According to Owen Perkins of MLB.com, Randy Johnson has made progress but not enough so to be ready for Opening Day.
So far during Spring Training, Johnson has pitched between ace Brandon Webb and new acquisition Dan Haren, but manager Doug Melvin isn't convinced that it'll stay that way when the season opens.
Manager Doug Melvin, "I think there's a good chance it's Danny Haren on Day 2. And probably Doug on Day 3. And then we'll see where we go from there."
On Friday, Johnson threw 63 pitches in 3 2/3 innings allowing 3 runs (2 ER) on five hits and walking three against the Los Angeles Dodgers. On Wednesday, he's scheduled for 5 innings and a 75-80 pitch count against the Colorado Rockies.
Left-hander Randy Johnson, "Right now I've got eight innings in. I think it's safe to say that if I was to go five innings against Colorado, that would give me 13 innings, and that's still not quite enough."
If Johnson isn't ready to go in the #4 slot for Arizona, manager Doug Melvin could consider Micah Owings but with his lack of command so far, that spot will probably go to Edgar Gonzalez with his 2-0 spring record and 1.64 ERA in 3 starts and 1 relief appearance.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Nomar to miss Opening Day
According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, 3rd baseman Nomar Garciappara is now "doubtful" for Opening Day.
Team officials are saying that his broken right hand is worse than first thought. After Nomar had undergone an MRI on Wednesday, the results revealed a microfracture of a bone at the base of his right hand.
Nomar Garciappara, "Everybody wants to predict. I'm not. I have no control over it. I'm looking one day at a time. That's all I can do."
Manager Joe Torre, "I don't anticipate him being ready for Opening Day." Though Torre did list Tony Abreu as the logical choice to be the Opening Day starter at 3rd, but he also listed Blake DeWitt and Chin-lung Hu as candidates as well.
Team officials are saying that his broken right hand is worse than first thought. After Nomar had undergone an MRI on Wednesday, the results revealed a microfracture of a bone at the base of his right hand.
Nomar Garciappara, "Everybody wants to predict. I'm not. I have no control over it. I'm looking one day at a time. That's all I can do."
Manager Joe Torre, "I don't anticipate him being ready for Opening Day." Though Torre did list Tony Abreu as the logical choice to be the Opening Day starter at 3rd, but he also listed Blake DeWitt and Chin-lung Hu as candidates as well.
Alomar to be inducted into "Level of Excellence" by Blue Jays
Catcher Roberto Alomar will be inducted into the "Level of Excellence" by the Toronto Blue Jays prior to their home opener on April 4th, according to a team press release.
The Level of Excellence is the highest award bestowed by the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club to recognize tremendous individual achievement.
Alomar will join George Bell, Dave Stieb, Joe Carter, Cito Gaston, Tony Fernandez, Pat Gillick and Tom Cheek.
The Level of Excellence is the highest award bestowed by the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club to recognize tremendous individual achievement.
Alomar will join George Bell, Dave Stieb, Joe Carter, Cito Gaston, Tony Fernandez, Pat Gillick and Tom Cheek.
Cardinals, Wainwright agree to 4-year deal
Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports, the St. Louis Cardinals and pitcher Adam Wainwright have agreed on a new contract.
The deal is reportedly a 4-year $15.5M deal with a team option for 2012 and 2013. The two sides had already agreed on a 1-year deal worth $448,000 earlier this month.
The deal is reportedly a 4-year $15.5M deal with a team option for 2012 and 2013. The two sides had already agreed on a 1-year deal worth $448,000 earlier this month.
Giants think they'll be in the hunt
Apparently the San Francisco Giants expect to be in the hunt in a very tough NL West division. The same division they finished 19 games behind in 2007.
Newcomer Aaron Rowand, "Nobody in here expects to be at the bottom of the barrel in the NL West. We expect to be in the hunt. That's the outlook we're going into the season with. That's why we're here working as hard as we are. It's going to take a group effort, a collective effort."
Veteran outfielder Dave Roberts, "If you look at the numbers, we were in virtually every game last year. If we get the pitching that we're capable of getting, we're going to be in every game like we were last year."
No offense to Dave Roberts and Aaron Rowand, but they fail to realize that there are 4 other teams that are much better than the Giants. The Giants had the starters to get it done, just ask Matt Cain, but their bullpen was awful and won't be much better this year.
The team might be more relaxed than years past, especially due to the fact that there's no Barry Bonds in the locker room for the media hords to surround.
"Obviously, nothing against Barry as a person or a player, but it's a lot more relaxed now," Roberts said. "I think that anyone with his status, in all walks of life, they command that kind of respect and people are more uneasy. I thought he was a great teammate and he's a very good friend of mine, but it seems like now people can be themselves more so."
The Giants still have one Barry that should concern them. That being left-hander Barry Zito. Zito has gone from being the ace of the staff, to probably a #3 at best behind Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum. Can he be effective for the Giants in 2008, more so than he was last season?
I wonder about Aaron Rowand myself. There's no question this guy outhustles anyone in the major leagues, noone works harder than Rowand, but will he really make that much of a difference for the Giants. His numbers were put up in a bandbox in Philadelphia, now he has to try and duplicate those efforts in some of the biggest pitcher's parks in baseball. I have a hard time believing that he can do that.
The Giants will be in the hunt alright....in 2010 maybe.
Newcomer Aaron Rowand, "Nobody in here expects to be at the bottom of the barrel in the NL West. We expect to be in the hunt. That's the outlook we're going into the season with. That's why we're here working as hard as we are. It's going to take a group effort, a collective effort."
Veteran outfielder Dave Roberts, "If you look at the numbers, we were in virtually every game last year. If we get the pitching that we're capable of getting, we're going to be in every game like we were last year."
No offense to Dave Roberts and Aaron Rowand, but they fail to realize that there are 4 other teams that are much better than the Giants. The Giants had the starters to get it done, just ask Matt Cain, but their bullpen was awful and won't be much better this year.
The team might be more relaxed than years past, especially due to the fact that there's no Barry Bonds in the locker room for the media hords to surround.
"Obviously, nothing against Barry as a person or a player, but it's a lot more relaxed now," Roberts said. "I think that anyone with his status, in all walks of life, they command that kind of respect and people are more uneasy. I thought he was a great teammate and he's a very good friend of mine, but it seems like now people can be themselves more so."
The Giants still have one Barry that should concern them. That being left-hander Barry Zito. Zito has gone from being the ace of the staff, to probably a #3 at best behind Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum. Can he be effective for the Giants in 2008, more so than he was last season?
I wonder about Aaron Rowand myself. There's no question this guy outhustles anyone in the major leagues, noone works harder than Rowand, but will he really make that much of a difference for the Giants. His numbers were put up in a bandbox in Philadelphia, now he has to try and duplicate those efforts in some of the biggest pitcher's parks in baseball. I have a hard time believing that he can do that.
The Giants will be in the hunt alright....in 2010 maybe.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Bill Shaikin of the LA Times
Bill Shaikin of the LA Times stopped by Pro Sports Beat to talk about the China trip and the Dodgers interest in a 3rd baseman, here's just an excerp from that interview.
Todd Kaufmann: Were you surprised that Andre Ethier, Russell Martin and maybe a Kuroda didn't go on the China trip?
Bill Shaikin: No. It is common for established major leaguers to be excused from long spring trips, particularly when a split-squad game is available at home. In regards to Kuroda, the Dodgers did not send him -- or Brad Penny or Chad Billingsley or Derek Lowe -- because the team believed all that travel would have hampered the starting pitchers as they prepared for the regular season.
Todd Kaufmann: Were you surprised that Andre Ethier, Russell Martin and maybe a Kuroda didn't go on the China trip?
Bill Shaikin: No. It is common for established major leaguers to be excused from long spring trips, particularly when a split-squad game is available at home. In regards to Kuroda, the Dodgers did not send him -- or Brad Penny or Chad Billingsley or Derek Lowe -- because the team believed all that travel would have hampered the starting pitchers as they prepared for the regular season.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Astros to start season without Matsui
Off-season acquisition Kaz Matsui will start the season on the DL for the Houston Astros after undergoing surgery on Monday.
Matsui had surgery on Monday to repair an anal fissure and will miss 2-3 weeks. In his absence the Astros could platoon both Mark Loretta and Geoff Blum until Matsui is ready to return.
Matsui had surgery on Monday to repair an anal fissure and will miss 2-3 weeks. In his absence the Astros could platoon both Mark Loretta and Geoff Blum until Matsui is ready to return.
Wes Helms heading to San Francisco?
The San Francisco Giants are looking for a 3rd baseman, could that guy be Phillies' Wes Helms?
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, the Giants and Phillies are apparently talking trade. The deal would send Wes Helms to the Giants in return for reliever Steve Kline.
Kline wanted to sign with the Phillies during the offseason, and the Phils did offer him a 1-year deal, but when the Giants offered him 2-years, he took it.
The Dodgers are also looking for a 3rd baseman, mostly because they don't trust the health or glove for that matter, of Nomar Garciappara, so the Dodgers could also get into the mix for Helms or even the Tigers' Brandon Inge.
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, the Giants and Phillies are apparently talking trade. The deal would send Wes Helms to the Giants in return for reliever Steve Kline.
Kline wanted to sign with the Phillies during the offseason, and the Phils did offer him a 1-year deal, but when the Giants offered him 2-years, he took it.
The Dodgers are also looking for a 3rd baseman, mostly because they don't trust the health or glove for that matter, of Nomar Garciappara, so the Dodgers could also get into the mix for Helms or even the Tigers' Brandon Inge.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Dodgers' Schmidt will try pitching through pain
According to Kevin Baxter of the LA Times, Jason Schmidt doesn't seem to have recovered fully from shoulder surgery last season.
Instead of taking time off and trying to let it heal, Schmidt says he's going to try and pitch through it.
"Instead of babying it, we're going to push it," he said. "It's a weird thing. I'm the same as I was a few days ago. I can't quite get to the next level."
Whether or not that's a good idea, I'm not sure, but the Dodgers seem unconcerned about his comeback. Though, I have a hard time believing that the Dodgers are just a little concerned that Schmidt will go into the 2008 less than 100%. I guess we'll find out when the season opens, just how effective he'll be.
Also, 3rd base prospect Andy LaRoche underwent surgery on Monday to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb and is expected to miss 8-10 weeks.
Instead of taking time off and trying to let it heal, Schmidt says he's going to try and pitch through it.
"Instead of babying it, we're going to push it," he said. "It's a weird thing. I'm the same as I was a few days ago. I can't quite get to the next level."
Whether or not that's a good idea, I'm not sure, but the Dodgers seem unconcerned about his comeback. Though, I have a hard time believing that the Dodgers are just a little concerned that Schmidt will go into the 2008 less than 100%. I guess we'll find out when the season opens, just how effective he'll be.
Also, 3rd base prospect Andy LaRoche underwent surgery on Monday to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb and is expected to miss 8-10 weeks.
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