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| Homer Bailey surrendered six runs on seven hits over 3.1 innings of work in a 16-6 loss to Boston. Bailey fell to 0-2 for the spring, with a 8.44 ERA. He is still expected to open the season in their rotation. |
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| Ryan Howard, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies | Saturday 3/15, 10:59 PM CT |
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| Ryan Howard blasted his fourth home run of the spring on Saturday, and is batting .378 (14-for-37) with 30 total bases. Howard is among the favorites to lead the league in home runs this season. |
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| Tony Clark, 1B, San Diego Padres | Saturday 3/15, 8:36 PM CT |
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| Tony Clark went 2-for-3 with an RBI against the Giants on Saturday, and raised his spring average to .429 (9-for-21). Clark should provide the Padres with a solid bat off the bench this season. |
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| Barry Zito, P, San Francisco Giants | Saturday 3/15, 8:28 PM CT |
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| Barry Zito has been hot and cold throughout the spring and had another poor outing against Seattle on Saturday as he allowed seven runs on seven hits (2 home runs) over 5.1 innings, with four walks and no strikeouts. Zito went 11-13 in 2007 and will drop down draft boards if he doesn't fare better in his next start. |
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| Erik Bedard, P, Seattle Mariners | Saturday 3/15, 8:22 PM CT |
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| Erik Bedard got rocked for eight runs (six earned) on seven hits over four innings of work against the Giants on Saturday. He did have five strikeouts but three of his hits allowed went for home runs, and the team must be concerned as he allowed four runs in his previous outing on March 10. |
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| Kenji Johjima hit a grand slam against the Giants on Saturday. The four RBI from the blast boosts his spring total to seven. |
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| Daric Barton, 1B, Oakland Athletics | Saturday 3/15, 8:12 PM CT |
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| Daric Barton went 0-for-4 against the Giants on Saturday. He recently returned from a hand ailment and only has four spring hits over 25 at-bats. |
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| Patrick Misch was dealt his second spring loss as he surrendered eight runs on five hits over one third of an inning. He also had three walks and his ERA climbed to 12.91. |
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| Mike Sweeney, 1B, Oakland Athletics | Saturday 3/15, 7:57 PM CT |
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| Mike Sweeney continues to hit well for Oakland as he recorded his first home run of the spring on Saturday, which was good for two runs. He now has 10 RBI for the spring and has a great shot to make the final roster with a bench job. |
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| J.J. Hardy, SS, Milwaukee Brewers | Saturday 3/15, 7:49 PM CT |
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| J.J. Hardy went 3-for-5 against Kansas City on Saturday, while collecting his first home run along with four RBI. Hardy now has 11 RBI for the spring. |
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| Gil Meche, P, Kansas City Royals | Saturday 3/15, 7:46 PM CT |
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| Gil Meche fared well on Saturday as he held the Brewers scoreless through the first three innings. He ran into trouble after back-to-back walks in the fourth but still finished with a solid stat-line as he allowed three runs on six hits over five innings, with eight strikeouts. He needs to have a solid season for the Royals and this was a positive outing. |
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| Mark Redman, P, Colorado Rockies | Saturday 3/15, 7:37 PM CT |
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| Mark Redman got lit up by the Rangers on Saturday as he surrendered seven runs on 11 hits over 4.2 innings of work. Redman was in contention for the number five rotation spot, but likely lost ground with today's performance. |
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| David Murphy hit two home runs against the Rockies on Saturday, and now has four for the spring. He also collected four more RBI to push his spring total to nine and should have a firm grasp on a bench job with the Rangers. |
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| Jim Thome, DH, Chicago White Sox | Saturday 3/15, 7:26 PM CT |
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| Jim Thome blasted his second home run of the spring in a winning effort against the Cubs on Saturday. He now has nine RBI (two today), but is only batting .194 (7-for-36) with nine strikeouts. |
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| Rich Hill, P, Chicago Cubs | Saturday 3/15, 7:20 PM CT |
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| Rich Hill had another subpar outing on Saturday as he allowed two runs on three hits over 3.2 innings of work against the White Sox, with three walks and one strikeout. His spring ERA has climbed to 6.35. |
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| Gary Matthews Jr. hit his first homer of the spring against the Diamondbacks on Saturday, which was notably the only run surrendered by Randy Johnson. It was a good day for Matthews, but he remains a risk heading into the new season due to concerns about his knee. |
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| Randy Johnson was solid over three innings of work against the Angels on Saturday as he only allowed one run on one hit, which was a home run by Gary Matthews. He struck out a pair with no walks and his recovery from back surgery continues to go well. |
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| John Smoltz, P, Atlanta Braves | Saturday 3/15, 6:11 PM CT |
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| John Smoltz was solid in his Grapefruit League debut on Saturday as he held the Rays scoreless over his first four innings of work before getting rocked for five runs in the fifth inning. He had four strikeouts and two walks and should be ready to roll at the start of the new season. |
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| Brad Penny, P, Los Angeles Dodgers | Saturday 3/15, 6:05 PM CT |
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| Brad Penny was dominant as he earned his first win of the spring against the Nationals on Saturday. He hurled five scoreless innings with only one hit allowed. He did have two walks, but pushed his spring ERA to 0.90. |
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| Humberto Quintero continues to have a strong spring as he went 2-for-3 on Saturday, while driving in two runs. He now has eight RBI and one of his hits went for his first home run. He continues to fight to make the 40-man roster. |
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| Jeff Niemann improved his spring record to 2-0 on Saturday as he only allowed one run on six hits over four innings against the Yankees. His spring ERA now stands at 1.13 and today's performance will help keep him in the hunt for a rotation spot this season. |
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| Ian Kennedy, P, New York Yankees | Saturday 3/15, 5:42 PM CT |
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| Ian Kennedy was dealt his first loss of the spring against the Rays on Saturday, but had a favorable outing as he only allowed two runs on three hits over three innings, with five strikeouts and two walks. Both of the runs came on solo home runs (to Eric Hinske and Chris Richard). He continues to pitch well in his bid for the fifth spot in the Yankees' rotation. |
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| Johan Santana had an off day on the mound on Saturday as he allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits over five innings of work. He did have five strikeouts however. |
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| Adam Wainwright looked like an "ace" for the Cardinals on Saturday as he only allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits over five innings against the Mets. He had two strikeouts and only one walk and remains the Cardinals number one starter. |
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| Jason Hammel got rocked for nine runs on nine hits against Cleveland on Monday, but he was able to bounce back on Saturday as he hurled five scoreless innings on three hits allowed against Atlanta. Hammel has a shot at a rotation spot, but will likely start the season in the bullpen. |
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| Ian Snell, P, Pittsburgh Pirates | Saturday 3/15, 5:18 PM CT |
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| Ian Snell picked up his second loss of the spring on Saturday as he allowed two runs on five hits over four innings of work against Toronto. He did have four strikeouts, which is where he holds his most value as a fantasy prospect. |
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| Roy Halladay dominated the Pirates on Saturday as he cruised to his first spring win while throwing five scoreless innings, with four hits allowed and four strikeouts. Halladay is once again a safe prospect for 2008. |
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| Curtis Granderson notched 11 total bases during battle against the Yankees on Saturday as he blasted a pair of home runs and a triple. Granderson is off to a great start (4 home runs) and should have another strong campaign. |
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| Joba Chamberlain earned his first spring win as he allowed three runs on four hits over three innings of work against the Tigers. He had three walks and two strikeouts and gave up a home run to Curtis Granderson. He could land in the Yankees' rotation this season, but will likely start out in the bullpen. |
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| Adam Eaton, P, Philadelphia Phillies | Saturday 3/15, 4:58 PM CT |
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| Adam Eaton has been battling a herniated disk in his back but returned to the mound on Saturday and did a great job as he threw three scoreless innings against Minnesota, while allowing five hits with no walks and two strikeouts. This performance will help him keep his bottom spot in the Phillies' rotation. |
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| Kevin Slowey enjoyed a solid start on Saturday as he only allowed one run on two hits over four innings against the Phillies, with five strikeouts and only one walk. He is fighting for a rotation spot, and today's performance will help his chances. |
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| Odalis Perez, P, Washington Nationals | Saturday 3/15, 4:50 PM CT |
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| Odalis Perez was shaky in his first spring start on Saturday as he allowed four runs on five hits over 4.1 innings against the Dodgers, with two walks and one strikeout. He is fighting for a rotation spot with the Nationals. |
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| Andy Marte, 3B, Cleveland Indians | Saturday 3/15, 4:42 PM CT |
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| Andy Marte may be past his early spring slump as he blasted two home runs against the Astros on Saturday. He notably hit a home run on Friday as well, and now has four for the spring. He raised his batting average to .242 and has 10 RBI additionally. |
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| Julio Lugo, SS, Boston Red Sox | Saturday 3/15, 4:37 PM CT |
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| Julio Lugo returned to action on Saturday for the first time since March 2 and went 2-for-3 against the Reds, while scoring a run. That was a great rebound performance and hopefully his back woes are behind him. |
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| Jeff Keppinger went 3-for-3 against Boston on Saturday, while driving in his second run of the spring. He now holds a .361 batting average (13-for-36) and could ultimately be the opening day shortstop if he continues to perform well and Alex Gonzalez remains on the shelf. |
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| Steve Trachsel had another unstable outing on the mound on Saturday (in a 7-6 loss to Florida) as he allowed five runs on six hits over four innings of work. He could still land a spot in the Orioles' rotation, but holds very little fantasy value. |
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| Rick VandenHurk got off a strong start on Saturday against Baltimore as he retired his first nine batters faced, but then got hit hard in the fourth inning as he allowed three runs on two hits. He did have four strikeouts and only one walk and continues to fight for a rotation spot. |
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| Roy Oswalt, P, Houston Astros | Saturday 3/15, 4:15 PM CT |
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| Roy Oswalt threw six perfect innings on Saturday, with seven strikeouts. He should remain an elite pitcher this season. |
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| Jair Jurrjens got rocked for four runs on four hits over a mere 2.2 innings of work, with four walks and one strikeout. He was pitching well prior to today's disaster, and was notably in contention for the 5th spot in the rotation. |
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| Adrian Gonzalez broke out of his hitting slump as he went 2-for-4 on Saturday, while collecting his second RBI of the spring. He raised his batting average to .211 (4-for-19) and hopefully he will stay on track heading into opening day. |
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| Chan Ho Park, P, Los Angeles Dodgers | Saturday 3/15, 4:02 PM CT |
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| Chan Ho Park had another solid outing on Saturday as he only allowed one run on one hit over five innings, with three strikeouts and one walk. Park continues to solidify his bottom spot in the Dodgers' rotation. |
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| At this point, Melky Cabrera plans to appeal his three-game suspension, though he will watch video of Thursday's incident before making a final decision, according to the New York Daily News. It wouldn't be surprising to see Cabrera, Shelley Duncan and Tampa's Jonny Gomes appeal in an attempt to be available for opening day, since they would be allowed to keep playing until their cases are heard. However, the appeals would be due by Friday, which means it's possible that MLB could make a decision before opening day. Stay tuned. |
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| Kevin Cameron was walking in the outfield during batting practice Wednesday and was struck on his left hand by a batted ball, according to MLB.com. He suffered a fractured thumb. "He just can't get his fingers in his glove right now," acting manger Craig Colbert said. Cameron will be out until he can catch balls without risking further injury, which means it's going to be difficult for him to lock down a spot in the Padres bullpen. |
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| Nats manager Manny Acta admitted that Johnny Estrada will be a longshot to be ready for the start of the season, according to the Washington Post. Estrada still is working his way back from offseason elbow and knee surgeries, but soreness in his elbow is what's holding him back right now. |
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| Paul Lo Duca, C, Washington Nationals | Saturday 3/15, 3:08 PM CT |
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| Paul Lo Duca is slated to catch three innings in a minor league game on Saturday, according to the Washington Post. The plan is for Lo Duca to stretch out to five innings over the next few days before moving up to Grapefruit League action. He's working his way back from offseason knee surgery and could still be ready for opening day, barring a setback. |
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| Lastings Milledge stubbed his toe while making a running catch during Thursday's game, according to the Washington Post. "All he needed was like a day off, and I'm going to give him a couple," manager Manny Acta said. Milledge already skipped Friday's game, so presumably we should see him back in the mix on Sunday. |
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| The Nats will be cautious with Ryan Zimmerman and hold him out of exhibition action this weekend, according to the Washington Post. "It's playable," manager Manny Acta said. "We don't want to take any chances. I would guess we'd see him Monday against the Mets." Zimmerman's been dealing with a sore right hip flexor since Tuesday. If he is back in action Monday, there should be nothing to worry about. |
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| Daisuke Matsuzaka's wife gave birth Saturday morning to their second child, according to the Boston Globe. Now that the baby has arrived, Dice-K should be all clear to head with the Red Sox to Japan for the opening games of the season. |
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| Carl Crawford skipped Saturday's exhibition game due to tightness in both of his legs, according to the AP. "He just came up a little tight today," manager Joe Maddon said. "I just think the field was kind of wet yesterday, and sometimes you run on soft ground it can happen." It appears to be a minor ailment, so hopefully he will be back in action within a couple of days. |
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| The Rays finally threw in the towel on having Scott Kazmir ready for opening day after having his scheduled spring appearance Sunday pushed back, according to the AP. "It will definitely knock out the opening day assignment,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We just want him to try and build up a little bit more arm strength before we put him back out there. He’s fine. There’s not a thing wrong with him. During the season he probably would have pitched today." Well, actually, there is something wrong with him: a strained left elbow. Barring a setback, Kazmir should be ready early in April, but his condition remains something to keep an eye on. James Shields likely will get the nod for the opener now. |
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| Kelvim Escobar went through a strength test on his sore shoulder Friday and should begin throwing within a matter of days, according to the OC Register. Barring a setback, Escobar should be ready for his season debut within the first couple of weeks of May. |
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| John Lackey, P, Los Angeles Angels | Saturday 3/15, 1:09 PM CT |
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| An MRI taken on Friday revealed that John Lackey has a strained triceps, according to the OC Register. He will be completely shut down for the next 3-4 weeks, at which point he'll be re-examined to determine whether he can begin a throwing program. That means he'll all but certainly miss all of April and could be out well into May, depending on how his recovery goes. Dustin Moseley should replace Lackey in the Angels rotation. |
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| The Twins sent Alexi Casilla to their minor league camp on Friday, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. He hit .250 and swiped four bases in 11 spring games, while continuing to struggle on defense at second base. He'll probably be back up at some point this season, but he's going to have to improve at the plate and with the glove to make it happen. |
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| Elijah Dukes, LF, Washington Nationals | Saturday 3/15, 9:59 AM CT |
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| Elijah Dukes said he should be ready to play in "a day or two," according to the Washington Post. Dukes left Friday's game with a strained right hamstring, though the ailment appears to be minor. Assuming he can get back in action soon, he's expected to replace Wily Mo Pena (torn oblique) as the starting left fielder. |
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| Salomon Torres is set to make his spring debut on Saturday, though it will come in a minor league game, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The Brewers have brought him along slowly this spring due to soreness, but it looks like he should be fine for opening day. |
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| Biceps tendinitis has kept Chad Orvella from throwing the past 10 days, and he hasn't appeared in a spring game since March 3, according to the Tampa Tribune. "It's nothing bad," Orvella said. "It's moving in the right direction, it's just taking a little long." Nonetheless, if he can't get back on the mound soon, he'll have a tough time being ready for the start of the season. |
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| Kazuo Matsui had hoped to return to action this weekend but instead will undergo surgery Monday to repair an anal fissure, according to the Houston Chronicle. "His understanding, and there's no reason for us to doubt it, is it would be a week of inactivity and a week to get ready," GM Ed Wade said. "Right now, we're hopeful that that's the case." An anal fissure is torn skin near the anus, which obviously is painful. Matsui will be cutting it close for being ready for opening day, but it sounds like he shouldn't miss much time if he's not ready then. |
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| Wandy Rodriguez exited Friday's exhibition game after just two pitches due to a strained left oblique, according to the Houston Chronicle. "I felt some pain. That's why I stopped right away," Rodriguez said. "It's not bad. I'll be back soon." At this point, he's day-to-day, but we'll have updates on his status as they come in. |
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| Brandon Inge started at shortstop Friday before the game was rained out, according to the Detroit Free Press. "I want to see what he looks like there," manager Jim Leyland said. "If he pinch-hits, he might have to stay in a game there." Inge won't likely see much, if any, time at short this season, but that's now the sixth position (catcher, third, all three outfield spots) that he's played this spring. |
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| Manager Bruce Bochy made it sound as if Eugenio Velez has earned a spot on the team, even if they break spring training with Kevin Frandsen, too, according to the Contra Costa Times. The utilityman has nine steals this spring, the most in the majors. |
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| Jonathan Sanchez appears to have locked up the fifth spot in the Giants rotation, according to the Contra Costa Times. "With his arm slot and his delivery quieted down, he looks like he's getting on track with his command," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He still has room to improve, to keep the ball down." Manager Bruce Bochy has admitted that the club wants Sanchez to hold down the final rotation spot at least until Noah Lowry returns from forearm surgery. |
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| It turns out that the Carlos Gonzalez's strained hamstring is more serious than initially believed, according to the Contra Costa Times. He's now expected to miss about a week of action. That could well nix any chance he had of going to Japan with the A's. |
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| It's believed that the Rockies are shopping Ramon Ramirez this spring, according to the Denver Post. The 8.31 ERA and 1.56 WHIP he posted last season isn't very enticing, but after another good outing Friday, he's carrying a 1.13 ERA this spring. |
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| Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said that despite a poor outing Friday, Franklin Morales still has a chance to leave spring training with a rotation spot, according to the Denver Post. "Does he still have time to get back on track to pitch in the season? Sure he does," said Hurdle. "All he's got to do is have one good outing next time and your story will be different." He gave up nine runs (five earned) on 10 hits, including two homers. He also walked two and was also called for a balk, so clearly he needs to get more focused if he's going to turn things around. |
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| Shin-Soo Choo has been taking batting practice the past four days, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "The goal is for me to DH in some games this spring," said Choo. "The elbow is a little sore on some days, but it's muscular pain. It's not that sharp pain." Choo is recovering from Tommy John surgery and hopes to be available for the Indians in May. |
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| Coco Crisp, CF, Boston Red Sox | Saturday 3/15, 8:12 AM CT |
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| Coco Crisp took part in a full workout Friday, shagging fly balls in the outfield and taking batting practice, according to the Boston Globe. "The last couple of days I've felt better and I felt I could do a lot more today," he said. "I just have to be patient with the sprinting. I haven't gotten to the sprinting part of it yet. I don't want to do that yet and restart [the injury]. But I ran out there pretty fast. I could probably beat you guys [reporters] in a race right now. It's coming along. I'm happy with the progress." He still hopes to head to Japan with the Red Sox, but that's up in the air at this point -- as are any potential trades -- until he proves to be over his strained groin. |
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| Manny Delcarmen slipped while making a defensive play in Friday's game and had to exit the contest, according to the Boston Globe. "I just slipped a little bit on the mound," he said. "I have a little bit of tendinitis on my knees anyway, so any time I slip, it might flare it up a little bit, but I'm good. They probably won't let me throw for a couple of days." Hopefully, this really is just a minor ailment, but we'll update you as new information becomes available. |
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| Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said he expects the competition between Cameron Maybin and Alejandro De Aza for the starting job in center field to go down to the last day of spring training, according to the Miami Herald. "Right now, it's going to be one of those all-night meetings, and maybe into the next morning, to make that decision," Gonzalez said. "We could let that play out all the way down to the last day of spring training." Both are performing well this spring, and a decision may come down to whether the Marlins want to give the 20-year-old Maybin some seasoning in the minors early on. |
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| Felix Pie, CF, Chicago Cubs | Saturday 3/15, 7:45 AM CT |
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| The Cubs likely will hold Felix Pie out of action until Tuesday, but manager Lou Piniella didn't expect the absence to affect Pie's battle with Sam Fuld in center field, according to the Chicago Tribune. "I would think as long as he's fine that what we have here in camp will be our center fielder," Piniella said. Pie is recovering from surgery that corrected a twisted testicle, but it appears that he'll be ready for the start of the season. |
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| Alex Cintron, SS, Baltimore Orioles | Saturday 3/15, 7:41 AM CT |
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| Alex Cintron was hit on his right cheek by a foul ball while standing in the on-deck circle Friday, according to the Chicago Tribune. He was taken for X-rays, but the injury was not considered to be serious. |
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| Jerry Owens, CF, Chicago White Sox | Saturday 3/15, 7:34 AM CT |
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| An MRI Jerry Owens's sore right groin revealed no damage, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "Now it's a matter of getting over the mental thing," Owens said. "I told [trainer Herm Schneider] that was what I needed to hear, just so I know it might be hurting me or bugging me, [but] there's nothing in there that's going to do anything long-term. It's a matter of getting out there and playing through it." Owens is expected to take part in B game Saturday and a Cactus League game Sunday, as he tries to ramp up for the start of the season and win a starting job. |
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| White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen announced Friday that Mark Buehrle will start their season opener against C.C. Sabathia and the Indians, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Buehrle is 0-2 with a 6.08 ERA in his past four starts against Sabathia, who had dominated the Sox 6-0 over the past two seasons. |
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| The Diamondbacks claimed Josh Whitesell off waivers from the Nats on Friday and optioned him to Triple-A Tucson, according to the Arizona Republic. "I think what he brings us is left-handed power at Triple-A," said Jerry Dipoto, the club's director of player personnel. "He has all of his options and I think he's a good guy for us to have." The 25-year-old hit .284 with 21 homers in 119 games for Double-A Harrisburg last season. |
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| Adam Loewen, P, Baltimore Orioles | Saturday 3/15, 7:15 AM CT |
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| Adam Loewen was able to test his sore shoulder out by playing catch Friday, and he reported no discomfort in the joint, according to the Baltimore Sun. Loewen, who is dealing with tendinitis in his shoulder, is expected to throw a side session Sunday and start Wednesday's game. He missed his last start as a precaution but should be fine going forward. |
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| Scott Moore, 3B, Baltimore Orioles | Saturday 3/15, 7:12 AM CT |
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| Scott Moore is slated to return to exhibition action on Saturday, according to the Baltimore Sun. He hasn't taken part in a contest since March 3 due to a strained abdominal muscle. |
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