Kazmir developing command in comeback bid
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 03/06/2013 7:01 PM ET
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Scott Kazmir took the mound on one of the Indians' practice diamonds on Wednesday morning. As he pitched against an
assortment of Minor Leaguers, scouts seated behind the backstop raised their radar guns in an attempt to help quantify Kazmir's comeback.
Cleveland described the venue as a Minor League "B" game, giving Kazmir a chance to focus on his command rather than results. Members of
the Indians' front office monitored the three-inning outing closely, as did manager Terry Francona and pitching coach Mickey Callaway.
Callaway was asked if Kazmir -- out of the big leagues for nearly two years -- might be pitching with a chip on his shoulder.
"Definitely. I would, if I were him," Callaway said. "So I'm sure he does. He knows he can be a No. 1 starter again, and that's what he's trying to
show."
Such a development would be a blessing to a Cleveland pitching staff beset with unanswered questions.
As things stand, Kazmir is in camp as a non-roster reclamation project, hoping to prove he is worthy of being trusted with one of the two
vacancies at the back end of the starting staff. His competition includes Zach McAllister, Trevor Bauer, Carlos Carrasco, Daisuke Matsuzaka,
Corey Kluber and David Huff.
In Wednesday's workout, Kazmir concentrated on throwing his slider, and the left-hander ended with no runs allowed on three hits with one
walk and five strikeouts. Four of his five strikeouts came on sliders, and he finished with 54 pitches, including 36 strikes. Kazmir logged 26
pitches in the third inning, but said he was using offspeed pitches in fastball counts at various points.
It was a chance to work on repetition, regardless of the count or situation.
"I made some adjustments that really helped me out," Kazmir said, "as far as getting what I wanted out of the break and make it a little bit later,
making it look a lot more like my fastball. I was actually throwing mainly slider, but I was even working in the curveball and changeup.
"It was a lot of things I wouldn't normally do in a game situation, just to get a lot more reps in."
Callaway said there was much better "depth" on Kazmir's slider compared to previous outings. In three games this spring -- two Cactus League
appearances and the Minor League game -- the lefty has turned in seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts and one walks. On Wednesday,
Kazmir was consistently around 90-92 mph with his fastball.
"I'm still building up my arm strength, for sure," Kazmir said. "But that [velocity] is the least of my worries. The hitters tell me everything I need to
know when it's getting on them pretty good. I know I'm right where I need to be."
Huff open for any available job with Indians
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- David Huff is willing to accept any job the Indians might have to offer for the Opening Day roster. Cleveland has been
building up the lefty's innings like a starter this spring, but a bullpen role as a long reliever is also a possibility.
Huff already knows what his answer would be to either assignment.
"I'd say, 'OK,'" Huff said. "Whether I'm starting or I'm in the bullpen, I don't care. It's a job in Cleveland. I don't care where it is. I can be giving
signs over at first base, as long as I'm up there."
The 28-year-old Huff is up against Zach McAllister, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Corey Kluber, Scott Kazmir and Daisuke Matsuzaka for one
of the two vacancies at the back end of Cleveland's rotation. Huff is also in the conversation, along with multiple arms, for one of the handful of
available spots in the Indians' bullpen.
Considering that Huff is out of Minor League options, Cleveland is keeping an open mind.
"He's in every mix," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "That's why we're keeping him stretched out as long as we can. And then you kind of
start making decisions based on how your team is set up. The last thing you want to do is, too early in camp, tell a guy he's going in the bullpen
and then try to stretch him out again. That doesn't work."
In Tuesday's 4-3 Cactus League win over the Giants, Huff allowed one run on three hits in three innings of work. He struck out three hitters and
issued one walk in the effort. Huff's lone gaffe came in the sixth inning against left-handed-hitting Brandon Belt, who launched a solo homer off
the southpaw.
On the spring, Huff has given up four runs on six hits in seven innings, during which he has turned in five strikeouts and three walks.
"My approach right now is I'm season ready," Huff said. "Outside of some fine tuning here and there, it's just building it up. I had the whole
offseason to get ready."
Francona just wants to see more consistent command.
"He has to locate, especially arm side," Francona said. "If he can keep his fastball on the outer half of the plate and locate -- because he has
Major League stuff across the board -- he should be able to have success."
Carrera making run at already speedy roster
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians know they will have plenty of speed in their starting lineup this season. One question the team needs to
answer this spring is whether it wants to carry another impact baserunner as part of its bench.
Outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, who is out of Minor League options and competing for a job as Cleveland's fourth outfielder, entered Wednesday
with a team-leading five stolen bases this spring. Carrera also has the ability to play all three outfield positions.
"His speed impacts the game," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He's got the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark occasionally. He can
be an interesting part of the bench, when he can change a game with his speed. He's a good little player."
The 25-year-old Carrera has hit just .111 (2-for-18) with one home run through nine Cactus League games this spring, but his speed and
defense are what make him an attractive bench option. In 48 games with Cleveland last year, Carrera hit .272 with two homers, six doubles,
three triples, eight stolen bases, 11 RBIs and 20 runs scored.
At Triple-A Columbus last year, he hit .294 with 31 extra-base hits, 26 stolen bases, 42 RBIs and 65 runs in 97 games.
Utility man Mike Aviles, who has a 74-percent stolen-base success rate over his career, is already a lock to be on the team's bench. Beyond
backup catcher Lou Marson, leading candidates for the other two bench vacancies include Jason Giambi, Ryan Raburn, Yan Gomes and
Carrera.
Among the lineup regulars, Cleveland boasts stolen-base threats in Michael Bourn, Jason Kipnis and Drew Stubbs. Michael Brantley and
Asdrubal Cabrera are also capable of swiping 10-plus bases in a season. Given that collection of solid baserunners, the Indians could
potentially get away without having another fleet-footed runner on its bench.
"It's not necessary, but it's nice," Francona said. "I think Aviles, although not a burner, he can steal a base. He's a good baserunner and he
watches pitchers. He's very intelligent. So he can do that. But, Carrera has kind of the speed where he can outrun [throws] sometimes."
Quote to note
"He doesn't just talk the talk. He walks it and he lives it and he believes it. It works. I don't care what people thought of him before. I
know how we feel about him here, and that's what's important. I know our guys love him, and I do, too."
-- Francona, on Nick Swisher
Smoke signals
• Francona has made it no secret that he holds 42-year-old veteran Giambi in high regard. That said, Francona said Wednesday that he is not
ready to say whether Giambi (a non-roster invitee vying for a job as a part-time designated hitter and pinch-hitter) is a front-runner for a spot on
Cleveland's bench.
"There's no denying that we love him -- absolutely love him," Francona said. "But I don't want to start talking about the roster yet. I don't think
that's fair, because somebody else will read something into it. If everybody stays healthy, we're going to have some difficult decisions."
• According to Francona, Indians sidearmer Joe Smith felt fine on Wednesday, one day after making his Cactus League debut with a one-inning
appearance against the Giants. Smith, who had a minor left abdominal strain early in camp, allowed two runs on two hits, but threw 13 of his 14
pitches for strikes.
"I think he said he was a little tight, but nothing [to worry about]," Francona said. "He's really taken care of himself really well. The fact that he
came out and pounded strike after strike after strike, that was really encouraging."
• Indians left fielder Michael Brantley, who suffered a left forearm laceration after being spiked while sliding into third base against the A's on
Feb. 25, will likely have his stitches removed on either Thursday or Friday. Brantley might be cleared to resume game activity at some point this
weekend.
• Indians right-hander Matt Albers, who is a leading candidate for a spot in the club's Opening Day bullpen, worked one inning in a Minor
League "B" game on Wednesday. Albers allowed no runs on one hit with one walk and three outs via grounders. He threw 13 pitches, including
seven strikes.
• Francona noted that Swisher has been keeping his throwing arm "stretched out" for potential use as a right fielder for the Indians. The
manager added that Cleveland will likely play Swisher in right field later this spring to keep him ready for possible part-time outfield duty.
Indians ride Masterson's four shutout innings to win
Giambi drives in two runs; Gomes collects two hits, scores twice
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 3/6/2013 5:41 P.M. ET
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Indians sinkerballer Justin Masterson set the tone on Wednesday, spinning four shutout innings to pave the way for a 4-0
Cactus League victory over the Dodgers at Goodyear Ballpark.
Masterson, who is scheduled to make his second straight Opening Day start for Cleveland this season, put his signature two-seam fastball on
display. Los Angeles pounded the pitch into the ground en route to nine outs via ground balls, including three double plays.
That brought a smile to Masterson's face.
"We had a bunch of double plays," Masterson said. "The ball was on the ground. A couple base hits. I mixed in a few sliders today and was
around the zone. It was more or less where we want to be this early in spring."
Masterson finished with three hits scattered and three strikeouts, giving the right-hander six strikeouts and no walks in 7 2/3 innings this spring.
Cleveland's infield turned a double play in the first, second and fourth innings to help the starter escape some minor jams unscathed.
"I thought [Masterson] set the tone for a really good day," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "I thought all around today was our best day.
We were crisp, even from the cutoff relays to scoring. Masty came in and stayed down, threw strikes, got double plays. I felt like maybe we got
our legs back."
Dodgers lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu -- signed to a six-year contract worth $36 million over the offseason -- held the Indians to two runs on three hits in
three-plus innings. Ryu piled up five strikeouts, including three consecutive called strikeouts to Ryan Rohlinger, Drew Stubbs and Jason Kipnis
in a swift third inning.
"Everything kind of worked for me, including control, command of the pitches," Ryu said through an interpreter. I was able to execute pitches.
Not only the fastball, but other pitches as well."
Cleveland broke through for two runs in the fourth inning, when Mark Reynolds led off with a double and Yan Gomes followed with a base hit.
At that point, Los Angeles turned to reliever Matt Palmer, who allowed a run-scoring sacrifice fly to Jason Giambi and an RBI single to Matt
Carson.
In the fifth inning, Palmer walked Kipnis and then made a pair of throwing errors on pickoff attempts, allowing pinch-runner Nate Spears to
easily advance to third base. Gomes then came through with an RBI single and Giambi contributed a run-scoring single of his own, helping the
Indians to a 4-0 advantage.
Up next for the Indians: Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez is scheduled to make his third appearance of the spring on Thursday, when the Indians
host the Giants in a 3:05 p.m. ET Cactus League tilt at Goodyear Ballpark. Following Jimenez, who projects as Cleveland's No. 2 starter, will be
bullpen candidates Matt Capps and Cody Allen. San Francisco will hand the ball to starter Tim Lincecum. An exclusive live webcast of the
game will be available on Indians.com.
In sickness and health, Duncans inspire each other
Brain-cancer battles of mother Jeanine and son Chris bring baseball family together
By Zack Meisel / MLB.com | 3/6/2013 11:35 A.M. ET
The Duncans -- four people, three Major Leaguers, two brain tumors, one inspirational family.
The average Major League game lasts nearly three hours, the majority of which is down time. The pitcher picks up the rosin bag, the hitter
adjusts and readjusts his batting gloves, the vendors locate their next consumers of peanuts, the infielders swipe at the dirt with their cleats. All
before the next pitch.
For Tampa Bay's Shelley Duncan, saddled with the knowledge that both his mother, Jeanine, and brother, former big leaguer Chris, are battling
brain tumors, and that while he's playing baseball, his wife is left to take care of their eight-month-old twin boys, those recurring moments of
inactivity feel like hours. He can't control the paths his mind opts to travel, whether he's in left field, alone in a sea of short green grass or sitting
by himself in the dugout awaiting his next at-bat.
"When you have stuff going on in your life, it'll filter into your mind," Duncan said. "That stuff is always there."
It's a constant convolution of how life has come full circle for the Duncans, one of baseball's iconic families.
The Matriarch
There were signs that something was amiss with Jeanine Duncan. For a few weeks, she'd had trouble with her vision and mobility. But with her
husband and two sons fully immersed in the last two months of the regular season, she didn't want to be a bother. She was the lone female in
the Duncan quartet; she knew how busy and focused her boys were. This wasn't the time to disturb them with a silly concern, she thought.
Then one day in August 2011, outside the family home beside Table Rock Lake in Kimberling City, Mo., she placed her foot on the gas pedal of
her golf cart as she headed to retrieve the mail. The mailbox stood at the bottom of a hill; she drove the vehicle off the road and off the incline.
Neighbors rushed to the scene of the crash, and Jeanine called her husband, Dave, then the pitching coach for the Cardinals, who contacted
the team physician. Jeanine was taken to the hospital, where she saw a neurologist, underwent an MRI and was swiftly diagnosed with
glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor.
Her maternal instincts kicked in. She immediately thought about Shelley and Chris, the prototypical brothers, separated by two years, whose
relationship is ripe with petty fights, competition and tough love.
"'What's it going to be like for them?'" Jeanine recalled thinking. "'I still want to be their mother. I don't want them to lose their mother. They're
too young.'"
Those fears were momentarily hushed when the entire family spent the night at the hospital as she underwent surgery to remove the mass in
her brain. Chris, the younger of the boys, and his wife, Amy, picked up Shelley and his wife, Elyse, from the airport, and they all joined Dave on
an assembly of cots.
"It was bonding and warming and comforting to me," Jeanine said. "They helped me get through it. They were really my strength."
Fourteen months later, doctors diagnosed Chris with a similar form of glioblastoma. That was a blow for which Jeanine wasn't prepared, a
painstaking kick to the gut she still can't fathom.
"That just knocked me out of my socks," she said, her voice quivering. "It was really hard, because I knew what lie ahead for him."
The Juggler
Shelley Duncan didn't need a GPS to navigate the two-hour drive along I-71 between Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, home to the Indians'
Triple-A affiliate. He spent much of the summer of 2011 bouncing between the two cities like a pinball.
On Aug. 19, he was recalled from the Clippers as the Tribe embarked on a three-game trip to Detroit. Upon joining his teammates in the Motor
City, he learned the news about his mom.
The Indians placed him on the bereavement list, and he left the team for a few days.
Shelley struggled to come to terms with the diagnosis. It wasn't grief or shock or panic he was feeling -- those emotions would eventually arrive,
too. First, he worried about the thoughts funneling into his mother's mind, the perilous worst-case scenarios she could be pondering.
When he roamed the outfield, that distress dominated his conscience. It was when he stepped into the batter's box, however, that he found
solace.
"The cool thing about baseball is how much it means to people," Shelley said. "The importance of coming back was to give Mom something to
think about besides what's going on in her life. She got to watch me, and that gave her something to get away from her problems."
Shelley rejoined Cleveland's lineup on Aug. 23, and in his first game back, he tallied two doubles and two runs scored. The next day, he
collected a season-high three hits. On Sept. 4, he clubbed two home runs and drove in a career-high five runs. Three days later, he launched a
pair of Justin Verlander fastballs into the left-field bleachers during a three-hit, three-run, four-RBI performance.
"It wasn't as valuable and important to me as it was to her," Shelley said. "That's what made me push myself to do more."
His production still gives his mother joy, even a year and a half into her battle. When Shelley hit an RBI single for the Rays during a Grapefruit
League game on Feb. 26, Jeanine celebrated like she did when Dave and Chris won a World Series ring with the Cardinals in 2006.
"He is such a good distraction for me," Jeanine said.
Shelley has plenty of distractions himself. Not only does he have endless concern about his mother and brother, his wife gave birth to twin
boys, Walker and William, last July. Jeanine, who raised her sons while her husband coached in the Majors, calls it "payback."
"I'm still trying to figure out [parenting]," Shelley said, laughing. "I'm getting better every single day."
Shelley, 33, hasn't always stuck on a Major League roster -- he has never played more than 85 games in a season at the big league level. He
has worked for every opportunity he has been awarded, having logged more than 4,000 plate appearances in the Minors.
He has come to accept that he might only be granted a reserve role with Tampa Bay, if he wins a roster spot at all.
That's OK with him, he says, as he understands that he needs to divert much of his attention to loved ones, new and old. That might be plenty
to juggle, but his ability to do it doesn't faze his mom.
"I'm really impressed with him," Jeanine said. "But if you look at his career, he's been that way. He's that kind of player. He hangs in there."
The Inspiration
Chris Duncan wonders how long his mother was displaying signs of illness before the accident. Mental slip-ups or struggles to walk didn't
trigger alarms at the time but now can be explained.
After watching his mother's trials, Chris learned not to downplay any health woes. He initially blamed the taste of metal in his mouth, the 10second seizures and the numbness in his mouth and arm on neck surgery he'd undergone in 2008. But this past October, when those same
symptoms prevented him from answering a question on-air from his radio partner, D'Marco Farr, he knew he needed to visit a doctor.
"[Farr] was looking at me like, 'Why aren't you talking?'" Chris said. "And I went, like, five, six, seven seconds when I couldn't talk. Because of
what my mom went through, I thought it would be a good idea to get my head checked out."
He underwent an MRI two days later. He figured he'd go home and the staff would update him later in the week. Instead, the doctor, who Chris
said "had this crazy look on his face," wouldn't let him leave. Another doctor rushed into the hospital in street clothes and delivered the
diagnosis.
"He came in and said, 'You have a tumor just like your mom,'" Chris said.
David Pratt, one of the owners of the Cardinals, provided a private plane for the Duncan family to fly to Duke University, where Chris underwent
surgery about a week later. Chris chose the same doctor his mother had selected, Dr. Henry S. Friedman, whom Jeanine calls her "rock-star
brain surgeon."
"When it happened to her, we all freaked out," Chris said. "We're looking online, talking to every doctor, trying to make decisions. We didn't
know what to do. When it happened to me, there wasn't that same panic. I knew the hand I was dealt."
He may have felt that way, but his family certainly agonized.
"It's still hard to believe, even today," Dave said.
Chris pushed through six weeks of daily radiation and chemotherapy. He leans on his mother for advice, and she leans on him for his spirit. He
opts to block out the countless possibilities pertaining to his health. He acknowledged -- but dismissed -- the doctor's pre-surgery warning that
he might never talk again or that he might have mobility problems on his right side.
For four months, Chris did one radio bit per day, a 10-to-15-minute phone conversation from his home, before returning to the studio for his
four-hour weekday show about a month ago. He undergoes chemo for five consecutive days once each month, and he works out up to five
times a week. Only once has he skipped work because he wasn't feeling up to par.
"He's really my inspiration," Jeanine said. "I tell him that all the time. To be so young and to be going through what he's going through -- he
never has a pity party. He rarely has a bad day."
The Coach Turned Caretaker
For parts of five decades, Dave Duncan dwelled in Major League clubhouses. From 1964-76, he caught for the Athletics, Indians and Orioles.
His coaching career took him from Cleveland to Seattle to Chicago to Oakland until he finally settled in St. Louis in 1996 with longtime friend,
teammate and coaching companion Tony La Russa.
Dave made it a priority to call or videoconference his sons and wife every day, especially once the boys started playing high school baseball.
The trio joined Dave when school let out for the summer, but Dave admits he missed a significant portion of his sons' lives.
"It was tough when the kids were in high school, because they were involved in a lot of sports and activities that I didn't get to watch," Dave
said. "That was difficult."
When Jeanine was diagnosed, Dave's decision to step away from baseball wasn't even up for debate, no matter how much his wife pleaded
with him to remain with the Cardinals.
Jeanine couldn't picture her husband away from a Major League clubhouse. That's where she would wait for the team when it returned from
road trips.
"She was kind of like the team mom," said Indians closer Chris Perez, who played with Chris and was coached by Dave in St. Louis, and played
with Shelley in Cleveland. "Jeanine was always there waiting for us."
Dave had been contemplating retirement for a few years, and when his wife fell ill, the choice was made for him.
"There was no discussion," Dave said. "That's what I had to do. There was no doubt about it."
Before he could call it a career, though, his family urged him to complete the 2011 campaign. Chris and Amy volunteered to care for Jeanine
until the conclusion of the season. And as fate would have it, the Cardinals captured the World Series crown, and the entire family -- both sons,
their wives and Jeanine -- watched the decisive Game 7 from the stands at Busch Stadium.
"It almost felt like it was meant to be," Chris said. "It was crazy."
Now the man who joined the Athletics organization as a 17-year-old and stayed involved in professional baseball for nearly a half-century plays
the role of caretaker for his wife, who willingly occupied that role for their children all those years.
Dave drives Jeanine to her doctor appointments. He plays Scrabble with her. He even cooks for her, and according to Jeanine, "is a great
chef."
"He's got the Crock-Pot down perfect," she said.
Dave takes Jeanine to Duke once every two months so she can undergo an MRI and a checkup. He takes her to her weekly treatment and her
biweekly chemotherapy sessions.
He also keeps busy browsing the box scores in the newspaper each day. She keeps busy riding an exercise bike, doing crunches and leg lifts,
listening to Chris' radio show and watching Shelley's games.
As time has elapsed, the Duncans have been together and apart, on different sides of the country and all under one roof. But they've learned
one thing: Those thoughts that creep into their minds during the downtime -- whether between pitches, in a hospital waiting or on a commercial
break from a radio show -- tend to reveal what is most important.
Said Jeanine: "We're just each other's rocks."
Masterson outpitches Ryu in Indians' 4-0 win
By GARY SCHATZ (Associated Press) | The Associated Press – 2 hours 12 minutes ago
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) -- Jason Giambi thought he would be a manager this season. Instead, he's still playing.
Giambi drove in two runs and Justin Masterson outpitched Hyun-Jin Ryu on Wednesday, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 4-0 win over the
Los Angeles Dodgers.
After interviewing for the Colorado Rockies' managerial opening - which went to Walt Weiss - the 42-year-old Giambi signed a minor league
deal with Cleveland just ahead of the start of spring training with hopes of playing one more season in an 18-year career.
He singled and hit a sacrifice fly to pace the Indians' offense against the Dodgers.
"Jason is not just helping the younger guys," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "(He's) helping the older guys and me. I've already gone to
him three times just with questions. He's not a veteran. He's THE veteran."
Masterson had a subpar 2012 campaign after shoulder surgery in October 2011. He pitched three-hit ball with four scoreless innings. He struck
out three, while inducing three double-play grounders.
"In general, I feel better than this time last year," Masterson said. "Last year we were pushing a little to get back with the shoulder. I got some
balls on the ground. I mixed in a few sliders today. It is more or less where we want to be this early in spring."
Ryu agreed to a six-year, $36 million deal with Los Angeles in December. He allowed two runs and three hits in three innings. The five-time
Korean Baseball Organization strikeout leader struck out five.
The 25-year old is working on his breaking ball while trying to win one of the three open spots in the Dodgers' rotation.
"Since the first time I pitched against the Angels, I feel that my breaking pitches have improved," Ryu said through an interpreter.
Ryu started the fourth inning but gave up two hits before Don Mattingly removed him for Matt Palmer.
"I had 10 pitches left to finish my outing," Ryu said. "I didn't focus and didn't execute my pitches in the last inning."
Mattingly made the trip with the team specifically to see him pitch.
"He was good today," Mattingly said. "He put his fastball where he wanted to. He used his change to get back in the count. We haven't seen
him at the major league level and wanted to see how hitters react. He changes speeds and works quick. You can see how he gets people out."
NOTES: The Dodgers' top two prospects started against Cleveland. Ryu started on the mound and Yasiel Puig was in left field. Puig was 1 for
3. ... RHP Carlos Carrasco, who was struck in the side of the head by a comebacker on Monday, has passed all of the concussion tests. ...
Indians' All-Star closer Chris Perez will not throw for seven to 10 days. Perez will not pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and is
expected to miss three to four weeks. ... LHP Scott Kazmir, a non-roster invitee for Cleveland, pitched in a B game this morning. "Scott threw
on the back fields to work on his breaking ball," Francona said. Kazmir pitched three scoreless innings, allowing three hits and a walk. He struck
out five.
Jason Giambi appears to be favorite to earn spot on roster for Cleveland Indians
By Sheldon Ocker
GOODYEAR, Ariz.: Is there any doubt that Jason Giambi will leave spring training in possession of an Indians roster spot?
Manager Terry Francona has announced no such thing, and the club has made no official announcement about Giambi’s status. As of today,
he’s just another 42-year-old former All-Star who’s laboring in camp on a minor-league contract.
But don’t be fooled by such formalities. It is clear by Francona’s words that he wants Giambi on the team, because the manager believes he
can still hit and that he will light up the clubhouse with his charismatic aura.
These are some of the things Francona has said about Giambi since the outset of spring training:
“He’s not just a veteran guy, he’s the veteran guy. The guy interviewed for a manager’s job, and I don’t think it’s too far from reality to think he
could have gotten it. I truly think it’s an honor to have him in camp.”
Francona said those things on Feb. 13, only a few days after camp opened and five days after Giambi signed with the Tribe.
“He’s not going to play against left-handers.”
By inference, Giambi is going to play against righties, and it’s unlikely that Francona was talking about spring exhibition season exclusively.
“He doesn’t swing at bad pitches ever, and he still has his bat speed, so I’ve been impressed.”
“He’s always out there taking grounders at first base. Sometimes I’ll wave him off [the field]. He’s 42. We didn’t get him to run a marathon.”
On Wednesday, Francona repeated the words about Giambi being “the veteran guy” and added, “He’s not just helping the young guys. He’s
helping the older guys and me. I think I’ve gone to him three times.
“He commands that kind of respect. When he walks into a room, guys want to talk to him. He has a lot of knowledge, and he has a good way of
conveying it. The fact he interviewed to be a manager speaks volumes about the way people look at him.”
When Francona was asked if Giambi had reached a point where he had to play himself off the team to blow a roster spot, he said, “There’s no
denying we love him. But I don’t want to talk about the roster, because it could upset other guys. If everyone stays healthy, we’re going to have
to make some tough decisions.”
Keeping Giambi falls into that category, which is why it might not be a done deal.
Because Giambi isn’t likely to play in the field unless it is absolutely necessary, the other two utility players must be able to cover every infield
and outfield position.
Mike Aviles, who signed a two-year guaranteed contract, already has made the team, though again, nobody has carved that in stone. Aviles
has been an everyday shortstop, but he also plays third, second, left and right field.
The contenders for the other utility job are Ryan Raburn, Ben Francisco, Ezequiel Carrera and possibly Yan Gomes. Raburn has the edge on
all of them, because he plays the outfield and second base. In addition, Raburn has been a steady big-league performer before enduring a
season-long slump in 2012.
Francisco and Carrera are strictly outfielders, but there’s a catch that might work in Carrera’s favor. He is out of options, so if the Tribe wants to
send him to Triple-A, he will have to clear waivers. Gomes, who has played little in the majors, plays several positions, but the Indians view him
as a catcher, possibly an everyday catcher in the future.
Giambi is 1-for-13 in exhibition games, getting his first hit Wednesday on a fly ball lost in the sun and first two RBI, one on a well-hit sacrifice fly
to the track.
But spring training is a notoriously poor place to evaluate players, and it isn’t likely that Francona will base his judgment on Giambi’s Arizona
batting average. As long as the manager sees a quick bat, Giambi’s numbers won’t make much if any difference.
“The last thing we’ll look at is batting average,” Francona said. “He’s had a pretty good approach all spring.”
For the past four years Giambi didn’t make much of an impact with the Colorado Rockies and Oakland Athletics. Last year, he received only 89
at-bats and hit .225 with 14 doubles and one home run. But in 2011, it took him only 131 at-bats to produce six doubles.
The question is how much can Giambi contribute at the plate in a part-time role. Right-handed hitting Mark Reynolds will be the everyday
designated hitter and probably see every left-handed pitcher plus most righties.
So whether there’s enough to keep Giambi busy will play into the decision to keep him.
Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 03.07.2013
Cleveland Indians notebook: Scott Kazmir impresses while getting work in during simulated game
By Sheldon Ocker
GOODYEAR, Ariz.: The more Scott Kazmir pitches, the more the Indians’ deep thinkers want to see him pitch, and that includes in a practice
game against minor-leaguers.
Kazmir worked three innings (55 pitches) in just such a setting Wednesday at his own request. He didn’t like the way his slider was progressing,
and he felt he could fix the problem easier in the low-pressure atmosphere of a simulated game on a back field at the Tribe’s complex.
“When that pitch is going good for me, it’s my best pitch,” said Kazmir, who felt that he made whatever adjustment he was seeking.
Tribe officials seem happy with Kazmir’s velocity. On Wednesday, his fastball sat at 91 miles per hour, at times rising to 93 and once or twice
falling to 89.
“His velocity is a little better than we thought it would be, especially the life he had on it,” pitching coach Mickey Callaway said. “And when that
slider is going good, it’s a swing-and-miss pitch.”
Kazmir did not allow a run, giving up three hits, walking one and striking out five.
“I’m still building arm strength, but that’s the least of my worries,” Kazmir said. “The hitters will tell you how you’re throwing.”
One spot is open in the rotation, and the frontrunners for the job are Kazmir, Carlos Carrasco and Daisuke Matsuzaka.
“Scott knows he can be a No. 1 starter again,” Callaway said.
Matt Albers threw one inning (13 pitches) on the back fields and gave up no runs, one hit and a walk.
And the sun shined
Manager Terry Francona said it was a “good day,” and he was talking about more than the Indians’ 4-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on
Wednesday at Goodyear Ballpark.
“This was our best day of the spring, from cutoffs to scoring — we got a couple of double plays — to base running,” he said. “It was a good day
all around.”
That included the pitching of Justin Masterson, who threw four scoreless innings, giving up three hits and striking out three.
“Masterson set the tone for a really good day,” Francona said.
Masterson threw his slider for the first time in a spring game and was pleased with the results.
“I mixed in a couple of sliders,” he said. “I got some double plays, gave up a couple of base hits,” he said. “I’m pretty much where I want to be
early in spring.”
Just enough offense
Mark Reynolds doubled and singled, raising his average to .409, and Yan Gomes singled twice to lift his average to .412.
Fore!
Matt Carson was struck in the helmet by a Matt Palmer pitch in the sixth inning, and the helmet landed 15 feet from the plate. Carson began to
take his base, but was quickly led off the field.
“He passed all the tests [to determine whether he sustained a concussion] with no problem,” Francona said. “We took him out right away and
sent him to the doctor.”
Two batters later, Palmer hit Ryan Rohlinger in the back.
Other stuff
Michael Brantley is one or two days away from getting the stitches removed from his left arm. He probably will play in a game a day or two after
that … Francona plans to use Nick Swisher occasionally in right field just in case the Tribe’s new first baseman needs to temporarily return to
his old position. “He’s been keeping his arm stretched out,” Francona said. … In praise of Kazmir, Francona said, “At the beginning of camp, he
could have gone out there and won. That’s how good he was.”
Akron Beacon Journal LOADED: 03.07.2013
Francona said Giambi can fill an important role in helping the young Cleveland players provided he still has something to add between the
lines. The Mariners were thinking along the same lines when they signed 40-year-old Raul Ibanez to a one-year deal in December. He's playing
the same mentoring role for Dustin Ackley and Justin Smoak that Giambi hopes to fill for Kipnis and Chisenhall.
“The fine line is, guys have to be able to contribute to the team,’’ Francona said. “When they can contribute to the team in some capacity, what
they bring along with it is invaluable. Those two guys are off the charts.’’
Beavercreek’s Masterson ‘on fire’
By Hal McCoy
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cleveland Indians starting pitcher (Opening Day pitcher) Justin Masterson was masterful for four innings Wednesday and
perhaps it was because he was pitching in mental relief, knowing his parents in Beavercreek are all right.
Masterson found out that a few days ago his parents’ Beavercreek home caught fire and while there was damage, it could have been worse.
Masterson said a power surge ran through the house and blew out the entire electrical circuitry. His father called an electrician to fix things but
when he left there was smoke. His father checked the attic and it was burning.
Firemen quickly extinguished the flames and everybody was OK, “And the firemen said it was fortunate my parents were home and detected it
because it is the kind of fire that burns down homes,” said Masterson, a former Beavercreek High School baseball and basketball star.
MASTERSON faced the Los Angeles Dodgers and pitched four scoreless innings, giving up three hits, but all three guys who reached base
were wiped out on double plays as Masterson fed them sinkers. Amazingly, Masterson threw 16 pitches in the third inning and 15 were strikes,
including some sliders, which he threw for the first time in a game this spring.
WITH THE REDS playing a night game Wednesday, it was easy to make a pit stop up the road to the Indians clubhouse and a quick visit with
former Cincinnati outfielder Drew Stubbs.
He is working on a new approach in an effort to cut down the strikeouts that shadowed him during his days in Cincinnati.
Even before the trade, Stubbs was working on whiff reduction in the off season, simplifying his swing.
“I took out the leg kick I’ve had for a long time and put in more of a toe tap to simplify my timing,” he said. “I’ve transitioned it into my spring atbats and it is going really well and I hope it enables me to take a step forward. I’ve kind of patterned my swing after (Detroit’s) Austin Jackson,
who did the same thing last season and had a career year (.300, 16 homers, 10 triples, 66 RBI).”
Cleveland manager Terry Francona realizes how hard Stubbs has worked to alleviate his offensive dilemma and says, “He has worked real
hard to simplify his approach — one swing and stay with it. I love the approach he has right now. Very simple. He should be able to repeat it.”
When Stubbs struggled in Cincinnati, he would unveil a a new stance or a new swing or break out a new hat, anything to stop a slide toward the
abyss.
“When he runs into a rut, which everybody does, I hope that he is able to stick with what he is doing because I think it will work,” said Francona.
Then, that afternoon, Stubbs faced LA’s $36 million Japanese pitcher, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and struck out his first two times. He struck out looking his
second time, but Ryu struck out the side that inning — all three batters looking (Ryan Rohlinger, Stubbs, Jason Kipnis).
REDS MANAGER Dusty Baker was asked to name the young players who have most impressed him and he came up with outfielder Donald
Lutz, pitcher Chad Rogers and pitcher Drew Hayes, “The three most impressive,” he said.
Lutz, who Baker always calls Big Lutz (6-3, 251), grew up in Germany and played hockey until he was 15 and his big brother introduced him to
baseball.
“Lutz just needs to play because he is very inexperienced,” said Baker. “But he has come along very quickly for a guy who hasn’t played. He
would be even farther along had he not got hurt last year. He’d be ready for Triple-A. Wherever he goes he’ll elevate quickly because he has
great aptitude, likes to compete and he works hard. There is going to come a time soon when he is going to put pressure on the organization to
do something with him.”
LUTZ HIT ONE monstrous home run this spring that reminded Baker of Willie Stargell and Willie McCovery, Hall of Fame sluggers.
“He hit the ball to center field and reminded me of Willie Stargell,” said Baker. “Guys like to Stargell and McCovey really hit balls hard. When I
was a kid and played center field I was nervous that McCovey or Stargell might hit a ball that I’d misjudge and it would hit me in the chest and
go right through me.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It is getting harder and harder to find hitters. You shake a Baseball Tree and 100 gloves fall out and only two bats.” —
Reds manager Dusty Baker.
Dayton Daily News LOADED: 03.07.2013
Nick Swisher, now with Cleveland Indians, looks back fondly on his time with Yankees
When he returns to the Bronx with the Indians in early June, Swisher isn't sure how he'll be received. 'Whether it's boos or cheers,
it'll be exciting for me.'
By Anthony Mccarron / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
GOODYEAR, Ariz. - The happiest guy in the room - in any room, really - goes over to the iPod dock and turns down the volume on thumping
music. New team, new town, but is it any wonder that Nick Swisher controls the tunes for the Indians, too?
Clubhouse deejay isn't the only role Swisher could fill on his old club, either. With the Yankees down one outfielder and a first baseman
because of injuries to Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira - to say nothing of all that missing power - Swisher again would fit snugly in
pinstripes. Instead, he's across the country acting, in part, as what Jason Giambi calls "energy personified" for an Indians' club hoping to revive
old glory.
And that's just fine with Swisher, at least once he got over the initial hurt that the Yankees weren't going to re-sign him. He admits he was
"crushed" when it became clear that the team he won a World Series with in 2009 would not be a suitor.
"It was tough, man, because that place was so amazing to me," he says. "What an awesome four years I had. The relationship was over. I have
nothing but the greatest memories, dude. At least once or twice a day I remember something or somebody or an experience.
"Now it's my goal to try and bring this organization to a level- obviously not that big - but to build this organization to maybe something like it
was like back in the middle to late 90s."
Swisher, who inked a four-year, $56-million deal with Cleveland over the winter, really gets going talking about how the Indians "have a lot of
buzz around us" for their combination of up-and-coming youngsters such as Lonnie Chisenhall and new faces like manager Terry Francona,
Swisher and Michael Bourn.
Swisher notes, grinning, that the Tribe's home opener, which is against the Yankees April 8, "sold out in six minutes.
"I'm super-excited," Swisher says. "The guys who've been here awhile, they've never had this. We're trying to figure out the identity of this team,
what team we are going to be. I'm having an absolute blast doing it."
It'll be different, though. Swisher likely will be the Indians' everyday first baseman and will probably be their cleanup hitter, so he won't have to
bounce from the No. 2 hole to deeper spots in the lineup like he did with the Yankees. He's an elder statesman of sorts, so he'll have to be a
source of wisdom as well as enthusiasm.
Swisher believes the Yankees - injuries and all - will be a contender this season.
He still keeps in touch with plenty of Yankees, talking regularly to David Robertson, among others. He spoke to Granderson soon after
Granderson suffered a broken forearm and predicts Granderson will have another 40-homer season. He forecasts a big year for his old team,
too, even though others are down on the Yanks because of their aging core and injury risks.
"Regardless of what would happen, we always found a way to pull wins off," Swisher said. "It's the New York Yankees, what do you expect?"
When he returns to the Bronx with the Indians in early June, he's not sure how he'll be received. "Whether it's boos or cheers, it'll be exciting for
me," Swisher says.
He knows his postseason spat with fans hurt some feelings, but he also knows he was wrong. He said so before and reiterated it Wednesday.
"It was just an emotional time," Swisher says. "Hey, man, when have I never been honest in my life? Hey, that's what I felt at the time. Whether
it was meant to be like that or not or maybe it came off bad. But man, I've got nothing but the most love for that city.
"I think it was just the whole timing of everything. I was having a rough playoff and I might've spouted off and I shouldn't have. That's it, man.
Sometimes you have to admit when you're wrong. It just kind of popped out and after going through it, you're kind of 'What an idiot you are for
saying that stuff.'"
New York Daily News LOADED: 03.07.2013
Ex-Mets prospect Kazmir looking to make Indians rotation
By KEVIN KERNAN
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Mets fans get ready for Scott Kazmir II.
Kazmir is re-inventing himself as a pitcher and is making good on the promise he told The Post’s Mark Hale before spring training that he would
make it back to the big leagues in a big way.
Kazmir has opened eyes in the Indians’ camp after coming here on a minor league contract and is in line to make the rotation. He pitched three
innings Wednesday in a “B’’ game to work on his breaking ball and had about 10 scouts watching him as he hit 93 mph on the radar gun and
showed a crisp breaking ball.
“Everything is going to plan,’’ said a smiling Kazmir, 29, who last pitched in the majors in 2011 when he appeared in one game for the Angels.
“The hard work is paying off. It’s about time.’’
Indians manager Terry Francona said he is impressed.
“We had a lot of reports on him, but I was still amazed at how free and easily the ball is coming out of his hand,” the Cleveland manager said. “I
remember in Tampa, he would get the ball and fire it, had one of the best left-handed sliders in the game. He’s a little different pitcher now,
probably more of a pitcher. I think he understands himself better. He probably grew up a little bit and he’s in great shape.’’
“Terry was one of the big reasons I came here,’’ Kazmir said. “A manager like that reminds me of Joe Maddon, just an awesome guy to be
around. I’m very confident. Everything seems to be coming together. A lot of things that I worked on are starting to pay off. I’m getting back to
stuff that came naturally to me.
“Being away from the game for a year and a half, it seemed like an eternity. It really did. It’s definitely a humbling game.’’
New York Post LOADED: 03.07.2013
Nick’d-up Yanks could use old friend
By KEVIN KERNAN
Follow Kevin on GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Yankees will miss Nick Swisher. They already do.
Already down an outfielder and a first baseman and a boatload of home runs, the Yankees could use Swisher’s switch-hitting bat in either the
outfield or at first base, considering the devastating injuries to Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira.
They elected not to pursue Swisher in free agency, and he signed a four-year, $56 million deal with the Indians. Swisher admitted yesterday he
was initially “crushed’’ by the Yankees’ decision to move on without him. “That free-agent process is crazy, man,’’ he said.
Like he does with everything in his life, though, Swisher is making the most of the new situation of leadership with the Indians, bro.
Swisher will bat fourth and play first base. He loves the fact manager Terry Francona has chosen to bat him cleanup and he will not be
bouncing around as he did in manager Joe Girardi’s lineup that had a lot more stars in it last season than it does now.
“There were a lot of lineup changes in New York,’’ Swisher said. “I was the guy in the lineup that bounced around. I’m not that guy anymore. I’m
happy not to be that guy anymore. I’m happy to be in one spot every single day. Show up to the ballpark and know you’re going to be in one
spot. I get comfortable in a spot and I just kind of take off.’’
Swisher is looking to soar with 100 RBIs, something he has never done.
“I’m not a numbers guy, but it would be nice to get to that century mark, just to prove to people that you can do that,’’ he said.
Swisher always has a good time and recently went to dinner with Tim Tebow.
“We were bringing nothing but sunshine in there,’’ Swisher said. “Bringing some good to the world. Good dude, man. It’s the second time I’ve
gotten a chance to meet him and just kind of sit down and pick his brain about everything. It’s pretty cool.’’
Where will Tebow will end up? “Who knows, man? Tough spot.”
Francona said he loves what Swisher brings to the party.
“I’ve known Swish a long time,’’ Francona said. “I was in Oakland when he was a young kid. He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks it, he lives it,
he breathes it. It works. I don’t care what guys thought about him before. Our guys love him and I do, too. He is so valuable because he plays
everywhere and he’s a switch-hitter.’’
In his four years with the Yankees Swisher blasted 105 home runs with 349 RBIs. He struggled mightily in the postseason, batting .162 over 36
postseason games. During his career he has appeared in 46 postseason games, batting only .169.
As for his postseason spat with Yankees fans, Swisher, to his credit, admits he was wrong.
“It was just an emotional time,’’ he said. “I was having a rough playoff and I might’ve spouted off and I shouldn’t have. That’s it, man, sometimes
you have to admit when you’re wrong. It just kind of popped out and after going through it, you’re kind of ‘What an idiot you are for saying that
stuff.’”
Swisher said he believes the Yankees will find a way to win despite the injuries.
“Oh, man, it’s the New York Yankees, would you expect anything different?’’ he said. “It just kind of seemed like even from the time I was there,
regardless of what happened, we always found a way to pull wins off.
“ Playing in a city like New York, you’re expected to win every single year and I see them having a great year. I wish them the best of luck.’’
The injury-riddled Yankees are going to need it.
New York Post LOADED: 03.07.2013
Giambi is chasin’ manager dream
By KEVIN KERNAN
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Jason Giambi’s unique motto said it all: “Party like a rock star, hammer like a porn star, rake like an all-star.”
With those words who knew that a leader would be born? But Giambi is a new-age leader in every way.
He was a finalist for the Rockies managerial job that went to Walt Weiss this offseason and the Indians signed him to be a leader in their
clubhouse. Maybe someday the ex-Yankees slugger might even manage his old team.
That would be great TV for YES.
“I’ve seen it all and I’ve done it all, that’s the problem,’’ said a smiling Giambi, who made headlines for noting he wore a lucky gold thong to
break out of hitting slumps.
“I do hope to manage someday. I threw my hat in the ring with the Rockies and it was pretty exciting and I got down to the end.’’
“He’s not ‘a’ veteran, he’s ‘the’ veteran,’’ Indians manager Terry Francona said Wednesday. “He’s a special guy. He demands respect. When
he walks in a room guys want to listen to him.
“Guys gravitate toward ‘G’ and he has a way of talking where they want to listen. He openly admits, ‘I’ve been everywhere. I’ve been at the top,
the bottom.’ He doesn’t shy away from that.’’
Giambi, 42, said his love for the game pushes him to one day become a manager.
“When I went to the Rockies, I put my ego in my back pocket and became a role player and helped the young kids,’’ he said.
As for going after the Rockies’ managerial job, he noted, “I was serious from the start.’’
Giambi blew team officials away in his interviews.
“I killed it,’’ he said. “The advantage I had is that I played there four years, I knew the organization and the players inside out. I knew all the
minor leaguers, too. That’s what really helped me out.’’
Now Giambi is just gaining more experience for the day he eventually does become a manager.
And maybe someday if his team goes through a losing streak he will slip on that lucky gold thong to help his team snap out of its slump.
New York Post LOADED: 03.07.2013
March 7, 2013
On the Beat
Fighting for Béisbol Prominence
by John Perrotto
Let’s not kid ourselves. The biggest reason for holding the World Baseball Classic is to generate more interest in Major League Baseball
internationally, which means more merchandise sold on MLB.com and more MLB.tv subscriptions purchased. When it comes to MLB, like all
professional sports, it is about creating more revenue streams.
However, MLB’s altruistic version of the WBC is that it will grow the game globally and make baseball more popular in countries where it
doesn’t have much of a foothold. Spain is that kind of nation.
Spain pulled a shocker in a WBC qualifier at Jupiter, Fla., last September by beating Israel in the final. Now the Spaniards are in the WBC first
round and will play in Pool C along with the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela at San Juan. Their first game is Friday night
against host Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
Spain seemingly has no chance of being one of the two teams to survive its pool and move on to the second round in Miami. In its first
exhibition game against a major-league team on Tuesday, Spain was routed 10-0 by the Pirates in Bradenton, Fla., even though Pittsburgh did
not play any of its regulars. However, Spain manager Mauro Mazzotti thinks his team has already won just for the fact that one of the Spanish
television networks has a reporter embedded with his squad and the nation’s two largest-selling newspapers are regularly printing stories about
the WBC.
“The sports pages in Spain are pretty much all soccer with Real Madrid and Barcelona FC,” Mazzotti said. “Still, we are least getting some
attention, and that’s good for the sport. A lot of people in Spain do not know much about baseball, but hopefully we can change that in this
tournament. I don’t know how we are going to fare, but it will be a success if we raise the profile of the sport.”
Spain right-hander Eric Gonzalez admits that raising that profile will be difficult. Baseball holds such a low place in Spain’s sporting realm that
he is the only Spanish national on the roster, and he was born in the Canary Islands. Gonzalez played for four seasons in the Padres’ farm
system after being their 24th-round draft pick in 2009 from the University of South Alabama. He spent last year with Lake Erie in the
independent Frontier League
“It’s a complicated situation,” Gonzalez said. “People in Spain love soccer, and it’s always going to be the No. 1 sport in that country. We
understand that. Baseball is a complicated game with a lot more rules than soccer, and I think that is part of the reason why it is not as popular
in as many countries as it is in the United States and Latin America. What we’re hoping to do is, by competing against some of the very best
players in the world, that people in Spain will take interest and try to learn more about the sport.”
Spain, though, is an overwhelming underdog, as it has just two players with major-league experience. Reliever Rhiner Cruz made 62
appearances in his debut with the Astros last season, while first baseman Barbero Canizares played in five games for the Braves in 2009. The
rest of the squad consists of current or former minor leaguers from Latin American or the United States who are of Spanish descent.
Outfielder Danny Figueroa and his brother, infielder Paco, both reached the Triple-A level in the Orioles’ farm system after playing collegiately
at the University of Miami. They have been integral figures on the Spanish national team and two of the few players on the roster who have
actually visited Spain. Their father is a native, and they have upward of 20 cousins in the country. While Danny knows the Spaniards are big
underdogs, he believes they draw strength from the victory over Israel.
“We’ve got a tight-knit group that has been together for a while now, and we really believe we can compete with anybody,” Danny Figueroa
said. “We know what we’re up against. We’re going to be playing against all-star teams in San Juan, but we also know that anything can
happen in any given baseball game. We don’t expect to go down there and get beat three times.”
And how would the sports fans of Spain react if their home team upset one of the traditional powers?
“I hope they’d be excited,” Gonzalez said. “That’s why we’re doing this. Even though most of us are from other countries, we take pride in
putting on this uniform. We were waving the Spanish flag when we beat Israel. There was a great deal of pride when we won, and it was
emotional. Hopefully, the people in Spain will notice if we do something like that again.”
--The most-scouted player in Florida this spring has been Tigers right-hander Rick Porcello. He is expendable because of the emergence of lefthander Drew Smyly and could be used as trade bait for a closer, as rookie right-hander Bruce Rondon has struggled with control in exhibition
games. A scout who has watched Porcello this spring feels he could become a valuable member of some team’s starting rotation.
“He’s throwing hard, his fastball has been real firm, and his slider is really improved,” the scout said. “His game is always going to be getting
ground balls, and if you put him on a team that can catch the ball in the infield—unlike the Tigers—he could have a lot of success. It seems like
he’s been around forever, but he’s just 24, and there’s room for him to really blossom.”
--It looks increasingly likely that Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal may need to begin the season on the disabled list because of a strained
elbow. That leaves either Ronny Cedeno, signed as a free agent in the offseason, or 2012 stretch drive and post-season hero Pete Kozma to
fill the void.
Cedeno hit .259/.332/.410 with four home runs in 186 plate appearances for the Mets last season, and Kozma batted .333/.383/.569 in 82 plate
appearances with two homers and two stolen bases. Kozma contributed 1.2 WARP, while Cedeno was barely above replacement level at 0.1.
One scout who regularly covers the Cardinals believes Kozma should be the choice: “I know he played over his head last September and he’s
not going to hit like that,” the scout said, “but he’s a much better option. He’s a lot more consistent than Cedeno, and he’ll catch the ball when
it’s hit to him. Cedeno might make spectacular plays, but he boots too many routine balls.”
--Opening Day is a little more than three weeks away, and free agent right-hander Kyle Lohse remains unsigned because teams would prefer
not to forfeit a first-round draft pick as compensation. It seems unlikely Lohse would have enough time to get ready to start the season in a
major-league rotation if he does not sign in the next few days, or that he will get the reported three-year, $45-million contract he is seeking.
Most front-office types believe Lohse would be best served settling for one of the one-year “pillow” contracts that his agent,Scott Boras, has
become famous for, then go back to free agency next winter. Another possibility for Lohse is to sit out until after the amateur draft ends June 8,
because the signing would no longer be subject to compensation. One FOTbelieves Lohse is wise to keep holding out.
“Eventually, someone is going to need a starting pitcher badly enough that they will pay him,” the FOT said. “You also have to remember that
his value is never higher than it is now. He went 16-3 last season (for the Cardinals). He’s not going to go 16-3 again. He’s coming off a career
year, and he needs to take advantage of it.”
--The Phillies’ Chase Utley isn’t the only veteran second baseman who appears to being enjoying a rebirth on the Gulf of Mexico this spring. The
Orioles’ Brian Roberts is opening eyes on the Grapefruit League circuit.
“He looks great,” said one scout who has watched Roberts regularly in the early part of the exhibition season. “He’s moving really well, and he
just looks healthy again. I know his injury history, and it would be foolish to think he can play 150 games, but I have been really impressed. He
looks like the old Brian Roberts so far.
Roberts has been limited to a combined 115 games over the last three seasons. He appeared in just 17 games last year.
--Athletics left fielder Yoenis Cespedes lived up to the hype of a four-year, $36-million contract as a rookie last season. The Cuban defector hit
.292/.356/.505 with 23 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 540 plate appearances while producing 4.3 WARP. Scouts in Arizona are expecting
even bigger things from the 27-year-old this year.
“It’s night and day between this spring and last spring,” one scout said. “He was just feeling his way along. Now, he is playing with so much
confidence, and he’s done a great job of learning how to hit breaking balls. You could get him out with breaking balls last year, but he’s
crushing them now. As tough as (O.co Coliseum) is on hitters, I could still see him having a monster year.”
Tom Verducci>INSIDE BASEBALL
The case for the World Baseball Classic
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Angels ace Jered Weaver threw three innings against Italy Wednesday in Tempe, Ariz., but it was not a World Baseball
Classic game. It was your garden-variety, sparsely-attended midweek afternoon spring training glorified scrimmage, especially with Los
Angeles trotting out an entire jayvee team behind Weaver. He was, as pitchers like to say this time of year, "just getting my work in." He wanted
no part of pitching in the actual WBC, which would have required him to ramp up his throwing regimen by about three weeks to get to gameready shape.
"I would love to do it," Weaver said. "[But] my first priority is to be healthy and get ready for my organization."
A few hours later, Derek Holland of the Texas Rangers, wearing a red USA jersey, worked on fielding grounders on a back field of Salt River
Fields in Scottsdale with Greg Maddux, the USA pitching coach and the winningest pitcher alive. Holland will start Sunday against Canada.
"I jumped at the chance," Holland said about playing in the WBC. "It's a childhood dream come true. I have grandparents who were in the
service. They were at Pearl Harbor. I've always felt like if I weren't a baseball player, I'd be in the service, too. So it's the chance to represent
my country. And to work with Greg Maddux and be around all of these great players is just something that's too good to pass up. It really is a
childhood dream coming true."
One tournament. Two AL West pitchers. Two different viewpoints. Neither one is wrong, though the reasons to opt out continue to get more
attention than the reasons for opting in -- at least in the United States.
The World Baseball Classic gets more coverage here for what it is not than for what it is. The best American players don't sign on to play. The
games don't get great ratings. They rarely sell out. It's held the wrong time of year. It's not a great betting opportunity. A Kardashian never has
been seen at one.
In other words, it's not American enough.
As the USA opens pool play Friday night in Phoenix against Mexico, understand this, American fans, when it comes to the WBC: It's not about
you. Yes, that's hard to believe, you with the remote control and the Cheetos-stained fingers, but the WBC is a critical success without you -and Weaver and Buster Posey and Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw and Prince Fielder and everybody else who opted to take a pass on
the world's best international baseball tournament.
One of the primary driving forces when the WBC began in 2006 -- two years before the Beijing Olympics -- was not to give the gluttonous
American sports fan another calorie-laden overprocessed event on his all-you-can-eat buffet. It was to establish a foothold in the largest
emerging consumer market in the world: China. The owners and players knew that the biggest bang toward injecting meaning into their catch
phrase of "growing the game" meant tapping into a market of 1.3 billion people. That's a lot of MLB.tv subscriptions. The WBC, riding the rocket
booster of Olympic interest, was baseball's official invitation for China to join the club. And once China sent one of its own to star in the big
leagues -- the Yao Ming of baseball -- the growth of the sport would be unimaginable.
Alas, China hasn't exactly embraced the nuances of the game overnight. After baseball sent some of its best people there, for instance, to help
build ballfields for the Beijing Games, almost as soon as the Olympic torch was extinguished the fields were plowed over to make way for a
shopping mall. The growth of baseball in China appears to be a longer-term project than what MLB first envisioned.
Since then, however, the 2009 and 2013 WBC tournaments have succeeded in energizing places such as Japan, South Korea, the
Netherlands (where a $13 million ballpark is being built), Brazil and throughout Latin America. To borrow from American standards of
measurement, the two highest-rated programs in Japan since 2006 -- even higher than the Beijing Olympics--- are WBC final games: Japan's
2006 win over Cuba (which pulled a 43.4 rating) and its 2009 win over South Korea (which did a 37.8). Almost half the TV sets in Korea were
tuned to that 2009 thriller.
When South Korea was eliminated in pool play this year, manager Joong-Il Ryu issued a heartfelt, painful apology that stood as perhaps the
best evidence yet of the tournament's import. "So I'd like to apologize to the Korean people for disappointing you . . . ," he said. "Some said the
players' abilities are not as good as before, but they were the best players I have ever had. I was not good enough as their manager."
Last week in Fukuoka, Japan, more than 2,170 media credentials were issued for pool play games held there. In Taiwan, the game between
Chinese Taipei and South Korea drew 23,431 fans, the largest crowd ever for a baseball game there.
Most importantly, the WBC has funneled almost $23 million in proceeds to member countries and the International Baseball Federation to help
support grassroots programs.
The sloppy talk radio dismissal that "nobody cares about the WBC," at least not as much as the thrilling competition between catchers Chris
Stewart, Francisco Cervelli and Austin Romine in Yankees camp, is provincialism at work.
Worse, still, for the WBC is how MLB's own players, managers and general managers often mistreat it. Teams cannot bar a player from
participating in the event unless he is recovering from an injury, but they often apply verbal arm-twisting to let the player know they don't
recommend it. One WBC player, for instance, reported that many of his friends who otherwise wanted to play in the event chose not to because
their club discouraged it. Other players don't see the logic in leaving their MLB team during spring training -- as if anybody ever needed all
seven weeks full of Groundhog Days in spring training.
"We're doing everything here that we would be doing in camp to get ready," said USA third baseman David Wright of the Mets.
The USA is 7-7 in WBC games and hasn't won it yet, which also has contributed to the tournament's lack of relevance on the American sports
radar. The two quickest ways to upgrade its profile in the states is either the USA comes up with a Dream Team or it wins the tournament in
spectacular fashion. (Best case scenario for generating interest: the USA plays an undefeated Cuba team in the final March 19 in San
Francisco, because Cuba still clings to a cloak of mystery and notoriety as something of an enemy of the state.)
The Dream Team idea sounds good -- that Verlander would throw to Buster Posey backed by an infield of Fielder, Dustin Pedroia, Troy
Tulowitzki and Evan Longoria and an outfield of Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and Andrew McCutchen, none of whom are here. But baseball
doesn't have true national stars the way basketball does, and the Dream Team concept isn't happening because the American player typically
does not hold nationalism above obligation to employer. (Don't expect shame or apologia from USA if it doesn't win yet again, for instance.)
When first baseman Mark Teixeira of the Yankees and USA was knocked out of the WBC with a wrist injury, USA officials had to make several
calls for a replacement before winding up with Eric Hosmer of the Royals (a fine choice, by the way). A USA source said team officials inquired
about Ryan Howard of the Phillies, but were told Howard was not in game-ready shape. They also asked about Fielder, who had turned them
down in November but was thought to be harboring second thoughts. Apparently not -- Fielder declined again.
USA need make no apology for the team it will put on the field Friday night, especially with an outfield of Ryan Braun, Adam Jones and
Giancarlo Stanton representing 110 home runs from 2012. The tournament isn't perfect and never will be because there is no time of year for it
that doesn't involve some compromise.
(Can we at last please have a moratorium on suggestions of a better time of year to hold the WBC? Do you not think that MLB and the IBF
have been studying this for more than seven years? Every other time period -- late March, All-Star break, November, etc. -- is fraught with more
problems than what we have now.)
This is not to say the tournament cannot continue to be tweaked as it evolves. The tiebreaker procedures need a review. The USA probably
should play out of the country in pool play instead of essentially competing with itself (i.e., spring training) in Arizona. (The team drew 43,000 in
Toronto in 2009 and would be a huge draw in Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic, where they don't get to see many major leaguers.) Player
access -- behind the scenes cameras, in-game microphones on players, etc. -- should be enhanced to better tell the narratives of the
tournament.
This is, after all, just the third WBC. The third Super Bowl was blacked out in the host city of Miami and kicked off at 3:05 p.m.
The odd part about the American criticism of the WBC is that it generally comes from players and people who never actually have seen the
event, like dismissing an ice cream flavor upon name alone. If you watch the event, especially in person, you cannot help but be hooked. "The
intensity," Wright said, "is up there. This is not by any means an exhibition."
Much of the fun is in finding out just how different the American game of baseball can be: the sights, songs and smells in the stands; the way
the Cubans swing from their heels and manage games with an urgency that walks right up to the line of panic; the way the Japanese keep their
bat on plane for so long through the strike zone and play the littlest form of littleball (they had one extra base hit in the first three games and had
as many walks as strikeouts); the way the Dominicans admire and celebrate home runs; the way the Canadians, so many of whom also grew
up playing hockey, are loaded with lefthanded hitters; the way the Italians bring world-class flavor to the traditionally prosaic postgame spread
("Oh, to die for," recalled pitcher Jason Grilli of the 2009 postgame culinary delights).
Indeed, the beauty of the WBC can be found in exactly the same vein why it hasn't played as well here: because it is so very un-American.
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