| Barry Bonds, OF, San Francisco Giants | Thursday 2/14, 8:54 PM CT |
|
| Barry Bonds tested positive for steroids in November 2001, according to The Star. The positive test came just one month after the home run king hit his record, 73rd, single season home run.
The allegation was published in a legal filing for the upcoming steroid perjury case against Bonds. If this report is on the up-and-up, then Bonds' request for a dismissal scheduled for Feb. 29th in Federal Court will be denied. |
|
| Josh Bard, C, San Diego Padres | Thursday 2/14, 3:24 PM CT |
|
| The Padres inked Josh Bard to a one-year, $2.2375 million deal Thursday, avoiding arbitration. Bard is slated to share time behind the plate with Michael Barrett this year. |
|
|
|
| Jason Schmidt told the LA Times that he's made a breakthrough over the last two weeks in his rehab. The righty said he woke up one day to discover that the stiffness and nagging soreness in his surgically repaired shoulder were suddenly gone. The balls he threw later that day had more carry, so much so that the first one he released sailed over the head of his catching partner. "I don't want to read too much into it," Schmidt said. Schmidt's status for opening day remains uncertain, though manager Joe Torre has said he isn't counting on the right-hander being ready by opening day.
|
|
| Sam Fuld, OF, Chicago Cubs | Thursday 2/14, 1:47 PM CT |
|
| With the exception of Japanese import Kosuke Fukudome, the Cubs coaching staff not only know what they have this spring, there's little question about the opening day lineup. The center field position is Felix Pie's to lose. The rookie will be given every opportunity to keep the starting job after struggling last year. Pie's competition is another rookie, Sam Fuld, who made a good impression during his September call-up and was named the MVP in the Arizona Fall League. MLB.com reported very much the same assessment on Wednesday stating, "Sam Fuld will be competing with Felix Pie for the center-field job. "The more competition the better," Fuld said. "We're two competitive guys. We're going to go out there and compete, and whatever happens, happens." |
|
|
|
| The Los Angeles Daily News reports that "Assuming no one gets hurt before Opening Day..."Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, newly signed Japanese import Horoki Kuroda and Chad Billingsley are in the starting rotation, as is Jason Schmidt if he completes his rehabilitation from major shoulder surgery in June."
If Schmidt can't get his inning count up before April's Opening Day, however, veteran Esteban Loaiza will be the team's fifth starter when needed. |
|
|
|
| According to the Los Angeles Daily News, "this much is clear: Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, newly signed Japanese import Horoki Kuroda and Chad Billingsley are in the starting rotation, as is Jason Schmidt if he completes his rehabilitation from major shoulder surgery in June."
However, if Schmidt isn't capable of starting the season in the rotation, Esteban Loaiza will take the fifth spot. |
|
| Juan Pierre, LF, Los Angeles Dodgers | Thursday 2/14, 1:23 PM CT |
|
| Juan Pierre, who showed up early to Dodgers Spring Training, declined to discuss his starting status in left field with the national media. The LA Daily News reports that "Torre said hello to Pierre but didn't address the left field matter with him beyond what the two discussed over the telephone this winter." It looks more and more like Pierre will compete with Andre Ethier for the starting gig. The report noted that Torre admits he prefers veteran players. Currently, most media outlets list Pierre as the team's starter, but the popular fantasy option must lock down the everyday job if owners are to depend on the speedy outfielder for his stolen base contribution. |
|
| Gary Bennett, C, Los Angeles Dodgers | Thursday 2/14, 12:16 PM CT |
|
| Gary Bennett is the latest to come forward and apologize for HGH use. "With it all coming out, it was very embarrassing," Bennett told the AP. "Going into it, I knew it was wrong. It was a situation in '03 that I was on the DL for 6 1/2 weeks with a partially torn MCL in my right knee. It got to a point where I was extremely frustrated, my knee was hurting. That led me to make a stupid decision." The Dodgers signed Bennett in December to back up Russell Martin. |
|
| Ben Johnson, OF, New York Mets | Thursday 2/14, 12:10 PM CT |
|
| The Mets signed Ben Johnson to a minor-league deal Thursday. Johnson had five hits in 27 at-bats last year for the Mets but spent most of the year at Triple-A New Orleans before breaking his ankle in a game with the Zephyrs in August, according to Sports Network. Johnson could possible end up platooning with Ryan Church in right field, but it's more likely that he'll end up at Triple-A - assuming he passes through waivers. |
|
|
|
| Justin Germano, a candidate for the last spot in the Padres rotation, is out of options, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. It's possible this could increase his chances at winning the job, as the Pads would probably lose him if they tried to put him through waivers. Shawn Estes and perhaps Enrique Gonzalez are also in the mix for the No. 5 job, as is Mark Prior once he's healthy. |
|
| Jason Bay, LF, Pittsburgh Pirates | Thursday 2/14, 11:55 AM CT |
|
| Padres GM Kevin Towers said he will continue to pursue a trade for a right-handed hitting outfielder, and Jason Bay is one guys that's still on his radar, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Bay's teammate and former Padre Xavier Nady is also an option, as is Cub Matt Murton. |
|
|
|
| Paul McAnulty could be traded by the end of spring training. The left-handed swinger is out of options and will probably have to beat out Jody Gerut for a job, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. McAnulty has posted pretty good numbers in the minors, but he's played very little in parts of three seasons for the Pads. |
|
|
|
| Yadier Molina, who is coming off 2007 season ending surgery, lost 10 to 15 pounds this winter, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The feared arm of Molina is a plus for the Cards defense, but his offense must improve if he is to be considered a fantasy option in mixed formats. |
|
| Kerry Wood, P, Chicago Cubs | Thursday 2/14, 9:58 AM CT |
|
| The Cubs plan to settle on a closer by late March, and manager Lou Piniella plans to pick one guy and stick with him, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. ''We'll have one guy,'' Piniella said. ''By the end of spring training, no question. Probably three-quarters of the way through spring training, we'll have one guy. We've got people here that are very capable of getting it done.'' Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol, and Bobby Howry are the prime candidates for ninth-inning duty on the north side of Chicago, but Piniella isn't ruling out Ryan Dempster returning to the role if he doesn't win a job in the starting rotation. Dempster, Jason Marquis, Jon Lieber, Sean Marshall and possibly Kevin Hart are batting it out for the final two spots in the Cubs' rotation. |
|
|
|
| Mike Zagurski underwent surgery on his right hamstring last August, but the southpaw told Philly.com that it is not as strong as he'd hoped heading into Spring Training. He said he probably would not start doing mound work until March 1.
|
|
| Matt Cain, P, San Francisco Giants | Thursday 2/14, 12:52 AM CT |
|
| Matt Cain will be the new face of the Giants as he will be the team's poster boy on their pocket schedule and their "What Would A Gamer Do?" ad campaign according to a report in the Mercury News. He will even take up residence in Barry Bonds old locker. Cain will look to build on what was a solid season despite his 7-16 record, a grossly exaggerated total that was the result of horrific run support (3.51 runs per 9 IP, the second lowest mark in baseball). |
|
Baseball
| Football | Basketball
| Hockey | Golf
| Auto Racing
| Soccer
