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 03/21/2015 MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Price, David
LHP David Price will break RHP Justin Verlander's streak of starting
seven straight Opening Days for Detroit. "It is a tough decision
when you have two guys like that," manager Brad Ausmus said Mar. 20
when he announced the decision. "Looking at it from a baseball
perspective, I felt this was the (right) decision and it wasn't an
easy decision. Justin Verlander has been an outstanding pitcher for
a long time. He has done a lot for the Tigers and this organization.
But I have to make a decision based on baseball and what is best for
the 2015 Tigers." Going that way allows Ausmus to pitch Price an
extra time against Cleveland, which is heavy with left-handed
hitters. "There is nothing you can bring up that I did not take into
account," the manager said. Price was 4-4 with Detroit, posting a
3.59 ERA, after going 11-8 with a 3.11 ERA for Tampa Bay. "He told
me congrats," Price said of what Verlander told him after being
informed of the decision. "If he lost it to anybody in baseball,
he's happy it was me and he hopes I would be here next year so he
can win it back. I definitely appreciate him saying that. He said it
to me like three minutes ago and it was the best thing I heard all
day. I am extremely honored to take the ball on that day. It's a
very special day in baseball. But it definitely caught me by
surprise, to say the least. I thought it would be Ver."
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MLB Note - New York Mets Wheeler, Zack
RHP Zack Wheeler has officially opted for Tommy John surgery.
Wheeler, after meeting with doctors earlier in the week, said March
20 he will undergo the procedure next week and expects to be out
through the first two months of the 2016 season. "Of course I'm
nervous about it, but you've got to do it and have that mindset when
you're coming back that you're going to be 100 percent and better
than you were before," said Wheeler, who acknowledged he pitched
with significant pain at points last season said. "I knew it
probably eventually was going to happen. You aren't meant to throw
overhand and throw hard."
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MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Meyer, Alex
RHP Alex Meyer was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on March 20,
reducing their spring training roster to 44. Meyer, who had an
11-strikeout game at Rochester in 2014, made three appearances in
spring training. He had seven walks, six strikeouts, a 1-0 record
and 1.59 ERA, allowing one run in 5 2/3 innings.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Madson, Ryan
RHP Ryan Madson has not pitched in the majors since 2011, had Tommy
John surgery in 2012, threw only one inning in the minors in 2013
and did not pitch at all last year, but has been a pleasant surprise
in camp. The 34-year-old Madson, who saved 32 games in 2011 with the
Phillies, has permitted one earned run and four hits in four
innings, while striking out three and walking none. Manager Ned Yost
is impressed with his stuff. "You can see where if he stays healthy,
he can help us," Yost said. Madson is signed to a minor league
contract.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Gordon, Alex
LF Alex Gordon, a four-time Gold Glove winner, is penciled in to
make his Cactus League debut Saturday. Gordon was set back after
having right wrist surgery in late December, but has passed all the
tests and appeared in minor league games.
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MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Dozier, Brian
2B Brian Dozier is off to a good start this spring. Through his
first seven games of camp, Dozier is hitting .565 with two home runs
and four runs batted in. He also has four doubles and has drawn two
walks. Dozier was a 20/20 guy for the Twins last season, hitting a
career-high 22 homers and reaching base at a .345 clip.
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MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Vargas, Kennys
DH/1B Kennys Vargas has put on an impressive power display through
his first 10 games this spring, hitting three homers and knocking in
seven runs. Vargas has struck out six times in 31 spring at-bats, or
once every five at-bats. Last season, he struck out once every three
at-bats in 53 games following his major league debut on Aug. 1.
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MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Sano, Miguel
3B Miguel Sano was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on March 20,
reducing their spring training roster to 44. Sano hit two long home
runs but went just 2-for-10 this spring. With Trevor Plouffe locked
into the third-base job and Kennys Vargas penciled in as the
designated hitter, Sano is another player who needed at-bats.
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MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Berrios, Jose
RHP Jose Berrios was optioned to Double-A Chattanooga on March 20,
reducing their spring training roster to 44. Berrios made a big
impression on general manager Terry Ryan, pitching six shutout
innings over two games, allowing seven hits and walking nine.
"There's no question he performed and did everything you ever wanted
him to do," Ryan told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "It's time for him
to get on down in the system here. He did a nice job."
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Rondon, Bruce
RHP Bruce Rondon pitched with just one day of rest Mar. 17, the
first time this spring he had worked on less than two days off. "He
threw some sliders, but his changeup was better," manager Brad
Ausmus said after the outing. "He faced a couple of left-handed
batters, that's probably why he threw the changeup." The goal for
Detroit is to have Rondon able to work an inning in consecutive
games by the end of spring training. If Rondon continues to up his
workload with no aftereffects he will be coming north for the start
of the regular season.
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Moya, Steven
RF Steven Moya has seen his spring batting average slide as the
result of some bad hitting habits. Moya is slated to play the season
at Triple-A Toledo to get a season full of at-bats against
experienced pitchers who will test his patience and knowledge of the
strike zone. "He'd gotten into a little bad habit," manager Brad
Ausmus said. "He was closed off at the plate; he almost had his back
facing the pitcher." The left-handed hitter worked with hitting
coach Wally Joyner, and the club said he was looking better. "His
batting practices the last few days have been much better," Ausmus
said. "His swing was a good one. He got the barrel on the ball." He
hit into a double play Mar. 19 but it was a rocket line drive to
second.
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MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Hunter, Torii
RF Torii Hunter is hitting .294 this spring with a double and an
RBI. The Twins are limiting the number of games the veteran sees as
he prepares for the regular season.
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Verlander, Justin
RHP Justin Verlander won't be Detroit's Opening Day starter for the
first time in eight years. Manager Brad Ausmus made that official
Mar. 20 when he disclosed LHP David Price as his choice to start the
first game of the season. "Ver was great, he actually was," Ausmus
said. "He was -- I don't know how else to describe it other than he
was great. No one wants to be told they are not starting Opening Day
when they are certainly a viable candidate." Verlander was Ausmus'
choice last year despite RHP Max Scherzer coming off a Cy Young
season. "I hope a year from now that Justin Verlander has the type
of year where he has to pitch Opening Day," Ausmus said. "And my gut
tells me that he's going to be light years better than what we saw
in 2014 when he was coming off that core surgery. He's going to be a
lot better." Verlander was 15-12 with a 4.54 ERA last season. "I
can't say I am surprised," Verlander said of his reaction. "I didn't
have a good season last year by anyone's standards, especially my
own. I feel like Opening Day is something that's earned, not given.
When Brad talked to me he said he took into account the things I've
done for this organization. That being said, you need to prove
yourself and I didn't do that last year. I'm working hard to get
back to the pitcher I want to be. I want to earn Opening Day. I
don't want to be handed Opening Day. Hopefully this time next year
we're talking about me having earned it."
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Romine, Andrew
UTL Andrew Romine, along with UT Hernan Perez, will catch some
bullpen sessions to get familiar with being behind the plate in case
they have to make an emergency appearance at some point in the
season. DH Victor Martinez has been told he won't be catching any
more after undergoing two left knee surgeries. "You are just hoping
it's somebody who can catch the ball," manager Brad Ausmus said. "It
would be a situation where your back was against the wall and you
just needed to get through the game. If need be, you could call
someone up for the next game. So you just want someone who can catch
the ball and have enough of an arm to throw a runner out so they
don't run wild on you."
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Castellanos, Nick
3B Nick Castellanos is working hard on breaking bad defensive habits
he brought with him from the outfield when he returned to third base
last year. Castellanos was getting too low and his first step on a
ground ball tended to be a drop-step instead of moving in or
side-to-side. "We're trying to get him to be consistent with his
setup every time and be on time," manager Brad Ausmus said. "So as
the ball is coming into the strike zone, he's coming to a set
position. He is doing better. Where last year a lot of times a ball
would be hit and if it wasn't hit to him, he didn't move. Now, when
a swing is taken he is reacting." Detroit videotaped him for three
innings during a recent exhibition game and went over it with the
second-year third baseman afterward.
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MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Eaton, Adam
CF Adam Eaton agreed to a five-year, $23.5 million contract
extension Friday. Eaton will be paid $850,000 this season and will
see incremental raises to $2.75 million in 2016 and $4 million in
2017. In the final two years of the deal, Eaton will get a combined
$14.4 million. Chicago holds options for 2020 ($9.5 million) and
2021 ($10.5 million); if either option is declined, Eaton will get a
$1.5 million buyout. The White Sox acquired Eaton from the Arizona
Diamondbacks after the 2013 season. Last season, he batted .300 with
one home run, 35 RBIs and 76 runs in 121 games. Eaton also was tied
for the American League with 10 triples and had a .362 on-base
percentage, which was second in the AL among regular leadoff
hitters. He is a .281 hitter in 211 games with Arizona and the White
Sox.
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MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Soto, Geovany
C Geovany Soto seems to have the inside track to win a roster spot
as the backup catcher to starter Tyler Flowers. Soto, 32, has hit
.316 (6-for-19) with one home run and four RBIs.
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MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Quintana, Jose
LHP Jose Quintana could get the Opening Day starting assignment
against the Royals. Quintana has allowed two earned runs in four
starts this spring, prompting questions as to whether he might start
the season opener instead of RHP Jeff Samardzija.
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Santana, Carlos
1B Carlos Santana came to training camp last year as a catcher
trying to make a conversion to third base. That plan didn't work out
too well for the Indians or for Santana. He was eventually moved to
first base, where he is now a fixture, and everyone is happy. "In
the past he played first base to give his legs a day off from
catching," manager Terry Francona said. "But now that he's playing
first base fulltime, he takes grounders there regularly, and is much
more comfortable playing there and we're starting to see his
athleticism."
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Swisher, Nick
DH Nick Swisher's comeback from double knee surgery in August of
last year is progressing steadily, but slowly. Swisher still hasn't
played in any spring training games, but has begun to run the bases.
"He's attacking it pretty good," said manager Terry Francona, who
says there is still no timetable for Swisher's return. "Until he's
completely healthy he'll continue to work towards getting there, as
opposed to playing before he's ready."
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MLB Note - Cleveland Indians Floyd, Gavin
RHP Gavin Floyd had surgery March 17 at the Cleveland Clinic to
stabilize a fracture in his right elbow. Floyd, who missed most of
last season with the same injury, will begin his rehab in late
March. The Indians are listing him as out indefinitely, but as
manager Terry Francona said, "It's a safe assumption he's going to
miss a good portion of, if not the whole year."
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Perez, Hernan
UTL Hernan Perez was going to get familiar with catcher's gear so
Detroit could use him in an extreme emergency, a role departed UTL
Don Kelly had filled in previous seasons. Perez and UTL Andrew
Romine could both make the Tigers' roster but one could also be cut.
"Andrew Romine and Hernan Perez are going to do a little catching
work so we have an emergency catcher," manager Brad Ausmus said.
"Romine said he caught once. Perez said that before he signed he
caught."
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MLB Note - Detroit Tigers Martinez, Victor
DH Victor Martinez's catching days are behind him. "I don't think
it'd be smart with those knee issues to catch Victor," manager Brad
Ausmus said. Martinez, 36, has undergone two left knee surgeries in
four years. Last year Ausmus had Martinez catch two games when
Detroit was playing in National League cities and could not use a
DH. "I think (playing first base) will still be on the table,"
Ausmus said. "But when that happens, I don't know."
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MLB Note - Colorado Rockies Morales, Franklin
LHP Franklin Morales is the mid-camp leader to be the lefty out of
the bullpen. Morales is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in seven appearances,
allowing four hits and striking out seven in seven innings. Morales,
who signed a minor league contract on Feb. 19, was 6-9 with a 5.37
ERA last season with the Rockies, making 22 starts and 16 relief
appearances.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Infante, Omar
2B Omar Infante, who has been restricted to DH because of a right
elbow bone spur, is scheduled to play second base within the next
few days. Infante has been on a throwing program. His elbow bothers
him when he throws, but not swinging the bat.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Ryu, Hyun-Jin
LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu has been shut down for at least three days with
inflammation in his left shoulder, as of March 20. Manager Don
Mattingly said March 20 that Ryu could be skipped until the fifth
game, or placed on the 15-day disabled list to start the season.
"It'd be a pretty safe assumption that this is going to set him back
a little bit, and we're definitely going to be cautious," Mattingly
said.
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MLB Note - Minnesota Twins Buxton, Byron
CF Byron Buxton was optioned to Double-A Chattanooga on March 20,
reducing their spring training roster to 44. He was 1-for-8 with two
walks and three strikeouts in Grapefruit League play. "He needs to
do down and get some playing time," general manager Terry Ryan said.
"I think everybody's aware; he got some time here but we need to get
him going. He'll need regular playing time, four at-bats a day,
center field every day."
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MLB Note - Chicago White Sox Abreu, Jose
1B Jose Abreu has offered no early glimpses of a sophomore slump.
Abreu has hit .483 (14-for-29) this spring with five RBIs in 10
games.
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