American League Capsules: Rangers OF Hamilton eyes return next week
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton probably won't return to the field until next week because of a bruised left shoulder.
Hamilton was hurt a week ago diving for a pop-up during spring training. He participated in drills Saturday but has been limited since then.
"At this point of spring training there's no need to push it further," Hamilton said Wednesday. "Could I go out and do something? Probably. Is it smart to? No."
Hamilton was scratched from both of the team's intrasquad games and Rangers manager Ron Washington said he won't play in the team's exhibition opener Thursday against Kansas City.
"I figure if a guy's going to have some down time, have it early," Washington said. "It's no concern."
Hamilton said he wants to make sure he gets healthy so the pain doesn't linger.
"I need to patient with it so I know when I go back out it's not going to hurt and I'm not going to have a setback," Hamilton said. "I don't want to make it mad again."
Hamilton played just 89 games last year due to an assortment of injuries.
"In the past I haven't been smart about injuries," he said. "It's about time I grow up and learn a little bit."
NOTES: Washington said catchers Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden are "dead even" for the starting job and will alternate play, if not games. "One and one doesn't work," Washington said. "You can have a good day at the plate and the next day you can't come out and hit." ... RHP Chris Ray, who missed Tuesday's intrasquad game with what was described as "general soreness" threw a bullpen session Wednesday. The bullpen session for RHP Warner Madrigal, who has been working through tightness in his right forearm, will be Thursday. ... LHP Derek Holland, who sprained his knee on the third day of workouts, threw live batting practice Wednesday for the first time this spring.
Anderson looks to improve on rookie season
PHOENIX — Katelyn Anderson thinks it's pretty cool having an older brother pitching in the major leagues. For the rest of the Anderson clan, though, it's business as usual.
Oakland left-hander Brett Anderson, who led all rookies with 150 strikeouts last year, has pitched in a Futures all-star game, the Olympics and in major league ballparks.
His demeanor contradicts his experience. He wears his hat off-kilter at times and looks more like the neighborhood kid who mows lawns than the Athletics' staff leader in wins from last year.
Anderson maintains his even temperament thanks in large part to growing up in a sports family.
His father, Frank, is the head baseball coach at Oklahoma State and a former pitching coach at Texas — the Longhorns won the 2002 national title during his tenure — and Texas Tech. His mother, Sandra, was an All-American softball player at Kearney State. His 11-year-old sister is a budding star in soccer and once scored 20 points in a basketball game.
"My mom is probably the toughest on me," Anderson said. "She'll want to know why I threw a certain pitch that got hit for a home run. My dad keeps an eye on me and is always interested in how I'm throwing. I think my sister is just happy to go on road trips to places like Florida, Boston and Los Angeles. She even got a passport to go to Toronto."
Spring training is out of the question as a destination for a family vacation. There's school for his sister and a demanding schedule for the Cowboys.
"After school lets out and my dad's season winds down, they find time to see me," Anderson said Wednesday. "Sometimes my dad will make a recruiting trip to wherever we're playing and we can get together. It all works out."
Anderson led the A's in strikeouts and wins (11-11) and pitched one of the five shutouts by an AL rookie last season. With Trevor Cahill's 10 wins last year, the duo were the 13th since 1900 to have two pitchers under the age of 22 win 10 or more games, and the first since the 1984 Kansas City Royals' Mark Gubicza and Bret Saberhagen.
Anderson, who started using his changeup more after the All-Star break, was 8-4 with a 2.96 ERA, and .237 opponents batting average over his final 17 starts, dating to June 29. He considers that a starting point for this year.
With access to the Cowboys' indoor facilities, Anderson grabbed any catcher available to maintain his throwing program.
"I worked on my changeup as a fourth weapon," he said. "I'd like to duplicate what I did in the second half. I'd like to start the season how I ended the last one."
He's slotted into the No. 3 spot behind Ben Sheets and Dallas Braden for now and will make his spring training debut Sunday in Tempe against the Los Angeles Angels.
"This spring training is more relaxed," Anderson said. "Trevor and I were trying to impress everybody and make the team last year by getting people out. Now we're able to work on different things. The adjustment period is shorter and the overall atmosphere is better."
In Beijing, Anderson was the winning pitcher in the bronze medal game. He once found himself eating lunch next to swimming superstar Michael Phelps.
These days he thinks the A's could have their share of superstars.
"We have the chance to be one of the best staffs in the big leagues," he said. "The bullpen is unbelievable and we've added guys who know what it takes."
Healthy Hafner just wants to stay that way
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Travis Hafner isn't asking for much.
The Cleveland Indians designated hitter only hopes his balky right shoulder stays strong enough for him to stay in the lineup.
The last two seasons haven't produced many high notes for the team or its slugger. After coming within one win of reaching the World Series in 2007, the Indians never contended in 2008 and followed that with 97 losses last season. Hafner, one of baseball's most feared power hitters a few seasons ago, has struggled to remain on the field.
"It's been frustrating," he said. "The team hasn't played well. Hitting is what I do. To not be able to do that at the level you want has been tough."
So Hafner's goal for now is simple. Any talk of numbers means nothing if his shoulder doesn't cooperate.
"I want to stay as healthy as I can," he said. "That's a big deal. If you're not healthy, there's really nothing else you can do."
Manager Manny Acta is in his first year on the job, but he knows how important Hafner is to the Indians' success.
"He's key to us," Acta said. "If he stays healthy, I think he's going to have a very good year."
That is not a sure thing for a player who has appeared in a total of 151 games the past two seasons. Hafner played in 57 games and hit .197 with five homers and 24 RBIs in 2008, and then had surgery after the season. Hafner's numbers improved last season — .272 with 16 homers and 49 RBIs — but he was on the disabled list for more than a month and played in 94 games.
Hafner averaged 34 homers and 111 RBIs from 2004-06. His '06 season was the best of his career as he batted .308 with 42 homers and 117 RBIs despite his season ending on Sept. 1 because of a broken hand.
"Travis doesn't have to be the 2006 Travis," Acta said. "That was an unbelievable year. We'll take a normal Travis — the 30 (home runs) and 110 (RBIs). It doesn't have to be 43 or 45 and 140."
A normal offseason routine, which has led to a regular spring training workload, gave Hafner reason to be optimistic.
"I was able to get some rest after the season ended," he said. "I swung the bat quite a bit. I feel like everything is ready to go. Last year I started when I got to spring training. I was hitting off a tee. I've been able to swing the bat since December. I'm in a lot better spot and I'm further ahead than I was last year."
Acta watched several Indians games on television after being fired by the Washington Nationals last season.
"I saw a guy who wasn't 100 percent healthy," Acta said. "He probably was favoring his shoulder. I could tell from day one here swinging the bat that he looks so much better. He's able to drive the ball to the opposite field."
Hafner's contract is another sticky situation for the cost-conscious Indians. He has three years and $37.5 million remaining on an extension he signed in 2007. The injuries and drop in production have made him a target of media and fan criticism.
"It's a distraction," he said. "Other people's opinions don't matter to me, good or bad. Pressure is what you put on yourself. That's the only way I can describe it."
A dry sense of humor has helped Hafner get through the tough times. Acta batted his slow-footed cleanup hitter leadoff in Wednesday's intrasquad game in which Hafner struck out and grounded out.
"I told Fausto Carmona (who pitched for the other team), if he walks me, it's a triple," Hafner said.
NOTES: Coach Steve Smith's team defeated coach Mike Sarbaugh's team, 5-3 in the final intrasquad game, which lasted six innings. ... OF Grady Sizemore, coming off elbow and groin operations, walked and struck out as the DH. Acta plans to play Sizemore in center field in Friday's exhibition opener against Cincinnati. ... OF Jordan Brown, who won the International League batting title last season with a .336 average but wasn't called up in September, homered for the second straight day. ... 3B Lonnie Chisenhall, the Indians' No. 1 pick in 2008, homered off Carmona and singled. ... INF Andy Marte and minor league OF Donnie Webb also homered. Webb's home run, a three-run shot, gave Smith's team the victory.
Royals considering defense vs. offense at 2nd base
SURPRISE, Ariz. — A dilemma as old as baseball is facing the offensively starved, defensively challenged Kansas City Royals.
Should offense be sacrificed for improved defense?
The question mark for the Royals is at second base, where Albert Callaspo in 155 games had a whopping 17 errors last season, tying for the major league lead among second basemen. His fielding percentage of .973 was the absolute worst. Some of his miscues — such as letting routine grounders skip under his glove into center field — were comical.
But the laughter stopped when Callaspo put down his glove and picked up his bat. Adding valuable heft to an offense burdened with one of the worst on-base percentages in the majors, he hit .300 and supplied plenty of pop. His 41 doubles, 11 home runs and 73 RBIs were second only to first baseman Billy Butler for the team's best power numbers.
But, oh, that defense. With Butler still learning the nuances of first base and shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt also subject to turning a routine play into high drama, tightening up the infield defense has been one of Kansas City's top goals.
Enter Chris Getz, picked up by the Royals in a trade after hitting .261 last year with the Chicago White Sox. Without doubt, the slick-fielding Getz brings hope for better defense: In 107 games last year, he committed only seven errors and made some outstanding plays.
Getz has clearly been given the inside track at second, though Callaspo is determined to keep his job. He lost no time reminding everybody what he brings to the party, belting a home run in the first intrasquad game of the spring.
Manager Trey Hillman insists he has several options. Besides second, Callaspo might also see some time at third. But second is his best position. Sorting out what to do with Getz, Callaspo and outfielder/DH Jose Guillen could be key to Kansas City making any significant improvement from last year's last-place tie in the AL Central.
"Alberto had a great year last year offensively," said Getz, who also has speed on his resume. "He's working hard. I've just got to go out there and perform. I can't worry about what he's doing or approach anything differently. Just play it the way I've always played. Just execute the little things, play good defense, handle the bat, run the bases, and hopefully at the end of the day they'll want me at the position."
Another obvious option is moving Callaspo to designated hitter. But that might not be easy because Guillen, a career outfielder, was put there this spring when the Royals revamped their outfield.
Callaspo has no intentions of giving up anything without a fight, especially his job a second.
"I'm just going to try to do whatever they want. I'm going to be healthy and do everything they need from me," he said. "Let's see where they're going to use me."
What has Hillman told him?
"He hasn't told me nothing," Callaspo said.
Does he think he'll get a fair shot?
"We'll see. We'll see who's going to start," he said. "I'm going to try."
In the end, it might be Guillen who should worry. His status as a power hitter who is guaranteed $12 million in the third year of a $36 million contract will no doubt buttress his argument to be the full-time DH.
But it may not be the final argument.
"If we just go on recent history, his bat needs to be in the lineup. He was our second-most productive guy last year," Hillman said. "Alberto really doesn't have much preference of what position he plays. We've got him prioritized at second, at third and possibly at DH. We'll see where it goes. We'll get his bat in there."
While Callaspo's options are varied, Getz knows exactly what he has to do.
"Be a steady, solid infielder, make the plays that I'm supposed to make every single time, be very consistent on the double plays," he said. "You never want as an infielder to focus on making the spectacular plays. That stuff just happens. The plays you're supposed to make, you've got to make.
"That way, pitchers like having you out there and the manager likes having you out there."
-- Doug Tucker
Is Casilla's big hit for Twins last fall his last?
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Alexi Casilla lost his job as Minnesota's starting second baseman last season.
When the Twins signed Jim Thome in January, Casilla even lost his No. 25 jersey.
This spring, Casilla is simply trying to hang onto his spot on the team.
Casilla says he can't imagine himself playing for any club other than the Twins, but his future with the team is unclear. Casilla is out of minor league options, which means he must make the 25-man opening day roster or else clear waivers to remain in the organization and be sent to the minors.
"Out of options is key. You definitely don't want to lose a player of his talent and his caliber," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We'll look at all of that at the end and see what we decide."
It doesn't sound as though the Twins are willing to take a risk with a player possessing so many natural talents. The 25-year-old Casilla fell out of the lineup, out of favor and out of the majors last year while fighting a bad slump at the plate that spilled over into the field.
"He has to make our team, or we have to trade him," general manager Bill Smith said. "He's got a lot of value. This is a big year for him. He's going to have to be a little versatile."
And so around the diamond — and the field — he will go this spring.
"He can be a great pinch-runner off the bench," Gardenhire said. "He can be a spot starter at just about anywhere you put him, first, second or third. He can go out in the outfield and run the ball down. He's a talented young guy."
With new additions Orlando Hudson and J.J. Hardy set at second base and shortstop, and Nick Punto competing with Brendan Harris for time at third base, Casilla will likely be vying with the Harris-Punto odd man out and fellow utility man Matt Tolbert for a spot on the bench.
"He needs to fight to make the ballclub," Gardenhire said.
Casilla came to the Twins in a trade with the Angels for reliever J.C. Romero before the 2006 season. He hit .281 with seven homers, 50 RBIs and seven steals in 385 at-bats in 2008, taking over as the regular season baseman.
But last year, his average slumped to .202 and he spent parts of the summer in Triple-A trying to rediscover his rhythm. Casilla appeared in 80 games and got 228 at-bats.
"All I have in my mind is Minnesota," said Casilla, now wearing No. 12. "But it's not my decision. It's their decision. They wanted to go and get somebody else and play every day. That's not my decision. But if I'm here or if I'm with another team, this is what I want to do: play hard, no matter where it is."
Casilla hit the winning RBI single in the bottom of the 12th inning last Oct. 6, giving the Twins the victory in their tiebreaker game for the AL Central title with the Detroit Tigers.
He hopes that big hit will not be his last with Minnesota.
NOTES: Nick Blackburn will start the exhibition opener on Thursday night against the Red Sox, with Kevin Slowey following after two innings. ... Gardenhire said he plans to play Denard Span every day this spring in CF, without Carlos Gomez behind him anymore. Punto, Casilla and Tolbert can play there in a pinch, as can starting RF Michael Cuddyer. "We don't have a backup center-fielder," Gardenhire said. "But you can't have a backup at every position. You've got to have some players who can do it all."
Quinlan feels fortunate to be back with Angels
TEMPE, Ariz. — Utility outfielder Robb Quinlan didn't expect to return to Los Angeles this season but an unsuccessful free-agency stint landed him back with the Angels.
"Up until a couple of weeks ago, I didn't think I was coming back," Quinlan said.
Quinlan does feel fortunate to have returned, however. He thought he was going to sign with his hometown Minnesota Twins, but any deal fell through when the Twins opted to sign Jim Thome.
Quinlan, a corner outfielder and infielder, has had his moments in an Angels uniform. He hit .344 in 160 at-bats in 2004 and .321 in 234 at-bats in 2006.
For his career, he's a .281 hitter but his at-bats on an Angels team that reloads every year have gone down every year over the past three seasons. He had 115 last year, the lowest since his rookie season.
"It definitely would have been fun to go back to (Minnesota), playing for a hometown team," Quinlan said. "But this is all I've known my whole career. I've been here a long time and I'm definitely excited to be back and happy to be back here.
"I realized this would probably be my best fit to make a major-league team. There are a lot of new players. There are a lot of good players here. I'm just going to go out and play hard and see what happens."
Quinlan is believed to be one of six or seven players vying for four open roster spots, depending on whether Angels manager Mike Scioscia keeps 11 or 12 pitchers.
NOTES: First baseman Kendry Morales took ground balls Wednesday for the first time after finally arriving at camp late Tuesday. Morales, a native of Cuba who enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2009, hitting 34 homers and driving in 108 runs, had been out of camp waiting on U.S immigration paperwork to clear. ... Angels starters Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders each worked one inning in Wednesday's intra-squad game at Tempe's Diablo Stadium, a final tune-up before the Angels begin their spring schedule Thursday at home against the Chicago White Sox.
Hubert's opening new branch near Target Field
MINNEAPOLIS — A mainstay for Minnesota Twins fans is opening a new branch near the new ballpark.
The Star Tribune reports that Hubert's, the sports bar that sits in the shadow of the namesake Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, will open a second branch at Target Center on April 2.
The new Hubert's is going into the space currently occupied by the NBA City sports bar. The original Hubert's, a popular game day watering hole for Twins and Vikings fans for 26 years, will remain open.
The new bar will have a sidewalk cafe directly adjacent to Target Plaza, just outside the Twins' new Target Field stadium.
The Twins' first game at Target Field April 12 against the Boston Red Sox.
Konerko, Rios out for White Sox spring opener
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says first baseman Paul Konerko and outfielder Alex Rios won't play in Thursday's spring training opener against the Los Angeles Angels.
Konerko is getting an extra day of rest, and Rios has a sore right shoulder that Guillen said is not serious. Rios told the Chicago Tribune that the shoulder is fine.
The White Sox will field a lineup of mostly top players Thursday. Juan Pierre leads off in left field, followed by Gordon Beckham (second base), A.J. Pierzynski (catcher), Andruw Jones (center field), Mark Teahen (third base), Alexei Ramirez (shortstop) and Mark Kotsay (designated hitter). Rookie Dayan Viciedo (first base) and Jordan Danks (right field) complete the batting order.
Angels announce new play-by-play announcer
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels have added former MLB Network and Texas Rangers announcer Victor Rojas to their broadcast games.
The Angels announced Wednesday that Rojas will join Mark Gubicza in the broadcast booth, calling games on FOX Sports West and KCOP. The 42-year-old Rojas spent five seasons as a member of the Texas Rangers television and radio broadcast teams prior to joining the MLB Network in December 2008.
Rojas also did radio play-by-play and analysis for the Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2003 season.
Rojas is the son of former major league player and manager Cookie Rojas.
George Steinbrenner attends spring opener
TAMPA, Fla. — George Steinbrenner came for a firsthand look at his team. The 79-year-old owner of the New York Yankees was at the ballpark bearing his name on Wednesday when the World Series champions played their spring training opener against Pittsburgh.
Steinbrenner has made few public appearances since handing over daily control of the Yankees to his sons in late 2007. He did attend a high school game at the Yankees' spring training on Feb. 20 in which his grandson played.
