MLB Capsules - AL: Beckett, Lester contrite as Red Sox report
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — With a temper that can run hotter than one of his overpowering fastballs, Josh Beckett has never hesitated to let it be known when someone has piqued his anger. The irascible Red Sox ace now appears to be mad at himself, saying he had "lapses in judgment" last season during Boston's historic September collapse.
Beckett held himself accountable — for his struggles on the field and his actions in the clubhouse — on Sunday as pitchers and catchers reported to spring training, while still managing to keep things on his own terms.
"I'm not saying we didn't make mistakes because we did make mistakes in the clubhouse," Beckett said. "The biggest mistake I made was not pitching well against Baltimore. I was prepared to pitch every time I went out there. I just didn't execute pitches when I needed to."
The right-hander went 13-7 with a 2.89 ERA last year, but like the rest of the Red Sox, a sparkling first five months of the season were spoiled by a disastrous finish. He gave up 12 earned runs in his last two starts and the Red Sox went 7-20 in September to fall out of their prime position for the AL wild card.
Missing the playoffs was only the beginning. The Boston Globe then reported that some of the starting pitchers, including Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey, spent their off days drinking beer and eating fried chicken in the clubhouse rather than supporting their team from the dugout, painting a picture of a divided team in disarray.
"I'm upset with myself for the lapses in judgment," Beckett said. "There's also some ill feelings toward some people."
He declined to specify who he was talking about, but the implication was he was upset with the anonymous sources who broke the code by speaking about what happens in the privacy of the clubhouse.
The fallout from the collapse, and the stories of clubhouse shenanigans, was immediate. Theo Epstein, the architect of two World Series-winning teams, left for the Chicago Cubs. Manager Terry Francona did not return after it became clear he lost his grip on the clubhouse in his eighth season on the job, and several changes were made to the training staff in hopes of keeping the players committed to their workout routines.
Beckett said he never missed a workout and was prepared to pitch every time he took the mound. But he did admit to adding a few pounds by the time the season ended.
"I put on a little bit of weight," he said. "I don't have a reason for it. But it happened. I'm looking forward to going forward from here."
Lester also held himself accountable, saying "it's not something I'm proud of" and vowing be a better teammate and spend more time in the dugout this season.
"I think we both know that we need to do a better job and be on the field and be around these guys more," Lester said of himself and Beckett. "Instill in these young guys that we do work hard and we do take this seriously and that we care. That's the biggest thing is we do care."
Those notoriously demanding baseball fans in New England seethed all winter long over the collapse, thinking that those starting pitchers didn't take enough pride in their jobs.
"I think a lot of them think that we don't care," Lester said. "We're just a bunch of babies and whatever. But we do care. We want to win. And we want to get back to the playoffs and hopefully (bring a) World Series back to this town and show the fans that we are a good team."
Beckett knows there are some fences that need to be mended back at Fenway.
"There's some good, there's some bad, but they're the best fans in baseball and I think we need to earn that trust back," Beckett said. "The way we have to do that is just go about our business the way we have in previous years and win ballgames. That's going to be the best way."
So much is new for the Red Sox this spring, and that's probably a good thing as they look to put last year's epic failure behind them.
They have a new GM in Ben Cherington, a new manager in Bobby Valentine and a shiny new spring training facility, JetBlue Park, complete with a replica of the Green Monster in left field.
Valentine is looking to Beckett and Lester to fill the leadership void left by the departures of long-time clubhouse pillars Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek. Wakefield announced his retirement on Friday while Varitek, a beloved catcher for the last 15 years, has yet to accept a non-roster invite to spring training from Cherington.
"Whether or not a team wins a championship or comes in last, there's always concern how the attitude will develop in a new year," Valentine said. "Considering there were some major issues last year at the end and some major changes here in the beginning, I'm concerned about the attitude.
"But attitude filters down. When you see Josh Beckett and Jon Lester here, they're the top of the pyramid as far as the pitchers are concerned. They came early and have been showing fantastic attitude. So far that attitude with the pitching staff seems to be filtering down already."
Sabathia reports 10 to 15 pounds lighter
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — CC Sabathia's weight is down, and the New York Yankees are hoping a few lost pounds might turn into a few more victories.
The five-time All-Star said Sunday he's shed 10 to 15 pounds and reported to spring training weighing about 290 — the same as a year ago when he pitched brilliantly early in the season but not nearly as effective down the stretch, when he appeared to be much heavier.
After winning 13 of his first 17 decisions, Sabathia finished 19-8 overall with a 3.00 ERA. The Yankees rewarded him with a contract extension that added $30 million and one season to an existing contract that now will pay him $122 million over the next five years.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman later arranged a meeting with Sabathia to discuss the importance of the 31-year-old lefty watching his weight as he gets older.
"When I was dealing with his contract, the weight stuff didn't come up. We wanted CC. We needed CC. We love CC," said Cashman, who bolstered the Yankees starting rotation this winter by trading for young right-hander Michael Pineda and signing former Los Angeles Dodgers righty Hiroki Kuroda to a $10 million, one-year free agent contract.
The GM said Sabathia is one of the hardest workers on the team and that the conversation about the pitcher's weight was not initiated because of any concerns about how he takes care of himself.
"CC's never let us down. He's the type of person that's fully committed," Cashman said. "So the only hard part really is to have these conversations. The easy part is watching him follow through."
The general manager stressed the discussion was more about trying to maintain what's helped Sabathia perform at a high level in the past than trying to force Sabathia to lose weight.
"He's obviously a big man. He's pitched with weight his whole career," Cashman said, adding he doesn't believe in placing weight clauses in contracts because they can be counterproductive.
Standing in his front of his locker at the Yankees spring training complex, where pitchers and catchers hold their first workout on Monday, Sabathia acknowledged he didn't pitch well late in the season but that his weight wasn't a factor.
"It's just one of those things," he said. "I wish I could pitch lights out every single time."
Pineda and Kuroda are joining a rotation that includes Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia, in addition to Sabathia, who is excited about what — at least for now — appears to be a surplus of starting pitchers.
Pineda, who turned 23 last month, was 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA in 28 starts with the Seattle Mariners last year. Kuroda was 13-16 with a 3.07 ERA in 32 starts for the Dodgers.
"It's a good problem to have. Any time you can add guys like Michael and Kuroda it definitely helps. It should be a good battle," Sabathia said. "It's a win-win situation for us either way."
Cashman, who is still in the market to sign a left-handed designated hitter, said a team can never have enough starting pitching.
"I don't necessarily look at it as a competition for the fifth spot. I've been around long enough to realize that what appears to be a surplus ... can turn into a deficit rather quickly based on health and freak stuff," the general manager said.
"I'm not trying to jinx us by talking about it. But I've lived through it enough to know. Exhibit A is the Boston Red Sox last year. We go into spring training last year with not enough. They go into spring training armed and dangerous with more than enough. But with the spring training schedule, plus 162 regular season games, that can radically change things over time."
Cashman isn't speculating about how the rotation might look on opening day. One thing he's not counting on is Pineda emerging from this camp as the No. 2 or 3 starter behind Sabathia.
"We don't have those illusions. ... Obviously he's got a lot of potential, but we can't forget he's still young," Cashman said, adding that it wouldn't be fair to place such high expectations on Pineda.
"We have some veterans clearly who have been there and done that, that have a history and track record. We have some young guys that are certainly high end and capable. And then we've got some kids who are knocking on the door that still in theory need more development time."
Notes: Manager Joe Girardi's flight to from Newark, N.J., to Tampa was delayed Sunday, and the Yankees pushed his annual pre-camp news conference back to Monday. ... Kuroda thinks being reunited with catcher Russell Martin, a former teammate in Los Angeles, will help his transition to the Yankees. "I played with him for three years. He knows me. Not just my pitches, he knows my personality, so it's going to be a real big help," Kuroda said through a translator. ... Reliever Mariano Riviera did not report with the rest of the pitchers, however Cashman was not concerned. "He knows what he needs to do," to get ready for the season, the GM said. "It's not a problem."
-- Fred Goodall
Angels prepare for Pujols
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — C.J. Wilson parked his car and laughed while signing autographs for faceless fans who handed bats, balls and cards to the pitcher from the other side of a brick wall. An early rite of spring training complete, Wilson, one of the Angels' new big-ticket additions, headed to the clubhouse.
"You're the man, C.J.," one fan yelled to the left-hander, who signed a $77.5 million contract in December.
"Word," Wilson said.
He's the man for one day, and one day only. On Monday, Albert Pujols arrives.
The former St. Louis slugger, who rocked baseball this winter by signing a roughly $250 million contract with the Angels and instantly transforming them into the team to beat, will report Monday to begin the next chapter of his career. The plans are for the three-time MVP to greet his new teammates, take some grounders at first base and then batting practice inside Tempe Diablo Stadium before holding a news conference at a resort hotel across the street.
The Angels have booked an amphitheater to handle the expected media crush.
The 32-year-old's locker, situated just inside the main clubhouse door and between the stalls of Bobby Abreu and Torii Hunter, was stacked Sunday with just-out-of-the-box cleats, jerseys, jackets and everything else he'll need for the next six weeks in Arizona. At least the Angels' red and white match the colors Pujols wore with the Cardinals.
However, from the manager, to the league, to the fans, to the city he'll now adopt as his in-season home, everything else will be brand new for Pujols.
During his lunch break from meetings with coaches, Angels manager Mike Scioscia initially tried to act as if this was just a typical spring for his team. It's anything but.
"Being in the game this long, you're always excited this time of year," said Scioscia, who played 13 seasons for the Dodgers and is beginning his 13th season managing the Angels. "Spring training is really a fun time, seeing the guys again and getting them together and getting on the field.
"I'll admit there's a little different excitement this year."
It's been that way since Dec. 8, when Pujols agreed to the second-biggest contract in history and joined the Angels, whose owner Arte Moreno spent a combined $331.5 million during the off-season remodeling his team into perennial power.
Before connecting for his first homer for the Halos, Pujols has already altered his new club dramatically. He's sold tickets and merchandise. He's raised the Angels' profile and their expectations. And, as one of the most feared hitters of his generation, Pujols has given them a frightful presence in the middle of their lineup, one that keeps pitchers awake at night.
"He's going to improve the offense single-handedly because he's such a force," said Wilson, who went 16-7 last season for the Rangers. "We saw that last year with St. Louis. If you take him out of that lineup, it's not very threatening. But you put him in there and it's 'Oh man, we've got to pitch to (Lance) Berkman, (Matt) Halladay and (David) Freese.' I think he will have the same effect here.
"The guy's got a career .418 on-base percentage or something ridiculous. He's going to be on base, at the worst, a lot for these guys. There are only so many guys you can put on base before you have to pitch to somebody. If the 5-6-7 guys stay within themselves, they'll have a lot more pitches to hit and a lot more chances to drive runs in because of him."
Mark Trumbo didn't mind being kicked off first base and moved over to third to make room for Pujols. Raised in Orange County, Calif., Trumbo pulled for the Angels long before he played for them. He's got a good sense of the team's history, and the signing of Pujols, who many thought would stay in St. Louis, caused a reaction unlike anything before it.
"It was awesome, he said. "I haven't seen a buzz like that — ever," he said.
After Pujols and Wilson signed, the Angels held a pep rally for fans, who have been stocking up on No. 5 jerseys for months and figure to buy more as the season wears on.
"I live near the stadium and drove by and saw the massive amount of cars," Trumbo said. "I guess I wasn't surprised because those are monumental signings."
As for being one of Pujols' teammates, Trumbo isn't sure what to expect. However, he intends to make the most of being around the nine-time All-Star.
"It hasn't quite set in for me, honestly," he said. "I guess you kind of imagine what the benefits will be, not only for him but for everyone around him. A lot of guys might be vying for that No. 2 spot. It's going to be a real pleasure just watching him work. I hear he's a workaholic. I've yet to meet him, but people say he's a special person and a special player.
"I just look forward to picking his brain and shadowing him. I don't have to ask questions. I can just watch what he's doing and try to pick up on that. There's a reason he's as good as he is."
Scioscia knows this spring may be unlike any he's experienced before. There will be more attention on his team, more media demands for him and his players, who must adjust to being in a superstar's shadow.
Pujols will bring it all. And as Scioscia is concerned, it's all good.
"I can't imagine it being anything but positive," he said. "Albert is good for a reason, and it's not just natural ability. He respects the game. He takes as much pride in his defense and baserunning as he does in the batter's box. He's a professional so it will be a positive to be around him and that chemistry shouldn't be an issue.
"We'll worry more about the on-field chemistry, how he folds in with Howie (Kendrick) at second, the right-side defense. All that stuff is much more of a focus on doing that then there is wondering what will happen in the clubhouse. It will all be positive in the clubhouse."
-- Tom Withers
Royals' pitchers, catchers report to spring camp
SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Dayton Moore knew he'd need to improve the Kansas City pitching staff if the Royals were to have any chance of fulfilling some lofty expectations this season.
The general manager's first significant move came in November, when he dealt outfielder Melky Cabrera to the San Francisco Giants for Jonathan Sanchez, gambling a left-hander oozing with talent had put a season marred by nagging injuries behind him.
Moore then went out an acquired veteran reliever Jonathan Broxton to bridge the gap to closer Joakim Soria, who will be trying to rebound from his own rollercoaster of a year.
Perhaps the most significant move Kansas City made, though, had nothing to do with players.
The Royals decided to hire Dave Eiland to replace pitching coach Bob McClure, and it will be the longtime Yankees coach's responsibility to begin revamping the Kansas City staff when pitchers and catchers report to the team's spring training complex Monday in Surprise, Ariz.
"He is an extremely talented pitching coach and a proven winner," Moore said upon Eiland's hiring. "Our entire baseball operations staff has strong convictions about Dave's ability to make a positive difference with our pitching staff."
The only regular starter last season with a winning record was Bruce Chen, who went 12-8, and the rotation went a combined 45-65 with a 4.82 ERA. The unsightly numbers included this seemingly implausible stat: Royals starters logged a mere 621 strikeouts in 943 innings.
So it's no secret to Eiland that things will have to improve.
"It has to," he said this week. "It if doesn't, it falls into my lap."
Even though youngsters such as Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas will garner the headlines during training camp, it's the Royals' pitchers who could decide whether a team that hasn't made the postseason since winning the 1985 World Series can finally compete for an AL Central crown.
Chen is back after signing a free-agent deal in the offseason. He's basically assured a job in the rotation along with Sanchez and former top draft pick Luke Hochevar, who finally showed signs of life after plodding through a rough start to his big league career.
Hochevar was the opening day starter last season, and will likely get the assignment again when Kansas City opens April 6 against Albert Pujols and the Los Angeles Angels.
Hochevar went 11-11 last season, the closest he's had to a winning season.
"Now is the time for him to take it to the next level," Eiland said. "I think he's prepared to do that mentally and physically."
The 34-year-old Chen has led the staff in victories the past two seasons, which was enough to land him a $9 million, two-year deal in free agency. But he's far from a sure thing — Chen went nearly four years without winning a big league game, and he'll turn 35 in June.
"Bruce was Bruce, and I mean that in a good way," Eiland said after watching him throw during an optional mound session this week. "He's a veteran, a pro. He has a plan."
Sanchez could become the linchpin of Eiland's entire rebuilding project.
He flashed talent when he threw a no hitter for San Francisco in 2009, but he was limited to 19 starts and four wins because of injuries last season. He's also a walk machine whose average of better than a strikeout per inning is tempered by the fact that he puts so many on base.
"It's exciting, you know?" Sanchez said of the change in scenery. "It's exciting to make the playoffs, and that's what we want, to be a young team that makes the playoffs."
The biggest question in camp will be who lands the final two rotation spots.
Felipe Paulino and Danny Duffy are considered the front-runners, but they'll have to out-perform Luis Mendoza, Aaron Crow, Mike Montgomery and a host of others.
Paulino was 4-6 with a 4.26 ERA after joining the Royals rotation mid-season, while Duffy went 4-8 with a 5.64 ERA as a rookie. Both have shown flashes of brilliances, but both also had trouble pitching late into games, which in turn taxed the bullpen.
Mendoza was a revelation in the minors, going 12-5 with Triple-A Omaha. He was 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two starts after a September call-up.
Crow was the Royals' lone All-Star selection as a rookie reliever, and although he seemed to regress in the second half last season, the former first-round pick will get a long look at the rotation. So will Montgomery, who spent all of last season in the minors.
Eiland said he spent "many, many hours" watching video of Royals pitchers in the offseason.
If he can figure out a way to coax the starters deep into games, it should take some of the load off a talented bullpen that seemed to wear down late in the season, and just maybe give Kansas City the support it needs to challenge for a division title.
"I saw a lot of good, impressive arms," Eiland said. "It's about consistency, pitching to win and not pitching to survive."
Orioles open camp under cloudy sky, murky outlook
SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — The dark clouds, swirling winds and threat of severe thunderstorms seemed like an appropriate backdrop Sunday for the Baltimore Orioles' first workout for pitchers and catchers.
The forecast for their 2012 season is bleak, and there's no clarity to their plans for the starting rotation. It's going to be a wide-open competition, especially after the Orioles traded Jeremy Guthrie to the Colorado Rockies earlier this month.
"We have a lot of guys we haven't seen firsthand a lot, so that's going to be intriguing," manager Buck Showalter said. "It's just a matter of shaking it out. I'm looking forward to it. We have potential there and a lot of optional people if they can't do it. A lot of different ways to go. And there's depth there. The big thing now is getting everybody healthy and ready to go."
Starter Zach Britton and reliever Jim Johnson will be brought along slowly for health reasons. Britton is receiving treatment for inflammation in his left shoulder, but he's thrown twice on flat ground since Thursday without experiencing any discomfort. Johnson is dealing with lower-back stiffness, but he threw on flat ground Sunday and will progress to a half-mound.
"I had a little problem in the offseason and went and saw a doctor and we've been working on it," Johnson said. "Everything's fine. I'll just be a week behind schedule. It's taken care of."
Both pitchers are expected to be ready for opening day, though Britton isn't assured of breaking camp with the team.
Two starting candidates, Taiwanese left-hander Wei-Yin Chen and Japanese left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada, are getting acclimated to new surroundings in their first exposure to U.S. baseball. Showalter is prepared to make the necessary adjustments after managing Chan Ho Park and Koji Uehara.
"Part of managing those guys is understanding what they've done in the past, what they've been exposed to and understanding the changes they're about to go through and trying to be sympathetic to a point, but also preparing them for seven day a week, 162-game season," Showalter said.
Chen is being followed by a growing contingent of Taiwanese media, his every move closely scrutinized. Japanese media shot video of Wada tying his shoes at his locker Sunday morning.
Chen, who pitched four seasons in Japan before coming to the Orioles, could be the opening day starter or optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. None of the starters arrived in Sarasota with guarantees of seeing Camden Yards in April.
"I feel really good here," Chen said through an interpreter. "It's a beautiful ballpark and I'm really excited to be here. The weather in Florida is beautiful. Not like in Japan because it's so cold over there right now. I feel very comfortable to be here.
"I did a lot of early preparation in Arizona because I know American baseball is totally different than Japan. I will be ready before the season starts and I hope I can get in the rotation. I hope I can be here at least 10 years or longer. When I was in high school, a lot of my classmates and teammates went to the states to play baseball, so that's always been my dream to play in the MLB."
Pitcher Jason Hammel, acquired from the Rockies in the Guthrie trade, is accustomed to fighting for a roster spot. The competition in Orioles camp doesn't faze him.
"That's the way I approach every spring, whether I've got a seven-year deal or a one-year deal. It doesn't matter," he said. "I'm a big proponent of earning your places. Nothing should be given to you, so obviously I'm going in with the mindset of winning a job. It hasn't been given to me."
The same goes for 23-year-old Chris Tillman, who keeps shuttling between Baltimore and Norfolk.
"I think competition is what fuels everything," he said. "It's going to be a fun camp. I know I'm excited. I think that goes for most people."
The Orioles have 30 pitchers in camp (left-hander Ryan Edell is a no-show who's contemplating retirement), so All-Star catcher Matt Wieters will stay busy.
"I'm going to have to try to soak in as much about these guys as I can as fast as possible," he said. "It's a little bit different than in years past because almost every single one of these guys has a chance to make the team. They're all fighting for a spot in that bullpen or rotation."
Second baseman Brian Roberts, who didn't play after May 16 last season because of concussion-like symptoms, lives in Sarasota and reported to camp early. He hasn't met with reporters, but Showalter said the veteran leadoff hitter had a good look on his face and seemed upbeat.
Twins rotation gets little help in offseason
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Ron Gardenhire has already settled on an opening-day starter, and the Minnesota Twins' rotation is all but set. And there is still so much uncertainty surrounding the group as spring training begins.
Pitchers and catchers held their first official workout on Sunday, with 33 pitchers in uniform, an unusually high number geared toward creating competition for bullpen spots.
Despite the large number, there is little doubt who will be starting games for the Twins this year. Gardenhire announced last month that veteran Carl Pavano will start on opening day, and incumbents Francisco Liriano, Scott Baker and Nick Blackburn are widely expected to be joined by offseason addition Jason Marquis in filling out the rest of the rotation.
Gardenhire and general manager Terry Ryan showed a lot of faith in the group by not making any high-profile additions or trades, hoping the same arms will produce different results coming off a 99-loss season. Like the rest of the team, the starters were plagued by injuries and inconsistency last season, contributing to a team ERA of 4.58, good for 29th in the majors, and a league-worst opponents' batting average of .281.
"If we're healthy, I think we'll be fine," said Blackburn, who went 7-10 last year before being sidelined by a forearm injury. "We'll be right back at the top of the league. There's no reason we shouldn't be; we've got the talent."
The talent was hard to see at times through wave after wave of injuries. Liriano battled shoulder injuries all season, Baker was sidelined with a strained elbow and fifth starter Brian Duensing, who likely is being moved to the bullpen this year but is still holding out hope for a rotation spot, missed time with a strained oblique.
Adding to the woes were inconsistent defense and catcher Joe Mauer's health problems.
"It's kind of a domino effect," Gardenhire said. "If we catch the ball behind the rotation, that's always big.
"You've got to stay healthy. We can't control that a lot, but you hope we don't have to go through that again."
But it wasn't all on the defense behind them. For years the Twins have prided themselves leading the league in fewest walks allowed. Last year they dipped to sixth in the AL.
"I think the biggest concern we had last year was that we were falling behind guys way too often and pitching defensively, which is a never a good situation," Baker said. "So I think Gardy said it many times that we're going to play better defense this year, there's no doubt about it. So if we throw it over and make them put the ball in the play, we're instantly better."
There is reason for hope. Pavano gives the group veteran leadership at the top of the rotation. Liriano has the best stuff on the staff and threw a no-hitter last year. Baker and Blackburn had shown many flashes of greater things in their first few years.
And Marquis brings in 10 years of experience as a starter.
"He's a 200-inning guy," Gardenhire said. "He's the kind of guy to protect your bullpen, kind of like (Pavano). . He's an inning-eater."
With a renewed focus on fundamentals and a universal clean bill of health, the Twins are counting on a big turnaround this season with their familiar group of tested veterans.
"It's going to be a lot different from last year," Liriano said. "We'll just have to stay healthy and see what happens."
NOTES: RHP Joel Zumaya threw about 40 pitches in a bullpen on Sunday and said everything went well. "To be back on a mound again and doing what I do, it's just a whole other feeling," said Zumaya, who hasn't pitched in a game since blowing out his elbow on the mound in 2010. ... Mauer was catching bullpens from the get-go, a big change from last year when leg problems kept him from catching until well into March. "This is the best I've felt in a long time and it's almost like you want to get out there and do everything the first day but it's a process," Mauer said. "It was good working today, though."
Melvin opens first camp as A's manager
PHOENIX (AP) — Bob Melvin spent most of his Sunday morning introducing himself to all the new faces gathering in the Oakland Athletics' spring training facility. Next up, he'll be reading through some of their bios.
"When you can converse on a personal level it makes them feel more comfortable," Melvin said. "It's to let guys know they will get some personal attention."
Brandon McCarthy is the only returning starter from a rotation that ended last season under Melvin. Injuries decimated the pitching staff last year and trades took care of the rest.
Veteran Bartolo Colon is expected to earn a spot in the starting rotation along with Dallas Braden, and, possibly, Brett Anderson.
Braden declared himself ready to go following left shoulder surgery that ended his season in May. Anderson, who will throw off a mound Monday for the first time since his injury, made it into June before undergoing left elbow surgery.
Trevor Cahill, an All-Star in 2010, was sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade that netted the A's pitchers Ryan Cook and Jarrod Parker, and outfielder Collin Cowgill.
Gio Gonzalez, the lone A's representative at last year's All-Star game, went to the Washington Nationals in exchange for pitchers Tommy Moline and Brad Peacock, catcher Derek Norris and minor league pitcher A.J. Cole.
Tyson Ross went 3-3 with a 2.75 ERA in nine games, including six starts, with Oakland before going on the disabled list May 20 with a strained left oblique.
A's catcher Kurt Suzuki hasn't had much time to introduce himself to the new pitchers. He's certainly looking forward to catching them and getting them comfortable.
"You have to develop a game plan with them," Suzuki said. "You have to learn about them and how to work together."
It's not just the starters. Melvin and his staff must also piece together a bullpen, with the departure of closer Andrew Bailey to the Boston Red Sox and Craig Breslow to the Diamondbacks along with Cahill.
The good news is there are plenty of candidates. The coaches will just need a little time to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
Grant Balfour and Brian Fuentes are the early front runners to close, and Melvin said Joey Devine and Fautino De Los Santos are also in the mix.
"It comes down to when we get into games," Melvin said. "That's when we start finding out about people."
With the A's scheduled to leave for Tokyo on March 21, there's no time to waste.
"If you are mentally ready, whatever you're working on is the right path," McCarthy said. "Last year I built up to a full outing and then scaled back. I'm doing that again, without the scaling back. My throwing program has not changed. I'm just trying to get used to being on my feet all day."
Notes: Former A's infielder Tony Phillips was a visitor to the first day of workouts. ... Former 1B-OF Sean Doolittle is trying to make the switch to pitching. He was a three-time All-American utility player at Virginia. ... Melvin, a former major league catcher, threw the first official round of batting practice.
Angels 1B Morales making strides
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels first baseman Kendrys Morales has been cleared to run outdoors, the next step in his recovery from a broken ankle that sidelined him last season. Manager Mike Scioscia has watched video of Morales and said he "looks great." Morales will increase his running Monday.
Scioscia is "more optimistic" that Morales, who batted .306 with 34 homers and 108 RBIs in 2009, will be able to fill a role for the club this season, perhaps as a DH in the cleanup spot behind Albert Pujols. Morales was moved off first when the club signed the superstar free agent this winter.
Morales has spent much of the offseason working out in the area. On Sunday, he ran on a non-weight bearing treadmill and did outdoor exercises with a trainer.
Tigers announce tryout camp in Lakeland, Fla.
DETROIT (AP) — Think you have what it takes to be a Tigers player? The Detroit baseball club is giving fans a chance to prove it. The Tigers will hold a tryout camp at their TigerTown Minor League Complex in Lakeland, Fla., on March 5.
It's for players ages 18 to 23, or those with previous professional baseball experience. No preregistration or participation fee is necessary to attend the camp.
Those interested in trying out need to bring their own gloves and workout equipment. Wooden bats, helmets and baseballs will be provided by the Tigers.
