Baseball Guru
03-05-2002, 09:17 AM
AL East
Baltimore
It was a rough day all around for Sidney Ponson. Not only was the big right-hander roughed up for four runs in three innings, he also took a line drive off the leg. Tino Martinez hit a ball right up the middle in the third inning, and the ball caromed off of Ponson to first baseman Ryan McGuire for the out. Ponson remained in the game and actually improved, striking out Jim Edmonds and getting Edgar Renteria to ground out. ... Jason Johnson, who paced Orioles starters with a 4.09 ERA in 2001, pitched in the morning's 'B' game against St. Louis. He settled down nicely after allowing a pair of singles to start the game. Johnson went three shutout innings, allowing three hits and one walk and striking out three against a squad that included Al Martin, So Taguchi and Eli Marrero. ... Geronimo Gil, acquired from Los Angeles in the Mike Trombley trade last summer, may force his way into the catching picture. Gil walked and scored in the third inning and doubled in the fifth. -- Matthew Leach
Boston
While giving manager Joe Kerrigan a firm vote of confidence, Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon is anxious to see the team's new ownership make a definitive statement on his status. "It's been a smooth spring," said Damon. "Joe has been great. We can win with Joe. If they're waiting on this team to struggle, to have an opportunity to (make a switch), I think that's unfair to the team and unfair to Joe. Right now, all of us, we need to get off to a good start so he can keep his job. We're hoping to have some closure with it also. But the owners have their own agenda and their own timetable." ... Sox CEO Larry Lucchino said Monday that there was no timetable for a definitive statement on Kerrigan's future ... Sox first baseman Tony Clark swatted his first homer of the spring, a two-run blast against his former team, the Detroit Tigers. Damon wasn't surprised. "He's been working hard every morning," Damon said. "He's been here most mornings before the coaches. He's making sure he's going to have a big year. He's been hurt the last couple of years and he's finding his stroke again. We just need to keep it going and hopefully we can keep him hot all year." -- Ian Browne
New York
Shortstop Derek Jeter will be out for the next five days with a muscle strain in his neck. Jeter first felt pain Saturday while fielding a pop-up, and then aggravated it on Sunday during batting practice. An MRI was negative, and the injury is not considered serious. ... Ramiro Mendoza also underwent an MRI on his strained neck, and that test also came back negative. Mendoza, who is day-to-day, showed progress from Sunday, and Manager Joe Torre said that the pitcher should be able to throw again "in a couple of days". ... Jason Giambi started the game, but left after two innings when his left hamstring stiffened up because of the chilly weather. Torre said that Giambi will probably not play tomorrow, and will not make the trip to Port Charlotte, Fla., Wednesday, but return to the lineup on Thursday. GM Brian Cashman said he is "not worried" about the injury. "There is no such thing as a career-ending hammy," Cashman said. ... The Yankees play a split-squad doubleheader on Tuesday, hosting the Texas Rangers at 1:30 and visiting the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland at 7:05. Mike Mussina starts the early game, while Sterling Hitchcock pitches in the nightcap. -- Mark Feinsand
Tampa Bay
Top draft pick (No. 3 overall) Dewon Brazelton made his professional debut Monday against the Phillies, allowing one run on two hits and three strikeouts, in the Devil Rays' 7-6 victory. ... Catcher Sal Fasano, who appeared with three teams (Oakland, Kansas City and Colorado) last season will split catching duties with Toby Hall until regular backup John Flaherty, who is rehabbing a groin injury, is able to return to action. "I think he can help this club if he were to be the other guy, but naturally Flaherty is that guy," said manager Hal McRae. "If (your backup catcher) can hit that's a bonus but initially you go with a catch/throw guy so your pitching staff doesn't suffer when your No. 1 catcher's not in the game." ... According to McRae, outfielder Greg Vaughn "is talking about playing" Thursday against the Yankees. ... Of the 61 players invited to Rays camp, 30 have less than three years of big league experience, 21 of which have less than one year experience. -- Damon Young
Toronto
Second baseman Orlando Hudson was injured when he slid under the tarp near the right field foul line chasing a foul ball ... Center fielder Jose Cruz Jr. did not play for the second consecutive day because of an irritation on the left side of his rib cage ... Roy Halladay will start on Tuesday against Pittsburgh in Dunedin...The Blue Jays meet the Rangers again on March 7 in Dunedin and March 14 in Port Charlotte... Brandon Lyon will start against the Reds in Sarasota on Wednesday... 31 of the 40 players on the Toronto roster are signed for the 2002 season... Brian Bowles, Brian Cooper, Bob File, Chris Latha, Felipe Lopez, Josh Phelps, Luke Prokopec, Vernon Wells and Chris Woodard remain unsigned...One day after picking up his first home run of the Spring, Vernon Wells hit his first ripple of the Spring, both firsts for the Jays this Spring. -- Jesse Sanchez
AL Central
Cleveland
Grady Little managed the Indians in their split squad game against Pittsburgh in Bradenton. ... Game time temperature was 50 degrees with wind gusts of 25-30 mph. ... Starting pitcher Charles Nagy looked very sharp in his three innings, allowing three hits and one run, while striking out one and walking none. ... Reliever Sean DePaula gave up five hits and three runs and was tagged with the loss. -- Paul C. Smith
Chicago
When Jim Parque arrived in Tucson last month, his fastball wasn't getting much higher than the mid-70s, and was just as often in the low 70s. On Monday, in his first Spring Training outing and first appearance since undergoing shoulder surgery last May, Parque said his fastball varied between 81-85. He allowed only one hit in two scoreless innings. "I think I proved today that I'm pretty much almost there," Parque said. "I walked one guy but it's my first time out. I'll just keep building." ... Parque is one of five Sox pitchers making a comeback from surgery in the last 12 months. The others are Jon Rauch, Lorenzo Barcelo, Antonio Osuna and Kelly Wunsch. White Sox manager Jerry Manuel was hoping their progress might be a little bit advanced after each of them attended the White Sox rehab camp this past January. "Because of the intensity of those workouts I thought they would come in ahead of those guys that didn't even throw all winter ... but injuries take time regardless what you do. That's what I'm learning fromit." ... Garland and Gary Glover will make starts for the Sox Thursday in split-squad games after their spring debuts were polar opposites. Garland, who threw two scoreless innings in his first effort, will travel to Mesa and take on the Cubs. Glover starts Thursday night's game at Tucson Electric Park against Arizona. He gave up four runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings in his initial game. ... While the players will be split up on Monday, Manuel will perform double duty. He'll head to Mesa for the first game and then make the 2 1/2-hour trip back to Tucson to manage the nightcap. What will he and his coaches do on the ride? "Throw the jazz on and play it until we have something to talk about," Manuel said. ... Mark Johnson, who is in a tight battle with Josh Paul for the backup catcher's job, has every reason to be in a good mood after ripping off three hits in his first four at-bats this spring. Maybe that's why Johnson was zipping around an empty Sox locker room on his mountain bike following Monday's game. -- Jimmy Greenfield
Baltimore
It was a rough day all around for Sidney Ponson. Not only was the big right-hander roughed up for four runs in three innings, he also took a line drive off the leg. Tino Martinez hit a ball right up the middle in the third inning, and the ball caromed off of Ponson to first baseman Ryan McGuire for the out. Ponson remained in the game and actually improved, striking out Jim Edmonds and getting Edgar Renteria to ground out. ... Jason Johnson, who paced Orioles starters with a 4.09 ERA in 2001, pitched in the morning's 'B' game against St. Louis. He settled down nicely after allowing a pair of singles to start the game. Johnson went three shutout innings, allowing three hits and one walk and striking out three against a squad that included Al Martin, So Taguchi and Eli Marrero. ... Geronimo Gil, acquired from Los Angeles in the Mike Trombley trade last summer, may force his way into the catching picture. Gil walked and scored in the third inning and doubled in the fifth. -- Matthew Leach
Boston
While giving manager Joe Kerrigan a firm vote of confidence, Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon is anxious to see the team's new ownership make a definitive statement on his status. "It's been a smooth spring," said Damon. "Joe has been great. We can win with Joe. If they're waiting on this team to struggle, to have an opportunity to (make a switch), I think that's unfair to the team and unfair to Joe. Right now, all of us, we need to get off to a good start so he can keep his job. We're hoping to have some closure with it also. But the owners have their own agenda and their own timetable." ... Sox CEO Larry Lucchino said Monday that there was no timetable for a definitive statement on Kerrigan's future ... Sox first baseman Tony Clark swatted his first homer of the spring, a two-run blast against his former team, the Detroit Tigers. Damon wasn't surprised. "He's been working hard every morning," Damon said. "He's been here most mornings before the coaches. He's making sure he's going to have a big year. He's been hurt the last couple of years and he's finding his stroke again. We just need to keep it going and hopefully we can keep him hot all year." -- Ian Browne
New York
Shortstop Derek Jeter will be out for the next five days with a muscle strain in his neck. Jeter first felt pain Saturday while fielding a pop-up, and then aggravated it on Sunday during batting practice. An MRI was negative, and the injury is not considered serious. ... Ramiro Mendoza also underwent an MRI on his strained neck, and that test also came back negative. Mendoza, who is day-to-day, showed progress from Sunday, and Manager Joe Torre said that the pitcher should be able to throw again "in a couple of days". ... Jason Giambi started the game, but left after two innings when his left hamstring stiffened up because of the chilly weather. Torre said that Giambi will probably not play tomorrow, and will not make the trip to Port Charlotte, Fla., Wednesday, but return to the lineup on Thursday. GM Brian Cashman said he is "not worried" about the injury. "There is no such thing as a career-ending hammy," Cashman said. ... The Yankees play a split-squad doubleheader on Tuesday, hosting the Texas Rangers at 1:30 and visiting the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland at 7:05. Mike Mussina starts the early game, while Sterling Hitchcock pitches in the nightcap. -- Mark Feinsand
Tampa Bay
Top draft pick (No. 3 overall) Dewon Brazelton made his professional debut Monday against the Phillies, allowing one run on two hits and three strikeouts, in the Devil Rays' 7-6 victory. ... Catcher Sal Fasano, who appeared with three teams (Oakland, Kansas City and Colorado) last season will split catching duties with Toby Hall until regular backup John Flaherty, who is rehabbing a groin injury, is able to return to action. "I think he can help this club if he were to be the other guy, but naturally Flaherty is that guy," said manager Hal McRae. "If (your backup catcher) can hit that's a bonus but initially you go with a catch/throw guy so your pitching staff doesn't suffer when your No. 1 catcher's not in the game." ... According to McRae, outfielder Greg Vaughn "is talking about playing" Thursday against the Yankees. ... Of the 61 players invited to Rays camp, 30 have less than three years of big league experience, 21 of which have less than one year experience. -- Damon Young
Toronto
Second baseman Orlando Hudson was injured when he slid under the tarp near the right field foul line chasing a foul ball ... Center fielder Jose Cruz Jr. did not play for the second consecutive day because of an irritation on the left side of his rib cage ... Roy Halladay will start on Tuesday against Pittsburgh in Dunedin...The Blue Jays meet the Rangers again on March 7 in Dunedin and March 14 in Port Charlotte... Brandon Lyon will start against the Reds in Sarasota on Wednesday... 31 of the 40 players on the Toronto roster are signed for the 2002 season... Brian Bowles, Brian Cooper, Bob File, Chris Latha, Felipe Lopez, Josh Phelps, Luke Prokopec, Vernon Wells and Chris Woodard remain unsigned...One day after picking up his first home run of the Spring, Vernon Wells hit his first ripple of the Spring, both firsts for the Jays this Spring. -- Jesse Sanchez
AL Central
Cleveland
Grady Little managed the Indians in their split squad game against Pittsburgh in Bradenton. ... Game time temperature was 50 degrees with wind gusts of 25-30 mph. ... Starting pitcher Charles Nagy looked very sharp in his three innings, allowing three hits and one run, while striking out one and walking none. ... Reliever Sean DePaula gave up five hits and three runs and was tagged with the loss. -- Paul C. Smith
Chicago
When Jim Parque arrived in Tucson last month, his fastball wasn't getting much higher than the mid-70s, and was just as often in the low 70s. On Monday, in his first Spring Training outing and first appearance since undergoing shoulder surgery last May, Parque said his fastball varied between 81-85. He allowed only one hit in two scoreless innings. "I think I proved today that I'm pretty much almost there," Parque said. "I walked one guy but it's my first time out. I'll just keep building." ... Parque is one of five Sox pitchers making a comeback from surgery in the last 12 months. The others are Jon Rauch, Lorenzo Barcelo, Antonio Osuna and Kelly Wunsch. White Sox manager Jerry Manuel was hoping their progress might be a little bit advanced after each of them attended the White Sox rehab camp this past January. "Because of the intensity of those workouts I thought they would come in ahead of those guys that didn't even throw all winter ... but injuries take time regardless what you do. That's what I'm learning fromit." ... Garland and Gary Glover will make starts for the Sox Thursday in split-squad games after their spring debuts were polar opposites. Garland, who threw two scoreless innings in his first effort, will travel to Mesa and take on the Cubs. Glover starts Thursday night's game at Tucson Electric Park against Arizona. He gave up four runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings in his initial game. ... While the players will be split up on Monday, Manuel will perform double duty. He'll head to Mesa for the first game and then make the 2 1/2-hour trip back to Tucson to manage the nightcap. What will he and his coaches do on the ride? "Throw the jazz on and play it until we have something to talk about," Manuel said. ... Mark Johnson, who is in a tight battle with Josh Paul for the backup catcher's job, has every reason to be in a good mood after ripping off three hits in his first four at-bats this spring. Maybe that's why Johnson was zipping around an empty Sox locker room on his mountain bike following Monday's game. -- Jimmy Greenfield