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 03/15/2015 MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Taylor, Chris
SS Chris Taylor has been diagnosed with a fracture of the triquetrum
bone in his right wrist.Taylor, who was hit on the wrist by a pitch
from Jim Henderson during the sixth inning of Friday's game against
the Milwaukee Brewers, is expected to have the wrist in a brace for
four-to-six weeks.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Walters, Zach
DH Zach Walters will be out for three-to-four weeks because of a
high-grade strain of his right oblique muscle. Walters left
Thursday's game against the Kansas City Royals after being injured
while taking a swing in the fifth inning. The Indians used the
switch-hitting Walters at several positions this spring and it
seemed he might make the roster as a utility player.
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MLB Note - San Diego Padres Federowicz, Tim
C Tim Federowicz had surgery to repair a meniscal tear in his knee
Friday and is expected to miss three-to-six months. Federowicz had
arthroscopic surgery and during the procedure team surgeons repaired
a complete tear of his lateral meniscus.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Grandal, Yasmani
C Yasmani Grandal has been taking ground balls at first base
occasionally during spring workouts. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly
has said he sees "a tremendous upside offensively" in Grandal, whose
numbers dipped last season after he rushed back from reconstructive
knee surgery. "He's got pop from both sides. He's a dangerous cat,"
Mattingly said of Grandal. "You can tell the way he swings, he's on
pitches. At the end of the year last year, we had trouble getting
him out. We didn't really know where to go. We kept trying different
things. He always seemed to square it up somewhere."
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Ethier, Andre
OF Andre Ethier has made it clear he does not want to be relegated
to a bench role again in 2015 and would rather be traded than stay
with the Dodgers if that is his fate. But midway through spring
training, there is no sign that Ethier is changing the Dodgers plans
to go with Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford and rookie Joc Pederson as
their primary starting outfielders. Ethier was 4-for-16 (all
singles) in his first seven Cactus League appearances.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Urias, Julio
LHP Julio Urias was among the first players reassigned to minor
league camp this week. The 18-year-old is one of the top-ranked
pitching prospects in baseball and was in his first major league
camp. He made two Cactus League appearances for the Dodgers (and
could still make more) and allowed three hits and walked three in
two innings.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Howell, J.P.
LHP J.P. Howell (groin muscle) was held out of throwing for a few
days but returned to Cactus League action with a scoreless inning on
Saturday.
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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Trumbo, Mark
RF Mark Trumbo's move to right field does not seem to have affected
his hitting. Trumbo had five hits in his first 18 spring at-bats,
with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs. He was tied for
second on the team in RBIs, and those numbers do not include his
3-for-3, two-RBI performance in a "B" game against Colorado minor
leaguers Sunday. His first double one-hopped the fence in
right-center field against Colorado No. 1 starter Jorge De La Rosa.
"We're happy with Mark's swing right now," D-backs manager Chip Hale
said.
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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Ziegler, Brad
RHP Brad Ziegler threw 25 pitches to minor league hitters and also
covered first base in drills Saturday morning in preparation for
getting into his first spring training game, perhaps later this
week. Ziegler, a top setup man, had arthroscopic surgery on his left
knee Sept. 9. Assuming he gets into a game this week, he would have
2 1/2 weeks before the start of the season April 6, time enough for
a half-dozen appearances. "I've told everybody for a long time I
think I only need five or six outings in spring to be ready, and I
should have plenty of time to get that in," Ziegler said. He was 5-3
with a 3.49 ERA in 67 appearances last season, and has been
mentioned as a possible closing candidate early this season if
closer RHP Addison Reed is delayed out of camp. Reed has not thrown
off a mound after suffering shoulder soreness in pre-game workouts.
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MLB Note - Colorado Rockies Brown, Brooks
RHP Brooks Brown was a pleasant surprise and a nice addition to the
bullpen last year after he made his major league debut on July 6,
which was days after he turned 29. He went 0-1 with a 2.77 ERA in 28
games, walking five and striking out 21 in 26 innings. Brown was
equally effective against both right-handed hitters -- they hit .208
(11-for-53) against him -- and lefties -- .209 (9-for-43).
In four appearances this spring, Brown has pitched 3 1/3 scoreless
innings, allowing two hits and one walk with one strikeout.
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MLB Note - Colorado Rockies Kendrick, Kyle
RHP Kyle Kendrick was the Rockies' most notable offseason
acquisition. He didn't have a high free-agent profile, but the
Rockies signed him to a one-year, $5.5 million contract, confident
the 30-year-old Kendrick can improve their rotation. He has pitched
at least 180 innings in three of the four seasons when he has made
at least 30 starts, including 182 innings in 2013 and a career-high
199 last season.
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MLB Note - Colorado Rockies De La Rosa, Jorge
LHP Jorge De La Rosa's left groin tightness caused his spring debut
to be delayed for a second time. The Rockies' No. 1 starter, De La
Rosa, was originally scheduled to pitch March 7 but had his start
pushed back to March 12. But on March 10, lingering tightness in the
groin caused that March 12 outing to be shelved.
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MLB Note - Colorado Rockies Brothers, Rex
LHP Rex Brothers made his delayed spring debut March 9 and retired
the three Cincinnati batters he faced on eight pitches, six strikes.
He didn't pitch earlier because Brothers was working with new
bullpen coach Darren Holmes on some timing issues in his delivery
related to getting the ball out of his glove. A revitalized Brothers
could be a huge factor for the Rockies in upgrading a bullpen that
last year had a 4.79 ERA, the highest in the National League.
Brothers is coming off a dismal 2014, when he had a 5.59 ERA in 74
games, a shocking rise from his 1.74 ERA in 72 games a year earlier.
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MLB Note - Colorado Rockies Blackmon, Charlie
CF Charlie Blackmon had been bothered by an abdominal strain that
delayed his spring debut until March 11. He went 0-for-2 while
playing four innings against the Mariners.
Blackmon said, "It was good to be back out there with my teammates.
I was also happy that I wasn't tentative or anything like that --
just play the game."
The abdominal strain had hurt a little bit when swinging, Blackmon
said, but with that discomfort gone, he was cleared to play.
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MLB Note - San Diego Padres Maurer, Brandon
RHP Brandon Maurer has been slowed by a sore back suffered during
running drills. He is expected to be back on the mound Monday or
Tuesday.
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MLB Note - San Diego Padres Quentin, Carlos
OF Carlos Quentin -- the injury-prone outfielder who appears to be
the odd-man out when the Padres traded for OFs Matt Kemp, Justin
Upton and Matt Kemp during the offseason -- made his first start at
first base in a B Game Saturday. Although he had been taking ground
balls at first since the start of spring training, Quentin had only
played one inning at first in a game before Saturday's appearance.
He fielded a high chopper and made a diving stop to his left of a
sharp grounder (although he was unable to get the ball out of his
glove for the out). He is trying to make the Padres as an OF-1B
reserve, a right-handed pinch-hitter and a designated hitter when
the time comes. The Padres would still prefer to move Quentin to an
American League team needing a designated hitter.
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MLB Note - San Diego Padres Norris, Derek
Cs Derek Norris and Tim Federowicz are the only two catchers on the
Padres' 40-man roster. The loss of Federowicz leaves veteran Wil
Nieves, who the Padres signed as a minor league free agent on Jan.
31, as the frontrunner for the No. 2 job. Another possibility is top
prospect Austin Hedges. But although the Padres believe Hedges is
ready to catch defensively in the major leagues, he hit faded late
and hit only .225 at Double-A San Antonio last season.
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MLB Note - San Diego Padres Kelly, Casey
RHP Casey Kelly (mild groin strain) was hurt in late February. He
threw batting practice March 15, but he had yet to make his Cactus
League debut.
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MLB Note - San Francisco Giants Cain, Matt
RHP Matt Cain pitched two hitless, scoreless innings in his spring
debut March 9, against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers no less. He got
touched up by the Giants' other rival, the Oakland Athletics, five
days later, but his surgically repaired elbow and ankle weren't an
issue. Cain remains on schedule to make a start in the opening week
of the regular season, manager Bruce Bochy said.
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MLB Note - San Francisco Giants Hudson, Tim
RHP Tim Hudson's ankle appears to be healthy following offseason
surgery. Hudson had a scoreless -- and painless -- exhibition debut
March 11 before getting roughed up a bit (three hits and two walks
in 1 1/3 innings) in his follow-up performance. But, again, no pain.
Hudson remains on schedule to make a start in the opening week of
the regular season, manager Bruce Bochy said.
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MLB Note - San Francisco Giants Romo, Sergio
RHP Sergio Romo (sore right shoulder) was scheduled to make his
first appearance of the spring March 16 after completing a series of
workouts in which he was pain-free.
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MLB Note - San Francisco Giants Lopez, Javier
LHP Javier Lopez (left biceps tendinitis) made his spring debut
March 10 against San Diego and threw 18 pitches. He reported no pain
in his throwing arm.
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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Owings, Chris
INF Chris Owings (left shoulder surgery in October 2014) made his
Cactus League debut March 14, going 1-for-3 with an RBI single. The
D-backs expect him to be ready for the start of the season.
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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Stites, Matt
RHP Matt Stites (right shoulder soreness) resumed throwing off a
mound in mid-March for the first time this spring. Tests showed no
structural damage, but his return date was unknown.
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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Ziegler, Brad
RHP Brad Ziegler (left knee microfracture surgery in September 2014)
faced live hitters March 14. He is expected to be ready for the
start of the regular season.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Swisher, Nick
DH/1B Nick Swisher (double knee surgery August 2014) had yet to make
his Cactus League debut through March 15. However, he still hoped to
be ready for Opening Day.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Edgin, Josh
LHP Josh Edgin elected to undergo Tommy John surgery and will miss
the 2015 season. Team doctor David Altchek will perform the
procedure during the week of March 16-22 at the Hospital for Special
Surgery in Manhattan, GM Sandy Alderson announced March 15. Edgin,
28, sought a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews before committing
to the elbow surgery.
Edgin posted a 1.32 ERA in 47 appearances last season, holding
left-handed hitters to a .217 on-base percentage.
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MLB Note - New York Yankees Severino, Luis
RHP Luis Severino was one of 10 players reassigned to the Yankees'
minor league camp on March 15. Severino, 21, tossed 2 2/3 innings
this spring, striking out five, but he had a 6.75 ERA. In the past
three years in the minors, he appeared in 48 games (46 starts) and
went 14-6 overall with a 2.24 ERA.
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MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Hultzen, Danny
LHP Danny Hultzen (left shoulder surgery in October 2013) made his
Cactus League debut March 11, throwing a scoreless inning against
the Rockies. However, four days later, he was optioned to Triple-A
Tacoma to continue his comeback. He missed last season after having
his rotator cuff repaired. Hultzen, 25, was the second overall pick
in the 2011 draft.
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MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Kickham, Mike
LHP Mike Kickham was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on March 15.
Kickham, 26, walked four but didn't give up an earned run in 3 1/3
innings this spring. Kickham was traded by the Cubs to the Mariners
in exchange for RHP Lars Huijer on Jan. 14. Chicago claimed Kickham
off waivers from the Giants on Dec. 23. Kickham, 26, made two
September relief appearances for San Francisco last season, allowing
five runs in two innings. In 27 starts for Triple-A Fresno, he went
8-8 with a 4.43 ERA.
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MLB Note - Seattle Mariners Morban, Jose
OF Julio Morban was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on March 15. Morban,
23, went 2-for-9 with four strikeouts in six games this spring. He
split last season between Tacoma and Double-A Jackson, hitting a
combined .248/.309/.322 with one homer and 18 RBIs in 59 games.
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MLB Note - Cincinnati Reds Bourgeois, Jason
OF Jason Bourgeois was diagnosed with a fractured left shoulder on
March 15, and he won't be ready for Opening Day. According to the
team, he will be sidelined four to six weeks. Bourgeois, 33, was
attempting to make the team as a reserve after hitting
.242/.265/.303 with one RBI in 18 games for Cincinnati last year.
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Pillar, Kevin
OF Kevin Pillar hurt himself while sneezing March 14, and he was
expected to be sidelined for seven to 10 days with a sore right
side. Pillar had a .269/.296/.462 hitting line with one homer and
five RBIs in nine games this spring as he battles for a regular role
with the Blue Jays. Last year, he hit .267/.295/.397 with two homers
and seven RBIs in 52 games for Toronto.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Ohlendorf, Ross
RHP Ross Ohlendorf left his March 15 outing early due to tightness
in the right side of his groin. He said he was uncertain how long he
would be sidelined. Ohlendorf, 32, never pitched in the majors last
year, making just five minor league starts while rehabbing a right
lumbar strain. He has previous major league experience with the
Yankees, Pirates, Padres and Nationals.
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MLB Note - Arizona Diamondbacks Anderson, Chase
RHP Chase Anderson has added a two-seam fastball to his repertoire
this spring, and he has used it to get outs in critical situations.
With a runner on third base and one out in the second inning of his
four-inning stint against San Francisco on Saturday, he got a
broken-bat soft liner to shortstop and a routine grounder to third
base on two-seamers for the final two outs of the inning. "Today was
a big leap for that pitch," said Anderson, who threw about a dozen
two-seamers in the game. "You talk to me after last outing, I
probably wouldn't feel comfortable using it a crucial situation in a
regular game. Now, it's built my confidence really well."
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MLB Note - San Diego Padres Kemp, Matt
OF Matt Kemp had a RBI double Sunday and is 7-for-16 thus far this
spring with a homer and five RBIs.
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MLB Note - San Diego Padres Federowicz, Tim
C Tim Federowicz, who appeared to be the backup to Derek Norris,
suffered a complete tear of the meniscus in his right knee and will
miss at least three-to-six months. Federowicz had surgery to repair
the tear Friday in San Diego. Federowicz, who the Padres acquired
from the Dodgers in the same trade that brought OF Matt Kemp to the
Padres, should be out until at least the All-Star break.
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MLB Note - San Francisco Giants Lincecum, Tim
RHP Tim Lincecum not only had to cut short what was supposed to be a
key stretch-out appearance March 11 due to a stiff neck (he was
pulled just three outs into what was supposed to be a three-inning
outing), but he also was unable for workouts the next three days.
Lincecum threw off a flat surface March 15, which was considered
progress. He nonetheless was scratched from his scheduled March 16
outing and instead pointed toward a March 21 appearance.
Lincecum remains the club's fifth starter, but that is now more of a
projection than a guarantee.
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MLB Note - San Francisco Giants McGehee, Casey
3B Casey McGehee was the club's most consistent hitter in the first
two weeks of exhibition play. McGehee was initially projected to bat
sixth or seventh this season, but that appears to be changing. Moved
up in part because of RF Hunter Pence's injury, the ex-Marlin was
responding well to hitting in the middle of the order.
McGehee led the Giants in several offensive categories -- average
(.500), hits (11) and doubles (four) among them -- in the club's
first 15 Cactus League games. The fact that he had only four RBIs to
show for his 11 hits says more about the guys batting in front of
him than anything the new third baseman did wrong.
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MLB Note - San Francisco Giants Gutierrez, Juan
RHP Juan Gutierrez (right shoulder inflammation) was due to take a
week off in mid-March. The injury was not considered serious.
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