Cnotes MLB 2017 Spring Training News-Exhibition Picks-Trades-Gossips Etc. !!

2017 MLB Win Totals Released
February 10, 2017


For the 11th straight year, the Atlantis Casino Resort in Reno opened the first MLB season win totals in Nevada and they've posted the Chicago Cubs with the highest total at 95.5 wins. The world champion Cubs finished the 2016 regular season with a 103-58 regular season which easily went over the opening total of 89 wins, a number that was then bumped up several times by bettors.


It's hard to see the Cubs have some kind of World Series hangover because they come into spring training this season looking better than they did last spring, in particular landing Wade Davis as the closer, the one spot where the Cubs had a real concern before renting flame-thrower Aroldis Chapman. Chapman is back with the Yankees, but Davis could actually be an upgrade. In his last three seasons with the Royals as a set-up man and closer he posted ERA's of 1.00, 0.94 and 1.87. He converted 27 of 30 saves last season.


The Cubs also bolstered the bullpen by signing Koji Uehara away from Boston on a one year $6 million dollar deal. Former St. Louis outfielder Jon Jay was also signed to a one-year deal. Their only important departures outside of Chapman were Dexter Fowler signing with the Cardinals and Jason Hammel signing with the Royals.


Another reason for optimism with the Cubs this season is knowing that last years big signing, Jason Heyward, can't possibly be as bad as his 2016 was when he set career-lows for on-base percentage (.306), slugging percentage (.325) and home runs (7). If they get only an average 2017 out of Heyward its a huge improvement and makes them ever scarier for the rest of the National League.


The American League champion Cleveland Indians improved its lineup by signing slugger Edwin Encarnacion away from Toronto and the Atlantis posted them at 92.5 wins, the highest AL total. The Indians deep starting rotation is still in tact and the only key cog from last season missing is Mike Napoli who is still unsigned for 2017. Last season the Indians went 94-67.


Here's a look at all the Atlantis totals which are sure to be rapidly adjusted as bettors look for middle opportunities when other books around the state start posting their numbers. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook will release theirs on February 21.

AL EAST
Red Sox 90.5
Blue Jays 86.5
Orioles 84.5
Yankees 83.5
Rays 75.5


AL CENTRAL
Indians 92.5
Tigers 85.5
Royals 80.5
White Sox 73.5
Twins 70.5


AL WEST
Astros 87.5
Rangers 86.5
Mariners 85.5
Angels 76.5
Athletics 66.5


NL EAST
Nationals 90.5
Mets 89.5
Marlins 77.5
Phillies 72.5
Braves 71.5


NL CENTRAL
Cubs 95.5
Cardinals 87.5
Pirates 85.5
Reds 73.5
Brewers 72.5


NL WEST
Dodgers 91.5
Giants 87.5
Rockies 79.5
Diamondbacks 78.5
Padres 64.5

2017 World Baseball Classic Odds
February 7, 2017


The World Baseball Classic makes its return to the diamond this March as 16 countries will look to capture the title. The event started in 2006 and this will be the fourth tournament since it began.


Japan captured the title in both 2006 and 2009 while the Dominican Republic won in 2013.


The field of 16 has been divided into four pools and the first game is set for March 6, 2017.


2017 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC FIELD


Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D


South Korea Japan United States Mexico


Chinese Taipei Australia Canada Italy


Netherlands China Colombia Puerto Rico


Israel Cuba Dominican Republic Venezuela


The winner of each pool will then meet in the semifinals on Mar. 20 and 21 from Los Angeles with the championship game being played on Mar. 22.


Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.ag have posted future odds on the event, which are listed below.


2017 World Baseball Classic (3/22/17)


Dominican Republic 5/2
USA 18/5
Japan 3/1
South Korea 10/1
Venezuela 15/1
Cuba 20/1
Mexico 20/1
Puerto Rico 20/1
Netherlands 25/1
Canada 50/1
Chinese Taipei 50/1
Italy 80/1
Australia 100/1
China 100/1
Colombia 100/1
Israel 100/1

2017 SuperBook HR Odds
February 7, 2017


Opening Day of the 2017 pro baseball season takes place on Sunday April 2, 2017 as 30 teams will look to win the World Series.


Future Odds have been up since last November after the Cubs defeated the Indians in the World Series. Chicago is expected to make a return trip to the Fall Classic, while Cleveland is the second favorite to come out of the American League, at least in the latest future odds.


Bettors looking for an alternative option on the diamond can do so with a popular baseball player prop being offered at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.


Who will hit the most home runs in the 2017 season?


For the third straight season, Miami's Giancarlo Stanton has been tabbed as the favorite (8/1) to win this wager. Stanton finished with 27 home runs last season as the slugger missed 43 games.


Mark Trumbo led the Majors with 47 home runs for Baltimore in 2016, followed by Seattle's Nelson Cruz with 43. After re-signing with the Orioles, Trumbo's odds moved from 30/1 all the way to 8/1, the same odds as Stanton. Cruz isn't receiving as much attention for the 2017 campaign as the Mariners' slugger is listed at 30/1.


Listed below are all of the odds posted at the SuperBook.

Odds to hit Most 2017 MLB Regular Season Home Runs (11/1/17)


Giancarlo Stanton 8/1
Mark Trumbo 8/1
Chris Davis 15/1
Nolan Arenado 15/1
Manny Machado 18/1
Mike Trout 20/1
Bryce Harper 20/1
Josh Donaldson 20/1
Kris Bryant 20/1
Miguel Sano 20/1
Kyle Schwarber 20/1
Nelson Cruz 30/1
Anthony Rizzo 40/1
Edwin Encarnacion 40/1
Miguel Cabrera 40/1
Paul Goldschmidt 40/1
Trevor Story 40/1
Todd Frazier 50/1
Jose Bautista 50/1
George Springer 60/1
Jose Abreu 60/1
Mookie Betts 60/1
Yoenis Cespedes 60/1
Khris Davis 60/1
Rougned Odor 80/1
Carlos Gonzalez 80/1
J.D. Martinez 80/1
Adam Duvall 80/1
Chris Carter 80/1
Joey Gallo 80/1
Freddie Freeman 80/1
Brian Dozier 80/1
Carlos Correa 80/1
Adrian Beltre 80/1
Corey Seager 80/1
Gary Sanchez 800/1
Ian Desmond 100/1
Eric Thames 100/1
Albert Pujols 100/1
Tommy Joseph 100/1
Adam Jones 100/1
Evan Longoria 100/1
Justin Upton 100/1
Maikel Franco 100/1
Carlos Santana 100/1
Hanley Ramirez 100/1
Ryan Braun 100/1
Lucas Duda 100/1
Matt Kemp 100/1
Aaron Judge 100/1
Joc Pederson 100/1
Robinson Cano 100/1
Kyle Seager 100/1
Jay Bruce 100/1
Joey Votto 100/1
Matt Holliday 100/1
Wil Myers 100/1
Andrew McCutchen 100/1
Kendrys Morales 100/1
Troy Tulowitzki 100/1
Adrian Gonzalez 100/1
Marcell Ozuna 100/1
Corey Dickerson 100/1
Charlie Blackmon 100/1
Nomar Mazara 100/1
Justin Turner 100/1
Stephen Piscotty 100/1
Justin Bour 100/1
Jorge Soler 100/1
David Dahl 100/1
Eugenio Suarez 100/1
Addison Russell 100/1
Yasmany Tomas 100/1
Mitch Moreland 100/1
Xander Bogaerts 200/1
Mike Napoli 100/1
Brad Miller 200/1
Eric Hosmer 200/1
Ian Kinsler 200/1
Buster Posey 200/1
Yasiel Puig 200/1
Nick Castellanos 200/1
Evan Gattis 200/1
Field 40/1


***Season must consist of at least 150 regular season games for each team***


***Player must play in at least 1 regular season game for action***


***In case of a tie -- Winners odds are divided by number of Winners***


Odds Subject to Change

Goodbye, Rangers: Veteran Colby Lewis sends farewell message
February 14, 2017


ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Colby Lewis has said goodbye to the Texas Rangers, the organization that drafted him and made both its World Series appearances with the veteran right-hander in the rotation.


Lewis released a statement Tuesday thanking the team and its fans when Rangers pitchers and catchers were reporting to spring training in Arizona. He wrote that goodbyes ''are inevitable and this is mine.''


The 37-year-old Lewis is still a free agent, but turned down offers from the Rangers for a minor league contract. He never mentioned retirement in his statement.


Lewis was picked 38th overall by the Rangers in the 1999 amateur draft and made his big league debut with them in 2002. He had right shoulder surgery in early 2004 before sitting out all of 2005. He then pitched for Detroit and Oakland and spent two years in Japan before returning to Texas in 2010.


Over 11 major league seasons, including nine with the Rangers, he is 77-72 with a 4.70 ERA. Lewis was 4-1 with a 3.11 ERA in 10 postseason games for Texas.


Lewis said he was ''forever grateful'' to the Rangers.


''They helped make my baseball dreams come true. I pitched in two World Series with the uniform I love on my back,'' said Lewis, the winning pitcher against the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the 2010 ALCS that clinched the team's first World Series berth .


Lewis set career highs with 17 wins and 204 2/3 innings pitched in 2015, less than two years after a resurfacing procedure that was just short of a full hip replacement and unprecedented for a major league pitcher.


He was 6-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 19 games last year, when he missed two months in the middle of the season because of a strained right lat. He took a no-hit bid into the ninth inning of a game last June 16 at Oakland before giving up a leadoff double, and had been perfect until a two-out walk in the eighth.

After 18 seasons with Angels, Scioscia still loves the job
February 14, 2017


TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Mike Scioscia has been the Angels' manager since the 20th century, way back when Anaheim was at the front of the club's official name instead of the back. He has been a constant in Orange County since long before its housewives had a reality show.


Scioscia is the longest-tenured manager in baseball by a whopping seven years as he heads into his 18th season with the Angels. He realizes that such faith in a leader is positively remarkable in professional sports, and he enters every Cactus League campaign with a determination to justify it.


''Believe me, I don't take this opportunity for granted,'' Scioscia said Tuesday after the Angels' pitchers and catchers reported to Tempe Diablo Stadium. ''I know it's a long time, and I love it. (We're) going to keep moving toward that championship. I think it starts with when you have ownership that commits to putting good teams out there, and I think this year is a good example.''


The Angels are coming back from a 74-88 season in 2016, the worst of Scioscia's tenure. He realizes other managers of his vintage likely would have been in trouble, even given the Angels' brutal series of pitching injuries last summer.


But owner Arte Moreno has remained steadfastly behind his only bench boss since he bought the team in early 2003, several months after Scioscia won the franchise's only World Series title. And Scioscia is still firmly committed to the sometimes frustrating job of running the big-budget Angels, who didn't make any headline-grabbing offseason signings while general manager Billy Eppler continues to grapple with a payroll limited by past years of lavish free-agent deals.


Instead of worrying about what he doesn't have, Scioscia is clearly thrilled by his next challenge: Assembling the good players from last season's team and a handful of experienced newcomers around AL MVP Mike Trout to build something new and exciting.


''I absolutely love it,'' Scioscia said. ''I love the challenges. I love our staff. I love our team, and that gives you the inspiration to go on and continue to try to achieve. I don't take that lightly, and when we don't achieve, I take that hard, and it's been an incredible opportunity.''


Scioscia has been the Angels' manager for seven seasons longer than the San Francisco Giants tenure of Bruce Bochy, the second-longest tenured manager. Only Gregg Popovich and Bill Belichick - hired by the Patriots two months after the Angels landed Scioscia - have comparable longevity in major North American pro sports.


Popovich, Belichick and Bochy all have a few more rings than Scioscia, but the Angels have been a steady winner for most of his tenure. He is 10 wins away from 1,500 in his career, which will make him the 22nd manager to hit the milestone.


He should do it early in the season, but not much else is certain for a franchise hoping for a quick return to the pennant race after last season's stumbles - and that's part of the fun for Scioscia. He must figure out what to keep from last season's rotation, which lost nearly every starter to a significant injury at some point, and who will fill out the bullpen behind relievers Huston Street and Cam Bedrosian, who also are returning from injuries.


''I don't think there's anybody that's going to look at last year as a group of guys that underachieved, because that's not what happened,'' Scioscia said. ''These guys played their hearts out, and a lot of the young kids that came up to pitch pitched their hearts out, and that was inspiring for a lot of us.''


NOTES: Albert Pujols is already in camp and doing everything but running, the slugger said. He remains hopeful of returning from foot surgery in time for opening day, but the Angels won't know for sure until shortly before then. ... Scioscia is eager to monitor the progress of RHP Garrett Richards, who told reporters he expects to have a pitch limit in his return from nearly a full year of rest and rehabilitation for a strained elbow ligament. Richards had platelet-rich plasma injections in an effort to avoid Tommy John surgery.

Pirates ace Cole hoping for healthier, more productive 2017
February 14, 2017


BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) Two years ago, Gerrit Cole won 19 games and finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting.


After slogging through an injury filled 2016, the Pittsburgh Pirates' ace has set more modest goals for the upcoming season.


''Staying healthy, being able to contribute,'' Cole said. ''Staying disciplined and staying on a routine. Just keep trying to perfect the things I can control is a pretty good goal.''


On Tuesday, when Pirates pitchers and catchers held their first workout of spring training, Cole threw a normal bullpen session. He fired 35 fastballs in front of a crowd of a couple dozen fans and several keenly interested members of the Pirates' coaching staff and front office.


It was uneventful. It was mundane. And it was exactly what Cole needed.


''It certainly is an advantage for us if he's healthy and he's Gerrit Cole again,'' general manager Neal Huntington said. ''There's no coincidence that we were good when Gerrit was good.''


Last year, Cole sustained a rib injury about a month before camp began. It threw his offseason training routine out of whack and still bothered him a couple of months into the season.


Cole went on the disabled list three times. In June, he was sidelined by a strained right triceps. In August, it was right elbow inflammation. On Sept. 13, he was shut down for the season by right elbow posterior inflammation.


Never fully healthy, Cole lurched to a 7-10 record with a 3.88 ERA. His averages of 10.2 hits and 2.8 walks allowed per nine innings were career worsts.


With Cole hobbled, the starting rotation tanked. Opening day starter Francisco Liriano never pulled out of a season-long funk and was traded in August. Manager Clint Hurdle was forced to plug the holes with rookies Jameson Taillon, Steven Brault, Trevor Williams and Chad Kuhl.


Pirates starters racked up the third-fewest innings in the NL and ranked 11th with a 4.67 ERA. The team finished 78-83 and missed the postseason for the first time since 2012.


''At the end of the day, the biggest thing was we weren't able to pitch the ball the way we had the previous three years, which complicated everything else,'' Hurdle said.


Cole ended the season on the 60-day DL and worked out over the winter at a facility in Los Angeles operated by his agent Scott Boras.


''I've learned a lot and gotten more mental toughness,'' Cole said. ''I've learned how to deal with some adversity, so hopefully I'm better for it.''


By mid-November, when Cole honeymooned with his wife in the Caribbean, he finally felt healthy again.


As he dressed for his first workout at Pirate City, Cole laughed when someone asked if he played catch on the beach with his wife Amy, the sister of San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford.


''No, but we still worked out quite a bit,'' Cole said. ''I'm lucky, my wife is athletic.''


This year, Cole is back on a normal spring training routine. He is expected to anchor the front end of the rotation with Ivan Nova, who in December signed a three-year, $26 million deal.


Hurdle has not yet indicated which pitcher will start on opening day against the Boston Red Sox. Although Nova has more experience, Cole has other things working in his favor.


''He has that `it' factor,'' Taillon said. ''I feel like the team has kind of been turned toward him, at least on the pitching side of it. He's definitely a presence. He's got an air about him.''

Uncertainty still hanging over White Sox as spring begins
February 14, 2017


GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) The Chicago White Sox are a work in progress as spring training begins.


Finally committing to a rebuilding project after four consecutive sub-.500 seasons, the White Sox are without former ace Chris Sale and outfielder Adam Eaton, who were dealt away for some of baseball's top prospects. Still here, perhaps surprisingly, are closer David Robertson and Jose Quintana, who would replace Sale as the staff ace - assuming the All-Star lefty is still here.


General manager Rick Hahn said trade talks will likely not fade away.


''We expect them to continue,'' Hahn said Tuesday after the official reporting day for pitchers and catchers at Camelback Ranch. ''We're going to keep an open mind and where there are conversations to be had we'll pursue them. As we sit here today, there's nothing gnawing at us or appealing enough to make us move.''


Robertson, the Sox's closer for the last two years, was part of the discussions over the winter.


''I can't do anything about it. I'm just going to try my best to stay here,'' Robertson said. ''If I stay here, great. If I get moved, it's their decision.''


Robertson, who has two years remaining on a four-year deal worth a total of $46 million, is happy to be pain free following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in November. He had 37 saves for Chicago last season with a 3.47 ERA along with seven blown saves.


He's also excited about pitching for the United States in the World Baseball Classic next month.


''It's a chance to represent my country, try something different,'' the 31-year-old right-hander said. It's going to be a lot of fun to meet a bunch of guys I played against for a while and be on the same team. It's going to be different and fun and it kind of breaks up spring training a little bit. I'm excited about it.''


Manager Rick Renteria, promoted from bench coach to replace Robin Ventura, said his message to the team during the first meeting of the spring was ''nothing newer than any manager has ever said to his players.''


Renteria said he stressed discipline in the meeting but also emphasized having fun. He said he hasn't talked to any of the players rumored to be on the trading block specifically about that subject, at least not yet.


''I think if as the spring goes along and if I feel it might be something that's weighing on him, I'll have a conversation,'' Renteria said.


Some of the prospects the White Sox acquired for Sale and Eaton were on display Tuesday. Yoan Moncada, a 21-year-old infielder from Cuba who was the key acquisition in the Sale deal with Boston, is in camp early and took some swings in the batting cage.


Lucas Giolito was part of the deal with Washington for Eaton. The 6-foot-6-inch right-hander, the Nationals' first-round pick in 2012, developed into a top prospect but his introduction to the majors was rough. He had a 6.75 ERA in four starts and allowed seven homers in 21 1/3 innings.


''I experienced a lot of hardship in the big leagues. I didn't pitch well and got hit pretty hard,'' Giolito said. ''I learned a lot from that, being able to make adjustments on the fly, slowing things down. I'm trying to take everything I've learned and apply that.''


That will likely apply to several members of the White Sox as they retool with new personnel.


''We all have that same goal in mind, we want to develop together,'' Giolito said.

MLB notebook: Gardenhire diagnosed with prostate cancer
February 14, 2017


Arizona Diamondbacks bench coach Ron Gardenhire revealed Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will undergo surgery this spring.


The former Minnesota Twins manager said he was diagnosed earlier this month. A blood test taken during his physical exam cited the possibility and an MRI exam confirmed he had prostate cancer. Surgery will be performed after Gardenhire completes the preparation process.


The 59-year-old Gardenhire told Arizona team officials that doctors told him the cancer was detected early. It is conceivable he could return to the team six weeks after the procedure.


Gardenhire is in his first season with the Diamondbacks. He was fired by the Twins following the 2014 season after 13 seasons as manager. Gardenhire compiled a 1,068-1039 record with the Twins and was American League Manager of the Year in 2010.


--Embattled third baseman Jung Ho Kang will not be able to report to Pittsburgh Pirates' spring training on time because of an ongoing legal situation in his native South Korea, the team announced.


Kang, 29, is expected to go on trial for DUI-related charges on Feb. 22.


Kang was arrested in December and charged with leaving the scene of a DUI accident near a Seoul subway station with a blood alcohol level 0.084 (the legal limit in South Korea is 0.05).


Kang signed a four-year, $11 million contract with the Pirates in 2015 after spending nine seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization. Last season, Kang hit .255 with 21 home runs and 62 RBIs in 103 games.


--The Cincinnati Reds placed right-hander Homer Bailey on the 60-day disabled list, six days after he underwent elbow surgery.


Bailey had bone spurs removed from his pitching elbow, marking his third surgery in the region. The 30-year-old hopes to return in June.


The Reds also claimed right-hander Nefi Ogando off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 27-year-old Ogando has a 3.66 ERA in 18 career relief appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins.


--Houston Astros right-hander Collin McHugh won his arbitration case and will earn $3.85 million this season.


The Astros submitted a salary of $3.35 million but the three-person panel opted for McHugh's request.


McHugh went 13-10 with a 4.34 ERA and a career-best 177 strikeouts last season. McHugh, 29, is 43-26 with a 3.71 ERA in three seasons with Houston. He won a career-best 19 games in 2015.


--Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman will receive $3.4 million in 2017 after it was revealed that he won his arbitration case against the club.


The three arbitrators chose Stroman's request over the $3.1 million the Blue Jays submitted. Stroman was 9-10 with a 4.37 ERA in 32 starts in 2016.


The 25-year-old won a career-best 11 games in 2014 before missing the majority of the 2015 season due to a torn ACL in his left knee. Stroman, 25, is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA in five postseason starts for Toronto over the past two seasons.


--Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi won his arbitration case, meaning his 2017 salary of $4.1 million will be nearly eight times higher than his 2016 wage.


The three arbitrators chose Odorizzi's figure over the $3.825 million submitted by the Rays. Odorizzi made $520,700 last season.


Odorizzi, who turns 27 next month, was 10-6 with a 3.69 ERA in 33 starts last season. Odorizzi is 30-30 with a 3.75 ERA in 101 career appearances (98 starts).


--The St. Louis Cardinals were involved in an arbitration case for the first time in 18 years and were deemed winners in their case against right-hander Michael Wacha.


The three arbitrators chose the club's $2.775 million submission over Wacha's request of $3.2 million. Wacha, 25, was 7-7 with a career-worst 5.09 ERA in 27 appearances (24 starts) last season. The campaign was a dropoff from 2015 when Wacha went 17-7 with a 3.38 ERA.


Wacha was the first player to take the Cardinals to arbitration since left-hander Darren Oliver in 1999. St. Louis won the case against Oliver.


--Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Chase Anderson lost his arbitration case and will make $2.45 million, it was announced.


Anderson sought $2.85 million but the three arbitrators felt the club's proposal was more acceptable. Anderson made $520,200 last season in his first season with Milwaukee. He went 9-11 with a 4.39 ERA in 31 appearances (30 starts).


The 29-year-old spent his first two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is 24-24 with a 4.60 ERA in three big-league seasons.


--Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Taijuan Walker lost an arbitration case against his new club and will receive $2.25 million this season.


Walker, acquired from the Seattle Mariners in the offseason, requested $2.6 million. The 24-year-old made $528,600 last season while going 8-11 with a 4.22 ERA in 25 starts for the Mariners.


Walker was traded to Arizona as part of the package that sent infielder Jean Segura to Seattle. Walker is 22-22 with a 4.18 ERA in 65 career appearances (62 starts).

With championship drought over, 'That's Cub' has new meaning
February 14, 2017


MESA, Ariz. (AP) A lot has changed for the Chicago Cubs in the past year.


Right down to team mantras.


For the better part of 108 years, blowing a shot at a championship was met by shrugs and a feeling of, ''That's just the Cubs.''


The Cubs arrive this week at Sloan Park as World Series champions and manager Joe Maddon and Co. are grabbing onto a relatively fresh term: ''That's Cub.'' Maddon, of course, loves to find creative ways to keep the players fresh and focused during a long season.


''That would be Cub, `That's Cub' to move it forward, to win a World Series and then come back the next season and you're happy and you're impressed and you love what you've done, but you have to continue to move it forward,'' Maddon said.


Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said the phrase cropped up a few years ago when today's current standouts were youngsters in the organization. It has followed players like Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora and Javier Baez to the major leagues.


'''That's Cub' started four or five years ago in the minors,'' Epstein said. ''When they started realizing how good they were, and some of the things they were doing, we started saying, `That's Cub.' It was great for morale and came to mean something positive organically. For years `That's Cub' had a different connotation.''


Some players were already sporting ''That's Cub'' shirts during workouts with Courage, Urgency and Belief spelled out under the corresponding letters.


Maddon also talked about three themes he will focus on this spring: Staying uncomfortable, authenticity and heart.


''It's really important to be uncomfortable,'' Maddon said. ''If you become a comfortable person, I think that subtracts growth from the equation. I think if you remain somewhat uncomfortable, you'll continue to grow. You don't become stagnant. You don't become complacent, set in your ways. On every level, I want us to remain uncomfortable. I think that's a really positive word.''


''For me, I really want us to really understand the authentic part of who we are,'' he said. ''From that, be able to sustain what we've done in the past just by being us. Don't try to do anything different. There's a part of the sameness I would like to see, is the authentic part of our guys.''


He mentioned Game 7 of the World Series at Cleveland. The Cubs blew a three-run lead in the eighth, with Rajai Davis hitting the tying homer off Aroldis Chapman. But they got a pep talk from Jason Heyward during a short rain delay after the ninth inning, scored two in the 10th and hung on after Cleveland got a run in the bottom half to bring home their first championship since 1908.


''Things went badly for a bit,'' Maddon said. ''We came back and regrouped because our guys got together in a room, void of any kind of statistical, video, analytical information - they went in there as human beings and came out unified.


''Everybody just wants to talk about all this other stuff. Everybody's forgetting the heartbeat. I don't want us to forget the heartbeat, ever.''


The topics eventually turned toward the players - Schwarber's desire to catch, managing pitchers' workload considering the season went to Nov. 2, bullpen depth, platoons in center field with Almora and John Jay and Baez's uncertain role. But the main theme of the initial news conference with general manager Jed Hoyer, Epstein and Maddon was how things must stay the same even though things are much different now that the organization isn't labeled with 100-plus years of jokes, curses and failures.


''The methods are still the same,'' Maddon said. ''We weren't outcome oriented. We focus on the process to give you the best opportunity to succeed. Nothing changes in that regard. Embrace the target and everything else remains the same.''

Rangers get Gamboa from Rays; Fielder, Diekman to 60-day DL
February 14, 2017


SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) The Texas Rangers acquired right-handed knuckleballer Eddie Gamboa from the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, when they placed reliever Jake Diekman and first baseman Prince Fielder on the 60-day disabled list.


The moves by the AL West champions came on the same day pitchers and catchers reported to spring training.


Fielder was forced to quit playing last summer after his second neck surgery, but is under contract through 2020 for $24 million a season. He has to remain on the Rangers roster for them to recoup some of that money through an insurance policy.


Diekman is expected to miss at least half of the season during treatment for the ulcerative colitis, a digestive condition he has dealt with much of his life. He had surgery Jan. 25, the first of a series of scheduled procedures to remove his colon. Even though he can't participate in any individual or team drills, Diekman was in camp Tuesday to be with his teammates


Gamboa goes to the Rangers for a player to be named later or cash considerations. He was 0-2 with a 1.35 ERA in seven relief appearances for the Rays last season, the first major league action for the 32-year-old pitcher.


Since Fielder didn't formally retire, he had to remain on the Rangers' 40-man roster during the offseason. But he can be placed on the 60-day disabled list once camp opens and not count against their roster limit.


Fielder got a $214 million, nine-year contract in 2012 from Detroit, which traded the slugger to Texas after two seasons. The Tigers owe Texas $6 million apiece in 2017 and '18, and $7 million in each of the following two years as part of that November 2013 deal. The Rangers are responsible for the remainder, about half of which will be covered by disability insurance.

Felix Hernandez out to "prove people wrong" after down year
February 14, 2017

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) Felix Hernandez arrived for Seattle Mariners spring training on Tuesday already ahead in his offseason preparation from previous years.


It's the result of the World Baseball Classic and his determination to prove last year's struggles were an anomaly.


''I've got to prove people wrong,'' Hernandez said after taking his physical with the Mariners. ''I feel fine. I'm healthy. That's the main thing.''


How Hernandez approached the offseason was one of Seattle's big questions after watching its ace have a rocky 2016 season that included a lengthy stint on the disabled list due to a leg injury. Hernandez was 11-8 with a 3.82 ERA in 25 starts last season. It was the fewest starts in a full season in his career and his ERA was its highest since 2007. He walked more batters, struck out fewer and was prone to giving up the long ball.


It was unlike the Hernandez most have come to expect, which made how he would respond one of the big topics that could ultimately determine how good Seattle is in 2017.


''The offseason has been good to me,'' Hernandez said.


Hernandez spent most of his time in Miami working out with the same trainer - Iron Glenn - who has worked out teammates Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano in previous seasons. Hernandez reported at 224 pounds, which is up from last season when he reported at 207, but he believes the increased weight comes via strength that will help him last the season.


''Working on everything. The whole body, to be balanced, left and right side,'' Hernandez said. ''(We) do a lot of bands. We do a lot of stuff.''


Hernandez also had a brief two-game stint in the Venezuelan Winter League to start getting ready for the World Baseball Classic.


Hernandez said he still needed to finalize his pitching schedule with the Mariners staff but is likely to throw in two spring training games before joining Venezuela. Hernandez expects to pitch the pool play opener for his country on March 10 against Puerto Rico. Hernandez did not pitch for Venezuela during the 2013 WBC.


''It means a lot. I think we've got a pretty good team to win the whole thing,'' he said.


Hernandez will also spend the early days of spring training figuring out Seattle's overhauled roster. There are just eight players remaining on the 40-man roster from when general manager Jerry Dipoto took over in September 2015.


''There's a lot of new faces. I have to sit down and see who the guys (are),'' Hernandez said. ''But we look different. More athletic.''

New stage of grieving for Miami Marlins as camp opens
February 14, 2017


JUPITER, Fla. (AP) Even before the first workout of spring training began, Miami Marlins closer A.J. Ramos felt Jose Fernandez's absence - and presence.


Ramos lingered a little too long in the clubhouse and had to scramble to join his teammates for the start of stretching. He barely avoided a fine.


''I was almost late,'' Ramos said. ''Right off the bat, Jose would have yelling at me. I could hear his voice.''


The Marlins entered a new stage of grieving Tuesday when pitchers and catchers reported for spring training. Miami has five new pitchers, a more robust payroll than usual and high hopes of ending a 13-year postseason drought, but much of the conversation before and after the workout focused on the tragic void the team will feel all season.


Miami's charismatic ace and two companions died in a boat crash a week before the end of the 2016 season. The winter allowed for only partial healing.


''I don't think you ever fully heal from losing someone like that,'' Ramos said. ''You just cope with it.''


The Marlins wore patches bearing his No. 16 on the front of their uniforms in memory of Fernandez, as they will do all season. Plans are being formulated to honor him on opening day and at the All-Star Game, which will be at Marlins Park.


''One of the last things we talked about,'' team president David Samson said, eyes glistening, ''was him starting the All-Star Game on July 11 in Miami.''


Manager Don Mattingly and his players spoke of honoring Fernandez going forward by playing the way he did.


''The picture I like to think about is Jose the little kid,'' Mattingly said. ''The way he played was with that joy you have when you started playing. That's really special. You'd like your guys to have that feeling.''


Fernandez's locker at Marlins Park will remain vacant, Samson said, as the team strives to balance paying respect with the need to move on.


Among those trying to move on Tuesday was Jeffrey Loria, who sat in a golf cart watching the start of spring training for perhaps the last time as an owner. He's negotiating to sell the team, lending uncertainty to the franchise's outlook this year.


Loria declined to talk to reporters, and players had little to say about a possible sale.


''It has no impact on how we play,'' outfielder Christian Yelich said. ''We don't get any of the money if it's sold.''


Position players aren't required to be in camp until Friday, but Yelich was one of the early arrivals. Others included Giancarlo Stanton and Dee Gordon, who stood at his locker, looked down the row at Fernandez's stall and slowly shook his head.


''It's weird,'' Gordon said. ''We'll get through it, but it's weird. I was looking for him in the weight room, and he wasn't there. It was a little quieter in there.''


The Marlins were also mindful of Fernandez's family. Samson spoke by phone with Fernandez's girlfriend, who is expecting to give birth soon to their daughter.


Gone were the raw emotions of last September's final games - the group embraces, prayerful pauses on the field and tears shed in mourning, even during a home-run trot.


But there were more hugs than usual in the clubhouse on this Valentine's Day. Players spoke of their lasting bond forged by the tragedy of Fernandez's death.


''Everybody knows what we went through at the end of last year,'' Yelich said. ''It's tough for everybody to come back to camp and realize he's not going to be here. But we got through it together then, and we'll do the same now.''

Tillman has shoulder injection and won't start O's opener
February 14, 2017


SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) Chris Tillman won't extend his streak of opening-day starts for Baltimore to four.


As spring training opened, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Tuesday the right-hander had a platelet-rich plasma injection on his right shoulder and will not pitch in a spring training game before March 17, As a result, Tillman won't start the season until April 7 at the earliest.


''We're going to make sure we get it right. This is as fast as we feel comfortable going safely,'' Showalter said.


Tillman went 16-6 with a 3.77 ERA last year, spending about three weeks on the disabled list with soreness in the right shoulder late in the season. He recovered to start the wild-card game against Toronto.


Showalter said Tillman could avoid starting the season on the disabled list but wouldn't be ready until the season's fourth game. If Tillman has any setback, that timetable would be pushed back.


With Tillman out, right-hander Kevin Gausman is the most likely starter for the April 3 opener against Toronto. Showalter thinks Tillman's injury will not have long-lasting effects.


''I've got high hopes that we get this resolved and he pitches all year for us,'' Showalter said.

Reds P Bailey headed to 60-day DL
February 14, 2017


The Cincinnati Reds placed right-hander Homer Bailey on the 60-day disabled list on Tuesday, six days after he underwent elbow surgery.


Bailey had bone spurs removed from his pitching elbow, marking his third surgery in the region.


The 30-year-old hopes to return in June.


Bailey posted a 2-3 mark with a 6.65 ERA in six starts last season following his July return from Tommy John surgery.


Bailey has logged just 180 innings since signing a six-year, $106 million extension prior to the 2014 season.


Bailey, who has thrown two no-hitters, boasts a 60-54 career mark with a 4.24 ERA in 10 seasons with the Reds.


The Reds also claimed right-hander Nefi Ogando off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 27-year-old Ogando has a 3.66 ERA in 18 career relief appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins.

Brewers' Peralta looks forward to 2017
February 14, 2017


PHOENIX (AP) Wily Peralta, Milwaukee's opening day starter last season, is just hoping to crack the rotation in 2017.


The 27-year-old right-hander was 4-7 with a 6.68 ERA through his first 13 starts and allowed a major league-high 97 hits over 66 innings. Milwaukee demoted him to Triple-A Colorado Springs in June.


''It wasn't easy last year, having to go down,'' Peralta said Tuesday as the Brewers reported for spring training.


''I was struggling with my timing and mechanics,'' he said. ''Being down there, being able to relax and work through what I had to work through . It's got me excited for this year.''


Brought back up in August, Peralta had a 2.95 ERA and 51 strikeouts over his final 10 big league starts. Batters hit nearly .350 against him over his first 13 starts but only .241 in the final two months. Milwaukee hopes he can return to his form in 2014, when he went 17-11 with a 3.53 ERA.


Taylor Jungmann, who spent time in Colorado Springs last season dealing with his own struggles, said Peralta's resurgence speaks to the ''mental side of his game.''


''Seeing him come back and do what he did in September was really impressive,'' Jungmann said, adding that being sent down to the minors can be ''dark days,'' depending on the person.


''You can get worse and worse and worse, or you can take it as motivation like Wily did, and really grow from it, learn your mechanics and learn how to fix things on your own,'' Jungmann said.


Now with his focus on 2017, Peralta aims to learn from his mistakes, especially now that he's the second-longest tenured Brewer in the clubhouse behind only Ryan Braun.


''I'm feeling good, feel healthy. ... I pitched a little bit of winter ball this year, and I think it will help me stay on track this season,'' Peralta said.


Second-year skipper Craig Counsell said last month that his starting rotation has plenty of question marks.


''We've kind of purposely gone into spring with some depth and that's a really comfortable place to be for the organization,'' Counsell said. ''At some point we're going to have to make some decisions there.''


Peralta reiterated that being named opening day starter April 3 when the Brewers take on the Colorado Rockies is not his goal.


''I want to be part of the rotation, it doesn't matter what position they put me in,'' Peralta said. ''Last year I came to spring training with the same goal. . I'm here to be a part of the team, part of the rotation, and wherever they put me I'll be happy with.''

Ventura's death weighs on Royals
February 14, 2017


SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) The locker was empty. A banner over the clubhouse door said: ''Ace 30.''


Back on the field for the first time this year, the Kansas City Royals couldn't help but think of Yordano Ventura, their 25-year-old teammate who died in a car crash on Jan. 22 in his native Dominican Republic.


''He's always on your mind,'' manager Ned Yost said Tuesday as Kansas City started spring training workouts. ''I still catch myself thinking about him being in our rotation, for a second there. It just takes time to work through that, and we'll work through it as a group.''


Ventura signed with the Royals in 2008 and came up to the major league team in 2013. He helped the Royals win the 2014 AL pennant and 2015 World Series title.


''I think it's becoming real,'' Royals pitcher Danny Duffy said, recalling his special handshake with Ventura. ''But that's the reality of it; we're not going to see him again. It's definitely tough. We're going to have a year that all of us will not soon forget. We're looking forward to spending time with each other.''


Yost noted ''it crushed all of us'' when Miami Marlins star pitcher Jose Fernandez died in a boating accident last September. Four months later, tragedy struck the Royals.


''He's going to be deeply missed,'' third baseman Mike Moustakas said. ''It's tough to deal with. The only thing we can do is stay together as a family, play in his memory and keep remembering him all the time. He's one of our brothers. Not seeing him is going to be the toughest thing.''


Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout contacted Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer after learning of Ventura's death. Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado got in touch with Royals catcher Salvador Perez.


''Guys like Trout and Manny that had little incidents with Yordano on the field, but both of those guys reached out and make sure that we were alright and his family is alright,'' Hosmer said.


Their reactions did not surprise Yost.


''They're pros, they're All-Stars,'' Yost said. ''That's why they are great players. It's because they care. If you don't care about each other as a group, it doesn't make any sense. Even though you're on different teams you're part of this brotherhood called MLB.''


Jason Hamel will be a rotation candidate along with Travis Wood, who is in the process of finalizing a $12 million, two-year contract. Yost said left-hander Matt Strahm will remain in the bullpen but could be a future starter.


But for now, and likely for a long time, the focus was on the player who was not here.


''It's not something we're going to get over,'' Hosmer said. ''It's not something we're going to forget.''

Youthful A's rotation key to success
February 14, 2017


MESA, Ariz. (AP) A key to the Oakland Athletics' young and relatively inexperienced starting rotation will be to consistently get the ball to the bullpen with a lead or a tie.


If that happens, a number of late-inning specialists figure to be able to close out games on a regular basis.


''It'll be fun but it will also be something that is going to have some people step up, including myself,'' No. 1 starter Sonny Gray said on reporting day for Oakland's pitchers and catchers. ''If we can go out there with that light-hearted, young, having fun mentality. The good thing about having a bunch of young guys is we can make it as much fun as we want.''


The A's aren't highly thought of as contenders this season after a second straight last-place finish in the AL West. For that to change, Oakland will need to get better results out of a projected starting rotation whose ace, Gray, had a down year in 2016, going 5-11 with a 5.69 ERA. He was an All-Star in 2015 and had 28 wins combined in 2014 and 2015. Other potential starters include Kendall Graveman, Sean Manaea, Jharel Cotton, Andrew Triggs and Jesse Hahn.


''Expectations aren't really high for any of these guys,'' Gray said. ''For any of us, really. We can just go out there and do our thing and hopefully by the end of it, put together something pretty cool.''


Catcher Stephen Vogt said it's frustrating that people don't give the A's more credit.


''We know how good we can be if we're healthy and our guys pitch the way they're capable of,'' Vogt said. ''I think this lineup is going to put up a lot of runs. You try not to pay attention to everybody kind of counting you out, but at the same time, when no one's even talking about you that's when you can really sneak up on some people and ruin some other teams' seasons.''


Graveman's 10 wins and 186 innings led the staff in 2016.


''I set some goals last year and I met them,'' Graveman said. ''I think I'm going to set some higher goals this year. For me that's huge, to write them down in spring training. Make every start, I think that's huge.''


Manaea made 24 starts last season and after some early struggles, finished with a 3.86 ERA. Cotton came to the A's in a trade with the Dodgers involving Rich Hill and Josh Reddick last season. Triggs went 1-1 in six starts and debuted last season.


''There's a lot of young guys with not very much experience, but a lot of them got their feet wet last year,'' Vogt said. ''They had a full offseason to prepare for what's in front of them.''


Gray could get the chance to face top competition in games that matter next month in the World Baseball Classic. He would join Team USA in the second round in San Diego.


''It lines up just really well,'' Gray said. ''The fact that you get to potentially put on the jersey again is a cool feeling. Something I've done in the past and I've really enjoyed.''


Gray's bullpen session schedule will be altered slightly for the WBC, he said, but it's ''nothing too crazy.''


NOTES: Newly acquired reliever Santiago Casilla has yet to report to spring training and may miss his scheduled physical on Wednesday due to issues with his international visa. ... A smiling Andrew Lambo, back with the A's as a non-roster camp invitee, said he's ready to play again after beating testicular cancer last year. He's been cancer-free for seven months. ... C Josh Phegley is running and ready to participate fully in workouts, he said, after being limited last season by left knee surgery and setbacks. But manager Bob Melvin said he might ease Phegley into early spring drills. ... Ps Chris Bassitt and Felix Doubront are throwing after recovering from last year's elbow surgeries. ''They'll definitely be in the mix later on this season,'' Melvin said.

Melancon throws to Posey on Day 1
February 14, 2017


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) Mark Melancon sprints to the mound and his heart starts racing - at precisely 183 beats per minute.


It's all by careful design for San Francisco's new closer.


''I didn't realize it was that high,'' San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said Tuesday, when his pitchers and catchers held their first spring training workout. ''That shows you how ramped up these guys get with Adrenalin kicking in. It's a beautiful thing. Adrenalin's a beautiful drug as long as you can control it.''


Melancon sure can, and he is monitoring his every movement. The right-hander is wearing a heart rate monitor under his uniform around his rib area while he pitches.


''I don't think across the league it's too popular,'' Melancon said.


In fact, he asked his share of questions about sports science - his passion that goes hand in hand with pitching at his peak - when deciding to sign with San Francisco during the offseason.


But 183 beats per minute, for a someone who typically works all of one inning at the end of the night to finish off the opponent?


''Which is extremely high, because I'm just standing out there, barely moving,'' he said. ''I don't want to go from sitting out in the bullpen for two hours to all of a sudden trying to be at 183. That's what's going to cause injury, so slowly building that up over the course of two innings or so getting the heart rate up riding the bike, getting the blood flowing and get your body loose.''


On Tuesday, Melancon threw for the first time to Gold Glove catcher Buster Posey as lefty ace Madison Bumgarner let it fly from one mound over at Scottsdale Stadium. All the brass watched their prized ninth-inning addition keenly from the side - executive vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean, general manager Bobby Evans, athletic trainer Dave Groeschner, assistant GMs Jeremy Shelley and Dick Tidrow.


Of course Bochy stole some glances, too.


Melancon, who landed a $62 million, four-year contract in December, got right to work. He shagged balls during bunting drills on a back field before his turn.


The 31-year-old Melancon figured he might be pitching in the Bay Area last summer but the Pirates traded him to Washington instead of San Francisco, which could have used him as the Giants squandered a three-run lead in the ninth inning of an eventual 6-5 loss to the champion Cubs in Game 4 of the NL Division Series last October.


Melancon saved at least 30 games in each of the past three seasons, including a majors-best 51 in 2015. He went 47 for 51 in save opportunities in 75 relief appearances last year with Pittsburgh and Washington, tied for second-most in baseball.


Melancon has embraced every advantage he can get from gains in sports science.


From the heart rate monitor he gathers metrics such as calories burned and distance covered.


He studies the numbers and considers how maybe it was an especially hot day and he burned more calories and his heart rate was higher because of the temperature. He then might decide to decrease his next workout or even take an extra day of rest.


He also does regular blood work to determine whether he might be prone to injury unless he reduces his workload.


''All these teams have a sports science director now, so it's obviously pretty important. They're valuing it,'' he said. ''While I was in Pittsburgh I felt we were ahead of the curve with some stuff, some things that are just now being implemented by teams we've been using for three or four years.''


Health nut Hunter Pence can't wait to compare notes.


''I've already been asking him about all his other organizations and how they do things, trying to see anything we can do better,'' the right fielder said. ''That's something me and him are both really into, the sports science, trying to get the most out of our bodies.''


Notes: The Giants signed RHP David Hernandez to a minor league contract and Bochy expects him to compete for a bullpen spot. ... Johnny Cueto, still in the Dominican Republic with his ailing father, is expected in camp this weekend. He was set to throw Tuesday at the team's Dominican academy, Bochy said.

Feldman won't pitch for Israel in WBC
February 14, 2017


GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) Scott Feldman won't compete in the World Baseball Classic for Israel, choosing instead to get ready to fill a spot in the Cincinnati Reds' rotation.


Feldman said Tuesday that he has turned down the opportunity to pitch in the WBC. The Reds signed him on Jan. 26 to fill the spot that opened when they traded Dan Straily - their top starter last season - to the Marlins for prospects.


The 34-year-old Feldman will get $2.3 million on his one-year deal and can make an additional $2.2 million in bonuses based upon starts and $1.5 million for relief appearances, depending upon which role he fills. The Reds need for a starter became more acute when Homer Bailey had surgery to remove bone spurs from his pitching elbow, sidelining him into the season.


''I was asked, but I think it's more important for me to be here with a new team,'' Feldman said about pitching for Israel. ''You have to go somewhere where they want you. The Reds called early and it seemed like a good place to play. It is unfortunate when guys like Homer get hurt. In the meantime, someone has to step up a little bit.''


The Reds opened last season with five starters on the disabled list, putting pressure on a bullpen that wound up being historically bad. They signed closer Drew Storen in the offseason to try to fix that issue.


Feldman has pitched for the Rangers, Cubs, Orioles, Astros and Blue Jays. He was used mostly in relief last season, making only five starts, but is getting ready to return to a starting role.


''Starting is something I'd like to do,'' he said.


NOTES: The Reds put Bailey on the 60-day disabled list on Tuesday. He had surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right forearm in 2014 and had Tommy John surgery the following year. He was limited to six starts last season because of setbacks during his rehabilitation. Bailey is expected to miss at least the first month of the season because of the elbow surgery. ... The Reds claimed right-hander Nefi Ogando off waivers from the Pirates. Ogando made 18 relief appearances the last two seasons for the Phillies and Marlins.

Mattingly, Marlins lift ban on facial hair
February 14, 2017


JUPITER, Fla. (AP) Beards are back for the Miami Marlins.


Manager Don Mattingly said he and owner Jeffrey Loria decided lift their prohibition on facial hair after one season.


''It was a constant fight last year, honestly, with guys,'' said Mattingly, speaking Tuesday before the first spring training workout for pitchers and catchers. ''Through the course of the season and watching the playoffs and the World Series, for me it just didn't seem like that big of a thing. The most important thing is our guys prepare and play the game right.''


The Marlins will continue to require players be well-groomed. The ban was adopted after Mattingly was hired as manager before the 2016 season.


''A little bit last year for me was being in a new situation and wanting to make sure the team was put first, and it wasn't going to be about personal things,'' he said.


A handful of players took advantage of the new policy, including All-Star closer A.J. Ramos and starting pitchers Edinson Volquez and Dan Straily.


Ramos acknowledged players complained last year about the ban.


''Now you feel like you're not so under control,'' he said. ''You can fend for yourself. You can do what you want, and we can stop hearing the crying.''


Among those still without a beard is outfielder Christian Yelich,


''I can't grow one, bro,'' Yelich said. ''It doesn't affect me.''


Last year's beard ban was new for Mattingly. The Dodgers allowed facial hair when he was their manager for five seasons, and he wore a mustache when he was an All-Star first baseman for the Yankees.