ESPN MLB

Arizona Diamondbacks: Randy Johnson is scheduled to throw in a Diamondbacks 'B' game against the White Sox on Saturday. It will be his first outing in a game situation since undergoing back surgery after last season.

Elsewhere in the Cactus League:

Chicago Cubs: Carlos Zambrano, the Cubs' Opening Day starter whose final appearance this spring is scheduled to be in a minor-league game next week, allowed just four hits and a run in six solid innings against the Giants.

He had nothing to report on the possibility of a multiyear contract extension.

"I don't pay attention to it. I'm just focusing on the season and I don't have to worry about anything else," Zambrano said.

San Francisco Giants: Barry Bonds didn't make the trip to Mesa to play the Cubs. Ray Durham was a scratch for the second straight day with a mild right hamstring strain.

Milwaukee Brewers: Worried about possible rain during their regularly scheduled night game against Texas, the Brewers instead had ace Ben Sheets pitch in an afternoon contest in their minor-league camp Friday.

Sheets, who has not been officially named the Brewers' Opening Day starter but is lined up to do so, pitched 6 2/3 innings in a Triple-A game against players from the Angels' system. He allowed two homers -- by Angels prospect Brandon Wood and starting catcher Jose Molina -- but otherwise looked strong. Sheets surrendered five hits and a walk and struck out eight.

Afterward, he said he was concentrating on throwing his curveball. Sheets usually works slowly into using his curveball in spring training, but with Opening Day just over 10 days away, he figured it was time to sharpen that pitch.

Sheets said Yost had not informed him officially that he'll pitch the opener on April 2 at Miller Park, but he can do the math and see that's his day. Sheets started four consecutive season openers before opening last year on the disabled list with shoulder problems. Then he was limited to 17 starts all season because of recurring back problems.

Relievers Matt Wise and Derrick Turnbow also pitched in the minor-league game to assure they'd get their work in. Wise needed only 18 pitches to record five outs, and the rejuvenated Turnbow tossed a scoreless inning, allowing only a double to Wood.

Oakland Athletics: Mike Piazza appears to have his stroke down as the Athletics' new designated hitter. He homered for the second straight game, connecting for a three-run shot in the first inning Friday against his former team in Oakland's 8-7 victory over the Padres. He also hit a sharp single to left in the fifth.

Piazza has insisted he won't match Frank Thomas' production -- a team-leading 39 homers and 114 RBIs during his lone season with Oakland in 2006 -- but wants to be as productive as he can in his first season shedding the catcher's gear to be a DH.

Manager Bob Geren and general manager Billy Beane don't plan to use Piazza even as an emergency catcher if they can help it. The 38-year-old Piazza, considered a strong candidate to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, spent his first 15 seasons as a catcher before moving to the American League for the first time to focus only on hitting.

Piazza, who received an $8.5 million, one-year contract from the A's in December, batted .283 with 22 home runs and 68 RBIs in 126 games for the Padres last season after nearly eight years with the Mets.

"I feel good," Piazza said. "I'm seeing the ball well and feel like I'm letting the ball travel. I'm not trying to do too much and hitting according to the situation. I wish the season had started Wednesday. Hopefully I'll stay in this little zone I'm in and not change anything."

Kielty plays in simulated game: Outfielder Bobby Kielty, recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee March 2, participated in a simulated game and could be running on the field soon. Also hitting in the game were Dan Johnson and Daric Barton -- with relievers Alan Embree, Chad Gaudin and Kiko Calero pitching.

Seattle Mariners: Felix Hernandez will be the youngest Opening Day starter in Mariners history. Manager Mike Hargrove made that announcement after Hernandez allowed four runs in six innings of Seattle's 10-6 win over the Angels on Friday. The 20-year-old will begin the season on April 2 against Haren and the Oakland Athletics.

Hernandez will join Dwight Gooden (1985) and Fernando Valenzuela (1981) as the only pitchers in the last 26 years who have started on Opening Day while 20.

"The kid has all the characteristics of a big-time winner. We want to push it along a little bit," Hargrove said of Hernandez, who turns 21 on April 8.

Hargrove had waited this spring to see if Hernandez was ready to rebound from last season. Hernandez went 12-14 -- as many losses as in his previous three professional seasons combined -- with a 4.52 ERA and 23 home runs allowed in 31 skittish starts in his first full season in the major leagues. That was after he dazzled the AL with 77 strikeouts and a 2.67 ERA in 12 starts over August and September of 2005, after just 19 games at Triple-A.

In five starts and 20 innings this month, Hernandez has allowed nine earned runs and, more encouraging, just two walks. Both of those came in his first start.

Morrow earning a bullpen spot? Brandon Morrow may be earning a surprising spot in Seattle's bullpen. The Mariners' fifth overall choice in last year's draft, who has reached 99 mph in camp, needed just eight pitches to finish a perfect seventh inning. The right-hander has not allowed a run and just two hits in 7 1/3 innings this month.

The Mariners are now bringing Morrow, 22, into games immediately after starters leave so he can face opposing veterans.

Colorado Rockies: Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was called up for 25 games late into the 2006 season, but this time around he will be starting for the Rockies. The 22-year old, drafted seventh overall in the first round in the 2005 draft, was declared the starter after Colorado's 5-3 victory over the White Sox on Friday in a game called after the bottom of the seventh due to rain.

"I am excited. It is a dream come true being a shortstop on Opening Day, something you think about as a child running out there," Tulowitzki said. "It is a great feeling. I am looking forward to Opening Day and helping this ballclub win games."

Tulowitzki, batting .342 this spring with five doubles and six RBIs, beat out Clint Barmes for the starting nod.

Barmes was assigned after the game, along with outfielder Cory Sullivan and pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, to Triple-A Colorado Springs. The Rockies also assigned infielder Erick Almonte and pitchers Mike Gallo and Matt Herges to minor-league camp. Veteran pitcher Danny Graves was released.

Colorado (12-9-1) also named Josh Fogg its No. 5 starting pitcher.

San Diego Padres: Rule 5 right-hander Kevin Cameron had his worst outing but has impressed the Padres enough to remain a serious candidate to make the team.

"It was a little bit rough today, but he's had days where people just couldn't hit him," manager Bud Black said. "He has a good live arm and good stuff."

Texas Rangers: The Rangers reassigned infielders Drew Meyer and Desi Relaford to their minor-league camp Friday and optioned outfielders Victor Diaz and Freddy Guzman to Triple-A Oklahoma.

Meyer, a former first-round pick, and Relaford, a 10-season veteran who came to camp on a minor-league deal, were both trying to make the team as utility players.

Diaz and Guzman were never serious candidates to be in the Rangers' crowded outfield.

The moves leave the Rangers with 40 players in spring training.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press