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21 March, 2004
 Here
he goes again, launching the annual appeal with the slightly battered, but
trusty tin cup (staking out the choice street locations). (Although not nearly
as crafty as the guy with the leather jacket, Rolex & cell phone outside
Shopper's Drug Mart on St. Clair Avenue in Toronto.) Many thanks to
those who've already sent in contributions for the new season. If you can
help out, click the cup image (at right or below). Wishes for a great
season ! jdm Pitching line = IP H R ER BB
SO
 Game
action Saturday ... Jose Capellan ATL 2 3 2 2 1 1 ... Ryan
Wagner CIN 1 1 0 0 1 0 ... Justin Miller TOR 3 1 0 0 0 3
... David Bush TOR 2 3 5 5 2 1 ... Brandon League
TOR 1 2 1 1 0 0 ... Adam LaRoche ATL 2 homers ... Coco Crisp
CLE 3-5, 2 RBI ... Justin Morneau MIN 1-1, double ... Chad Cordero
MON 1 1 0 0 0 0 ... Hee Seop Choi FLO 2-3, double ... Abraham
Nunez (CF) FLO 1-3, homer ... Sean Henn, NYA 2 0 0 0 0 1
... John VanBenschoten PIT 3 2 1 0 2 3 ... Sean Burnett
PIT 2 1 0 0 0 2 ... Chad Gaudin TB 1 1 0 0 0 1 ... Wily Mo
Pena cin 2-4, double ... Matt Riley BAL 4 2-3 4 2 1 2 3 ...
John Maine BAL 1 2 1 1 0 0 ... Joaquin Benoit TEX 4 7
5 5 3 3 ... Ross Gload CHA 2-5, homer, 3 RBI ... Jeremy Reed
CHA 0-2 ... Chin Hui Tsao COL 3 6 4 4 2 3 ... Brad Hawpe
COL 2-2 ... Aaron Miles COL 0-5 ... Wes Obermueller
MIL 2 5 4 3 3 1 ... Joe Blanton OAK 4 3 1 1 0 2 ... Rich Harden
OAK having a terrible spring, 3 1-3 6 5 5 2 0 ... Bobby Crosby OAK
2-2, 2 walks, double, homer ... Nick Swisher OAK 2-4, double,
error ... Greg Aquino ARZ 2 2 0 0 1 2 ... Akinori Otsuka
SD 1 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 ... Khalil Greene SD 2-4, homer, 4 RBI ... Casey
Kotchman ANA 1-2
Troop
movements ... MIN -- optioned RHP J.D. Durbin to Triple-A, reassigned LHP
Kevin Tolar, RHP Jesse Crain to minor league camp
... STL optioned RHP Adam Wainwright, LHP Chris Narveson,
RHP Rhett Parrott, 1B John Gall and OF Colin Porter
to Triple-A ... HOU -- John Buck sent to minor league camp ... Good
news on Greg Miller LA : "
... Miller underwent successful shoulder surgery and should be able to pitch
sometime this season, the team said Saturday. The left-hander had a bursa sac
removed from his throwing shoulder Friday, but there wasn't any structural
damage to his labrum or rotator cuff. Miller, 19, will be able to start playing
catch after four to six weeks of rehabilitation, Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said.
"It looks like he's going to pitch this year," Tracy said. "We
really couldn't have gotten a better result." (Associated Press)
Khalil
Greene SD chases away the competition :
"
... Greene will be the Padres' opening day shortstop after Rey Ordonez decided
to leave the team and is not expected to return. GM Kevin Towers came to this
conclusion after talking with Ordonez's agent: "He thought that his chances
probably weren't real good (of making the team), and he was probably right. He
had a good spring for us, but I think he realized that Greene was our future
shortstop and likely to make the team as a starter. Rather than continue to
fight it out with him, he decided to take off." (FoxSports) Once
he had such a promising future. Jason Hart TEX to miss the entire
season : "
... Hart has been diagnosed with a non-cancerous brain tumor and is expected to
miss the season. The team said Saturday that Hart's condition was confirmed
during a series of tests after he reported to the Rangers' minor league camp
last week. Hart, a first baseman and outfielder, is expected to undergo surgery
in the next few weeks to have the tumor removed." (Associated Press)
Mets'
2003 No.1 on the shelf :
"
... Lastings Milledge, the Mets' first-round pick last year, fractured
the fourth metacarpal on his right hand while bunting in an A-ball intrasquad
game. The outfielder will miss 4-6 weeks." Toronto
manager awfully pleased with the kids, including -- Alexis Rios, Gabe Gross,
Dustin McGowan, Guillermo Quiroz, and Jason Arnold : "
... Carlos Tosca was moved to superlatives by the group's play. He said he had
never seen a group of prospects so ready to burst onto the Major League scene.
It's not much of a stretch to expect at least five of those players to make
their big-league debuts sometime in 2004. That's a huge haul for any team,
especially one that has a chance to compete for a playoff spot. Still, when
Tosca spoke about what he had seen in Spring Training, he rattled off each
player in rapid-fire succession. "Rios is the real deal. He just needs a
little more experience down there to be an impact player in the big leagues.
Gabe Gross, from last year to this year, is probably the most improved player
that we've seen," he said. "I tip my hat to the hard work he put into
it and the hard work our minor league staff put into him. He's going to be a
middle-of-the-lineup type guy, as a hitter. "Dustin McGowan, what can you
say? He's going to be a front-end pitcher, a No. 1 or a 2. He's got all four
pitches. Quiroz, same way. He's going to be an offensive player playing a skill
position, a big plus for us to have." He touched on the others, too: Tosca
said that Arnold was much improved from last season, and that he anticipated a
big year from the right-hander." (MLB.com) Jeff
Niemann, Rice University, rounding in form, 8.0 6 3 3 2 13. He's now
3-2, 3.47 in 36 1/3 innings. An
opening in the MON rotation as Tony Armas sits to begin the season :
"
... mild right deltoid strain. Armas suffered the injury on Thursday, when he
threw his first simulated game. He stopped throwing after 17 pitches because of
tightness in the deltoid, a muscle that covers the shoulder joint and serves to
raise the arm laterally. The Expos do not have a timetable for Armas' return to
the mound. General manager Omar Minaya said Armas could possibly be with the
Expos by the middle or end of April ... With Armas out of action, Minaya said he
will check the waiver wire or could possibly make a trade. As is his custom,
Minaya does not talk about trade possibilities. In the meantime, Jeff
Farnsworth, Shawn Hill, Sun Woo Kim and Seung Song will be given a chance to
replace Armas in the rotation." (MLB.com)
20 March, 2004
Game
action Friday ... Tyler Yates NYN 4 3 1 1 1 1 ... Kazuo
Matsui NYN 2-5, double, 2 RBI ... James Loney LA 0-3 ... Bobby
Hill PIT 0-4 ... JJ Davis PIT 1-2, double, 2 RBI ... Wily Mo
Pena CIN 1-2, double ... Cody Ross DET 2-3, double ... Grant
Balfour MIN 1 0 0 0 1 1 ... Justin Morneau MIN 4-5, 2
doubles ... Joe Mauer MIN 1-3, double ... Simon Pond
TOR 2-3, homer .... Jayson Werth TOR 1-3, homer ... Scott Proctor
NYA 3 4 1 1 0 4 ... Chris Shelton DET 4-4 ... Dioner Navarro
NYA 1-4, 2 runs ... Sergio Mitre CHN 4 3 0 0 2 2 ... Kit Pellow
COL 2-3, double, 2 RBI ... Bobby Jenks ANA 2 2-3 5 2 2 2 2 ... Casey
Kotchman ANA 1-3 ... Laynce Nix TOR 2-3 ... Dennis Tankersley
SD 3 0 0 0 0 3 ... Chris Capuano MIL 5 6 3 3 3 2 ... Khalil
Greene SD 2-3, 2 doubles Troop
movements ... BOS -- Optioned pitchers Edwin Almonte and Phil Seibel
and infielder Kevin Youkilis to AAA, pitcher Jerome Gamble
to AA, sent outright pitcher Nick Bierbrodt to Pawtucket; assigned
outfielder Jeremy Owens and catcher Kelly Shoppach
to minor league camp ... CHA -- optioned pitchers Felix Diaz and Jon
Rauch to AAA ... MON -- optioned pitcher Roy Corcoran and
outfielders Ryan Church and Brandon Watson to AAA,
shortstop Josh Labandeira to AA, first baseman Larry Broadway
and catcher Josh McKinley to minor league camp ... FLO -- optioned
infielder Kevin Hooper and outfielder Chris Aguila
to AAA, catcher Josh Willingham to AA ... TOR -- optioned OF Alexis
Rios, OF Gabe Gross, RHP Jason Arnold, RHP Dustin
McGowan, C Guillermo Quiroz to Triple-A, optioned RHP Francisco
Rosario to Single-A Dunedin ... ANA -- optioned RHP Bobby Jenks,
RHP Steve Green and RHP Steve Andrade to Triple-A
and reassigned C Jeff Mathis to minor league camp ... BAL --
optioned RHP John Stephens, LHP Brian Forystek and
RHP Eddy Rodriguez to Triple-A and optioned RHP Dave Crouthers
to Double-A Bowie ... CLE -- optioned 2B Brandon Phillips, SS Jhonny
Peralta, RHP Fernando Cabrera and OF Grady Sizemore
to Triple-A, reassigned RHP Kazuhito Tadano to minor league camp
... TEX -- optioned right-hander Juan Dominguez and outfielder Ramon
Nivar to Triple-A. More
woes for TB's Josh Hamilton : "
... Hamilton was suspended for the 2004 season for violating baseball's drug
policy ... already had been given a 30-day suspension on Feb. 17. Under
the new suspension announced Friday, he isn't eligible for reinstatement until
spring training next year, the commissioner's office said ... Labeled as a
can't-miss prospect when he became the first high school player drafted No. 1
overall since Alex Rodriguez, Hamilton told the St. Petersburg Times in January
that he was ready to resume his career. He declined to discuss the personal
problems that sidelined him in 2003, but sounded confident about his chances of
bouncing back strong ... According to the rules of baseball's drug
program, a major league player must test positive at least twice for drugs of
abuse before being suspended, with drugs of abuse subject to suspension defined
as a group that includes cocaine, LSD, opiates, Ecstasy, the "date
rape" drug GHB and PCP. Players who fail to comply with their treatment
program a second time can be suspended for 25-to-50 days. Players who fail to
comply a fourth time can be suspended for at least one year. A fifth failure
results in additional discipline by the commissioner. Tests for drugs of abuse
are conducted only if the joint management-union health policy advisory
committee determines there is reasonable cause." (Associated Press) John
Manuel, Baseball America, on Mitch Maier KC : "
... A catcher and sometime outfielder at Toledo, Maier has worked almost
exclusively at third base this spring ... Royals minor league field coordinator
Jeff Garber said the switch was made to move Maier's live bat through the system
faster. "He has tremendous potential offensively," Garber said.
"He's a very good athlete, and he's taken to the position very well. He
still has a lot of work to do there, but that's what this is all about. We're
building a foundation to go with his skills, and he has good hands and enough
arm for the position. Now he's working on his footwork. He's going to keep
taking it slow, and he's learning." ... Maier said he's pleased with his
progress but realizes he's far from a finished product. "There's a lot
that's similar to catching, but there's a lot that's different," Maier
said. "I missed catching at first, but not really anymore. I like playing
third base " Jered
Weaver, Long Beach State All-American righty continues to excel ... seven
shutout innings Thursday, three hits, in LBS' 4-0 win over Arizona. Weaver
fanned three and walked one. On the season he's now 7-0, 0.72.
Earlier in the week, Weaver was named Player of the Week by Collegiate
Baseball. It was his 4th POW this season. Cole
Hamels, set sights on 2005 role in PHI rotation : "
... Hamels, a first-rounder in 2002, will begin at Single-A Clearwater and
be managed by Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt. "I'm going to miss the whole
atmosphere here, but it's what they want right now," said Hamels.
"I've learned a lot more up here than I thought, as far as setting up
hitters. Talking to [Randy] Wolf, [Billy] Wagner and [Kevin] Millwood, they have
a lot of knowledge." Hamels' first Major League camp included many thrills,
and at the top was striking out Alex Rodriguez with his Major League changeup --
twice ... "I'm sold," said catcher Mike Lieberthal. "[Hamels]
is ready for the big leagues. His location is great and he's tough. Obviously,
his changeup is phenomenal, but his fastball jumps too." ... Hamels has set
a lofty goal of starting 2005 in the Phillies rotation, and joked that he was
fine with starting the year in Clearwater, because the weather is cold in
Reading." (MLB.com)
19 March, 2004
Game
action Thursday ... Cliff Lee CLE 3 2 0 0 1 3 ... Alex Escobar
CLE 0-3 ... Coco Crisp CLE 2-5, double, SB ... Dan Haren
STL 4 3 2 2 0 4 ... Jason Romano LA 2-4, 4th homer, 3rd SB ... Joe
Thurston LA 2-4, double ... Eric DuBose BAL 5 5 4 4 1 5 ...
Joe Mauer MIN 1-2, 1st homer ... Ryan Vogelsong PIT
4 3 1 0 3 1 ... Bobby Hill PIT 1-2, 2 walks, double ... Chase
Utley PHI 1-3, 3rd homer, 3 RBI ... Adam Wainwright STL 4 5
0 0 0 3 ... Seung Song MON 4 3 4 3 2 1 ... Terrmel Sledge
& Juan Rivera MON each 2-4 ... Brandon Claussen
CIN 3 7 4 4 2 4 ... Dane Sardinha CIN 1-1, homer ... Alexis
Rios TOR 1-5, homer ... Guillermo Quiroz TOR 2-3, 2 doubles
... Andy Pratt ATL 1 0 0 0 1 3 ... Jeff Mathis ANA
1-1, double, 2 RBI ... Nick Swisher OAK 1-2, 3rd homer ... Bobby
Crosby OAK 0-3 Zack
Greinke KC in action in a "B" game " ... allowed two runs and
five hits in five innings in a 4-3 victory over the Rangers in a “B” game
... struck out three and walked none in a 58-pitch performance." (KC Star) Troop
movements ... PHI -- LHP Cole Hamels, RHP Gavin Floyd,
3B Juan Richardson to minor league camp ... MIL -- LHP Jorge
De La Rosa, RHP Mike Adams and RHP Ben
Hendrickson to Triple-A ... BOS -- claimed LHP Frank Brooks
off waivers from the Athletics, returned RHP Colter Bean, a Rule 5
pick, to the Yankees ... FLO -- optioned RHP Ronald Belisario and
RHP Kevin Cave to Double-A; and optioned RHP Mike Flannery
and LHP Franklyn Gracesqui to Triple-A ... HOU -- optioned LHP Carlos
Hernandez, RHP Taylor Buchholz, RHP Fernando Nieve,
RHP Chad Qualls, RHP Ezequiel Astacio, 2B Chris
Burke, SS Tommy Whiteman, C Hector Jimenez
and OF Charlton Jimerson to Triple-A and reassigned LHP Nate
Bland, RHP Kirk Bullinger and RHP Miguel Saladin
to minor league camp ... SEA -- optioned RHP Cha Seung Baek,
LHP Bobby Madritsch and 3B Justin Leone to Triple-A;
optioned 3B Greg Dobbs to Double-A and reassigned C Rene Rivera
to minor league camp ... STL -- optioned LHP Luis Martinez to
Triple-A ... SD -- signed RHP Andy Ashby to a minor league
contract ... ANA -- assigned outfielder Gary Johnson and infielder Dallas
McPherson to minor league camp ... LA -- optioned first baseman James
Loney and outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, infielder Willy
Aybar, and pitchers Joel Hanrahan, Yhency Brazoban
to minor league camp Aaron
Gleeman, at The Hardball Times, has posted his Top 50 for 2004. Joe
Mauer, BJ Upton, Rickie Weeks 1-2-3. (For
Mauer, it was his 10th No. 1 ranking in the 13 lists so far). Lots of
familiar names with a few interesting twists. Aaron has Zack Greinke
(at No. 13) as the 4th rated pitcher, after Cole Hamels PHI, Scott
Kazmir NYN and Edwin Jackson LA. He has Jeff
Mathis ANA at No. 9 and Yankees' catcher Dioner Navarro at
No. 18 : "
... You've got to love a 19-year-old catcher who surprises people by hitting
.299 at Single-A, gets promoted to Double-A, and then hits .341 there. Sure, it
was only 208 at bats, but still! ... He was barely on the prospect radar
this time last year, but he's front and center now. As the Yankees' top
prospect, Navarro has been mentioned in just about every trade rumor this
off-season. With most teams, he'd be looked at as major building block for the
future. With the Yankees, he's probably just a trading chit for the present. I'd
say there's a 20% chance he makes his major league debut before his 21st
birthday and a 25% chance he gets traded for Jose Vidro." Among
the less familiar names on the list, Michael Aubrey CLE at No. 35,
and David Bush TOR at No. 42 : "
... Michael Aubrey was taken by the Indians with the 11th pick in last June's
draft ... started his pro career at Single-A and dominated, hitting
.348/.409/.551 with 18 extra-base hits in 38 games. A polished college hitter,
he should move quickly through Cleveland's system and I wouldn't be surprised if
he was their starting first baseman by 2005." "
... David Bush was a dominant closer at Wake Forest, going 8-1 with a 1.65 ERA
and 13 saves during his senior year. Toronto took him with the 55th overall pick
in the 2002 draft and Bush pitched 35.2 innings with a 2.52 ERA after signing.
The Blue Jays converted him into a starting pitcher last year and the results
were tremendous. Bush started 28 games between Single-A and Double-A, pitching a
total of 164 innings with 14 wins and a 2.69 ERA. He struck out 148 batters
(8.1/9 IP) and had a fantastic strikeout/walk ratio of 148/28 (5.3 K/BB). With a
very good fastball/slider combo and a solid change up, Bush seems to have the
repertoire to succeed as a starter in the major leagues. He should get a chance
with Toronto before the year is over and will be joining Roy Halladay in the
rotation full-time soon after that." Mucho
thanks again to Bill Fowler for keeping me on my toes by noting updates
such as the above. James
Loney, an LA favourite :
"
... In 13 spring games, Loney looked a lot like a long-term solution at first
base, which he plays like a natural. He hit .500, with five doubles, one home
run and seven RBIs. "The right thing to do is to give him a chance to
understand what Double-A and Triple-A pitching is all about and not rush
him," said Tracy. "He could play defense in the Major Leagues right
now and not only not embarrass you, but he would be a candidate for a Gold
Glove. The young man's demeanor reminds me of Edwin Jackson, the way he carries
himself. He's very special." ... Jackson could be the first pitcher from
the system to make an impact since Eric Gagne, Loney is likely to be the first
position player to do so, and he wouldn't mind a September arrival in Los
Angeles. "It's possible," he said. "If I'm having a good season
and the team is doing good, that would be cool." Management will find it
cool if Loney develops the power befitting his 6-foor-3, 200-pound frame.
"It's definitely coming," said Loney. "Power is just bat speed.
My slugging percentage has always been good. Home runs are just line drives that
get out of the park. These [Major League] guys are throwing harder, and they're
around the plate, so the home runs should pile up." Not that Loney thinks
the Major Leagues will be easier than the minor leagues. "I don't say it's
easy, but if you know what you're trying to accomplish and you have a plan, you
can make it easier on yourself," he said. "I've watched these guys on
TV, and I know their pitches and their angles. With the right approach, you can
put pressure on pitchers to throw it over the plate. And if it's over the plate,
I feel I can hit it.." (MLB.com) Sleeper
in LA. Jason Romano about to win a roster spot with a superb spring
: "
... When Spring Training began, Romano was a marginal utilityman who hit .083
last year and was a coin flip to even make the club, despite being out of
options. But Romano has played so well in 13 exhibition games, he not only has
virtually secured a job, he could provide a right-handed compliment to Dave
Roberts if Tracy decides that a center field/leadoff platoon would help keep
Roberts fresh. Romano, who set a tone by hitting Jeff Weaver's first pitch in
the team's first intrasquad game for a homer, had another huge day on Thursday
against the World Series champion Florida Marlins. He homered off Brad Penny,
singled, stole a base, scored twice and threw out a runner at the plate in the
Dodgers' 8-6 win. Romano has played all three outfield positions, but more to
the point, he is hitting .394 and leads the club in most offensive categories,
including runs (11) and RBIs (10)." (MLB.com)
18 March, 2004 Game
action Wednesday ... Kurt Ainsworth BAL 5 4 0 0 1 2 ... Erik Bedard
BAL 2 2 1 1 2 4 ... Jason Lane HOU (in CF) 0-3 ... Jack Cust
BAL 1-1, homer ... Jack Stanford CLE 4 3 1 1 1 1 ... Abe Alvarez
BOS 1 1 0 0 0 0 ... Kazuhito Tadano CLE 1 2 1 1 1 0 ... Michael Cuddyer
MIN 4-4, double, 5 RBI, error ... Joe Mauer MIn 1-1, double
... JD Durbin MIN 2 2 1 1 0 3 ... Gavin Floyd PHI 2 2 0 0 0
1 ... Jason Arnold TOR 1 1 0 0 1 0 ... Dewon Brazelton
TB 3 2 1 1 0 2 ... Gabe Gross TOR 1-1, walk, homer, 2 runs, 2 RBI
... Kazuo Matsui NYN 0-4 ... Andres Torres DET 3-5,
double, 2 RBI ... ooops, again, Edwin Jackson LA 3 4 5 4 2 2 ... James
Loney LA 2-2, RBI ... Aaron Miles COL 2-4, double ... Jimmy
Gobble KC 4 4 4 1 1 0 ... Dee Brown KC 0-4 ... Bobby
Crosby OAK 1-4, 2 errors ... Akinori Otsuka SD 1 3 2 2 0 0
... Khalil Greene SD 0-3 ... Merkin Valdez SF 2 1 0
0 1 1 ... Gerald Laird TEX 2-3, double, SB ... Laynce Nix
TEX 0-4 ... Justin Duchscherer OAK 3 4 0 0 0 0 ... Shingo Takatsu
CHA 1 3 3 3 1 1 ...Felipe Lopez CIN 0-4
Troop
movements ... ANA -- pitchers Chris Bootcheck and Jason Middlebrook
to minor league camp
CLE
-- claimed LHP Matt White off waivers from the Rockies TB
-- returned RHP Alec Zumwalt to the Braves, RHP Rob Bell,
RHP Ken Cloude and INF Jason Maxwell to minor league
camp. BAL
-- lefthander Adam Loewen to low Class A Delmarva, righthander Daniel
Cabrera and lefthander Ryan Hannaman, high Class A, and
infielder Jose Morban and first baseman Walter Young,
who were assigned to Double-A NYN
-- LHP Royce Ring, RHP Jason Roach, RHP P.J.
Bevis and RHP Bob Keppel to minor league camp ATL
-- 2B Nick Green and RHP Roman Colon to Triple-A;
optioned RHP Brett Evert, 2B Richard Lewis, SS Tony
Pena Jr. and SS Kelly Johnson to Double-A; optioned
RHP Blaine Boyer, 1B Scott Thorman and OF Onil
Joseph to Single-A Myrtle Beach; and reassigned C Brayan Pena,
C Jean Boscan and C Bryce Terveen to minor league
camp MIL
-- released pitcher Mike Crudale COL
-- OF Jorge Piedra and OF Cory Sullivan to Triple-A;
optioned OF Tony Miller to Double-A; optioned 3B Jeff Baker
to Single-A Visalia; and reassigned RHP Jason Gilfillan and RHP Jeff
Tam to minor league camp ARZ
-- optioned RHP Andrew Good, RHP Brian Bruney, RHP Brandon
Medders and OF Josh Kroeger to Triple-A; reassigned RHP Dustin
Nippert, RHP Brady Raggio and OF Luis Garcia
to minor league camp. Now
that's a switch. Dayn Perry, FoxSports, in his final Top 100 installment
has a new face atop the leader board -- Andy Marte ATL as the top
prospect in baseball : "
... While you can marshal a case that Marte shouldn't be placed ahead of Mauer
or Reed, he is indisputably a special prospect. Here's why I think he's the
best: excellent defense and tremendous offensive potential ... Marte
struggled in rookie ball in 2001 but has since put together two strong seasons
at the A level. Especially impressive was his work in 2003. Despite playing in
Myrtle Beach, probably the toughest park for hitters in professional baseball,
Marte, at age 19, hit .285, drew walks at an impressive clip, posted a .372 OBP
and smacked 52 extra-base hits. He's got plate discipline, developing power and
a great glove. That he's showed all those at age 19 in the (for hitters) brutal
Carolina League is even more impressive ... I like his chances to be the
next Braves superstar." Perry
went with Jeremy Reed CHA as the runnerup and Joe Mauer
MIN at No. 3. Brewers' second baseman Rickie Weeks was at
No. 4 : "
... Weeks ... was the second overall pick of the 2003 draft ... has excellent
power and patience at the plate, his defense is good enough for him to stick at
second and he runs the bases quite well. Given his limited professional
experience this is a bit of a projection grade, but he's one that scouts and
statheads both love. He's on the fast track and could be starting in Milwaukee
by the All-Star break. Jeff Kent-type production at the keystone isn't out of
the question in his prime seasons." ANA
catcher Jeff Mathis grabbed the No. 10 slot : "
... made a name for himself in 2002 after he smacked 41 doubles in the Midwest
League. This past season, he followed that up with a strong showing in the Cal
and Texas Leagues. Like Mauer, he's been younger than his peer group at almost
every stop. While his power is more apparent now than Mauer's, most scouts think
Mauer's projects as better down the line. Still, Mathis is a very accomplished
prospect. He'll spend all of 2004 in the high minors, and I expect to him to
adjust well." All
the Top 100 lists. TEX
kids, Ricardo Rodriguez & Joaquin Benoit, on
shaky ground : "
... there's also a growing feeling that Rodriguez might need time at
Triple A Oklahoma after missing the last three months of last season with a hip
injury. The Rangers liked Rodriguez's stuff but not his command. He'll likely
get at least two more outings to convince them that he has both. Benoit, on the
other hand, continues to frustrate the Rangers with his uneven string of
performances. Benoit is out of options and the Rangers have begun to see what
they might get for Benoit in a trade before the end of spring training."
(Fort Worth Star Telegram) SD's
top pick in 2003 finally makes his pro debut :
"
... Tim Stauffer ... It was on a diamond tucked in the farthest
reaches of the organization's minor-league complex against a group of Single-A
players from Kansas City. But Stauffer was out there. He threw free and easy and
he had no problem with the right shoulder that cost him more than $2 million
last season. Stauffer ... was flirting with a $2.8-million bonus when he
told the Padres he had some pain in his shoulder. An MRI in July revealed
weakness in the shoulder joint. No surgery was required, but the Padres withdrew
their offer. Stauffer eventually signed for $750,000. Asked if he was the
most-honest person in the world, Stauffer said, "Hiding something like that
will come back to bite you. I'm very comfortable with my decision to tell the
Padres. "If I'm good enough, I'll make that money back. If not, then I
didn't deserve it." ... threw one inning against the Royals, getting a
broken-bat grounder to short on his first pitch. He then gave up a single to
left and walked a batter. But after pop to short and a grounder to first, he was
out of the inning. "It felt weird being out there," said Stauffer, who
had a huge grin on his face as he left the field. ... fastball was clocked
between 88-91 mph ... threw his fastball, slider and curve but said he'll
wait a couple more weeks before throwing his cutter. He's slated to open the
season at Single-A Lake Elsinore." (North County Times) Chris
Kline, Baseball America, on Adam Loewen BAL : "
... In his last two appearances, Loewen faced seven hitters, walking six and
hitting the other. In his first outing, he walked all four batters, throwing 20
pitches in the process. Overall, Loewen made it through one inning in three
appearances. He allowed nine earned runs on three hits, walked seven and did not
record a strikeout. "As a young player in major league camp, he's trying to
do more than he might be capable of at this point," Orioles farm director
Doc Rodgers said. "He might be giving them too much respect. But when you
consider he moved from short-season ball last year to big league camp this year,
there's going to be a learning process." ... Rogers said he expects the
brief experience to pay off for Loewen in the long run. "Those hitters
deserve respect, but it seems like he's giving them more credit than they
deserve," Rodgers said. "He's pitching away from contact right now.
And no matter how much you tell him, no matter how much you try to make young
players in his situation comfortable, there's going to be an adjustment period.
Once you get out there on the hill and the competitive juices get going, you
find yourself in a different place. "We're confident in his ability. We
know that he's the type of player who's going to take something positive out of
this experience." Wayne
Graczyk, Baseball America, on the most likely 2005 top drawer Japanese export to
MLB :
"
... Seibu Lions righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka ...
23-year-old is one of the hardest throwers in Japan with a mid-90s fastball and
solid command. He led the Pacific League in ERA with a 16-7, 2.83 season last
year, striking out 215 in 194 innings pitched. Lions’ owner Yoshiaki Tsutsumi
has been quoted in the press as saying he would allow Matsuzaka to be posted and
sign with a major league team next fall, if he is willing to make the
jump."
And,
from Korea :
"
... Hyundai’s Shim Jong-soo is the only player likely to
head to the U.S. in 2005. It is not a question of if, but just where he will end
up. Shim is big, with a cannon for an arm in right field. While Lee Seung-yeop
was gaining headlines with his record-breaking 56 home run season, it was Shim
who put together the best overall season ... .335-53-142 ... Another thing that
makes Shim a gem is that he speaks nearly fluent English. Whatever team signs
him will not need to worry about his adjustment to life in the States or a
language barrier. His makeup is also off the charts. Former teammates have
described Shim as "a guy who plays ball for all the right reasons."
(Thomas St. John, Baseball America)
SEA
crowing about a teenage shortstop :
"
... A kid shortstop with a lot of talent and even more confidence has the
Seattle Mariners thinking out loud about his future. "He's one of those
guys who has a chance to be a five-tool guy," manager Bob Melvin said.
"We love getting premium athletes," added Greg Hunter, director of
minor league operations for the Mariners. "We welcome as many as we can
get." Young Adam Jones ... is spending his first spring
training with the Mariners ... He finished up last season by playing 28
games with Peoria, in the rookie Arizona League, and three games with Everett,
in the short-A Northwest League. He impressed the people in the Mariners
organization by hitting .284 (31-for-109) with eight RBIss in Peoria and .462
(6-for-13) with four RBIss in Everett ... "He has a lot of
ability," Melvin said. Perhaps more importantly, he has a lot of swagger in
his game. "He wasn't intimidated at all," Melvin said. "He came
out here and he wanted to play in games. He couldn't wait to get in them. He
would come over and start popping that ball in his glove like, 'Put me in
there." ... A shortstop pitcher who had a fastball that reached 96
mph in high school, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Jones is a shortstop now and he'd
like to stay at that position although he could be moved to third when he gets
older and stronger. He doesn't have a home run for the Mariners yet, but they
like his power potential. "He's got an exceptional arm and he runs
well," Hunter said. "He's got long legs. He's more of a first-to-third
base runner. He's shown he can handle the bat." (Associated Press)
17 March, 2004 Game
action Tuesday ... Aaron Heilman NYN 5 4 3 3 1 4 ... Jason
Ryan STL 2 1-3 7 7 7 1 1 ... Luis Martinez STL 1 4 3 3 0 0 ...
ouch, again, Adam Loewen BAL 0 0 3 3 2 0 ... Hee Seop
Choi CHN 1-2, walk, 3rd homer, 3 RBI ... Justin Miller TOR
2 5 2 2 0 0 ... Jesse Crain MIN 1 3 2 1 0 1 ... Alexis Rios
TOR 0-4 ... Guillermo Quiroz TOR 1-2 ... Joe Mauer
MIN 2-3, double, RBI ... Kevin Youkilis BOS, homer ... Jeremy
Reed CHA 0-4 ... Chone Figgins ANA 2-4, double, 2 RBI ... Dallas
McPherson ANA 1-2, RBI ... Jason Young COL 2 1-3 6 4 4 1 0
... Joe Dawley KC 2 2-3 5 3 3 2 3 ... Chris George
KC 3 3 1 1 0 1 ... David DeJesus KC 2-3, 2 doubles ... Khalil
Greene SD 0-2, 2 walks ... in a B game on Monday, Jon Rauch
CHA one-hitter over four innings Troop
movements ... CHA -- Optioned pitchers Arnie Munoz, Majewski
to Triple-A, pitchers Ryan
Meaux and Ryan Wing and infielder Ruddy Yan
to AA, assigned pitcher Francisco Campos, LHP Josh
Stewart and OF Mario Valenzuela to minor league camp TOR -- outfielder John-Ford Griffin
to Triple-A and RHP Jesse Harper to Double-A, sent RHP D.J.
Hanson outright to Single-A SEA -- LHP Travis Blackley to
minor league camp TEX
-- second baseman Jason Bourgeois to Double-A MIN
-- RHP Adam Johnson, RHP Boof Bonser, RHP Micheal
Nakamura, C Rob Bowen, SS Jason Bartlett and
3B Terry Tiffee to Triple-A, OF Jason Kubel, RHP Colby
Miller, RHP Brian Wolfe and OF B.J. Garbe to
Double-A
ARZ -- catchers Craig Ansman and Chris Snyder to
minor league camp SF -- OF Robert Stratton, RHP Matt Cain,
OF Doug Clark, RHP Chris Gissell, OF Fred Lewis,
LHP Erick Threets to minor league camp COL -- C J.D.
Closser and RHP Justin Hampson to minor league camp NYN
-- RHP Jeremy Griffiths, 3B Aarom Baldiris, 1B Craig
Brazell, 2B Victor Diaz, OF Jeff Duncan and
OF Prentice Redman to Triple-A, RHP Jeremy Hill,
SS Chris Basak, 3B David Wright, C Justin Huber
to minor league camp MIL
-- pitcher Pedro Liriano and outfielders Dave Krynzel
and Corey Hart to AAA, optioned infielder Rickie Weeks
to AA, returned pitcher Jason Childers and infielders Prince
Fielder and Enrique Cruz to minor league camp Among
the leaders ... Ben Broussard CLE leads the AL in AVE (.550), OBA
(.640) and SLG (.900) ... Bobby Jenks ANA in ERA (0.00) ... Grady
Sizemore CLE is 7th in AVE (.429) ... long shot Brian Specht
ANA, 4th in AVE (.462) & 9th in SLG (.692) ... Matt Holliday
COL leads the hitters at .522 ... Billy Hall MIL is 2nd at .500
... Cubbies
have two of the top five lefties in the latest prospect report at GetSportsInfo. Jeremy Deloney ranks Scott
Kazmir as the best of the crop with Andy Sisco as the
runnerup : "
... A 6-9 265 pounder, Sisco draws obvious comparisons to Randy Johnson. Scouts
maintain that Sisco has more polish at this age than the Unit. His season was
interrupted last year by a broken hand, but Sisco returned to his normal form.
He can run his fastball into the mid 90s and will only add to that with better
mechanics and maturity. His secondary offerings show vast potential, though he
needs to gain command and polish. Sisco's changeup is quite effective when he
maintains a consistent arm slot and speed. His curve also profiles as a plus
pitch with outstanding movement. Despite his size, Sisco has a good feel for
pitching and is a hard-working competitor. With greater command and polish,
Sisco's potential is unlimited. He'll start the year in High A." Justin
Jones CHN was No.3, Greg Miller LA next, with Adam Loewen
BAL as No. 5. Cole Hamels PHI was in the "Others of
Note" section. Chris
Shelton, DET's Rule 5 pickup, and CLE kid Grady Sizemore with hopes
to stick in MLB : "
... Shelton doesn't excite scouts because of his stocky build and lack of a bona
fide position defensively ... "He can definitely swing it," one
National League scout said. "There isn't any doubt about that. But just
because he has that power and average now, doesn't necessarily translate over to
the big leagues. Defensively, who knows? "The Tigers picking him was
probably the best thing that could have happened to him. He's having a great
spring with a club that needs all the bats it can get. I like his chances to
stick." ... given new life with a new club in a different league, he is
serving as the Tigers DH this spring, getting plenty of chances to prove himself
so that the club will keep him on the 25-man roster. "He has a swing that
covers the entire plate," said Dave Clark, who managed Shelton last year in
Lynchburg. "Him hitting .350 last year wasn't by accident. He just has the
natural instincts to take him through every at-bat." "
... Sizemore has continued to impress during spring training. Through the
weekend, Sizemore was hitting .400 (8-for-20) with five extra base hits. He's
also looking stellar in the field. "He's younger than both the guys we
drafted in the first round last year (Michael Aubrey and Brad Snyder) and is
making a rap to be sent to the big league level," general manager Mark
Shapiro said. "His approach to playing the game is intense with all-out
tremendous effort ... He's a very talented, intelligent and determined player
that's got a bright future ahead of him." (Chris Kline, Baseball America) ARZ
hopeful a former infielder will be a success on the hill :
"
... Bob Brenly was making his customary rounds between the ball fields ... when
he felt a draft emanating from Field No. 2. It was Greg Aquino's
fastball. "Man, that kid can throw hard!" Brenly said, shaking his
head, almost in disbelief. "What an arm. What an unbelievable
arm." What's even more unbelievable is that Aquino, whose fastball
has been clocked at 100 mph, was a shortstop not so very long ago ... in 1999,
the club asked him if he could pitch. "I told them, 'No. I've never even
tried it,' " Aquino, 26, said. "I've always been an infielder. But now
. . . now it feels like natural to pitch. I really enjoy it." Aquino is a
long shot to make the 25-man roster this spring, but the Diamondbacks are
impressed with his development after two Cactus League appearances. He still is
refining his mechanics, and sometimes he rushes his delivery and flies off the
mound. But he's getting there ... "His progression thus far has been
outstanding," Diamondbacks pitching coach Chuck Kniffin said. "He's
moving up every year and to see a guy make a switch like that and throwing the
ball in the zone with the stuff he's got and his upside? "We really believe
we've got something there." ... "The kid's got limitless
potential," Brenly said. "Once he gets to the point where he can
repeat his mechanics over and over and over, he's really going to be a
force." (Arizona Republic) COL
note from USA Today :
"
... Aaron Miles, Rockies: The rookie second baseman, trying to
solidify a starting job, went 1-for-6 against the White Sox and is 6-for-28
(.214) this spring. The good news is that his main competitor, Damian Jackson,
is 3-for-19 (.158)." Jonathan
Mayo, MLB.com, on a coupleof prospects who missed the cut in his Top 50 -- Angel
Guzman CHN and Kevin Youkilis BOS : "
... the reason he probably didn't crack the rankings now is the injury he
suffered last year. Guzman appeared poised to make a Prior-like leap to the big
leagues last year, but was shut down in early July because of a shoulder problem
that needed surgery. He's rehabbing now and the Cubs are hopeful he'll be
pitching by mid-May .. Once he regains health and shows he can be as dominant as
he has been, he might be the best choice ... to climb into the Top 50 when I
update the rankings mid-season or at the very least by the end of the
year." "
... Known by readers of "Moneyball" as "The Greek God of
Walks," Youkilis doesn't have the skill set that sets most scouts' hearst
aflutter. He's got a good left-handed swing and is acceptable defensively, but
his big skill is his ability to get on base. He's got a .451 career on-base
percentage, which may excite the Billy Beanes and Bill Jameses of the world, but
won't put him on any top prospect lists. He doesn't hit for any power, as of
now, something most require for the position Youkilis plays. That being said, I
think Youkilis will one day be a very useful Major League player, just not one
that has the kind of upside that will rank him among the best in the
minors." Matt
Watson, USA Today, on Cliff Lee CLE : "
... He lacks overpowering velocity but makes up for it with a quality slider and
a biting fastball. He simply knows how to pitch, and as a southpaw his pitches
have natural movement. Lee's big league success last season was encouraging,
especially considering he was never really over his abdominal injury -- he
required hernia surgery in October to finally get things right ... Lee has
nothing to prove during the exhibition season as the Indians have already stated
their intentions to break camp with him as their No. 3 starter ... his solid
strikeout ability and minor league track record speaks for itself. His ERA
shouldn't stray too far from 4.00 and his strikeout total could approach 150 by
the time the season is over." There's
still hope, albeit limited, for Rick Ankiel STL : "
... Still rehabbing his left elbow, he is limited to playing catch every other
day and won't be pitching competitively until August at the earliest. Some might
give up. Not Ankiel, who is just 24 and is convinced he can regain the form that
persuaded the Cardinals to start him in their 2000 postseason opener. "I
think it has been forever," Ankiel said. "The funny thing is I'm still
young, but I don't feel like it sometimes." ... had
reconstructive elbow surgery last July. "There's a history with that
surgery, so what you don't want to do is be impatient and push him," La
Russa said. "They've got a nice program, and the big thing is to get him
100 percent healthy so when he comes back he stays back." La Russa is
looking forward to that day. "I'd bet on Rick Ankiel," he said. Ankiel
has been injured so much, he worries about every little ache. "The only
problem is I have a tendency that every time I feel any little thing, I think,
`Oh, what is that?" Ankiel said. "I'm really feeling great, but I'm
really paying attention to that. I'm out there and I want to throw it 100 mph.
But I need to let time take care of itself. I almost feel like I don't have
time. But I do." (Associated Press) John
Sickels, ESPN.com, on the probable No. 1 pick in June : "
... Jered Weaver ... The Long Beach State ace looks like a top five pick
so far this year. Prior comparisons are unfair at this stage of the game;
neither his stuff nor his command are quite as good as Prior's were, but Jered
compares favorably to his older brother at the same point in their careers. In
his first six starts this year, Weaver has a 0.82 ERA and a 70/5 K/BB ratio in
44 innings. He's a leading candidate for college player of the year. Weaver
works in the low-to-mid-90s, has a slider and curveball, and excellent
command." DEW
Line ... (Distant Early Warning) ... from Baseball America : "
... Homer Bailey, rhp, LaGrange (Texas) HS ... projected as one of the
first five high school players to drafted ... averaging more than two strikeouts
per inning through his first three outings ... pitched consistently between 92
and 94 mph, touching 95 with his fastball. His true 12-to-6 curveball has been
impressive as well and Bailey had not walked a batter in 13 innings."
16 March, 2004 Game
action Monday ... Brad Thomas MIN 1 3 3 3 2 1 ... Matt Riley
BAL 3 1 0 0 1 1 ... Kazuo Matsui NYN, debut at SS, 2-3, double,
homer ... Jason Romano LA 1-2, double ... James Loney
LA 1-2, double ... Koyie Hill LA 2-3, double ... Ricky Bell
2B LA 3-3, double, homer, 4 RBI ... Chad Durbin CLE 3 3 1 1 0 3
... Grady Sizemore CLE 1-1, double ... Cole Hamels
PHI 2 3 0 0 0 3 ... Chase Utley PHI 2-4, double, homer ... John
VanBenschoten PIT 3 3 2 1 2 3 ... Bobby Hill PIT 3-4,
double ... Trey Hodges ATL 2 0 0 0 0 1 ... Wilson Betemit
ATL 2-2, double ... Kelly Johnson ATL 1-3, triple ... Chad Gaudin
TB 2 0 0 0 1 2 ... Dustin McGowan TOR 2 7 5 5 0 0 ... David
Bush TOR 3 2 0 0 1 4 ... Jeremy Affeldt KC 5 3 1 1 0 2 ... Nic
Jackson CHN 1-1, homer ... Jason Grilli CHA 4 3 1 1 5 3 ...
Ross Gload CHA 2-4, homer ... Matt Holliday COL 3-4,
2 RBI ... Bobby Jenks ANA 3 0 0 0 2 1 ... Merkin Valdez
SF 1 1 0 0 0 0 ... Wes Obermueller MIL 4 0 0 0 1 1 ... Ricardo
Rodriguez TEX 3 4 4 4 3 2 ... Joaquin Benoit TEX 3 2-3 5 2
2 1 2 ... Billy Hall MIL 2-5 ... Laynce Nix TEX
0-3 Troop
movements ... among the cuts ... CIN -- Stephen Smitherman, RHP Matt
Belisle, and RHP Joe Valentine to Triple-A and 2B William
Bergolla, 3B Edwin Encarnacion and LHP Phil Dumatrait
to Double-A ... pitchers Seth Etherton, Rigo Beltran,
Dustin Moseley and Brian Shackelford; and catcher Steve
Lomasney to minor league camp ARZ -- Adriano Rosario
to minor league camp PIT
-- C JR House and OF Tony Alvarez to Triple-A. and RHP Ian
Snell (Oquendo) to Double-A CHN
-- INF Brendan Harris, RHP Jon Leicester and LHP Felix
Sanchez to Triple-A, RHP Angel Guzman to Double-A STL
-- RHP Jimmy Journell to Triple-A and reassigned C Yadier Molina
to minor league camp MON
-- C Brad Cresse back to ARZ SD
-- RHP Brian Sweeney, RHP Chris Oxspring, LHP Rusty
Tucker, C Humberto Quintero, 2B Bernie Castro
and OF Henri Stanley to Triple-A; optioned RHP Justin Germano
and OF Freddy Guzman to Double-A; 2B Josh Barfield,
RHP Tim Stauffer and C Nick Trzesniak to minor
league camp MIL
-- Matt Ford, Ben Diggins, and Dennis Sarfate
and catcher Kade Johnson to Double-A; SS J.J. Hardy, RHP Matt
Childers and C John Vanden Berg to minor league
camp TEX
-- RHP Rosman Garcia, RHP Edwin Moreno and RHP Nick
Regilio to Triple-A SEA
-- RHP Clint Nageotte and LHP Matt Thornton to
Triple-A OAK
-- OF Matt Watson, LHP John Rheinecker, 2B Freddie
Bynum, and 1B Dan Johnson to Triple-A NYA
-- C Dioner Navarro to minor league camp ANA
-- RHP Rich Fischer to Triple-A; reassigned LHP Eric Cyr,
C Jared Abruzzo, SS Erick Aybar, 2B Alberto Callaspo,
OF Tommy Murphy and OF Nick Gorneault to minor
league camp DET
-- LHP Rob Henkel and OF Nook Logan to Triple-A and
RHP Kenny Baugh, RHP Preston Larrison to Double-A;
pitchers Andy Van Hekken, Adrian Burnside;
catchers Mike Rabelo and Maxim St. Pierre and
outfielder Jeff Inglin to minor league camp CLE
-- RHP Jeremy Guthrie and RHP Francisco Cruceta to
Triple-A, 3B Corey Smith to Double-A and SS Ivan Ochoa
to Single-A; reassigned 1B Mike Aubrey, RHP Kyle Denney
to minor league camp KC
--OF Alexis Gomez, OF Byron Gettis to Triple-A Just
can't catch a break ... Joe Borchard set for another spin in AAA :
"
... Borchard will start the season at Class AAA Charlotte. The move has
not been made official, but Borchard already has been notified of the plans. He
has been hampered by a pulled left quadriceps and has two hits in three at-bats
in two spring games. ''They just want me to take my time and make sure I'm 100
percent going into the season,'' Borchard said. ''That's probably the best plan
of action right now. I was thinking a couple of days and I would be back out
there, but it's a pulled muscle and it takes time.'' ... ''At some point
you have to say, 'It's really not up to me anymore,''' Borchard said. ''I've
shown -- not last year because last year was a tough year -- my first two full
seasons I kind of showed what I can do. I think I've shown what kind of player I
could be. Once the opportunity comes, I just have to be ready for it.'' (Chicago
Sun Times) The
Sun Times also suggests Ross Gload as having pretty well wrapped
up a CHA roster spot ... Dan Wright as the 5th starter ... Jamie
Burke as a utility player ... Jason Grilli in the pen. Neal
Cotts, edging closer to a mound job with the WSox : "
... "Not everyone grabs the brass ring the first time around the merry go
round," said White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper of Cotts' development from
his four starts with the team last season. "A lot of guys didn't do it, but
Neal is a better man for getting through the struggles and anxiety. "Neal
Cotts has shown this spring a great improvement in the amount of strikes he
throws -- and I mean a great improvement. He's more determined and throwing the
ball well." ... Cotts studied his
mistakes instead of getting down on himself ... "It was
definitely a learning experience," Cotts said. "I tried to understand
what needs to be done in terms of pitching at that level. You have to pitch to
hitters' weaknesses and locate the ball. I didn't do a good job in either of
those areas during my starts." "He has good stuff," added White
Sox catcher Sandy Alomar of Cotts. "He pitches fast and that's a good sign.
It shows that he's not thinking about previous failures. It's always good to
pitch with a quick tempo." ... It's unlikely that a pitcher with two
full seasons of minor league experience will overtake Dan Wright or Jason Grilli
for the fifth starter's slot. It's equally unlikely that Cotts will work in long
relief for the White Sox. His season should begin as part of Triple-A
Charlotte's starting rotation, where Cotts can continue refining his outstanding
changeup and curve, as well as incorporating in a new two-seam
fastball." (MLB.com)
Remember
when Dee Brown was the top dog in KC?
"
... Now Brown is in Spring Training, still trying to make an impression and
still trying to make the club. Frankly, even his hopes are thin. "Deep
down, I pretty much know I'm not going to be here," Brown said. "So,
to me, every day is an audition. I've been in the same position for I don't know
how many years now." Of course, he was saying this before his grand slam
Sunday staggered the San Diego Padres in the 11th inning of an 8-3 victory. Now
that was an audition the Royals should remember. Brown also doubled in the game
after going just 1-for-11 in his previous seven games. Even so, the best that
Brown, a muscular left-handed hitter, apparently can do is win a backup outfield
spot. That's not really what he wants. "The team looks good now so I don't
know where I fit in. I know I'm not trying to be a fourth or fifth guy.
Obviously if it comes down to it, yeah," he said. "But to me, it's all
about playing." ... Even now, though, the Royals recognize his
potential. "He's got one of the quickest bats on this team," said
hitting coach Jeff Pentland. "Dee's always better when he plays a lot and
the only problem with him is finding him enough at-bats. "He's quick and
strong and can hit anybody's fastball. The hardest thing is offspeed pitches.
You lose your timing on those when you don't play." (MLB.com)
Pirates'
Sean Burnett maybe out of the running now for a rotation spot to start
the season :
"
... Burnett, who's trying to make the leap from Class AA Altoona to the Pirates
as their fifth starter, will skip his scheduled start ... because of irritation
in his pitching shoulder. Pitching coach Spin Williams said the 21-year-old
Burnett will throw a "light sideline" ... Burnett is 1-0 with a 3.00
ERA in two appearances. In his first start, he pitched two scoreless innings
Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Burnett reported the injury Sunday
morning when he arrived at the ballpark. Before the morning workout, he was seen
sporting a large icepack on his left shoulder." (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) Righthander
Jeff Niemann, struggling to regain the form which prompted forecasts of
No. 1 pick in June, tossed his best of the season Saturday 6 2 0 0 1 7. He's still well behind teammate Wade Townsend and Jered Weaver of
Long Beach State in rankings for the draft.
15 March, 2004 A
little catchup (on the road this week) ... Game
action Saturday ... Dustin Mosley CIN 1 1-3 3 2 2 2 2 ...
Ryan Vogelsong PIT 3 1-3 1 0 0 0 4 ... Steve Smitherman CIN 2-5, homer ...
JR
House PIT 0-2 (catching too) ... Chase Utley PHI 1-4, homer ...
Andy Pratt ATL 2
1 0 0 4 2 ... Brandon Claussen CIN 4 6 2 1 0 4 ... Wilson
Betemit ATL 2-2,
double, 3 RBI ... Jorge De Paula NYA (already 0-3) 3 5 4 4 3 1 ...
Kelly
Shoppach BOS 0-3 ... Alexis Rios TOR 1-1 ... Jesse Crain MIN 1 0 0 0 0 2 ...
Franklin Gutierrez LA 2-3, double ... Tyler Yates NYN
3 3 1 0 1 1 ... Royce Ring NYN 1 1-3 1 0 0 1 2 ... Eric DuBose
BAL 4 4 1 1 1 4 ... David Wright NYN 1-1, double ... Chris Narveson
STL 2 2-3 3 0 0 3 2 ... Kazuo Matsui NYN 1-2, double ... Justin
Duchscherer OAK 2 1 0 0 0 1 ... Neal Cotts CHA 3 1 1 1 0 3
... Ross Gload CHA 2-5, homer ... Edgar Gonzalez ARZ
3 1 0 0 0 0 ... Khalil Greene SD 2-3, triple ... Travis Blackley
SEA 3 0 0 0 1 3 ... Clint Nageotte SEA 2 2 2 2 3 3 ... Jeff
Baker COL 1-4, homer ... Jorge De La Rosa MIL 2 2-3 3 2 2 2 2 ... Rickie
Weeks MIL 1-1, double ... Billy Hall MIL 2-4, 2 RBI, 3rd SB
... Adrian Gonzalez TEX 3-6, 2 doubles, 3 RBI ... Casey Kotchman
ANA 1-2 ... if not for the COL factor might be worth a flyer, Scott Elarton
COL 4 4 0 0 2 6 ... Ramon Castro FLO 4th homer ... Hee Seop
Choi FLO 2nd homer Game
action Sunday ... John Maine BAL 1 2-3 2 0 0 1 3 ... Cliff Lee
CLE 2 0 0 0 0 1 ... Grady Sizemore CLE 1-1, triple ... Alexis
Rios TOR 0-4 ... Grant Balfour MIN 1 0 0 0 2 2 ... Michael
Restovich MIN 1-4, 2nd homer ... Joe Mauer MIN 1-3, 2 RBI
... Justin Morneau MIN 0-4 ... Kazuo Matsui NYN 0-5
... Adam Wainwright STL 1 0 0 0 0 0 ... Doug Waechter
TB 3 5 2 2 1 1 ... Dioner Navarro NYA 1-1, double ... Dennis
Tankersley SD, some signs of progress here, 2 2-3 4 0 0 1 2 ... Alberto
Callaspo ANA 2-2 ... Brian Specht ANA 3-4, triple ...
Chin Hui Tsao COL 3 3 1 1 0 2 ... Chris Capuano
MIL 4 1-3 2 0 0 0 7 ... Chad Tracy ARZ 2-4 ... Dee Brown
KC 2-3, double, homer, 4 RBI ... Cha Baek SEA Baek 2 2 0 0 0 2
... Troop
movements ... ARZ sent Scott Hairston, RHP Edgar Gonzalez
and LHP Mike Gosling to AAA ... STL waived first baseman Steve
Cox and infielder Brent Butler ... TOR sent shortstop Aaron
Hill to minor league camp ,,, MIL sent 1B Calvin Pickering,
RHP Donnie Bridges, RHP Jimmy Serrano, RHP Eric
Thompson, LHP Mike Venafro, LHP Les Walrond,
SS Gookie Dawkins, SS Wilton Guerrero, 2B Rick
Short, OF Adrian Brown and OF Alan Moye to
minor league camp ... SEA RHP Jeff Heaverlo, C Ryan Christianson
and pitcher Rett Johnson to AAA, assigned catcher Wiki Gonzalez,
outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, pitchers Craig Anderson
and Jose Nunez and infielders Adam Jones and A.J.
Zapp to minor league camp.... TEX LHP Erik Sabel, LHP Ben
Kozlowski and LHP Ryan Snare to minor league camp ... PHI
1B Ryan Howard, OF Jorge Padilla, RHP Elizardo
Ramirez, RHP Keith Bucktrot, RHP Franklin Perez
and RHP Alfredo Simon to the minors ... Josh
Barfield SD, pulled hamstring, not certain to be ready for the start of
the regular season ...Marlins' top pick last June, appears to have some personal
things to clear up before making ST, " ... Class A right-hander Jeff
Allison, has been excused from spring training thus far as he tends
to a family matter at home in Massachusetts. It is unknown when Allison will be
able to report." (South Florida Sun Sentinel) Hard
to believe but the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports discussions of a deal
between the Marlins and Cubs which would bring Juan Cruz to
Florida : "
... According to two National League sources, the Marlins would give up
Double-A shortstop Josh Wilson in a straight-up trade. Cruz, 25,
has a mid-90s fastball, will make around $350,000 this year and could become
eligible for salary arbitration after this season. He is 8-19 with a 4.43 ERA in
78 career big-league outings, including 23 starts ... Wilson, 22, is a former
third-round draft pick who fell to No. 21 on the Marlins' prospect list this
winter, according to Baseball America." Sweet
Lou takes a liking to Doug Waechter : "
... The No. 4 starter that I have in mind is Mr. Waechter,'' Piniella said.
``We're looking at [Paul] Abbott and we're looking at ... we're looking at all
of them, but Waechter's throwing the ball well. Put it this way with Waechter: I
expect Waechter to be in our rotation. Now, it might be the fifth spot and we'll
send him out to pitch for a few weeks down in Triple-A, but I expect Waechter to
be in our rotation.'' ... Piniella said he would have to be ``wowed'' for RHP Dewon
Brazelton to make the major-league roster out of spring training. In the
same breath, he praised Brazelton's improvement since last spring and said he
was throwing the ball ``like a major-league pitcher.'' Brazelton, 23, said
he wasn't concerned about ``wowing'' anyone. In pitching three shutout innings
Friday against the Indians, he was concerned only with ``throwing strikes and
getting outs.'' (Tampa Tribune) Jonathan
Mailloux, SportsTicker, with notes on a couple of comers in the Expos' system :
"
... Mike Hinckley, LHP ...worked on increasing the movement of his
low-90s fastball during the season and also utilized a sharp breaking curve and
a changeup. The 6-3, 170-pounder led the organization in wins (13) and
strikeouts (134) and combined for a 3.14 ERA at two levels. Hinckley likely will
return to Brevard County to start the season but should be promoted
quickly."
"
... Larry Broadway ... made his full-season debut in the Class A South
Atlantic League and dominated, earning honors as the league's best batting
prospect, power prospect and defensive first baseman ... 6-4, 230-pounder
continued to tear through the system after an August promotion to Class AA,
slugging three homers in his first six games. He hit .421 with 12 RBI over his
final 10 games and finished with a .321 average at Harrisburg. Over three
levels, Broadway batted .295, including over .300 against lefthanders, and his
.990 league-adjusted OPS was second among all minor league first basemen. After
a solid performance in the Arizona Fall League, Broadway likely will get a
chance to split time between Harrisburg and Edmonton. He could join the big club
after the All-Star break."
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