FLB: Spring Training Notebook 3/30
• The Dallas Morning News reports that Eric Gagne will begin the year on the disabled list, despite the fact that he's not actually, well, disabled. The Rangers evidently believe Gagne needs more time to get used to pitching multiple times a week. Akinori Otsuka is Texas' closer for now, and there has to be at least a little lingering doubt about how well Gagne will be able to handle the job from mid-April forward.
• The Dallas Morning News also reports that Jason Botts is headed to Triple-A again, having failed to make the Rangers' opening-day roster. It's a shame for Botts, who'd be playing in a perfect ballpark for his skill-set, but the Rangers love to overspend for veterans past their prime at the corner outfield spots and at DH -- the only positions Botts can play. It'll take a couple injuries or slumps from Sammy Sosa, Frank Catalanotto, Brad Wilkerson, Nelson Cruz, et al for Botts to get back to Arlington.
• Rafael Furcal is likely to begin the year on the disabled list, according to the Dodgers' Web site. The transaction would be retroactive, so Furcal may only miss a couple games, thus it's unlikely any of L.A.'s big-time prospects will be affected by the move. It's more likely Wilson Valdez and/or Tony Abreu will get a couple of starts.
• Pine tar may have its privileges, but Kenny Rogers may need a bit more to glue together his fatigued left arm. Rogers was placed on the 15-day DL on Thursday with a tired shoulder, and though he'll be eligible to come off the DL as early as April 9, general manager Dave Dombrowski sounded at least a little concerned speaking to the Tigers' Web site. Chad Durbin gets Rogers's place in the rotation for now, but if Rogers' situation winds up being serious, Detroit has all kinds of options in Triple-A, so don't pick up Durbin.
• Freddy Sanchez played in his second minor-league game Thursday, on the return trail from his injured knee. Sanchez reported no pain, according to the Pirates' Web site, and still "holds out hope" that he might be ready for Opening Day.
• The Tampa Tribune reports that Jorge Cantu's continued defensive struggles may be forcing the Devil Rays' hand. The team might be preparing to send Cantu down, or at least make him a part-time designated hitter. Jonny Gomes has had a pretty decent spring, though, and the Rays are giving long looks to both B.J. Upton and Brendan Harris at second base, so there may be some juice to this Cantu-to-the-minors stuff.
• There is terrible news for a good prospect in Cincinnati, as Chris Denorfia will need Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Denorfia was given a shot in the Reds' outfield last year and looked okay. Now the 26-year-old, who was supposed to be the team's center fielder of the future, appears to be a long shot for starter status in Cincy anytime soon.
• The Associated Press reports that Joe Smith has made the Mets' bullpen, to go alongside Aaron Sele. Along with the demotion of Jorge Sosa to Triple-A, this leaves one spot remaining in the pen, with Chan Ho Park, Ambiorix Burgos and Jon Adkins still in the mix. Park would probably least effective of these options out of the pen, but the Mets could still view him as their best choice given that Mike Pelfrey is in the rotation and could need help at some point.
• Lastings Milledge's hand is starting to feel better, according to the Mets' Web site. He entered Thursday's game and went 1-for-2 with an RBI, and reported that the hand he bruised getting hit by a pitch last weekend felt pretty good. Milledge probably won't get regular at-bats even if he makes the major-league team. As camp breaks, New York hasn't given any hints about where Milledge is headed .
• Who are you and what have you done with Fausto Carmona? Okay, that's not exactly fair, because Carmona remains an interesting prospect, but when you think of young pitchers likely to throw no-hitters, ol' Fausto doesn't leap immediately to mind. Nevertheless, Carmona pitched six hitless innings against Atlanta on Thursday, striking out five and walking three. With Cliff Lee still due to miss a month with his abdominal problem, Carmona probably will get enough starts this April to be valuable for a month. That is, if he pitches like he did yesterday.
• The New York Times reports that Josh Phelps will make the Yankees, and therefore Andy Phillips will not. That means Phelps would play first base for New York against left-handers, spelling Doug Mientkiewicz. The problem with this plan is that while Mientkiewicz is a bad hitter, he's an equal-opportunity bad hitter: his OPS was 30 points better against lefties last year, and is 21 points better for his career. Apparently the Yankees got Mientkiewicz for his defense, so why would you take that defense out of play when the guy hits lefties about as well (or poorly, depending how you look at it) as righties?
• Taylor Tankersley pitched an inning in a minor-league game Wednesday, according to the Miami Herald, and looked fine. He's going to begin the season on the DL, but if all continues to go well, could find himself back in the majors just a week into April.
• The East Valley Tribune speculates that young Micah Owings could yet be named the Diamondbacks' fifth starter. Owings isn't on the team's 40-man roster, so he's almost certainly headed to the minors as training camp breaks, but given the fact that both Dana Eveland and Enrique Gonzalez have struggled this spring, the Tribune said that it's possible Arizona calls up Owings when the team needs a fifth starter as April rolls along.
• What Goes Around Comes Around Dept.: Stephen Drew was viewed this winter as the most logical candidate to serve as Arizona's leadoff hitter. But as spring training got going, most talk centered around Chris Young and Eric Byrnes. Now the East Valley Tribune says Drew has officially been named the team's No. 1 hitter against right-handers.
