHP Wandy Rodriguez got the first chance to make a good impression
in the battle for the fifth spot in the Braves as manager Fredi
Gonzalez tapped him to start the Grapefruit League opener against
the New York Mets on March 4. Rodriguez, who made just 16 starts the
past two seasons with Pittsburgh as the 36-year-old battled
injuries, signed a minor league contract with the Braves after
running into a snag in a deal with Philadelphia. Because of an early
off day, the Braves likely won't need a fifth starter until April 14
against Miami.
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MLB Note - Milwaukee Brewers Hall, Brooks
RHP Brooks Hall was outrighted to Triple-A Colorado Springs on March
3, clearing a spot on the Brewers' 40-man roster for the expected
return of RHP Francisco Rodriguez. Hall, 24, missed most of last
season due to bone spurs in his pitching elbow. He went 2-1 with a
2.77 ERA in five starts for Double-A Huntsville in 2014. The
previous season, pitching for two Class A teams, Hall went a
combined 4-7 with one save and a 3.40 ERA in 28 games (23 starts).
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MLB Note - Atlanta Braves Minor, Mike
LHP Mike Minor appears in line to start the Braves' home opener
against the New York Mets in April 10. Minor, who started last
season on the disabled list because of a sore shoulder, has had no
reoccurrence and was scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut
on March 8 against Houston. The first three starters in the
season-opening rotation are expected to be RHP Julio Teheran, LHP
Alex Wood and RHP Shelby Miller.
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