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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Columns:  Wieters: 'I'd much rather be playing for the playoffs as opposed to playing on that Opening Day' The Sun 3/24  Who wins the American League East? The Sun 3/24  Cal and Bill Ripken look to 2015 in Aberdeen and beyond The Sun 3/24  Five Orioles roster battles still being waged in The Sun 3/23  Inbox: How will catching situation shake out? MLB.com 3/23  10 MLB players, one fantasy mock draft MLB.com 3/23  Wieters: "I want to be ready as quick as possible" MASNsports.com 3/24  Orioles lineup vs. Pirates MASNsports.com 3/24  Hardy on Janish: "He struck me out in '09, so use that" MASNsports.com 3/24  Ripken brothers talk Orioles, IronBirds and more at Aberdeen event MASNsports.com 3/24  Under-the-radar spring breakthroughs ESPN.com 3/23  Wieters knows there won't be an Opening Day for him CSN Baltimore 3/24  Jimenez needs strong start to impress Orioles CSN Baltimore 3/24  Orioles prospect suffers fractured fibula NBCSports.com 3/23  Sunday Notes: Snider’s Swing, Starting Matusz, Backstop Academia, Grapefruit Nuggets FanGraphs.com 3/22  It’s time for MLB to expand teams’ rosters Boston Globe 3/22

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-wieters-id-much-rather-be-playing-for-the- playoffs-as-opposed-to-playing-on-that-opening-day-20150324-story.html

Wieters: 'I'd much rather be playing for the playoffs as opposed to playing on that Opening Day'

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun March 24, 2015

Orioles – speaking for the first time since Buck Showalter said he is unlikely to be recovered in time for Opening Day – expressed disappointment in not making the target date he set when he had Tommy John surgery in June. But the three-time All-Star is focused on making sure once he does return, it’s for good.

"It's hard, and it's what – the last five years, been able to be on the Opening Day [roster],” Wieters said. “It's a special date, it's always fun to experience it, but at the same time, I want to be there at the end of the year and I'd much rather be playing for the playoffs as opposed to playing on that Opening Day date.

"Opening Day was always the goal. It was always something that I was shooting for just because throughout the course of a long offseason, you want to have that end goal in sight. I think once I came to terms that probably wasn't going to be the best thing for my arm as well as for the team at that point, it was a little bit easier to sit back and say, 'OK, now let's just let it calm down and when it's ready, it's ready.' "

Wieters said his elbow is feeling better, but won’t test it out every day as was the case before.

"The latest is we're still letting it rest,” he said. “We're seeing improvement, and it's getting better and feeling better. But at the same time, getting into the mindset where we're not going to test it out every day like we were before. We're going to try to spread it out. Treatment's been going well. We're just going to continue to stay on that path."

Wieters was shut down with elbow tendinitis on the day after catching his first Grapefruit League game on March 17. On Saturday, Showalter said it was unlikely Wieters would make the Opening Day roster, saying his return will now be monitored week-by-week instead of day-by- day.

"I think now that Opening Day has kind of come and gone and passed, it's not a matter of a date,” Wieters said. “It's more when it's ready, and I think that's the thing that's probably a little bit easier for me than trying to say, 'OK, we have to be ready by here or we have to be ready by here.'

"I want to be ready as quick as possible and where I feel like once I start playing, I'm going to be able to keep improving and we're not going to have any issues throughout the course of the year, then I'll be confident."

Wieters, who is hitless in 23 Grapefruit League at bats (mostly as a DH), said he would probably play in minor league spring training games instead of Grapefruit League games if he’s able play before Opening Day. He is eligible to come off the disabled list on April 11.

Wieters also echoed Showalter’s sentiment that he wouldn’t join the major league club to be strictly a designated hitter.

"That's kind of always been whatever Buck feels is best,” Wieters said. “I think as far as my rehab, I really wanted to focus on getting the catching right first. Once we get there, then we can sort of look at whether or not DHing's an option. But right now, it's a matter of just making sure I can get back behind the plate and get catching first.

"If Buck ever feels like that's better for the team for me to DH as opposed to just making sure I get back quick catching, then I'll surely do it. But I think the big thing is being able to get back catching first."

Here are the starting lineups for today's game against the Pirates in Bradenton:

Orioles lineup vs Pitts: De Aza 7, Pearce 9, Paredes 5, Young DH, Davis 3, Lavarnway 2, Lough 8, Cabrera 4, Janish 6, Jimenez 1.

Pirates lineup vs Os: Harrison 5, Polanco 9, McCutchen 8, Walker DH, Marte 7, Alvarez 3, Mercer 6, Kang 4, Sanchez 2. Liz 1.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-connollys-bar-who-wins-the-al-east- 20150323-story.html

Who wins the American League East?

By Dan Connolly / The Baltimore Sun March 24, 2015

Welcome back to the bar.

It’s been a while. We were closed for renovations. Some wise guy painted black bars over our Ravens mural; that took some time to clean up. While we were it at it, we changed the decor.

Now that ’s men’s season has ended, everything in Connolly’s is in black and orange. Time for you to talk some with the barkeep. And I’ve got a solid question for you today.

Each year we make our baseball predictions for The Sun’s special section – it’s about that time for me to send mine in. And I don’t see any way around it: I’m predicting the Orioles win the division again.

I know – a Baltimore homer. But here’s a little historical perspective:

This is my 15th season covering the team, and I’ve never once predicted in March that the Orioles would win the division at season’s end. Last year I had them back in the playoffs, but as a Wild Card.

In 2013, I said they would finish above .500, but fail to make the postseason – and I was right.

In 2012? Um, I was a bit off on that one. I had the Orioles finishing dead last in the American League East -- and they reached the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

Point is, I’m not perfect (I’m sure that was what all of you were thinking) and I’m not just being an Orioles drone here. I was prepared to select the as my division winner, but the season-ending knee injury to Marcus Stroman makes that rotation too shaky to pick first (though I still love their gritty additions of Russell Martin and ). I’m going with the Blue Jays to end up third.

I have the New York Yankees fourth, because I think they are too old to make a and the , who are too banged up and undermanned, finishing fifth.

So that leaves the Orioles and the revamped , who I think will make the playoffs. The Red Sox are the chic pick this year given their bevy of offseason moves. But I just haven’t bought into that rotation or a bullpen led by the ageless Koji Uehara, who is already dealing with injury.

I asked two Boston scribes what they thought – and both said they were choosing between the Orioles and Red Sox, as well. And both were leaning to the Orioles.

Frankly, I think the Orioles will take a step back from their 96-win season last year. But the rest of the teams in the division are just as flawed, or more so. I don’t see another club moving up to meet the Orioles – unless the Red Sox package some top prospects for a rotation boost (Cole Hamels?). And since that hasn’t happened yet, I’m picking the Orioles to repeat as division champions.

Your turn.

Daily Think Special: Who wins the 2015 American League East?

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/aberdeen-havre-de-grace/ph-ag-ripken- hot-stove-0325-20150324-story.html

Cal and Bill Ripken look to 2015 in Aberdeen and beyond

By Jeff Seidel / The Baltimore Sun March 24, 2015

For the Ripkens and the Aberdeen IronBirds, the 2015 season promises to celebrate the past while looking to the future.

Cal Ripken Jr., chairman and founder of Ripken Baseball, and his younger brother, Bill Ripken, co-chairman/executive vice president, said the IronBirds will host the New York-Penn League All-Star Game on Aug. 18 at Ripken Stadium. In addition, Cal is going to spend more time at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen this season as the IronBirds celebrate the 20th anniversary of his breaking Lou Gehrig's major league record of 2,130 consecutive games played.

Cal and Bill Ripken discussed those and other developments while speaking to the media during Monday night's Hot Stove dinner at Ripken Stadium.

They said they will also keep pushing ahead with the building of Youth Development Parks, which comes through the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, named after their father. When the project started five years ago, the goal was to build 50 of these parks by 2015. They'll be passing that goal by the end of this year and continuing to help children.

The IronBirds will officially celebrate Cal's setting the 2,131 record when they host Lowell on Sept. 2 at 7:05 p.m. Cal broke Gehrig's record with the Orioles on Sept. 6, 1995 and went on to play 2,632 consecutive games.

This summer will involve telling the story of how Cal got to 2,131.

"We're doing some interesting things [here]," Cal Ripken said. "I know I'm planning to be up here a whole lot more this summer. It's fun to be in and around what's going on up here. I'm looking forward to it."

The IronBirds will host the All-Star Game for the second time. They last did it nine years ago with more than 6,900 fans attending.

Bill Ripken, also speaking to the media on Monday, said the all-star game should be interesting to watch because of the number of talented players in it who could go on to bigger things sooner rather than later.

"If you think about the way guys go through the minor leagues now to get to the big league level, you could see somebody in this ballpark [then] next year you could see them at the big league level," he said. "[They might] be impacting a team the way these guys seem to fly through their systems."

One project that's also clearly important to the Ripken brothers is the continued development of the youth parks they've built across the country.

They identify a community which could benefit from one – which costs about $1 million – and work with them on raising money. The foundation will contribute money, eventually build the park and stay involved afterward.

They've built several fields in the Baltimore area, including the one that opened last year in Aberdeen and named in honor of their mother, Vi Ripken. Cal Ripken said they simply enjoy that they're about to have a positive impact on kids in so many places.

"We're building fields all across the country," he said. "We were satisfied being a regional foundation that can help just as many kids as we could touch. Now, because of our fields and because of the models in which we're doing those, we're all over the place. That's pretty gratifying to open a new field and impact kids in another part of the country."

The brothers also are optimistic about what their former team could do in 2015. After winning the American League East last year, the Orioles come into the new season facing a bunch of questions because of the losses of key players Nelson Cruz, and .

Bill Ripken said the combination of pitching and hitting the Orioles will have this year has impressed him. Cal Ripken agreed the Orioles should be strong once more.

"They've got five [starting ] that can throw a 3.5 ERA up there," Bill Ripken said. "I think with the club, and the way they swing the bats…I don't see anybody in the East better than that."

"They're a playoff-caliber team," Cal Ripken said, "and I think that's the only prediction that you really can make going in because the season dictates how the year's going to go."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-spring-training-0324-20150323- story.html#page=2

Five Orioles roster battles still being waged in spring training

By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun March 23, 2015

It is less than two weeks until the Orioles open the regular season on April 6 in Tampa Bay, but with 13 Grapefruit League games remaining in spring training, they still have plenty of time to finalize their 25-man Opening Day roster.

When major league camp began, the Orioles didn't have many roster decisions to make. Most of the core group is back — Nelson Cruz, Nick Markakis and Andrew Miller notwithstanding — and most of the talk of spring training has been the return from injury of and catcher Matt Wieters, as well as a potential rebound season from first baseman .

Still, some roster battles remain. Here's a look at five that are still to be decided this spring training:

1. The emergence of Jimmy Paredes

Few would have projected Paredes, who drew more attention for his defensive gaffes last season than for his bat, to make the Opening Day roster this time last month, but the 26-year-old switch hitter has emerged as a dark horse to make the team.

Simply put, Paredes has been the Orioles' best hitter this spring, entering Sunday's game batting .433 (13-for-30). He leads the team in hits, doubles (three) and RBIs (10). It's no secret he can — he batted .302 in 18 games with the Orioles last season — but the knock has always been on Paredes' glove.

However, at this point, Paredes is making it difficult for the Orioles to not keep him. He's garnered notice in the manager's office and the clubhouse. He might be just too good a hitter — especially given he's doing it from both sides of the plate — to leave off the team.

Paredes is out of minor league options, and given the strong spring he's had, he's not likely to clear waivers if he's designated for assignment. So, the Orioles will try to find him a place.

He seems to have improved defensively, but he's made two errors at third base this spring. The Orioles are also testing him in left field, and he's seen time in right field in the past. Ultimately, if the Orioles can cover themselves with a roster full of multi-positional players — especially at third base — Paredes might rarely have to pick up a glove, and he can let his bat do his talking.

2. Five position players for three spots

Paredes is one of five players who appear to be battling for the three open position player spots. Infielders Jonathan Schoop, Ryan Flaherty and Everth Cabrera, as well as David Lough, are the other four players in contention.

Both Schoop and Flaherty seemed to be locks this time last month. Schoop excelled defensively as the starting second baseman as a rookie and Flaherty has tremendous value as a utility infielder. But then the Orioles signed Cabrera to a $2.4 million deal. It seems that only two of the three can make the team at this point.

Schoop hit 16 homers last season and Orioles manager Buck Showalter said this month he believes Schoop can win a Gold Glove if he puts himself in a position to play every day. That will depend on his bat, because last year he went though lengthy slumps. He struck out too much, didn't walk enough and hit just .209.

Flaherty can pretty much play everywhere — all four infield positions and both corner outfield spots. He's a good backup shortstop, but he, too, struggled with the bat.

Cabrera is also playing around the diamond trying to make the club as a utility player. The one dynamic Cabrera adds that the others don't is plus speed. That's important given there's no heir apparent to Markakis, the club's leadoff hitter last season. Cabrera was an All-Star two years ago as a shortstop, but he's also seen time at second base and played center field this spring.

Cabrera hasn't had a great spring, struggling on occasion defensively and on the basepaths. Admittedly, he's missed a lot of time the past two years, serving a 50-game suspension as part of the BioGenesis performance-enhancing drug scandal in 2013 and missing 69 games with hamstring issues last season. The Orioles can option Cabrera to the minors, but would have to be content with him opening the season in the minors with the money they're paying him.

Lough does not have an option, but has universal support through the organization after hitting .337 after June 1 last season. He can play all three outfield position, but there is a logjam of in camp. He's a solid defender and, like Cabrera, brings speed to the basepaths.

3. The catching situation

Up until the past week, there was optimism that Matt Wieters would be recovered from last June's Tommy John elbow surgery and ready for Opening Day. On Saturday, Showalter said that's unlikely after the team shut Wieters down with elbow tendonitis.

Caleb Joseph will likely assume the starting catcher duties if Wieters isn't ready. Joseph hit just .207 last season, but was exceptional defensively, which matters most in replacing a two-time Gold Glove winner in Wieters. Joseph threw out an American League-best 40 percent of baserunners last season.

It's not clear who Joseph's backup would be — none of three candidates remaining in camp have pulled away from the others this spring.

Pigtown native Steve Clevenger won the backup job behind Wieters out of spring training last season, but played just 35 games at the major league level, as he was sent to -A Norfolk in May. This spring Clevenger has thrown out just two of 11 basestealers (18.2 percent)

J.P. Arencibia, a former first-round draft pick with a 20-homer season under his belt, is a minor- league invite who hit well last season with the Texas Rangers' Triple-A team under new Orioles hitting Scott Coolbaugh. Arencibia has struggled defensively and already has four passed balls this spring.

Another minor-league invite is former hyped Red Sox prospect Ryan Lavarnway, whose playing time has spiked in recent days. He's thrown out just one of six potential basestealers (16.7 percent) this spring.

4. Six starters for five spots

There hasn't been much movement on this front. , Wei-Yin Chen and Bud Norris all have their rotation spots locked, leaving Miguel Gonzalez, Ubaldo Jimenez and battling for the final two spots.

Jimenez, who is in the second year of a club-record four-year, $50 million contract, is the Golden Goose in this equation. He was 6-9 with 4.81 ERA last year, battling control issues and his mechanics before a demotion to the bullpen allowed him to make some adjustments to his delivery.

This spring, Jimenez's pitching lines have been far from spectacular, but Showalter said he's gotten better each time out. Take this into account: Jimenez walked five and hit two batters in his first two spring starts. He's walked only one batter and hit another in his past two starts. Because his delivery is as unconventional as they come, he continued to work on his mechanics this spring with hopes that his adjustments would become second nature.

Like last season, Gausman has had a strong spring. He hasn't allowed an earned run in 10innings, even though the past two starts weren't in Grapefruit League play. He threw three shutout innings in a B game against the Pirates and four in a low Class-A minor league game on Friday. Showalter has said the fact that Gausman has options remaining won't be used against him this year.

Gonzalez was 10-9 with a 3.23 ERA and was one of the Orioles best starters in the second half (2.19 ERA after the All-Star break), but he has a minor league option remaining. He's posted a 4.26 ERA in four Grapefruit League starts, allowing two runs in each of his past three outings.

5. Bullpen conundrum

Closer Zach Britton and setup men Darren O'Day and have their bullpen spots locked up. Newcomer Wesley Wright, a left-handed pitcher, and right-hander have pitched well enough to be safe.

Right-hander Ryan Webb missed two weeks with a sore right knee before returning Saturday with a scoreless inning. That was just Webb's third inning this spring. Despite the fact that Webb has a major-league contract, the Orioles sent him to Triple-A last season and could do it again this year.

That's also the case with left-hander T.J. McFarland, but the Orioles like the sinkerballer as a long man who can turn the opposing lineup around behind a right-handed starter. He could also make a spot start, if needed.

If Jimenez doesn't make the rotation, he could be sent to the bullpen as a right-handed long reliever, as could Gonzalez, who has experience in long relief.

The most interesting reliever has become left-hander , who has been the subject of trade rumors as the Orioles have started him — and perhaps showcased him — in his past two outings. Matusz is having a tremendous offseason, allowing only one run in 10 1/3 spring innings and posting a 0.87 ERA.

He's holding hitters to a .179 batting average and has 10 and no walks.

That leaves the Orioles' two Rule 5 picks. Both are competing for bullpen spots.

Right-hander Jason Garcia, drafted from the Red Sox, missed nearly two weeks with a left hamstring injury before returning Sunday. He's thrown four shutout innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Right-hander Logan Verrett, a starting pitcher throughout his entire pro career with the , has raised some eyebrows this spring, going multiple innings in four of his five outings and allowing just two runs over 10 innings (1.80 ERA) while recording eight strikeouts, one walk and two saves.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/114552846/orioles-inbox-how-will-catching-situation- shake-out

Inbox: How will catching situation shake out? Beat reporter Brittany Ghiroli answers questions from fans

By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com March 23, 2015

Without Matt Wieters, how do you see the Orioles' catching situation shaking out? -- Bill F., Arlington, Va.

Manager Buck Showalter made it pretty clear it's safe to speculate that will be the primary starter, and defense will continue to be the deciding factor in who earns the backup job. The O's best defensive catching prospect is Brian Ward, whom the club already sent out to Minor League camp. Internal options currently in camp are J.P. Arencibia, Steve Clevenger and Ryan Lavarnway, with Clevenger the only one on the 40-man roster. That's not necessarily an advantage, as the O's have been willing under executive vice president of baseball operations and Showalter to make the roster moves necessary to field the best club. If camp ended today, Showalter said he could make a decision on the catching race. But he hasn't tipped his hand early.

How concerned should fans be about some of the early lineup struggles? -- Mike R., Baltimore

I get questions similar to this every spring, and the answer is almost always the same: Don't be too concerned. There are many factors affecting run scoring in Spring Training -- ballpark sizes, Florida's weather conditions, consecutive day games -- that don't exist during the regular season. Add in the small sample size and the fact that pitchers are always ahead of hitters early on in camp, and offense can be lackluster. At this point, the Orioles -- like every other team in baseball -- are just hoping to stay healthy over the next two weeks. If I'm getting these questions in mid- May, there should certainly be more concern.

Will Jason Garcia make the team? -- Don L., Sarasota, Fla.

The pick definitely has the Orioles' attention. Garcia is young and throws hard, and the right-hander struck out the side in his last appearance, which was return from a minor hamstring issue. The big question is, do the O's have room for him? The team could find a way to operate with one fewer starter early on to keep an extra reliever, but it's still a leap, considering Garcia has never pitched above . Because he's a Rule 5 guy, if Garcia doesn't make the team, the Orioles will lose him, so the next two weeks are critical in terms of making a final evaluation. Baltimore has found a way to keep its recent Rule 5 picks, and if Garcia puts together a solid end to the spring, it would be one of the most interesting -- and final -- decisions in camp.

Any Opening Day rotation thoughts? -- Gary S., Washington, D.C.

It's way too early for Showalter to announce his plans, but Chris Tillman would be my guess as the first guy to go again this year. Wei-Yin Chen will pitch in that first series against the Rays, and Showalter cautioned the media that there could be an interesting setup during the first week or so based on matchups.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/114497850/10-mlb-players-one-fantasy-mock-draft

10 MLB players, one fantasy mock draft

By Zachary Finkelstein / MLB.com March 23, 2015

Here at MLB.com, we have plenty of fantasy baseball expertise. But no one can dispute that the Major League players whom we analyze have their own level of knowledge. Knowing this, we decided to solicit advice from them about how to build the perfect fantasy team. The result is the first ever -- that we know of -- players-only fantasy mock draft.

Ten players with an interest in fantasy baseball agreed to take part in a three-round mock draft with the help of MLB.com reporters, who relayed picks across the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues.

The draft order:

1. Carlos Gomez, OF, Brewers 2. Brian Dozier, 2B, Twins 3: Hector Santiago, LHP, Angels 4: Chris Johnson, 3B, Braves 5. Sam Fuld, OF, A's 6. Darren O'Day, RHP, Orioles 7. Kevin Frandsen, INF, Nationals 8. Brad Ziegler, RHP, D-backs 9. Dallas Keuchel, LHP, Astros 10. Christian Yelich, OF, Marlins

Each player's picks and rationale -- along with analysis from MLB.com fantasy guru Fred Zinkie (@FredZinkieMLB) -- can be found below. We used a standard snake draft format, and in the interest of minimizing clubhouse politics, forbid players from selecting someone on their own team.

For complete draft grades and analysis, check out Zinkie's article here.

Round 1, Pick 1 Player: Gomez Pick: , OF, LAA

Gomez's take: He can do it all: score runs, drive in runs, steal bases, hit for extra bases. He's a great player.

Zinkie's take: Gomez made a great choice, as the Angels' superstar should go first overall in every 2015 draft.

Round 1, Pick 2 Player: Dozier Pick: Andrew McCutchen, OF, PIT

Dozier's take: He and [Giancarlo] Stanton are both exceptional players, but I like guys who can do it all. Stanton obviously has power and drives in runs, but with McCutchen, I like the speed. He's a total player who can swipe bags, hit home runs, get RBIs, everything.

Zinkie's take: Dozier started off his roster with arguably the safest first-round talent, as McCutchen offers steady five-category production.

Round 1, Pick 3 Player: Santiago Pick: Jose Abreu, 1B, CWS

Santiago's take: You saw last year what [Abreu] did. He hit for power early and he hit for average late. He's probably not going to go out there and steal a bunch of bags. He's going to be a guy pitchers try to stay away from, but he's going to put up his numbers.

Zinkie's take: The fantasy community is buzzing over Abreu, who has invaded the top-five picks in many recent drafts.

Round 1, Pick 4 Player: Johnson Pick: Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, ARI

Johnson's take: He's going to hit .300 with power, and don't forget he's going to steal 20 [bases] as well.

Zinkie's take: With a potent power stroke at hitter-friendly Chase Field, Goldschmidt could reward Johnson with a 35-homer, 100-RBI season.

Round 1, Pick 5 Player: Fuld Pick: Clayton Kershaw, LHP, LA

Fuld's take: He's a machine and is only getting better. Plus, his defense behind him should be better this season.

Zinkie's take: The Dodgers' ace is unquestionably the top pitcher in baseball, and he gives Fuld the best chance of having a player who can top Trout in fantasy production.

Round 1, Pick 6 Player: O'Day Pick: Stanton, OF, MIA

O'Day's take: There's some risk here, because you never know how a hitter will respond to coming back from taking a pitch to the face, but his upside makes him worth it here.

Zinkie's take: As O'Day said, Stanton presents more risk than the other elite bats, but he also offers the best chance to secure a 40-homer slugger.

Round 1, Pick 7 Player: Frandsen Pick: Miguel Cabrera, 1B, DET

Frandsen's take: No explanation needed.

Zinkie's take: Frandsen is right -- drafting a player who has returned first-round production every season for more than a decade requires no explanation.

Round 1, Pick 8 Player: Ziegler Pick: Felix Hernandez, RHP, SEA

Ziegler's take: There are several bats that I like here, but only one pitcher who I feel is separated from the rest of the pack. [The Mariners] improved their offense this winter, which should help his win total. And he was as good last year as I've ever seen him.

Zinkie's take: Hernandez has always been a fantasy ace because of his ability to post low ratios and massive innings totals. He could be primed for his first 20-win season after the Mariners revamped their offense in the offseason.

Round 1, Pick 9 Player: Keuchel Pick: Robinson Cano, 2B, SEA

Keuchel's take: Just one of the premier hitters. Other than 'Tuve [Jose Altuve], he's one of the hardest outs in the game.

Zinkie's take: Keuchel will not make a splash by selecting the ultra-consistent Cano in Round 1, but by the end of the season, he will likely end up with better numbers than many of the higher- ceiling first-round options.

Round 1, Pick 10 Player: Yelich Pick: Adam Jones, OF, BAL

Yelich's take: You're talking five-tool player. He can do it all.

Zinkie's take: Like McCutchen and Cano, Jones is so appealing to fantasy owners such as Yelich because of his ultra-reliable production.

Round 2, Pick 1 Player: Yelich Pick: Corey Kluber, RHP, CLE

Yelich's take: Cy Young winner. Nasty stuff.

Zinkie's take: Yelich wisely paired his super-safe selection of Jones with a high-upside pick of Kluber, who could challenge Kershaw for top-pitcher status if he can replicate his 2014 second- half numbers (9-3, 1.73 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 11 K/9 rate) across a full season.

Round 2, Pick 2 Player: Keuchel Pick: , RHP, WSH

Keuchel's take: He's been a workhorse for a number of years now. With that rotation and in that division, he has a chance to establish himself as one of the three best pitchers in the league.

Zinkie's take: Scherzer has been an elite ace for the past two seasons, and it is scary to think of how good he will be in the East.

Round 2, Pick 3 Player: Ziegler Pick: Gomez, OF, MIL

Ziegler's take: I toyed with the idea of not taking him to mess with him, just to see how far he'd fall [since he's participating in this draft]. But in the end, Gomez is an absolute steal with the 13th pick. Potential top-five fantasy player overall -- produces big in every category, which is tough to find from here on out.

Zinkie's take: The Major Leaguers toyed with Gomez by leaving him on the board for a while, but he should be a top-10 pick. Ziegler just secured one of the steals of this draft.

Round 2, Pick 4 Player: Frandsen Pick: Troy Tulowitzki, SS, COL

Frandsen's take: I think the baseball gods will finally be on his side and reward his hard work with a monster year.

Zinkie's take: Tulowitzki is a risky selection, but he could be a top-five player if he can play in 140 games.

Round 2, Pick 5 Player: O'Day Pick: Altuve, 2B, HOU

O'Day's take: He's not a sexy pick, but he will get the job done. Balances it out with Stanton.

Zinkie's take: O'Day is off to a great start, pairing a super slugger in Stanton with the Astros' sparkplug, who is worth a first-round pick because of his ability to contribute a great deal in steals, batting average and runs.

Round 2, Pick 6 Player: Fuld Pick: Chris Sale, LHP, CWS

Fuld's take: I'll take another left-handed pitcher in Sale. An improved offense in Chicago should garner him more wins.

Zinkie's take: Starting a fantasy roster with two aces is a rare strategy, but Kershaw and Sale offer Fuld a chance to win most pitching categories.

Round 2, Pick 7 Player: Johnson Pick: Yasiel Puig, OF, LA

Johnson's take: He's an exciting player who can do it all, and I think he's just going to get better.

Zinkie's take: The 24-year-old is one of baseball's rising stars, and both fantasy owners and Major Leaguers can see that he is destined for greatness.

Round 2, Pick 8 Player: Santiago Pick: , C, SF

Santiago's take: He's going to go out there and put up numbers. And I think them giving him his first base/catcher role, where he can his legs a little bit. I think he's going to have a great year.

Zinkie's take: The Giants' star is a terrific pick because he can rival Trout and Kershaw as the player who provides the most dominant production over the competition at his position.

Round 2, Pick 9 Player: Dozier Pick: , LHP, SF

Dozier's take: I need a pitcher on my team, and after what I saw last year in the playoffs, he's got the momentum to have a phenomenal year.

Zinkie's take: Like the rest of us, Dozier found time to catch enough of the 2014 postseason to realize that Bumgarner is quickly becoming one of baseball's elite aces.

Round 2, Pick 10 Player: Gomez Pick: Carlos Gonzalez, OF, COL

Gomez's take: The big thing is he's healthy, and when he's healthy, he steals bags, hits for power. He has all the tools. He reminds me of me a little bit. I like guys who remind me of me.

Zinkie's take: CarGo is a risky second-round pick because of his injury history, but he will likely reward Gomez nicely if he can start 140 games.

Round 3, Pick 1 Player: Gomez Pick: Nelson Cruz, OF, SEA

Gomez's take: I don't care what people say about hitting at [Safeco Field]. With the kind of power he has, he's going to hit 35-45 homers anywhere he goes.

Zinkie's take: Some observers feel that Safeco Field will be the demise of Cruz, but he is the only Major Leaguer who is coming off a 40-homer season, and his power was well-established long before 2014.

Round 3, Pick 2 Player: Dozier Pick: Adrian Beltre, 3B, TEX

Dozier's take: Beltre has put up numbers for it seems like 30 straight years. He's always a 20-30 candidate, possibly more, with a lot of RBIs and runs. That's a steal.

Zinkie's take: In McCutchen, Bumgarner and Beltre, Dozier has added three reliable studs, which would allow him to take some chances on high-upside players in the middle rounds.

Round 3, Pick 3 Player: Santiago Pick: Jose Bautista, OF, TOR

Santiago's take: He hits for power, he hits for average. He's going to put the ball in play, he's feared as a hitter, and I think all the way around he's going to have another good, productive year. I'm surprised he's still up there. I didn't even think about him, because I thought he'd be gone.

Zinkie's take: After selecting Abreu, Posey and Bautista, Santiago instantly becomes the favorite to lead the league in homers and RBIs.

Round 3, Pick 4 Player: Johnson Pick: Edwin Encarnacion, 1B, TOR

Johnson's take: I'll take those 40 homers. He's one of those few guys with legit power.

Zinkie's take: Bautista and Encarnacion are popular late first-round picks this year, so Santiago and Johnson were extremely fortunate to come away with them in Round 3.

Round 3, Pick 5

Player: Fuld Pick: Josh Donaldson, 3B, TOR

Fuld's take: He's moving to a hitters' ballpark and hitters' division. Plenty of protection in his lineup and there should be lots of RBI opportunities, too.

Zinkie's take: Three straight Blue Jays off the board. Donaldson gives Fuld a great start to his mission of crafting an offense that will complement his twin aces.

Round 3, Pick 6 Player: O'Day Pick: Michael Brantley, OF, CLE

O'Day's take: Because he can do everything.

Zinkie's take: O'Day may be off to the best start of any owner, as Stanton, Altuve and Brantley should combine for more than 60 homers, 75 steals and a .300 batting average.

Round 3, Pick 7 Player: Frandsen Pick: Anthony Rizzo, 1B, CHC

Frandsen's take: He's going to be a good one all year; just a feeling.

Zinkie's take: The Cubs' budding star was a steal in Round 3, as he is starting to crash the top round of many 2015 fantasy drafts.

Round 3, Pick 8 Player: Ziegler Pick: Anthony Rendon, 3B, WSH

Ziegler's take: Everyone knew what he would do with a bat given a full season to produce, and he's still getting better. But he jumped up and really surprised people with his steals last year. Couple all that offense with him qualifying at both second base and third base, and he's a monster value at the bottom of the third round.

Zinkie's take: Rendon is ascending into the first round of some 2015 drafts, so Ziegler picked up excellent value by adding him late in Round 3.

Round 3, Pick 9 Player: Keuchel Pick: Ian Desmond, SS, WSH

Keuchel's take: Dude does everything well -- more than 20 steals each last four years with more than 20 homers each of the last three.

Zinkie's take: It's hard to go wrong with a perennial 20-20 player at a premium position.

Round 3, Pick 10 Player: Yelich Pick: Nolan Arenado, 3B, COL

Yelich's take: Gold Glove third baseman. That doesn't matter in fantasy, does it? He plays at , and I played with him in travel ball growing up.

Zinkie's take: An aggressive pick at 30th overall, but Arenado is an ascending talent in a great park so he could reward Yelich's faith.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/03/wieters-i-want-to-be-ready-as-quick-as- possible.html

Wieters: "I want to be ready as quick as possible"

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com March 24, 2015

SARASOTA, Fla. - Catcher Matt Wieters, headed to the disabled list while continuing his recovery from elbow surgery, is unsure whether he'll be in Baltimore for opening day or stay back in Sarasota.

Wieters caught only one Grapefruit League game, on March 17, before developing tendinitis in his elbow.

"The latest is we're still letting it rest," he said this morning. "We're seeing improvement and it's getting better and feeling better, but at the same time, getting into the mindset where we're not going to test it out every day like we were before. We're going to try to spread it out. Treatment's been going well. We're just going to continue to stay on that path."

Wieters was cautiously optimistic that he would be ready for the April 6 opener against the Rays, but manager Buck Showalter said on Saturday that the three-time All-Star was "unlikely" to be on the 25-man roster.

"Opening Day was always the goal," Wieters said. "It was always something that I was shooting for just because throughout the course of a long offseason, you want to have that end goal in sight. I think once I came to terms that probably wasn't going to be the best thing for my arm as well as for the team at that point, it was a little bit easier to sit back and say, 'OK, now let's just let it calm down and when it's ready, it's ready.'"

Wieters would be eligible to come off the disabled list on April 11, but it may be closer to May before he's activiated. As usual, the Orioles won't rush him.

"I think now that opening day has kind of come and gone and passed, it's not a matter of a date," he said. "It's more when it's ready and I think that's the thing that's probably a little bit easier for me than trying to say, 'OK, we have to be ready by here or we have to be ready by here.'

"I want to be ready as quick as possible and where I feel like once I start playing, I'm going to be able to keep improving and we're not going to have any issues throughout the course of the year, then I'll be confident.

"It's hard, and it's what...the last five years I've been able to be on the opening day roster. It's a special date, it's always fun to experience it, but at the same time I want to be there at the end of the year and I'd much rather be playing for the playoffs as opposed to playing on that opening day date."

Wieters isn't sure whether he'll play in another exhibition game.

"I think we'll look later, but at the same time, with probably starting the year not on the roster, it's something where I'll probably go play in more minor league games just to where if that day comes sooner than later, we'll be able to come off the DL," he said.

Showalter seems inclined to wait until Wieters can catch before putting him back in the lineup. Using him as the designated hitter isn't a consideration at this point.

"That's kind of always been whatever Buck feels is best," said Wieters, who's 0-for-23 this spring. "I think as far as my rehab, I really wanted to focus on getting the catching right first. Once we get there, then we can sort of look at whether or not DHing's an option. But right now, it's a matter of just making sure I can get back behind the plate and get catching first.

"If Buck ever feels like that's better for the team for me to DH as opposed to just making sure I get back quick catching, then I'll surely do it. But I think the big thing is being able to get back catching first."

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/03/orioles-lineup-vs-pirates-1.html

Orioles lineup vs. Pirates

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com March 24, 2015

SARASOTA, Fla. - Ryan Lavarnway is behind the plate today for the Orioles and Paul Janish is getting another start at shortstop in a 1:05 p.m. game against the Pirates in Bradenton.

First baseman Chris Davis also is making the trip.

Zach Britton, Wesley Wright, Brad Brach and Logan Verrett are in the bullpen behind starter Ubaldo Jimenez. The bench includes Steve Clevenger, Chris Parmelee, Ryan Flaherty, Dariel Alvarez, Caleb Joseph, Jayson Nix, , Julio Borbon, Ozzie Martinez and Calvert Hall's Alex Murphy.

For the Orioles

Alejandro De Aza LF RF Jimmy Paredes 3B DH Chris Davis 1B Ryan Lavarnway C David Lough CF Everth Cabrera 2B Paul Janish SS

Ubaldo Jimenez RHP

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/03/hardy-on-janish-he-struck-me-out-in-09-so- use-that.html

Hardy on Janish: "He struck me out in '09, so use that"

By Roch Kubatko / MASNsports.com March 24, 2015

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles return to the field today after taking a break yesterday, the weather cooperating long enough for many players to get in a round of golf. Heavy rain early in the morning gave way to mostly sunny skies.

The schedule consists of a second and final trip to Bradenton, where the Orioles will play the Pirates at 1:05 p.m. They get a second look at , who allowed one run and two hits in two innings in a March 19 start in Sarasota.

Ubaldo Jimenez will make his fifth start of the spring. He's shown slight improvement in each outing, allowing two runs and five hits over four innings on March 18 against the Twins in Fort Myers.

Jimenez has walked one batter and stuck out five over his last two starts covering eight innings. He isn't exhibiting pinpoint control, but he's also not walking the ballpark. It's an encouraging sign.

The Orioles could make more cuts today with their camp roster at 41 players. I feel bad because I keep predicting that pitcher Chaz Roe will be reassigned, but he remains at the complex.

Barring an injury or two, the Orioles eventually will reassign infielder Paul Janish to minor league camp. He got a late start after having surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow, but manager Buck Showalter loves his defensive skills at shortstop and keeps saying that he could impact the club later this summer.

Janish also has impressed shortstop J.J. Hardy, a three-time Gold Glove winner.

"I took notice of it when he was in Cincinnati," Hardy said. "He's a really, really good defenseman. I haven't seen him play second or third or anything, but I saw him play short a lot in Cincinnati when I was in Milwaukee and he's really good. Really good. And he struck me out in '09, so use that."

Wait, what?

"In a blowout game," Hardy said. "Yeah, he struck me out. He threw a 92 mph cutter. I don't think he meant to, but it cut."

Janish was walking past Hardy's locker and corrected him.

"I think you might have gotten the ," he said. "That was my pitch."

"No, no, it was 91-92 and it cut a little bit," Hardy replied. "I didn't get the changeup.

"See, he didn't even need to use his changeup. He just threw ."

Janish won't have a second career as a reliever. He pitched twice in 2009 in emergency duty and allowed 11 runs and nine hits in two innings. However, he also struck out three batters, including Hardy.

"I was having a bad year," Hardy said. "I was a little off. It wasn't my best day, but he had good stuff, a good arm. But, no, he's got really, really good hands."

The Pirates already posted their lineup for today's game, so here it is:

For the Pirates

Josh Harrison 3B Gregory Polanco RF Andrew McCutchen CF Neil Walker DH Starling Marte LF Pedro Alvarez 1B Jordy Mercer SS Jung Ho Kang 2B Tony Sanchez C

Radhames Liz RHP

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2015/03/ripken-brothers-talk-orioles-ironbirds-and- more-at-aberdeen-event.html

Ripken brothers talk Orioles, IronBirds and more at Aberdeen event

By Steve Melewski / MASNsports.com March 24, 2015

ABERDEEN, Md. - Former Orioles Cal Ripken Jr. and Bill Ripken see the 2015 Orioles making another run at the playoffs. In fact, they predict it will happen.

Before an Aberdeen IronBirds Hot Stove dinner event last night at Ripken Stadium, where they were scheduled to take fans questions, the brothers sized up the Orioles with less than two weeks to go before their opener.

"I would say a week ago you might have had some concerns because spring training didn't look so good. And I know we don't put a lot of weight into spring training statistically," Bill said.

"The Orioles ran away with the East last year. People on the national side, where I kind of hang out from time to time (on MLB Network), were taking potshots at the East. But they still won more games than any other division in baseball. Maybe because the Yankees and Red Sox were not at the top, people were taking shots.

"But the Orioles club is still good. I don't think their pitching gets enough recognition. They've got five guys that can throw a 3.50 ERA up there.

"When it is my turn to make a prediction on the East, I'm going to pick the Orioles up at the top. I don't see anyone in the East better than them."

Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. said: "They have been good the last few years. I think there was concern that there was not a lot of activity in the offseason. But they have some depth on that club.

"I think the offense they lost can be replaced by (Manny) Machado, (Matt) Wieters and (Chris) Davis. I would give the Orioles a pass and a vote of confidence for what they have been able to do. How they win one-run games, how Buck (Showalter) manages his bullpen.

"They are a playoff-caliber team and that is the only prediction you can really make going in. The season dictates how the year is going to go. An injury here and there can hurt. But are they a playoff-caliber team? They are."

The brothers were asked who will be the biggest threat to the O's repeating as division champions in the American League East.

Bill said: "I would look at the Red Sox No. 1. But they still have question marks on their staff. The Yankees have a lot of question marks. Is (Masahiro) Tanaka one pitch away from something going wrong with the elbow? But Boston, offensively, can be the team that people look at them and say this is pretty real. I still don't think Toronto has enough pitching and lot of people talk about Tampa's pitching. I don't quite see what everyone else is seeing. I think the Orioles and Boston are the top two teams in the East."

Cal said: "I know the Yankees have a lot of questions, but if CC (Sabathia) does come back, their bullpen is now bolstered. I could see everything kind of lining up for the Yankees. I wouldn't underestimate them. I've never been a big advocate that you can score more runs than everyone else and bang your way to the title. Boston improved their offense and needed to but beyond the Orioles I kind of like the Yankees' possibilities."

The Ripken brothers and family have certainly been busy and have had a significant role in baseball since their playing days ended.

They are proud of the success of the Orioles minor league affiliate they own, the short-season -A Aberdeen IronBirds, who play at beautiful Ripken Stadium in Harford County.

This summer will be the 20th anniversary of Cal breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive games played streak and there is a celebration of that planned for Sept. 2 at Ripken Stadium.

"I think you should try to recreate that 22-minute lap," Bill quipped.

Aberdeen's season begins June 19 at home and of the IronBirds will host the New York-Penn League All-Star Game for a second time on Aug. 18.

I asked the Ripkens what have been some of their most meaningful accomplishments since their playing days ended.

"We are sitting in one right now," Bill said of Ripken Stadium. "I remember the feeling we had when we opened here (in 2002), similar to what it was like when we ran out for an opener at Memorial Stadium. There was that same kind of sense of accomplishment and pride. It was pretty amazing, a facility and ballclub coming together at one time. It was one of the coolest things I've been a part of, period."

"The kids' side here is great, too," Cal said of the youth fields at the complex in Aberdeen. "The development and growth of the camps and tournament business here. The other thing for me is the success of the Cal Sr. Foundation, which we named after dad to capture his legacy and use baseball as a tool to get in front of kids.

"We are building fields all across the country. We were satisfied being a regional foundation and now we are all over the place. It is gratifying to open a new field and impact kids in another part of the country."

The Ripkens have now built more than 50 youth development parks around the country, providing kids with quality fields and safe places to play.

They are also very proud of the Boys and Girls Club field in their hometown of Aberdeen. It was named after their Mom as the Vi Ripken Field last August. Vi Ripken was instrumental in founding the Boys and Girls Club of Harford County in 1989.

"That was a glorious day," Cal said.

The brothers were asked what Cal Sr., were he still alive, would think about all they've done in Aberdeen and beyond.

"He'd be pretty happy walking around and would spend an awful lot of time here. If he were here, you'd see him every day here," Bill said.

"Yeah, he'd be here all the time. He'd be happy," Cal said.

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/post/_/id/9714/under-the-radar-spring- breakthroughs?refresh=true

Under-the-radar spring breakthroughs

By Buster Olney / ESPN.com March 23, 2015

TAMPA, Fla. -- Alex Rodriguez got a lot of the attention early in spring training, and is dominating the headlines now. But camps are filled with stories of players emerging, evolving, surprising.

Here are some of the under-the-radar developments for a number of other teams.

Seattle Mariners

David Rollins, a Rule 5 pick who was in the Astros’ system before this spring, has opened some eyes in the Seattle camp, not allowing a walk in six appearances and striking out seven. The Mariners came into the camp looking for a second lefty in their bullpen -- essentially to replace Joe Beimel -- and Rollins and non-roster invitee Tyler Olson have performed well in that competition.

Eduardo Perez, our colleague at ESPN, managed Rollins in winter ball. “I think Seattle might have something here,” he said over the phone. “The kid’s got a great arm. He actually worked a lot on his control, and from what I’ve seen, he’s been phenomenal. He was supposed to be a starter in winter ball, but we didn’t project him like the Astros projected him. We projected him where he is right now, because he has a lot more velocity. He’s not a big guy, sneaky with his delivery, hides the ball well, and his demeanor fits [the bullpen]. He went through some growing pains in winter ball, but worked through them.”

GM Jack Zduriencik says the platoons that are mapped out for left field and right field are taking shape, adding balance. Nelson Cruz has been a nice addition to the lineup, and the clubhouse -- with the Rangers and Orioles, he was always known as a good teammate.

Baltimore Orioles

Chris Davis, coming off a year in which he batted .196, appears poised for a rebound, after re- uniting with his former hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh. Davis has three homers in his first 11 games of the exhibition season.

Detroit Tigers

Angel Nesbitt, who reached -A in the Detroit system last season, has drawn some attention for his talent and improvement, GM notes. The right-handed reliever is 24.

Oakland Athletics

One of the most significant questions for Oakland, as spring opened, was about its rotation, about who would emerge as options. Kendall Graveman, one of the players netted in the Josh Donaldson deal, and Jesse Hahn, who was acquired from San Diego in theDerek Norris trade, have looked good.

Graveman looks like a lock to make the rotation, writes Susan Slusser.

Cleveland Indians

Brandon Moss has looked excellent this spring, as he returns from hip surgery, seemingly bouncing back quickly. This is a small sample, but he has an OPS of 1.294 in six games in spring training, numbers that reflect how well he seems to be moving.

At the time of the trade, the Indians had hoped he would be near 100 percent by Opening Day, but his recovery has been smoother and more complete than the Indians anticipated, and he seems to have a chance to be a difference-maker for the Indians. There has also been high regard for the work of Francisco Lindor, who has demonstrated maturity, work ethic and humility, and has won over the clubhouse.

Jesus Aguilar performed well in camp, and he thanked Travis Hafner for his help, Paul Hoynes writes.

Los Angeles Dodgers

From a prospect standpoint, Kris Bryant’s power has been getting most of the attention this spring, but Joc Pederson has grabbed the center-field job by the throat with his showing this spring, hitting .472 with seven extra-base hits in 39 plate appearances. Nobody knows yet what position Alex Guerrero will play, but he’s also hit well, batting .345. Sergio Santos, the veteran reliever coming back from injury, has thrown well and is probably a lock to make the Dodgers’ bullpen.

And before Corey Seager was assigned to L.A.’s minor league camp, he affirmed previous perceptions that he is going to be a beast: Seager drew walks in six of 19 plate appearances, the sort of patience that is incredibly unusual in spring training, an approach that frames his work at the plate. Seager had 75 extra-base hits in 118 games in Class A and Double-A last season, with 40 walks. The Dodgers’ front office also was impressed by his play at shortstop, and it believes he can remain at that spot in spite of his 6-foot-4 frame.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On one of the first days of spring training, I bumped into catcher Tony Sanchez, who mentioned that when Russell Martin signed with the Blue Jays, it really hit him what kind of opportunity he would have this spring. He felt he put in even more preparation for camp, and Sanchez has taken advantage of the chances he’s gotten. Sanchez has a 1.408 OPS so far this spring, and with Chris Stewart out, Sanchez has already been told he’s going to be on the big league roster on Opening Day.

Washington Nationals

Dan Uggla is having a strong spring, hitting .333 with a couple of homers.

I’ll have more under-the-radar stories Tuesday.

Notables

• Miguel Cabrera made his first spring start, Jayson Stark writes. From his piece:

"We've played all these games this spring, and we haven't had our two best hitters on the field," said Tigers catcher Alex Avila. "So I think everybody's excited to see them get back in there."

"I think adding Miggy to any lineup would be pretty energizing," said . "Best hitter on the planet."

And make no mistake about it. The men he plays with love seeing this man hit. And that never changes -- even if it's just a spring training game in the third week of March.

"I've been watching him for seven years already," Avila said. "I always hit in the group after him [in batting practice]. So I still come in early and watch his last few rounds before our round starts, just because everything -- his mechanics and his swing -- are so pure that you look at it and like, if you were going to teach a guy how to hit, there it is.

"Except that he's Miguel Cabrera, and you can't teach that."

• Victor Martinez is feeling pretty good, writes Lynn Henning.

• is going to be the Jays’ closer.

• The Rays will name Asdrubal Cabrera as their everyday shortstop, writes Marc Topkin.

• Wrote here last week about the growing perception within the industry that Yasmany Tomas of the Diamondbacks may well turn out to be a costly bust. Joel Sherman addresses the issue here.

• Matt Wieters is the first Orioles player to have had Tommy John surgery since Buck Showalter took over as manager.

• Homer Bailey feels good.

The fight for jobs

1. Kevin Slowey is making a pitch to make the Phillies’ rotation.

2. Mookie Betts is winning the center-field job.

3. Brandon Finnegan was sent to the minors. The Royals laid out a plan for the lefty during the winter: Send him to the minors for the first part of the year so that he can work as a starting pitcher, and develop, and then in midseason, they’ll evaluate their needs and whether he might fit on the big league roster as a starter or reliever. 4. Rubby De La Rosa is close to winning a spot in the Arizona rotation, writes Nick Piecoro.

5. A young pitcher may have pitched his way onto the Rangers’ staff, writes Evan Grant.

6. A Marlins lefty is making a compelling case for the bullpen.

Dings and dents

1. Andrew McCutchen says his injury won’t prevent him from playing Opening Day.

2. Angel Pagan is confident in his health, writes Henry Schulman.

3. Stephen Strasburg was scratched from his scheduled start.

4. Shin-Soo Choo is still sitting.

5. The Yankees’ Jose Pirela suffered a concussion.

Moves, deals and decisions

1. The Dodgers signed a pitcher.

2. The Marlins finalized their deal with Christian Yelich.

3. The Red Sox sent two top prospects to their minor league camp the other day.

4. Pete O’Brien and others were sent to the minors.

5. The Rockies cut Jhoulys Chacin.

6. The Rangers signed Tyler Pastornicky.

Sunday’s games

1. CC Sabathia pitched against , and remains on the comeback trail, John Harper writes.

2. Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran played with minor leaguers. It was an excellent adventure, Wallace Matthews writes.

3. Bud Norris is not concerned about his spring results so far, writes Roch Kubatko.

4. Scouts have talked about how Hanley Ramirez appears much stronger this year, and he mashed a homer on Sunday.

5. Justin Verlander has been tinkering with his , and is getting mixed results. So far this spring, Verlander has a 6.08 ERA, with 12 hits, five homers, five walks and eight strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings.

6. Danny Duffy looked sharp.

7. John Lackey talked his way into more work.

8. James Shields was great.

9. Jason Hammel had a strong outing.

10. Shelby Miller had better results.

NL East

• Jerry Blevins is a renaissance man, writes James Wagner. • The Phillies’ bullpen should be excellent, writes Ryan Lawrence. • Matt Harvey showed off some dominance.

NL Central

• Charlie Morton is feeling more comfortable, writes Stephen J. Nesbitt. • The Cardinals find the benefit of homers, writes Derrick Goold. • Matt Carpenter should do what he does well, writes Bernie Miklasz. • Joe Maddon says he’s keeping an open mind about the Opening Day roster. • Francisco Rodriguez made his spring debut.

NL West

• Brandon Crawford fields with a flair when he needs to. • Madison Bumgarner has no regrets over a contract that has turned out to be very team-friendly. • Bill Shaikin addresses the question of who will step in for Hyun-Jin Ryu. From his piece:

Joe Wieland, acquired in the trade that sent Matt Kemp to the , is the leading candidate to replace Ryu. Wieland has pitched nine innings this spring, giving up one run and striking out nine.

The options also include Mike Bolsinger, purchased from the in November, and returnee Carlos Frias. Veteran left-hander Erik Bedard, who had pitched his way into consideration, suffered what Manager Don Mattingly called a "lat strain" and is scheduled for an MRI examination.

The Ryu injury could put additional pressure on the Dodgers' bullpen, already weakened because closer Kenley Jansen will start the season on the disabled list as he recovers from foot surgery.

Ryu felt shoulder tightness on Wednesday. After an anti-inflammatory injection, Mattingly said, Ryu was "feeling 100% almost instantly." However, when Ryu resumed throwing on Sunday, Mattingly said that "he felt a little something" in the shoulder and was downcast in the trainers' room.

"I saw the look on his face, and it wasn't typical Hyun-Jin," Mattingly said.

Even if the rehabilitation period for Ryu extends beyond the three-week periods required last year, [Cole] Hamels appears to be an unlikely fit, at least for now.

• Erik Bedard has a lat strain, writes Bill Plunkett.

AL East

• David Lough wants to build on the second-half success he had last season. • A couple of young prospects are making noise with the Blue Jays.

AL Central

• Spring training is not the ideal place for Adam LaRoche to learn the DH routine, writes Colleen Kane. • Chris Sale is sick of watching TV. • Trevor May has used yoga to take control.

AL West

• Carlos Peguero is making a believer out of his manager. • Evan Gattis is hoping to leave his wrist issue behind. • C.J. Wilson is working through some mechanical adjustments. • Technology has replaced talking in the Angels clubhouse. • Dustin Ackley continues to get more comfortable in left field.

Lastly

• This is classic: The Red Sox ran a relay race to determine who doesn’t have to ride a bus. • Travis Sawchik writes about minor league options and how they affect decisions. • An Indians prospect plays for his brother, writes Zack Meisel.

And today will be better than yesterday.

http://www.csnbaltimore.com/blog/orioles-talk/wieters-knows-there-wont-be-opening-day-him

Wieters knows there won't be an Opening Day for him

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Baltimore March 24, 2015

SARASOTA, Fla. – Matt Wieters knows he’s not going to be ready for Opening Day. His right elbow won’t let him. After playing in one Grapefruit League game, Wieters was shut down with tendinitis.

After Tommy John surgery, Wieters hoped he would be able to play on Apr. 6 at Tampa Bay.

"Opening Day was always the goal. It was always something that I was shooting for just because throughout the course of a long offseason, you want to have that end goal in sight,” Wieters said.

“I think once I came to terms that probably wasn't going to be the best thing for my arm as well as for the team at that point, it was a little bit easier to sit back and say, 'OK, now let's just let it calm down and when it's ready, it's ready.'"

Wieters says that he won’t set a hard target for his return.

"I think now that Opening Day has kind of come and gone and passed, it's not a matter of a date. It's more when it's ready, and I think that's the thing that's probably a little bit easier for me than trying to say, 'OK, we have to be ready by here or we have to be ready by here.' I want to be ready as quick as possible and where I feel like once I start playing, I'm going to be able to keep improving and we're not going to have any issues throughout the course of the year, then I'll be confident,” Wieters said.

When Buck Showalter announced Wieters was going to be shut down on Mar. 18, he said Wieters would be reevaluated a week later, on Wednesday.

“The latest is we're still letting it rest. We're seeing improvement, and it's getting better and feeling better. But at the same time, getting into the mindset where we're not going to test it out every day like we were before. We're going to try to spread it out. Treatment's been going well. We're just going to continue to stay on that path,” Wieters said.

Wieters says he probably won’t play in any more Grapefruit League games. He was 0-for-23 in those games with six games coming as a designated hitter.

Showalter has ruled out using Wieters as a D.H. before he’s ready to catch.

"That's kind of always been whatever Buck feels is best. I think as far as my rehab, I really wanted to focus on getting the catching right first. Once we get there, then we can sort of look at whether or not DHing's an option,” Wieters said.

“But right now, it's a matter of just making sure I can get back behind the plate and get catching first. If Buck ever feels like that's better for the team for me to DH as opposed to just making sure I get back quick catching, then I'll surely do it. But I think the big thing is being able to get back catching first."

Wieters has been the Orioles’ Opening Day catcher every year since 2010, but not this year.

“It's hard, and it's what -- the last five years, been able to be on the Opening Day [roster]. It's a special date, it's always fun to experience it, but at the same time, I want to be there at the end of the year and I'd much rather be playing for the playoffs as opposed to playing on that Opening Day date."

http://www.csnbaltimore.com/blog/orioles-talk/jimenez-needs-strong-start-impress-orioles

Jimenez needs strong start to impress Orioles

By Rich Dubroff / CSN Baltimore March 24, 2015

Today’s Game:

Baltimore Orioles vs. , McKechnie Field, Bradenton, Fla., 1:05 p.m.,

Starting pitchers:

Ubaldo Jimenez vs. Radhames Liz

Keys to the game:

Jimenez needs an excellent start to make the Orioles’ decision on him more difficult.

Chris Davis and Steve Pearce will make the trip to Bradenton.

News and Notes:

Matt Wieters says he probably won’t play in any more Grapefruit League games.

Zach Britton, Brad Brach, Logan Verrett and Wesley Wright are also available to pitch.

Besides Davis and Pearce, Everth Cabrera, Alejandro De Aza, David Lough and Delmon Young are on the trip.

Andrew McCutchen returns to Pittsburgh’s lineup after missing 11 days with what was called “lower body soreness.”

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/23/orioles-prospect-hunter-harvey-suffers-fractured- fibula/

Orioles prospect Hunter Harvey suffers fractured fibula

By Aaron Gleeman / NBCSports.com March 23, 2015

Orioles right-hander Hunter Harvey, a consensus top-100 prospect and former first-round draft pick, suffered a slightly fractured right fibula when he was hit by a comebacker Saturday.

Britt Ghiroli of MLB.com reports that he’ll be shut down for 4-6 weeks, meaning the 20-year- old’s season debut in the minors will likely be delayed until May.

Harvey was the 23rd overall pick in 2013 and has been dominant through two pro seasons, posting a 2.87 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 113 innings of rookie-ball and Single-A.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/sunday-notes-sniders-swing-starting-matusz-backstop- academia-grapefruit-nuggets/

Sunday Notes: Snider’s Swing, Starting Matusz, Backstop Academia, Grapefruit Nuggets

By David Laurila / FanGraphs.com March 22, 2015

Travis Snider is a breakout candidate. Sound familiar? He’s owned the label for years, and maybe – just maybe – this will be the season he finally explodes. It’s not implausible. Somehow, Snider is still just 27 years old.

Skeptics will surely scoff at the idea, but the 2006 first-round pick feels ready to come into his own. Acquired by the Orioles in the off-season, the former Toronto and Pittsburgh outfielder is settling into his swing after nearly a decade of trying to reinvent the wheel.

‘I think I’ve had about eight different swings in eight years,” Snider told me on Friday. “In the last two years, I’ve been working toward recreating the same swing as much as possible.

“It’s about trying to create a consistent swing through the zone that can cover pitches in different quadrants, and not just be a low-ball hitter, or an inside hitter, or an outside hitter.

Understanding, and being able to adjust to, the way pitchers are attacking you is often more important than mechanics.”

Mechanically, Snider said he’s concentrating on allowing his hips to clear and his hands to flow through the zone. He cited Miguel Cabrera as a hitter who can generate torque with his lower half, thus allowing his top half to uncoil. Snider admits to sometimes falling into the habit of trying to use every muscle in his body instead of taking a smooth, effortless swing.

The left-handed slugger also owns up to having not always stayed on his legs. Surgery on the big toe of his back foot, following the 2013 season, helped him right his back side and recreate torque.

Circling back to what he said about eight swings in eight years, I asked how often the changes have been orchestrated by coaches, as opposed to of his own volition. He told me it’s been “mix- and-match” and that getting sent down to Triple-A has a way of making a player question his process. Better usage of video – “It gives me a visual key to help me solidify what I want to work on” – is helping provide answers.

Not to be underestimated are the seeds of Snider’s big-league progression. He debuted as a fresh- faced 20 year old, barely a month removed from having won the home run derby at the Eastern League All-Star Game. I was in attendance that night, and Snider was a man among boys, jettisoning vast distances. He reached Toronto with lofty expectations, but had a lot to learn.

“As a young kid, I was emotionally attached to the mechanics of my swing,” admitted Snider. “My swing is what got me to the big leagues. But pitchers started to adjust to me, and there are so many things that go into being a good hitter, from mechanics to rhythm to timing. I’ve started to simplify all of that. I have checkpoints and keys I can go to. I consider myself a student of the game, and I’m constantly learning more about who I am as a hitter.”

Snider finished strong last year, hitting .288/.356/.524 in the second half. He has nine hits in 32 at bats this spring.

——

The Pirates acquired Sean Rodriguez from Tampa Bay this past winter in exchange for Buddy Borden. The 29-year-old came to his new organization equipped with an array of gloves – he plays every position but pitcher and catcher – but also a maddeningly-inconsistent bat. Rodriguez has pop – 38% of his hits have gone for extra bases – but while he’s shown flashes, his career .225/.297/.372 slash line speaks of a hitter in search of an identity. Based on a conversation I had with him yesterday, his hitting approach is rudimentary.

“I think it mostly just comes down to keeping your eye on the ball,” said Rodriguez. “You need to simplify things. Mechanics can sometimes be a factor, but mechanics are just how you get ready to hit. How do you actually hit the ball? You try to see the ball to the barrel, and you swing.”

When I asked Rodriguez what his new team saw when they looked at video of his Tampa Bay Rays days, he said it was “a lot of good and a lot of bad.” He pointed to his inconsistency, then said it would be hard to nitpick particulars, as a lot of variables come into play when his swing is off.”

As for where he’ll see most of his action this year, Rodriguez told me that’s up to his manager. He understands all positions are seemingly set, and he’s simply hoping to get as many opportunities as he can. He knows his versatility can only help.

——

Brock Holt took versatility to an extreme last year. The Red Sox dynamo started at least seven games at seven different positions. And while he couldn’t find a permanent home, he produced enough with the bat to shoehorn himself into the lineup on a consistent basis. Despite a late- season downturn, Holt hit .281/.331/.381 in 492 plate appearances.

Holt will head into the 2015 season with the same role, and if he continues to perform well, he’ll once again see a lot of action. A new descriptive might be in order.

“Maybe we can invent a term,” suggested Boston Bench coach Torey Lovullo. “You can’t really categorize Brock as a true platoon player; it’s not your typical left-right and he gets everyday at bats. With Brock, it’s more of a “give guys a day off” platoon. Maybe we could call it a hybrid platoon?”

——

Brian Matusz is reportedly being shopped by the Orioles, and the 28-year-old left-hander is unlikely to complain if his address changes. He hasn’t said so publicly – at least that I’m aware of – but it’s not hard to read between the lines.

Speculation is that a team acquiring Matusz would use him as a starter. That was his role as recently as 2012, and it’s clearly what the former first-round pitch would prefer. Matusz pitched the first four innings of Friday’s game against Boston, and when I asked him afterward if it’s more fun to start than relieve, his response was, “Absolutely. No question.”

Matusz has had success out of the pen, frequently as a lefty specialist. Same-sided batters have a .620 OPS against him in his career (versus .861 for right-handed hitters). has been especially bedeviled, going 3-for-24 with 13 punch outs.

Following Friday’s game, Matusz used variations of “All I can control is what I can control,” when addressing his status. He also said he mixed all four pitches and worked up and down, in and out. Those are a starter’s words.

——

A few months ago, Rico Brogna said something that caught my attention. Speaking at a SABR Boston event, the Angels’ quality control coach mentioned that Chris Ianetta studied math at the University of North Carolina. He went on to say, “If there’s a place to have a math major, it’s probably catcher. (Ianetta) wants information. He’s got a math mind.”

I subsequently shared that with Jerry Weinstein, a long-time catching instructor currently coaching in the Colorado organization. He didn’t disagree, although he did put math down his list of valuable areas of academic study for backstops. For him, Spanish would be on top, followed by psychology.

“Math is a language, and mathematicians are logical thinkers,” said Weinstein. “In my opinion, being a logical thinker is always a good thing. But if you’re thinking of math in terms of game- calling and probability, the only probability you should be concerned with is the probability of the moment. Pitching is very liquid. It’s always determined by the moment.”

As for Ianetta, aspects of both perspectives were present in his own take.

“With math, you’re dealing with a ton of variables,” Ianetta told me. “You’re processing the information of scouting reports. You’re matching up a lot of different individual components. I guess my analytical background – the problem solving – kind of helps.

“But I also think you could study history or pre-med, and acquire some of the same qualities of processing information and handling a large set of data. It’s not that different from a lawyer in the courtroom, where you’re using every piece of information to your advantage.”

“Information is king,” said Weinstein. “The man with the most information – who uses it wisely — usually wins.”

——

Milt May doesn’t like strikeouts or a a pull-heavy approach. Currently coaching rookie-level hitters in the Orioles organization, the former catcher is a proponent of putting the ball into play. May shared his views on the subject when we chatted on the back fields a few days ago.

“That’s the big change I see,” said May, who played in the big leagues from 1970-1984. “There are more guys striking out, because there’s a premium on home runs. The problem is, there aren’t really more home runs. Guys are trying to pull the ball and hit the ball out of the ballpark, and consequently, they’re striking out a lot. Nothing good ever comes out of a strikeout.”

In May’s opinion, putting balls in play early in the count isn’t necessarily the best way to cut down on Ks.

“Organizationally, we’re trying to make our guys better two-strike hitters,” said May. “It’s not about not getting to two strikes. Good hitters don’t worry about getting to two strikes, because they have confidence they can put the ball in play. A lot of times, guys who aren’t good hitters are overanxious, trying to avoid getting to two strikes.”

I asked May if he’s of the mentality that players shouldn’t consider a strikeout “just another out.”

“I’m of the mentality that nothing good comes from a strikeout,” answered May. —

The Giants have a good reputation for developing pitchers. Heath Hembree – now with the Red Sox – came up through the San Francisco system, so I asked the 26-year-old right-hander what his experience was like.

“They were a great organization,” said Hembree. “They do a good job with young pitchers, giving them opportunities to develop. A lot of it is just throwing kids on the fire and letting them pitch and learn who they are.”

The 2010 fifth-round pick learned well enough to reach San Francisco in 2013, where he made nine scoreless relief appearances. Hembree told me the organization “maybe tweaked a little bit of stuff” when he first signed, but “didn’t really touch (his) mechanics.”

Two people who get a lot of credit for the club’s development process are assistant GM Dick Tidrow and pitching instructor Lee Smith. Hembree had more direct with the latter.

“Tidrow kind of just watched,” said Hembree. “There were guys he was a little more hands-on with, but for me it was, ‘Throw your slider more, or ‘Throw your changeup more.’ I talked to Lee a good bit, mostly getting tidbits of advice here or there. You could always go to him for his perspective. Lee was also a guy who could really lighten the mood.”

——

In 2002, playing for the Seibu Lions, Alex Cabrera hit 55 home runs, tying Japan’s single-season record. In 2013, playing for La Guaira, Cabrera hit 21 home runs, a single-season record in the Venezuelan Winter League.

The 43-year-old slugger has left the yard 452 times in his multinational professional career. Five have come in the big leagues, with the Diamondbacks in 2000. His most-recent blasts came last year, in the .

According to Ryan Reid, a former Pirate now pitching in the Marlins system, one of Cabrera’s winter league round trippers was pure theater.

“He hit a home run in a game where his son (Ramon Cabrera) was catching for the other team,” Reid told me recently. “After rounding the bases, he took his jersey off and gave it to his son. Then he walked off the field and told everybody that he was retiring.”

Cabrera, who seems to have a little Julio Franco in him, didn’t make good on his proclamation. He was back playing the next day. ——

Mark Armour and Dan Levitt’s new book, In Pursuit of Pennants, highlights the history of front offices. I haven’t had a chance to dig in, but I did peruse a few pages upon picking up a copy earlier this week. Not surprisingly – the authors are accomplished baseball historians – every page-flip unearthed a nugget.

One of the gems occurred in 1976, in the infancy of free agency: California Angels general manager Harry Dalton outsmarted a long-since-changed regulation and turned Tim Nordbrook into .

At the time, teams were only allowed to sign two free agents annually. There was an exception: You could sign as many free agents as you lost. The Angels – out of contention and in no particular need of his services – purchased Nordbrook, a utility infielder and free-agent-to-be, from the Orioles in early September. He became the third player on the roster whose contract would expire at the end of the season.

After initially inking and Joe Rudi to free-agent contracts, the Angels used the Nordbrook exception to sign Grich. One of the most underappreciated players in baseball history, Grich went on to play 10 seasons with the Angels. —— RANDOM STATS AND FACTS

Roberto Clemente had a .359 OBP, 846 extra-base hits, and won 12 Gold Gloves.Dwight Evans had a .370 OBP, 941 extra-base hits, and won 8 Gold Gloves.

Per Bill Chuck of Gammons Daily: No team has allowed more three-run homers over the last two decades than the Orioles (448), No team has hit more three-run blasts than the Yankees (486).

In 1973, Wilbur Wood allowed 381 hits, the most given up by a pitcher since 1904. He issued 91 free passes. The White Sox knuckleballer won 24 games and finished fifth in A.L. Cy Young voting that year.

Yes, we live in a digital world, but getting rid of paper All-Star ballots is still a slap in the face to tradition. They’re archaic, but a certain amount of archaic is good for baseball. I’ll miss filling them out at the ballpark, and I’m sure others will as well.

Enjoy baseball, coding and creativity? The fourth annual Baseball Hack Day will be held on Saturday, March 28 in Boston, Montreal and Philadelphia.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/03/21/time-for-baseball-expand- rosters/tARtvIe7GPGR9Bs7cfM8LI/story.html?hootPostID=53a234a8e1ac23237b03cd630f98f5 0c

It’s time for MLB to expand teams’ rosters

By Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe March 22, 2015

It’s time for to go to an expanded roster, one that makes sense for the way the game has evolved. Make it a 25-man game roster, but expand the overall roster to 28.

Major League Baseball spokesman Pat Courtney said there have been discussions on the topic but nothing has been advanced. Yet the dialogue continues, and as the game evolves into one in which players keep getting hurt, in which the 162-game schedule has started to become too much for the average player’s body to handle, it would behoove MLB to create a roster that fits the times.

Yes, it would be costly. The salaries and the insurance costs to protect those players are rising every year.

Pitchers’ shoulders and elbows are taxed and this would allow teams to manage the health and well-being of their players more efficiently. A team could go with a six-man rotation because you could then keep an extra starter and also keep the same number of relievers on your daily 25- man roster.

Every team would likely have its own plan as to which three extras to keep. A big-market team may have a higher-salaried player than a small-market team, but generally teams would want to keep their costs down and employ minimum-salaried players — either youngsters from their farm system or players who might be out of options.

This is an idea that’s been kicked around for a while. Some even go as far as to think all 28 players should be active, as they were after work stoppages and shortened spring trainings, perhaps for the first month of the season.

Let’s face it, unless you’re the pitcher starting that day, there’s no reason to keep the other four starters active. So you could deactivate three starting pitchers and use those roster spots for bullpen or positional depth.

You’re probably not going to use the reliever who has pitched three straight days. If you have a player who is nicked up but not bad enough to go on the disabled list, you can have him inactive for as long as it takes him to recover.

The game evolving into six-man rotations is not what many of us want to see, since many of us remember four-man rotations. But that’s how it’s evolving. The extra day would likely — although nothing is for certain — make a difference in the health of several pitchers who are sometimes taxed by the five-man rotation.

Japanese pitchers have gone every sixth day for years and they seem to have fewer arm and elbow injuries. Once they come to the United States that routine changes, with some notable injuries accompanying it. Yankees ace broke down midway through his outstanding rookie season, and Rangers ace will have Tommy John surgery and be out until next season.

Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild will try to give Tanaka five days off before he pitches. When Ivan Nova returns to the staff, the Yankees could very well become a six-man staff by June.

The Red Sox could easily do this, by tacking on Steven Wright or one of their three young lefthanders — Henry Owens, Brian Johnson, or Eduardo Rodriguez — as the sixth man.

The added roster spots would still enable teams to carry the same number of relievers or more.

Certainly, building a roster would involve new strategies. Teams would have to pick three extra players who would provide protection and depth to areas of weakness. Would they choose extra relievers? An extra bench player? A third catcher? A sixth starting pitcher?

How would the Red Sox, for instance, build their roster?

Would they carry Jemile Weeks as a second extra infielder? Would Wright be kept as a spot starter/long reliever or would both Matt Barnes and Brandon Workman make it in an extended bullpen?

There are many possibilities.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter isn’t endorsing or rejecting any plan, but he said, “I’d be for anything that helps keep us healthy. One of the most important things in baseball is protecting the health of our pitchers. Anything that does that, I’d be for.”

Showalter has been an advocate for a change in September call-ups. “Call up as many players as you want in September on your 40-man roster, but only 25 can play,” he said.

Showalter feels this would protect the integrity of the game so one team with a deep farm system wouldn’t have a distinct advantage over a team without one.

Think about it, baseball is played every day. Teams must endure 162 games per season. The way the game has evolved, pitchers need more downtime. Positional players need downtime. Only four major leaguers played all 162 games in 2014. The days of the ironman are over.

In 2005, 10 players played in all 162, and many of them are retired now. Since then, there hasn’t been more than six in any given year.

Pitcher-batter matchups are more prevalent than ever. The expanded choices on the roster could give managers more options.

The tough part would be for the players’ union and the owners to find common ground. The union would love the additional major league jobs and the owners would hate the added cost.

For the good of the game?

Red Sox won’t be in a rush with Moncada

The Yankees did exhaustive scouting on for years and came away taking a pass. If any team needed such a big prospect it was the Yankees, who lost second baseman Robinson Cano to free agency before last season and have not properly replaced him.

In their eyes, Moncada was a prime candidate to be Cano’s replacement. All of New York’s international scouts loved Moncada’s athleticism, bat speed, and hand/eye coordination. He got checks in all of the boxes, including intangibles such as love of the game.

But is one player who projects as a major leaguer worth moving out of your financial comfort level to sign?

“We scouted him extensively for years,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “I feel we put him through the highest level of scouting and medical evaluation. I just wasn’t comfortable offering what we actually offered [$25 million], let alone going any higher.”

So, when agent David Hastings came back to the Yankees after the Red Sox went to $31.5 million — exceeding their own $25 million cap — Cashman said he was out.

The team that really needed Moncada didn’t think he was worth stretching its budget for, and then paying a 100 percent penalty on its international signing pool. The team that didn’t need him, the Red Sox — second baseman Dustin Pedroia is signed through 2021 — thought he was worth it, and was willing to pay $63 million for the total outlay.

We’ll see in the years to come which team was correct.

The Red Sox likely will hold off for a couple of years before determining where Moncada will play. He plays second base now because that’s where he feels most comfortable. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval has a deal through 2019. Outfielders Hanley Ramirez and Rusney Castillo are signed through 2019 and 2020, respectively. Mookie Betts isn’t going anywhere. Xander Bogaerts is in Boston’s control for five more years.

Where does Moncada play if he’s two years away?

David Ortiz could retire by then and Ramirez or Sandoval could ease into the DH role, creating an opening at one of the other positions. Sandoval has said he wants to stay at third for the remainder of his contract, but his weight and conditioning will dictate that.

It’s Moncada’s bat that’s the selling point, so does he wind up at first base or DH? In his early batting practice sessions, Moncada has been very impressive. The Red Sox will take baby steps with him, getting him accustomed to the Red Sox Way.

Apropos of nothing

1. Baseball should convene a panel of players who spent all or most of their careers healthy just to see if there are patterns that allowed them to stay upright. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, for instance, caught 1,938 games and was on the DL once, at age 41, with a pinched nerve. Tom Glavine made 682 starts and only got hurt in his final season in Atlanta at age 42, when he had an oblique strain. Bronson Arroyo had Tommy John surgery last season after making 369 consecutive starts. Javier Vazquez, Randy Winn, and Derek Lowe spent more than 10 years in the majors without a DL stint.

2. Saw Phillies scout Dave Hollins the other day at a Blue Jays-Red Sox game in Dunedin. He was the only man ever traded for David Ortiz, or David Arias as he was known then. Hollins was with the Twins, but Seattle lost third baseman Russ Davis to an injury late in the 1996 season. So Hollins, who hit .351 with three homers and 25 RBIs (a .916 OPS) the remainder of the season over 113 at-bats, was dealt for this pretty good young hitter, Arias.

3. It’s always tricky sledding for teams who are trying to replace injured players for this reason: When the player comes back, what do you do with the player who replaced him?

The Giants inquired on Allen Craig over the winter, but would he make sense for them now? The Giants have been scouting the Red Sox for weeks and are looking for a righthanded outfielder until they get Hunter Pence back. We’ll see if they ask again.

4. Another thing I love about Blake Swihart — he doesn’t wear batting gloves.

5. The Joe Maddon/Alan Nero/ tampering charge brought by Rays owner Stu Sternberg is still alive.

6. When you see a guy walk into camp buffed and saying he’s in the best shape of his life, don’t be surprised to see an injury. It’s happening all over baseball. Maybe Pablo Sandoval has the right idea.

Updates on nine

1. Hank Conger, C, Astros — Not sure what drew the Astros to Conger, who is good at framing pitches but has a hard time throwing out runners and receiving. He can hit, but is pretty smart when it comes to the catching game, and the Angels dealt Conger without any reservation.

2. Tyler Moore, 1B, Nationals — He’s a righthanded power bat that seems to be atop the list of teams with that need. Moore, now 28, had big power numbers (31 homers twice) in the Nationals’ system. He’s out of options, so the Nationals have to make a decision whether they can keep him while gets healthy, or get something for him while he’s hot (started 10 for 28, seven RBIs).

3. Allen Webster, RHP, Diamondbacks — In assessing Webster and Rubby De La Rosa, you’d say the Red Sox got away with unarmed robbery in acquiring Wade Miley. According to scouts, Webster, who allowed 13 hits and six runs in his first 8⅓ innings, hasn’t really flashed the power arm the Diamondbacks were hoping to see. De La Rosa has been better out of the pen than as a starter, but he’s walked 10 and struck out 11 in 12 innings. Miley has had his own struggles, but so far the Red Sox have gotten the better of it.

4. Brian Matusz, LHP, Orioles — Matusz was certainly on display as he pitched four shutout innings against the Red Sox on Friday, and there were a lot of scouts to watch him. The Orioles are filled up in the rotation with six starters and are showcasing him to free up a bullpen spot and add some offensive depth.

5. Jemile Weeks, INF, Red Sox — Weeks is drawing some interest from teams in need of a utility player. The Tigers are one of those teams on the lookout for a jack-of-all-trades. With the Red Sox using Brock Holt in that role, Weeks would likely have to play in Pawtucket. The Red Sox have introduced him to third base and the outfield. They may be able to sell fairly high on him.

6. Miguel Castro, RHP, Blue Jays — Nobody with the Blue Jays has actually said he’s on the team, but when you mention Castro to their field personnel, including manager John Gibbons, there’s a look that leads you to believe that once roster meetings take place in 10 days or so, Castro, 20, who has never played above Single A, is going to stay at the back end of the bullpen. He has shown high velocity (97-100 miles per hour) with good command during spring training.

7. Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs — The little war of words between team president Theo Epstein and agent Scott Boras was entertaining last week. Epstein is deciding whether to keep Bryant in the minors to “work on his defense,” while Boras is declaring they’re keeping his client down because of service time control. Well, Bryant has eight homers after hitting two Saturday. The kid is ready, and everyone, including the hungry Cubs fan base, knows it.

8. Johnny Cueto, RHP, Reds — The problem with the Red Sox waiting for a deal for Cueto rather than Cole Hamels is that Cueto can walk after this year and Hamels is under full control for the next four years. If Cueto has another 15-20-win season, one GM estimates that he “will get a Max Scherzer deal.” Of course, any team would have to give up a haul of prospects to get him. If the Sox trade for him, they’d be faced with the possibility of two starters walking ( is also up after this season). Also, Cueto turns 30 on Feb. 15. Would the Red Sox pony up a Scherzer deal for Cueto? And if Porcello has a good year, would they give him a Jon Lester deal?

9. Felipe Paulino, RHP, Red Sox — Paulino, 31, is 13-34 with a 5.22 ERA in 97 major league games. He is 24-31 with a 4.51 ERA in 119 minor league games. So, how does a guy with those records stay in baseball for 11 years? Because scouts look at stuff. They look at how his ball moves and how hard he throws. And when discussing Paulino the other day, three scouts said their jaws dropped after watching him throw.

Extra innings

From the Bill Chuck files — “In Mark Teixeira’s five years in Texas, he had 499 RBIs. In Teixeira’s six years with the Yankees, he has 499 RBIs.” . . . Also, “According to the new Fielding Bible, over the last three seasons there have been 15 bunt hit attempts against Pablo Sandoval and all have been successful.” . . . And, “Two pitchers last season led the majors with 23 straight starts in which they allowed no more than three earned runs:Clayton Kershaw and Cole Hamels.” . . . Happy birthday, Justin Masterson (30), Ramon Martinez (47), Sean Berry (49), and Dick Ellsworth (75).