Spring Training Blog: Feb. 28, 2008
ALL EYES ON SANTANA FOR SPRING DEBUT (7:05 p.m.)
Johan Santana will make his
Grapefruit League debut for the New York Mets on Friday against the
St. Louis Cardinals.
The left-hander said he was excited, and will focus on
fine-tuning mechanics.
"It will be fun for everybody," Santana said Thursday at the
Mets' spring training facility. "I'm just going to concentrate on
what I'm doing on the mound. That's what I'm supposed to do."
The fan expectations are not a concern for Santana, who has
embraced the concept that the Mets should make the postseason.
"I think it's good," the
two-time Cy Young Award winner said. "That's what they wanted.
Hopefully, we meet their expectations and that's what we're here
for. They're happy, we're happy. We can't ask for anything more."
-- The Associated Press
GORZELANNY MISSES BUCS' SPRING OPENER (4:09 p.m.)
Pittsburgh's Tom Gorzelanny was scratched from his scheduled start in the Pirates' exhibition opener against the Phillies on Thursday because of a sore pitching shoulder.
The left-hander said the injury was not serious and called it a slight setback.
"I've felt something for a couple of days and there was no sense in taking a chance," Gorzelanny said. "I'm not going to try to be a hero in spring training."
The Pirates have tentatively scheduled Gorzelanny to start Sunday in an exhibition game against Tampa Bay in Bradenton.
-- The Associated Press
TEAHEN ADJUSTING TO NEW ROLE (3:51 p.m. ET)
The Royals moved Mark Teahen from third base to right field last season, and Teahen responded to the switch by tying Jermaine Dye's club record with 17 outfield assists.
Teahen ranked fourth in the majors in that category behind Atlanta's Jeff Francoeur, the Cubs' Alfonso Soriano and Minnesota's Michael Cuddyer.
Now Kansas City is shifting to Plan B. With the arrival of free agent Jose Guillen on a three-year, $36 million contract, Teahen goes to left field. He'll also fill in at first base and in right field when Guillen gets a day off.
"I was a little bitter at first,'' Teahen said, laughing. "Then I saw [Guillen's] arm and I was like, 'What can you do?' I feel like I can throw with anybody, but his is real easy. I have to get behind it and get my legs in there.''
-- Jerry Crasnick, ESPN.com
RIVERA WON'T DEBUT UNTIL NEXT WEEK (3:09 p.m. ET)
Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is scheduled to throw off a bullpen mound Friday and is not expected to make his first spring training appearance until next Wednesday at the earliest.
The 38-year-old Rivera has taken a slow approach in preparing for game action the past few years. He will throw around nine or 10 innings before the team breaks camp.
"There's no rush for Mariano, just like every spring," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Thursday. "Mo knows exactly what he's doing with his body. No one knows his body better than he does. He just takes it slow."
-- The Associated Press
BIG UNIT MAKING PROGRESS (2:23 p.m. ET)
Diamondbacks starter Randy Johnson continues to make progress in his return from back surgery.
The 44-year-old southpaw threw for the fourth time this spring, throwing approximately 55 pitches on Thursday morning with no setbacks.
"I'm not really going to push it by just throwing batting practice," said Johnson, who threw mostly fastballs. "What I got out of it was extending my pitch count, and I saw hitters in the batters box. We'll see how I feel tomorrow and go from there."
Manager Bob Melvin said the team will sit down and decide the next step, but it is likely Johnson will have the same type of throwing session in three to four days.
"He looked really good again," Melvin said. "He didn't feel he had to step on it or rush anything. We're looking for health every time out, and he hasn't been uncomfortable."
-- Jason Grey, ESPN.com Fantasy
ELVIS SIGHTING IN DODGERTOWN (1:25 p.m. ET)
New Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, a Japanese import, learned a lesson in American pop culture on Thursday.
Kuroda participated in "Dodgers Idol," a take off on the popular "American Idol" television show. Kuroka sang a few bars of the Elvis Presley classic "Love Me Tender."
"As far as I can tell, he can sing pretty good," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "He was a pretty good sport."
"Dodgers Idol" was started a few years ago by several of the team veterans. This year second baseman Jeff Kent played the role of prickly judge Simon Cowell and Juan Pierre played the role of judge Randy Jackson. Nomar Garciaparra was the event's host, in essence taking the role of Ryan Seacrest.
As of Thursday afternoon, no winner was announced, though Kuroda's performance was memorable.
Kuroda is scheduled to start for the Dodgers for the first time on Friday against the Braves in Orlando, Fla. Though he is a major-league rookie, Kuroda, 32, pitched 11 seasons for the Hiroshima Carp in Japan.
"There's a curiosity for someone who is brand new but in a sense established too," Torre said. "It's something you want to see for yourself. Everything that I've heard about him is that he really competes well."
-- Jorge Arangure Jr., ESPN The Magazine
BREWERS EYE IMPROVED DEFENSE (1:02 p.m. ET)
Injuries, slumping hitters and a leaky bullpen all played a role in the Brewers squandering their hot start and failing to make the playoffs in 2007.
But one constant throughout the season was perhaps the most damaging: ugly team defense.
The Brewers caught just 68.4 percent of balls hit in play last season, ranking them 25th in team defensive efficiency.
Geoff Jenkins' range was less than stellar in left field, a condition that wasn't helped by, as veteran Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writer Tom Hardicourt noted Thursday morning, his tendency to play so deep he'd nearly touch the warning track.
Ryan Braun struggled in his rookie season, ranking last among NL third basemen in a number of metrics. Bill Hall had his own problems in center, no surprise given his transition to the position for the first time at the big league level.
Now, manager Ned Yost sees happier days ahead for his defense. He likes the way Braun is showing strong instincts as he converts to left field. He also predicted better glovework from Hall now that he's moved to third base.
In the outfield, Mike Cameron has lost a half-step from his younger days, but he should still be a significant upgrade in center after he returns from his 25-game suspension for using banned stimulants.
The Brewers are also hoping for a defensive upgrade from new catcher Jason Kendall, after Johnny Estrada threw out a league-low 13.1 percent of steal attempts and struggled in other areas. It remains to be seen how much Kendall will help -- he threw out just 20.3 percent of basestealers last season and posted iffy numbers in other categories.
--Jonah Keri
, ESPN The Magazine
RED SOX CHECK OUT GARCIA (12:49 p.m. ET)
Free agent pitcher Freddy Garcia visited Red Sox spring training on Thursday and the team's training staff checked out his right shoulder, the Boston Herald reported.
Garcia is recovering from rotator cuff and labrum surgery.
"We've made it pretty clear that we are going to wait for him to get healthy before signing him somewhere," said his agent, Peter Greenberg, according to the Herald. "We think Freddy can help someone in 2008. He's being patient. He's working hard, and he's improving."
García expects to be ready to return by June or July. He has a career 117-76 record with a 4.07 ERA.
GIANTS MULL OPENING WITH 11 PITCHERS (9:32 a.m.)
Giants manager Bruce Bochy says the team is leaning toward starting the season with 11 pitchers and three catchers, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. But Bochy said the plan is "not etched in stone," especially if Omar Vizquel starts the season on the DL.
"We're going to have to have some depth in the infield with Omar gone," Bochy said, according to the Chronicle. That would give Eugenio Velez, non-roster shortstop Ivan Ochoa and shortstop prospect Brian Bocock -- who has never played above Class A -- a chance to make the club.
"He's here in major-league camp. Any shortstop here is going to get looked at," Bochy said of Bocock, according to the report.
The Giants have an off-day after their third game, which would allow them to carry 11 pitchers to start the season instead of 12
KENDRICK HAPPY TO STAY IN L.A. (9:12 a.m.)
Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick's expected rise to stardom was delayed last season by bad breaks, both in his left hand. He feels lucky this spring, healthy again and happy he wasn't traded.
The 24-year-old Kendrick was considered the centerpiece of a swap the Angels tried to work out with Florida for third baseman Miguel Cabrera. The deal didn't happen, and Cabrera was traded to Detroit.
"[Cabrera] was a hot commodity. He ended up with the Tigers and in a sense, it feels good to me," Kendrick said. "This is home to me and I love to play here. This is where I want to be and hopefully I'll be here for a long time. It's a great team, a great atmosphere."
Kendrick hit .322 with five homers and 39 RBIs last year in what was supposed to be his first full season with the Angels. He was limited to 88 games because of two fractures, to his left middle finger when hit by a pitch on April 18, and to his left index finger, broken on a swing on July 14.
ZUMAYA THROWS PAIN-FREE (8:38 a.m. ET)
Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya says his first throwing session since undergoing shoulder surgery was a pain-free success.
"My strength is coming along faster than I expected," he said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "It's a very good sign."
Zumaya made 45 throws at a distance of 60 feet on Tuesday. It was his first throwing session since surgery to repair an injury he suffered when a box fell on his right shoulder. Zumaya says he plans to throw every other day.
"I have some soreness today ... but that's normal," Zumaya said Wednesday, according to the report.
