Right-hander Aaron Harang isn’t assured of making another opening day start for the Cincinnati Reds. Manager Dusty Baker said Friday that he’s open-minded about who will start the opener. Harang has started the past four, but his struggles to win games during the past two seasons have thrown the No.
Archive for February 19th, 2010
INF Barfield returns to Padres (AP)
Infielder Josh Barfield has returned to the San Diego Padres, agreeing to a minor league contract. The 27-year-old, a son of former All-Star outfielder Jesse Barfield, hit .280 with 13 homers and 21 steals for the Padres in 2006. He spent the past three years with Cleveland and was the Indians starter at second base for most of 2007, but was just 8 for 20 for the Indians last year, when he spent…
La Russa: Cards’ rotation among the best (AP)
St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa will stack up his top four starters with those of any team in the major leagues. And he’s not too worried about the fifth spot, either. Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright finished 2-3 in the NL Cy Young voting. Kyle Lohse is one year removed from a 15-win season and healthy again, and Brad Penny apparently is back on his game.
MLB bans deadly weapons from clubhouses (AP)
Major League Baseball has a new message for players and employees this spring training: Keep guns, long knives and explosives out of the clubhouse. Signs have been placed in spring training locker rooms stating “individuals are prohibited from possessing deadly weapons while performing any services for MLB.” The rules apply to employees of the commissioner’s office, other central…
Not-so-young Marlins open camp (AP)
Those perennially youthful Florida Marlins are starting to show a little age. Five members of the Marlins’ talented rookie class of 2006 are back for the start of another spring training, lending a rare sense of continuity to a franchise known for constant roster turnover. The group includes ace Josh Johnson, NL batting champion Hanley Ramirez and slugging second baseman Dan Uggla.
Mets’ Escobar: Shoulder weak, not hurt (AP)
New Yorks Mets reliever Kelvim Escobar said Friday that his shoulder is merely weak and any rumors that he is hurt are untrue. The former starter signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal with the Mets in late December, despite pitching in only one major league game since 2007 because of shoulder surgery.
M’s Hernandez unchanged by big contract (AP)
Felix Hernandez still wears his cap bill slightly tilted to one side. He still performs the sign of the cross as he prepares to pitch. And that fastball that helped make him the Seattle Mariners’ ace is still electric. Not much has changed for King Felix — that is, other than the five-year, $78 million contract paycheck he signed last month and the two pounds he gained before arriving for…
