Ailing Dice-K throws in intrasquad game
March 21, 2010
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)—Slowed since the start of spring training because ofback and neck injuries, Boston Red Sox right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) took asmall step Sunday toward his first appearance in a Grapefruit League game.
Matsuzaka faced Boston minor leaguers in an intrasquad game at the playerdevelopment complex, about two miles from the team’s spring training home atCity of Palms Park. He threw 32 pitches, 18 for strikes, and then threw anadditional 14 in the bullpen after his outing.
He faced eight batters in two innings, the second inning extended to fiveouts. After retiring the first three batters of the frame, to give himadditional work, he faced another batter, with runners manufactured at first andsecond. He got the next batter, inducing a double play.
“It being an intrasquad game and with the fans so up close it was difficultto get into a game mindset,” Matsuzaka said. “But, that being said, I was ableto pitch out there with no problems and I think that’s the most importantthing.”
With the wind at his back, his velocity topped out at 90 mph, according to ascout. Back in the major league clubhouse after his outing, it was easy to seehis satisfaction.
“Daisuke was thrilled, because his command was probably where you’d expectit to be, considering it’s the first time in that situation,” Red Sox managerTerry Francona said. “But after he came back he was bouncing around. He feltreally good about it.”
Matsuzaka faced hitters for the first time this spring in a batting practicesession on Wednesday.
“There’s a difference between facing hitters in a live BP session andfacing them in a game,” he said. “I think what I take away from each type ofpractice differs when I’m able to face hitters in a game situation.”
Matsuzaka is scheduled to pitch in his first Grapefruit League game Thursdayafter another bullpen session Tuesday, continuing his progress toward returningto Boston’s starting rotation. It is unlikely, though, that he will be on theOpening Day roster.
“If you just compare where he’s at right now compared to our other startersand what our goal is for each guy in our rotation, we’d like to get them to 95pitches here in spring training before we break,” said Red Sox pitching coachJohn Farrell. “So, just do the simple math. There’s going to be some startsneeded.”
The 29-year-old Matsuzaka, for whom Boston paid $103 million ($51 millionposting fee, plus $52 million contract) to acquire before the 2007 season, isentering the fourth year of a six-year contract. He could likely start theseason on the disabled list after spending a total of 107 games on the DL in2009, hampered by a mild right shoulder strain.
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Mauer agrees to 8-year, $184M extension
March 21, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—AL MVP Joe Mauer(notes) has agreed to an eight-year, $184 millioncontract extension to stay with the Minnesota Twins.
The deal announced Sunday covers the 2011-2018 seasons and includes a fullno-trade clause. It’s the culmination of a monthslong negotiation between theTwins and their hometown star.
Mauer has won three AL batting titles and an MVP award. He is considered oneof the best defensive catchers in the game. Last year he hit .365 with 28 homeruns and 96 RBIs to help the Twins win the AL Central division.
The St. Paul native was the No. 1 overall pick by the Twins in 2001.
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Selig meets with A’s about new stadium
March 21, 2010
PHOENIX (AP)—Baseball commissioner Bud Selig met with Oakland Athleticsofficials on Sunday in regard to a new stadium but said there is no timetable onwhen a committee he formed to study the issue will put forth a recommendation onhow to proceed.
“There is no question that the A’s cannot compete (financially) in thevenue they’re in,” Selig said, referring to the team’s longtime home, theOakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Selig met with San Francisco Giants officials a week ago to discussterritorial rights. The Athletics have considered a move to San Jose, amongother Bay area locations. The Giants currently have a Class A team in San Jose.
“There still is information we are looking for. It is a complicated processwith a lot of complex issues and is time-consuming,” Selig said. “But we wouldstill like to move as expeditiously as possible.”
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Lincecum wild but pitches into 6th
March 21, 2010
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP)—Two-time reigning National League Cy Young Award winnerTim Lincecum(notes) was a bit wild early on Sunday in a game against San FranciscoGiants minor leaguers, but still managed to throw 5 2-3 shutout innings.
While his Giants teammates were playing against the Arizona Diamondbacks inTucson, the 25-year-old right-hander walked five hitters, gave up three hits andstruck out six while throwing 94 pitches. It was his longest outing of thespring. He was 0-2 with a 9.39 ERA before Sunday.
Lincecum likely will make his next start on Friday in Scottsdale against theLos Angeles Angels.
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Weiner expects contract talks next year
March 21, 2010
TAMPA, Florida (AP)—New baseball players’ union head Michael Weineranticipates talks with Major League Baseball on a new collective bargainingagreement will begin by spring training or perhaps a bit earlier next year.
“Our goal will try to be, in one sense, you always want to have anagreement without a threat of a stoppage,” Weiner said on Sunday. “But youalso have to have an agreement that works for both sides. I’m sure thateverybody will try our best to get a deal done on a kind of timeframe that wedid last time. So we’ll just have to see how it plays out.”
The current agreement expires in December 2011. The deal was announcedduring the 2006 World Series, about two months before the previous agreementexpired.
Weiner and other union officials met with New York Yankees players as partof a tour of spring training camps. The issue of blood testing for HGH was alsodiscussed.
“Our attitude toward any kind of testing, blood or urine, is really thesame, that we have to make sure the science is down and with the commissioner’soffice we will continue to investigate whether the science behind the blood testfor HGH is 100 percent sound,” Weiner said.
“The test has to be administered in a way that’s safe for the players, andobviously drawing blood has complications that don’t exist with respect tocollecting urine. And the test has to be administered in a way where the playerscan actually go to work. Drawing blood is harder to do.”
Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson(notes), a former union representative withDetroit, agrees.
“We want to make sure it’s accurate,” Granderson said. “We definitely arenot subjecting the players to something that could be inaccurate, plain andsimple.”
Expansion of the draft to include international players and the forthcomingrecommendations from commissioner Bud Selig’s on-field review committee willlikely be part of next year’s labor talks. Proposals about realignment may alsocome up.
“We’d be happy to talk about those (ideas) in bargaining,” Weiner said
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Scully maintains humor after fall
March 21, 2010
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP)—Bruised physically and emotionally following a fall athis home Thursday, Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully showed he stillhas his sense of humor.
The 82-year-old Hall of Famer arrived in the desert Sunday to call his firstgame of the spring.
“I’m supposed to cut back on dangling participles, and I’m not allowed tosplit any infinitives for at least another week,” Scully told reporters insidethe Dodgers’ spring training complex.
Scully said he was never in a life-threatening situation. Feeling theeffects of a cold, he was walking across a marble floor to his bathroom when heblacked out.
When he regained consciousness, he said his wife was calling 911 and therewas blood on the floor. At the hospital, Scully received five staples in theback of his head. He also had a large bruise on the back of his right arm andhas some soreness in his back.
“I was embarrassed, and I am embarrassed because it was such a dumb thingto have happen,” Scully said. “I am embarrassed over all the fuss andfeathers. But somehow, I did it to myself, and I hope not to do it again.”
Sunday’s Dodgers game against the Cleveland Indians was the first of twoScully will broadcast this spring as he enters his 61st season with the club.
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Jenks expects to be ready for opener
March 21, 2010
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP)—White Sox closer Bobby Jenks(notes) expects to be ready for theseason opener after an MRI on his right calf revealed no structural damage.
Jenks missed his turn to pitch on Saturday because of irritation. He expectsto throw a bullpen session on Monday and figures “a few days rest should knockit out.” He has a 37.80 ERA in two spring outings.
Jenks says there’s “no doubt about it” that he’ll be ready for the openeragainst Cleveland on April 5.
The calf has been an issue for Jenks since last season, when he missed thefinal 11 games and finished with 29 saves.
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Indians’ Wood confident of quick return
March 21, 2010
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP)—Injured closer Kerry Wood(notes) believes he’ll be back pitchingfor the Cleveland Indians sooner than expected.
On Saturday, the Indians forecast Wood to be sidelined for 6 to 8 weeks witha strained muscle below his right shoulder.
However, Wood said Sunday that he’s confident his timetable to return willbe shorter. The 32-year-old sustained a “moderate” strain to his rightlatissimus dorsi muscle earlier in spring training.
Wood said he typically has some soreness in that area during camp, but whenhis symptoms didn’t ease, the Indians decided to have him undergo an MRI. Woodsaid he’s thankful he didn’t try to pitch through the pain or he could have donemore damage.
He will begin rehab on Monday and should be playing catch within two weeks.
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Nathan to miss season with elbow injury
March 21, 2010
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)—Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan(notes) will miss the 2010season because of a right elbow injury that will require surgery.
Nathan, who leads the major leagues with 246 saves since 2004, made thedecision after playing catch with Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson for 10minutes on Sunday.
“It didn’t go like we hoped,” Nathan said. “We knew it was a long shot,but I think this will clear my head. There definitely was no gray area. It wasdefinitely on the dark side. We know now that we’re going to need to go in andhave some surgery done and get this thing taken care of.”
Nathan hopes to have Tommy John surgery within two weeks to repair the tornulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He was injured on March 6 during a20-pitch outing in a spring training game against the Boston Red Sox.
The 35-year-old right-hander signed a $47 million contract two years agothat guarantees him $11.25 million both this season and next. The Twins have a$12.5 million option for 2012, with a $2 million buyout.
Nathan has set his sights on returning at the start of the 2011 season.
“I’m very confident,” he said. “I’ve talked to the doctors. Thepercentages of coming back are very good. You never want to say 100 percent, butit’s pretty close to being 100 percent of the time.”
Nathan went 2-2 with a 2.10 ERA and a career-best 47 saves last season.
The in-house relievers likely to replace Nathan include Jon Rauch(notes), who has26 big league saves, the most of any Twins pitcher besides Nathan. Otherpossible candidates are Matt Guerrier(notes), Jesse Crain(notes), Jose Mijares(notes) and Pat Neshek(notes).
Since hurting the elbow two weeks ago, Nathan had tried strengthening themuscles around the joint, hoping to pitch through the injury. But the throwingsession confirmed his worst-case scenario.
“It started out well,” Nathan said. “Everything felt good at thebeginning. I didn’t want to go super intense but enough to where it was alongthe lines of playing a normal game of catch.
“I got out to about 60 or 70 feet and started feeling a little bit ofstiffness. I wasn’t sure if it was from the forearm or from the elbow. I justkept throwing, and it became clear that it was an injured elbow. It was gettingharder and harder. It became clear that it didn’t feel good. I don’t have anumber on what I threw, but it wasn’t very long. It was probably only a fewminutes of playing catch when I started feeling stiff.”
Nathan said he would rehabilitate from the surgery in Minnesota.
“I think it will help me get through this thing and at least be a part ofthe team a little bit,” he said. “I’m very comfortable in Minnesota. We have ahouse there, and my family would like it. Obviously, I would like to help outwhoever is thrown into that role.”
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Padres RHP Garland to miss next start
March 21, 2010
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP)—Padres right-hander Jon Garland(notes) will miss his nextscheduled start Sunday because of a “cranky” shoulder, manager Bud Black said.
Garland, expected to compete for the No. 2 or 3 spot in the Padres’ startingrotation, signed a $4.7 million contract in January with a mutual option for2011 and a $600,000 buyout.
Last season, Garland was a combined 11-13 with 4.01 ERA in 33 starts for theArizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers.
“We’re going to give him a few days just as a precaution,” Black said.
Garland, who is 0-1 with an 8.22 ERA in three starts this spring, has statedthat his arm had been feeling better than normal throughout the exhibitionseason.
Black said Sean Gallagher(notes) will start in Garland’s place on Sunday.
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