MLB This Week

Randy Ruiz had bounced around the minors for 10 years before getting his first taste of the majors. This year he hopes to stick with one club: the Toronto Blue Jays. He knows from experience, though, not to get his hopes up too high. “I put no pressure on myself,” Ruiz said Saturday. “I would love to be up there with the club but right now I’m just going to have fun and try to do…

An offseason of reflection hasn’t softened Chipper Jones’ stance. The Atlanta Braves’ third baseman still says he will walk away from the game if he can’t bounce back from a disappointing season. Jones, who will turn 38 in April, said this week he won’t hang around just to collect a paycheck if he’s no longer playing up to the standards which have made him one of the best…

When word first started spreading that veteran pitcher Jose Contreras was joining the Philadelphia Phillies last month, no one was happier than Danys Baez. This was no ordinary new teammate for Baez. Hardly. Contreras’ signing with the Phillies completed a remarkable reunion of two men who escaped Cuba and found success in the major leagues.

The top of the New York Mets’ rotation is in good hands again, with Johan Santana looking healthy this spring after season-ending elbow surgery last year. After Santana, well, there’s a lot of ifs, maybes and question marks. Mike Pelfrey regressed last year after a promising 2008 season. John Maine has struggled to stay on the field.

Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson arrived at the Oakland Athletics’ spring training facilities Saturday and at least a two dozen A’s were listening intently as he spoke on stealing bases, among other subjects. A’s manager Bob Geren said Henderson’s focus will be on the basepath, but he won’t be limited.

When most sports fans talk about Jeff Samardzija, they mention the agile receiver who used to catch Brady Quinn’s touchdown passes at Notre Dame. Then, as an afterthought: “Oh, and isn’t he trying to pitch for the Chicago Cubs?” As much as he loves a good football conversation, Samardzija wants this to be the year people are talking baseball when he is the subject.

Washington Nationals first baseman Adam Dunn has lost track of how many groundballs have been hit his way this spring. Quick reaction shots, backhanders in the hole, line-huggers that draw him toward the base and the runner. No matter the situation, he’s worked on it. And for good reason: Dunn is focused on proving he can provide adequate defense at a position where he’s clearly a work in…