ENSBERG ON 40-MAN ROSTER (11:16 p.m. ET)
Morgan Ensberg was hitless in four at-bats in the New York Yankees' 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night, and then was added to the 40-man roster, a key step in making the Yankees' Opening Day roster.
Ensberg came to spring training on a minor league contract, and had an opt-out clause for 12 a.m. Saturday.
"It's just incredible," Ensberg said. "You always wonder whether or not you've shown them enough, and if it's the case, whether or not there's room. It's great, great news."
The Yankees' decision doesn't guarantee Ensberg's a roster spot, but since he is out of the options, it makes him a front-runner.
"There's still a lot of competition. There's a lot of decisions to be made," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.
Ensberg would likely see time at first, third and DH if he makes the final roster, and provide a right-handed bat off the bench.
-- The Associated Press
BIG UNIT FEELING GOOD (9:59 p.m. ET)
Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson -- coming off his second back surgery in less than a year -- said he was satisfied with his 3 2/3 innings of work, and Arizona rallied for a 9-8 victory Friday in the Dodgers' first Tucson appearance in decades.
Johnson allowed three runs, including Jones' homer, two of them earned, on five hits. He struck out three and walked two, throwing 63 pitches.
"I'd say today was very productive," he said. "I threw all my pitches, worked both sides of the plate. I made some good pitches and I made some bad ones."
"I feel like things are coming around. I feel like I'm making some good progress. There's been no setbacks."
Johnson probably will need another start before he's ready for major league action, meaning he could start the season on the disabled list.
-- The Associated Press
UPTON COULD RETURN SATURDAY (8:03 p.m. ET)
Tampa Bay Rays center fielder B.J. Upton could return as soon as Saturday from a bruised left triceps injury.
Upton left Thursday's game after he was hit by a pitch from Cleveland right-hander Paul Byrd in the first inning.
"He could talk himself into it, if he's convincing," Rays manager Joe Maddon said before Friday's night game against the New York Yankees.
Upton, the second overall pick in the 2002 draft, hit .300 with 24 homers and 82 RBIs last year.
Tampa Bay second baseman Akinori Iwamura didn't play Friday due to back stiffness. He might be able to play Sunday.
-- The Associated Press
ZITO LOOKS GOOD... FINALLY (7:54 p.m. ET)
Barry Zito turned a rough spring into a promising season in one outing.
The former Cy Young Award winner, in the second year of a $126 million, seven-year contract with San Francisco, did not allow a run in his final appearance in the desert. The Giants beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 on Friday.
"It was a good result but I'm not going to sit here and pat myself on the back for it," Zito said after throwing 96 pitches in 5 2/3 innings. "Tomorrow I'm going to forget about today. I have things to work on in my bullpen to get ready for my next start."
Zito, who gave up two hits, walked three and struck out four, faces the Giants' Triple-A affiliate in Fresno on Wednesday. He would have finished the sixth had it not been for Eugenio Velez's fielding error.
"It's always good to have something to base your confidence on rather than just have it," Zito said. "I took advantage of spring in the first four starts, doing my own thing. The last two I want to go out like I would pitch during the season. Today was more based on getting into the competition."
-- The Associated Press
SANCHEZ MAY BE FORCED TO START SEASON ON DL (6:33 p.m. ET)
Second baseman Freddy Sanchez felt pain Friday in his surgically repaired right shoulder, a major setback that may force him to begin a second consecutive season on the Pittsburgh Pirates' disabled list.
Sanchez didn't make any throws while playing six innings of a 5-1 exhibition loss to Cincinnati, only the second time he has appeared defensively this spring. The pain occurred when he threw between innings and during pregame warmups.
"I'm very concerned now. I was hoping after the first day [in the field Wednesday] that this day would be easier, and I'd be able to work through it a little better. But it kind of seemed like it was worse," Sanchez said. "It's got me concerned."
If Sanchez isn't ready to begin the season, non-roster infielder Luis Rivas not only might make the opening day roster but may start at second. Rivas is hitting .317 and has impressed manager John Russell with his ability to play second, shortstop and third.
The 28-year-old Rivas played 539 games at second for the Twins from 2001-05.
-- The Associated Press
LEYLAND CONCERNED (6:01 p.m. ET)
Dontrelle Willis didn't seem overly concerned about giving up five runs and seven hits with four walks in 3 1/3 innings in Detroit's 5-3 loss to Toronto on Friday. Manager Jim Leyland was, however, and said that Willis needs to develop more consistency.
"He's not doing his mechanics the right way," Leyland said of Willis, who has a 6.59 earned run average. "I don't mind his funky delivery, but not all the different types of funkiness I've been seeing this spring."
Willis isn't the only player on Leyland's mind. As spring training winds down, Leyland is worried about the team in general.
The loss dropped the Tigers to 11-12 on the spring, and Leyland isn't happy.
"I haven't been impressed the last few days," Leyland said. "We don't look like we are ready yet."
-- The Associated Press
EARNING HIS KEEP? (5:52 p.m. ET)
St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright struggled on the mound, a day after signing a $15 million, four-year contract.
Wainwright allowed four earned runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings with a strikeout and a walk in the Cardinals' 7-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.
"It was just a weird day. I knew I could get outs on some off-speed stuff, but I wanted to use my fastball and didn't do a good job of locating it," said Wainwright, whose new contract includes a two-year option that could make the deal worth as much as $36 million.
-- The Associated Press
PEDRO FEELIN' FINE (5:44 p.m. ET)
Pedro Martinez gave up two runs and five hits in five innings in the Mets' 8-2 win over the Nationals on Friday.
"I had pretty good command of my fastball today," said Martinez, who was particularly effective spotting his fastball, consistently clocked in the 87-89 mph range, and getting ahead in the count. "It was a good day overall. I felt like I could have thrown three more [innings]."
Martinez was pulled after five innings and 71 pitches. Last season, when he returned from shoulder surgery, Martinez was kept on a 90-pitch count.
Mets manager Willie Randolph doesn't anticipate having Martinez on a pitch count once the 2008 season begins.
"It depends on how he feels," Randolph said. "This year he feels strong, he's not even icing a lot. I'm not going out there with a 90-pitch thing. Besides with Pedro, when he gets to smelling it at the end of the game, he's not going to come out just because of how many pitches he's thrown."
-- The Associated Press
HU POSSIBLE AT 3B FOR DODGERS (4:37 p.m. ET)
Chin-Lung Hu is normally a shortstop, but injuries to Andy LaRoche and Nomar Garciaparra have thrust him into the mix at third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Hu played second base for the first time last year at Triple-A Las Vegas, and has been taking grounders at third since before the Dodgers' trip to China earlier this month. He also played some third for the Taiwanese national team.
The 24-year-old infielder said things move "a little faster" at third than at short, and that taking ground balls in practice doesn't compare to game action. Even so, he said he's up for the challenge if the Dodgers need to use him at third.
"I think I'd be fine if I played [third]," Hu said. "Last year was my first time at second base, and now I feel more comfortable at second base."
Hu batted .241 with two home runs in 12 games with the Dodgers last year, and .325 with 40 doubles and 14 home runs in the minor leagues. He's hitting .324 this spring.
-- The Associated Press
SMOLTZ FEELS TIGHTNESS IN SHOULDER (2:33 p.m. ET)
John Smoltz missed his scheduled start Friday because of tightness in his right shoulder, but said he would have pitched through the discomfort in the regular season.
Smoltz said he felt the stiffness in the back of his shoulder while throwing on the side Wednesday. Manager Bobby Cox said Smoltz wanted to make the start against the Indians despite the discomfort.
"He's been pitching super. There's no reason to push it," Cox said. "We'll see what happens."
Smoltz agreed it was smart to sit out the game. When asked if Smoltz might open the season on the disabled list, Cox said "I don't think so."
Cox confirmed Friday he plans for Tim Hudson to make the season-opening start on March 30 at Washington. Smoltz had been expected to start the March 31 home opener against Pittsburgh, but the Braves have an off day April 1 and won't need a fifth starter until April 6 -- the last game of a three-game series against the Mets.
BRET BOONE GOES WILLINGLY TO MINORS (12:58 p.m. ET)
His body is not ready, but his mind still seems up for the task, so second baseman Bret Boone accepted a demotion to the Nationals' Triple-A club in Columbus.
"I've come this far. I want to pursue it," Boone told the Washington Post. "I think this is a win-win for everybody, and it lets me get at-bats every day, and lets the Nationals get their team ready right now."
Boone, who will turn 39 in April, retired in spring 2006, and said he might change his mind about a comeback after some time in Columbus. "It might be 80, 90, 100 at-bats before something clicks," he said in the Post, "and it may be 80, 90, 100 at-bats before my mind clicks and says, 'No, I don't want to do this anymore.' "
BREWERS, CAPUANO WAIT ON MRI (12:02 p.m. ET)
The Brewers won't know for sure until Saturday, but it's looking like left-hander Chris Capuano is running out of time to nail down one of three remaining slots in the starting rotation by Opening Day.
Capuano, who left his start Monday against Seattle with soreness in his elbow, had an MRI on Thursday. The results are being reviewed and Capuano will be evaluated again Saturday.
"I'll wait and see what the MRI says," manager Ned Yost said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I'm not going to make a final decision without all the facts. We'll see where we are and go from there."
"There's still a little bit of soreness but it actually feels a little better today," Capuano said, according to the report. "I'm not going to do any throwing until they get definitive results from the test."
NO RODNEY TIMETABLE YET (11:21 a.m. ET)
The Tigers are still waiting for word on the status of reliever Fernando Rodney, who has been experiencing recurrent and mysterious tightness in his shoulder this spring.
Rodney, who will begin the season on the disabled list, will see team orthopedist Dr. Stephen Lemos this weekend, according to the Detroit Free Press.
"We need to take our time and make sure that he's right, so he can get back and really help us," Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand said in the Free Press.
Doctors have checked out Rodney's shoulder several times already, but no structural damage has been found. Rodney threw in a bullpen session Tuesday, but "he didn't really feel like he could let it go like he wanted to," Rand told the Free Press.
NATHAN HOPEFUL ON EXTENSION (11:15 a.m. ET)
Recent discussions between Joe Nathan's camp and the Twins about a contract extension had stalled, but Nathan expressed some optimism that progress was being made.
"My agent is the pessimist of the group,'' Nathan told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "If he's saying that things are going in the right direction, that's a good sign. To get him to say that is always good.''
Nathan's agent, Dave Pepe, has been working with general manager Bill Smith and assistant GM Rob Antony on an extension for the closer, who is being paid $6 million this season.
"From what I gathered is that they had very good talks, and I think things are moving in the right direction,'' Nathan said in the Star Tribune. Twins officials would not comment.
