e first time since 2015"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections NewsAnalysis & EditorialsCleveland Indians prospects & minor leaguesGame RecapsTransactionsIndians newsIndians and Danny Salazar settle for $4.5 million Ryan Goins Jersey , avoiding arbitrationNew,55commentsThe Tribe will hope Salazar can avoid a trip to the DL for the first time since 2015ByBlake RuaneNov 30, 2018,9:45pm ESTShareTweetShareShareIndians and Danny Salazar settle for $4.5 million, avoiding arbitrationKen Blaze-USA TODAY SportsThe Cleveland Indians and pitcher Danny Salazar have agreed to a salary of $4.5 million for next season, avoiding arbitration. The deal currently makes him the fourth-highest paid pitcher on the Indians roster for next season, behind Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, and Brad Hand.This represents a $4.5 million gamble for the Indians, considering Salazar spent all of last season on the DL and missed huge chunks of the 2016 and 2017 seasons.Salazar was a Cy Young candidate in the first half of 2016 before being sidelined with right elbow inflammation. He was able to return for the postseason, but was relegated to mop-up relief out of the bullpen. Salazar made it through the first two months of 2017 before making two trips to the DL, one for right shoulder soreness and the other for right elbow inflammation. He started the 2018 season on the DL with right shoulder rotation cuff tendinitis before requiring arthroscopic shoulder surgery in July that cost him the rest of his season.The Indians are clearly hedging their bets on a return to form for Salazar, and he could end up as either as a starting pitcher or in the bullpen for the Tribe when all is said and done. If the front office is serious about trading Kluber, Carrasco, or Trevor Bauer this offseason, that would open up a rotation spot for Salazar Wily Peralta Jersey , when healthy. Or he could be used to shore up a bullpen that will be without the services of Cody Allen, Andrew Miller, and Oliver Perez. The fallen star has a shot at redemption in Cleveland"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections NewsAnalysis & EditorialsCleveland Indians prospects & minor leaguesGame RecapsTransactionsAnalysis & EditorialsHanley Ramirez’s last shotNew,27commentsThe fallen star has a shot at redemption in Cleveland EDTShareTweetShareShareHanley Ramirez’s last shotJoe Camporeale-USA TODAY SportsWith all the youth and inexperience around the Indians this spring, Hanley Ramirez finds himself a bit of an odd man out. There’s a youth movement in Cleveland, and a 35-year-old bat-only player would be right to feel out of place among all these young athletes with something to prove. Ramirez has proven a lot in his career — he won a Rookie of the Year, a batting title, and came in as high as second place in MVP voting. He’s been great.That “been” is the key, though. The last two seasons, Ramirez has been... horrible, at least by his own lofty standards. Even by normal standards he’s been pretty bad. He posted a 91 wRC+, was worth negative 0.7 WAR, and got DFA’d by the eventual World Champs while on the last year of a $22 million deal. It’s a pretty ignominious ending to a career that, from the outset — and even midway through — looked something like meteoric. But the Indians are giving him a shot this spring. I, for one, just wish it would work out for Ramirez.It’s that hackneyed http://www.royalsfanproshop.com/authentic-ryan-goins-jersey , stupid romanticism of baseball that we all feel dumb for still getting filled with, but hope does spring eternal every year, and for players as much as teams. In Ramirez, we have a former total phenom and superstar now finding himself on the edge of the game, with a foot all the way out of it. It’s a typical tale, and the kind we hate to hear. Age is just a bastard sometimes, and seeing it ravage such a former talent of that skill and ability is a bit sad. We know he’s never going to return to the heights of the turn of the decade, but something valuable would sure be nice. What would that look like though? I do want it to work out for Ramirez, but he’s going to have a problem finding a place on the team. The outfield, for all its lack of established talent, is kind of stuffed, and it’s not like he can do anything else besides DH and play first base. So his own future with the Indians hinges on the relative success of a handful of outfielders, Jake Bauers, and Carlos Santana. Those last two are sure to make the team, so he’s going to have to earn it by being more than a nice guy in the clubhouse. Which makes the spring so frustrating. As of this writing, he’s 3-for-15 with three runs batted in. I haven’t seen whether he’s hitting the ball mega-hard or working counts or in the best shape of his life or anything like that. And that’s what he needs to do to make the team.Aside from making the team Alex Gordon Jersey , a sense of realism is helpful, even if it is a bummer. It’s not like Ramirez is going to post that .342/.410/.543 line he did when he placed second in MVP voting. Maybe in a platoon situation that’s almost approachable, like when Ryan Raburn popped a .901 OPS over 86 games for Cleveland facing almost purely lefties. Outside of that, though, is it really so much to ask for an .800 OPS, or even .750? He hit .286/.361/.505 with 30 dingers in 147 games as recently as 2016. Admittedly that’s a long time for an athlete, and he fell right off a cliff since then, but tapping into something close to that would put Ramirez above a good number of other offensive options for the Indians. Though even that isn’t that realistic. The realistic version of Hanley is a Jason Giambi circa 2013, when Big G was little more than a pinch hitter and overpaid bench coach. The Indians don’t need the second thing, but tapping into whatever little lightning is left in that bat is about the value that he can bring to the table unless he finds the fountain of youth or something incredible happens. Baseball does age you very quickly, and kicks you to the curb the minute you’ve lost that little bit of edge that once made you great. Ramirez was one of the best in the world for a while there. Talent like that always departs, but not all at once. Even if it’s been a sharp slide for him, there’s got to be something still there. Talent will always win out, but over a long season—and maybe in a playoff series against a former team—a little magic can go a long way too.

ary Star of the GameIt’s hard to imagine a better season debut than what the Cincinnati Reds got from Tyler Mahle on Thursday Darren O'Day Jersey , especially when you consider he only really made the Opening Day roster due to Alex Wood having a balky back.Mahle was in control from the get-go, and eventually fired 6 innings of scoreless ball, scattering 5 hits, issuing zero walks, and striking out 5 Pittsburgh Pirates on the night. He only needed 78 pitches to do it, too, and likely would’ve stayed in the game for another inning (at least) had the Reds not opted to use a pinch-hitter in the Top of the 7th in one of the very, very few scoring opportunities the game had seen to that point.Props to Mahle on the excellent performance, one that included hitting spots routinely and having his breaking ball working perhaps as well as it has in his two-year tenure as a Red.Honorable Mentions are due to: Scott Schebler, who doubled to end his season-opening 0-fer streak (and walked); Jesse Winker, who singled to end his season-opening 0-fer streak; and Tucker Barnhart, who singled and doubled.Key PlaysMahle exited after 6 brilliant innings, and David Hernandez took over for the Bottom of the 7th. Honestly, he didn’t pitch too poorly, but the Pirates managed to small-ball their way into a run. Melky Cabrera singled into RF with 1-out to begin thinks, and the speedy Pablo Reyes pinch-ran for him at that juncture. That proved large http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-j.j.-hardy-jersey , as he went 1st to 3rd on a JB Shuck ‘single’ through the right side that only went for a hit once 2B Jose Peraza broke to 2B to cover as Reyes had taken off early for a hit and run, and Shuck’s dribbler left runners on 1B and 3B. Hernandez then induced a jam-shot grounder off the bat of Kevin Newman, but it was so softly hit that the only play was an out at 1B, and Reyes scooted home for the game’s initial run. Reds trailed, 1-0.Michael Lorenzen then took over for the Bottom of the 8th, and he promptly allowed singles to each of Starling Marte, Francisco Cervelli, and Josh Bell, the last of which drove in another run that left the Reds in a 2-0 hole.The Reds did not dig themselves out of that hole. Reds lost, 2-0.Tony GraphaninoSource: FanGraphsOther NotesThe Reds entered play tonight dead last in all of MLB in runs scored. Then, they got shut out again. This is fun.This is going to be fun.This is all going to be so incredibly fun.The Reds actually hit a number of balls quite hard early in the game, but the ball simply was not carrying one iota in the cool April evening air in Pittsburgh. Dear god, I’m grasping at straws for this offense.Sonny Gray will attempt to boot the memory of his rough Reds debut to the curb on Friday night, as he’ll be the Reds starter in game two of this series. He’ll be opposed by Pirates starter Joe Musgrove, with first pitch set again for 7:05 PM ET.Tunes. After a rough first series in Los Angeles, the Dbacks look to rebound with a three game set in beautiful San Diego"Its safe to say that the Opening Series did not go the way the Diamondbacks were hoping. Zack Grienke was roughed up Ubaldo Jimenez Jersey , Zack Godley was roughed up, the bullpen was used and abused, the team is still carrying three catchers instead of an extra bullpen arm right now, things like that. And it wasn’t just that the Dodgers beat us; it was how they beat us. They hit something like eleventy billion home runs, had two blow outs, and got a come from behind win in a game that the Dbacks put up a seven spot in one inning. Just a rough series all around.On the flip side of that, the Padres had a very good first series against the Giants. Currently, they are 3-1 and sitting at the top of the NL West standings with the Dodgers, enjoying a one game lead over the Rockies. Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising, given the big moves they’ve made over the past couple seasons, but yet, somehow it still is. Game 1: Merrill Kelly (debut) vs. Matt Stratham (debut/pitched in relief last season)As I’m sure you’ve heard, the Diamondbacks spent the majority of the offseason cornering the market on players with the last name of Kelly. In this first game of the series, the pitching half of our duel Kellys (Kellyes? Kellies?) will be getting the start. It will be his first MLB start after failing to make the majors with the Rays, and then spent the next four years pitching in Korea and accidentally not paying taxes. I personally will be interested to see how it goes and make the appropriate knee jerk reactions.On the other side of the pitching match up, Matt Stratham will also being making his season debut. He was a trade deadline acquisition for the Padres last season Joey Rickard Jersey , who picked him up a as a future rotation piece, but used him out of the bullpen, to allow him to ease back into things following a knee surgery. Should make for an interesting pitching matchup, with a couple of unknown factors on the mound for both teams.Game 2:Zack Greinke (0-1, 17.18 ERA) vsEric Lauer (1-0, 0.00 ERA)Game 2 will feature story lines stemming from two very different Opening Day starters. For the Diamondbacks you will have, of course, Zack Greinke, coming off one of the more forgettable Opening Day starts that I remember. As a general rule, giving up more home runs than strikeouts recorded is rarely a good thing, but Zack managed it in his 3.2 inning start to open the season. Control issues plagued him all day, and the Dodgers were willing to wait for the mistakes. He’ll be looking and expecting to bounce back tomorrow night against the Padres.Lauer on the other hand will be looking to build off the best Opening Day start for someone his age since some schmuck named Clayton Kershaw. Per dbacks.com, Lauer, at 23, was the youngest player to throw at least six scoreless innings since the aforementioned ace.Game 3: Robbie Ray (0-0, 5.19 ERA) vs. Joey Lucchessi (1-0 http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-j.j.-hardy-jersey , 0.00 ERA)Like Greinke, Ray also struggled with his command last start, but ultimately got better results, only giving up three runs while recording nine Ks in five innings. He kept it close enough that the Dbacks were eventually able to come back and win the game . We’ll see if that game was just first start nerves, or a sign of how the season is going to go. Lucchessi was a pitcher who struggled against the Diamondbacks last season, losing five of his six starts against the team. However, he excelled in his first start of the season, holding the Giants scoreless, andit will be a very different Dbacks lineup than he faced last season. Which past performance turns out to be predictive remains to be seen.I feel like this series will be more favorable to the Diamondbacks than the first one. Both teams played differently than their expected abilites in the Opening Series, though one positively and one negatively. I expect Dbacks pitching to positively regress towards what we expect from them, and the Padres pitching to come back down to earth. If nothing else, this series will be interesting for the debut of Merril Kelly and the likely debut of Jon Duplantier out of the bullpen. Dbacks take the series 2-1.

eason’s Jerry Dipoto."As John put it in his weekly links post this morning Greg Luzinski Jersey , we are slowly approaching “the winter months when we will find our baseball excitement in mundane things like cryptic quotes from the front office in random news reports and the signing of guys you are vaguely familiar with to minor league deals.”Sadly, I think we’re already there. There is little MLB news of note, save for whatever the New York Mets are doing right now, and the football seasons are also winding down. Basketball and hockey are fun — especially given how Michigan and Michigan State are playing these days — but those will have to hold us over a long time until spring training gets underway in mid-February.So http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-pat-neshek-jersey , let’s talk about other stuff! You’re welcome to use this thread to talk about anything, but here are a few questions to get you going.Which basketball team is more impressive right now: Michigan or Michigan State?How in the world did ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ win a Golden Globe last night?Which Tigers player should host the Oscars and why is it Miguel Cabrera?What is the best Netflix/Amazon/Hulu show you have watched this offseason?Do you hate those stupid motorized scooters randomly popping up in your downtown locale as much as I do?Who is your National League team in 2019?Who are you rooting for in the NFL playoffs?Happy Monday! The annual ritual always produces some interesting poses." Why so serious, Jose?Getty Images That’s a better look!Getty Images Since we’re doing grips...Getty Images ... here’s mine!Getty Images MiMo looks angryJoe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports I promise this grip will work better this yearJoe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports I promise not to walk as many guys this yearJoe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Taylor Davis is going to be a media star somedayJoe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Do I have a baseball in my glove... or not?Getty Images Almost didn’t recognize the all-grown-up KBGetty Images This was the only photo I found of Kyle Schwarber smilingGetty Images Speaking of guys who rarely smile...Getty Images Look! He smiles! (And the photographer was so surprised, he identified him as Rob Scahill)Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Let’s hope this big bat hits really well in 2019Getty Images And this one Mitch Williams Jersey , tooGetty Images The photographer made Javy laughGetty Images “You looking at me?”Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Pedro tries, and fails, to hide his identityGetty Images Cubs mystery player (can you guess?)Getty Images Someone forgot to tell Tony which cap to wearJoe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Anthony Rizzo has fun with Cole HamelsJoe Camporeale-USA TODAY SportsMESA, Arizona — One of the rituals for major league baseball players every spring is to pose for team and media photographers. These shots get used in a variety of ways; you’re probably most used to seeing them on player pages on various websites Dave Cash Jersey , or in the pitcher previews I do here at BCB.If you think this kind of work is easy, think again. The players had to report to Sloan Park before dawn Wednesday to begin the shoot at 7 a.m. That was before a full day of workouts. The team was supposed to have its annual spring training golf outing Thursday, but it’s cold (barely 50 degrees, hey http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-pat-neshek-jersey , that’s cold for the Phoenix area this time of year!) and rainy in the Valley of the Sun and the outing was cancelled.Enjoy this selection of photos from the shoot, taken by Jamie Squire of Getty Images and Joe Camporeale of USA Today Sports. I’ve got many of the regulars and rotation covered here. Ben Zobrist has been away from camp on an excused absence, so he’s not included in the gallery.

CHICAGO (AP) — After striking out three times http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , inning with a home run, Carlos Rodon matched a career high by throwing eight innings of scoreless four-hit ball and the Chicago White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 1-0 on Friday night.Palka launched a 1-2 pitch from Neil Ramirez (0-2) six rows up into the left field seats for his 18th homer to end Chicago’s three-game losing streak. His game-ending shot came on a high fastball after Palka was called out on strikes twice and fanned once.“When your night’s going like that, I feel like it’s just a lack of focus when it happens,” Palka said. “You’ve just got to lock it back in and keep on rolling.”It didn’t hurt that Ramirez grooved a 96 mph pitch.“They were getting me on some bad pitches to hit down, whether it was heaters or breaking balls early in the game,” Palka said “I just wanted something up in the zone.”Jace Fry (1-2), the White Sox’s third reliever, got the last two outs for his first major league victory.Rodon and Cleveland rookie Shane Bieber tossed crisp scoreless ball deep into the game. Each was relieved after 106 pitches.Rodon was sharp for a sixth straight start and has a 1.27 ERA in the span. The left-hander struck out five and walked two — both in the first and the only time Rodon allowed two baserunners in an inning — before being replaced by Xavier Cedeno to start the ninth.The hardest-hit balls off Rodon were doubles by Francisco Lindor in the third and Jose Ramirez in the sixth.“I feel pretty good,” Rodon said. “I might not have all my stuff, but it’s working.”And the 25-year-old lefty says he’s strong and pain-free after missing the first two months of the season following arthroscopic left shoulder surgery last September.“Just the confidence is there Jose Reyes Jersey ,” Rodon said “There’s no doubt in your mind when you go out and I step on the mound that I’m healthy and I’m coming to compete.”Bieber matched Rodon through 6 2/3 innings, yielding only three hits — including two doubles — while striking out eight and walking two in this first career start against the White Sox. The 23-year-old right-hander was replaced with two outs in the seventh by Oliver Perez.“It’s been nice, just another outing try to build off on,” Bieber said “There is a lot of room for improvement always, just to kind of feel my feet under me and try to build momentum has been nice.The White Sox managed two baserunners only once against Bieber, in the second with two outs.“He’s been so good in his career early on and in the minor leagues,” manager Terry Francona said. “He really hasn’t gotten up over 100 (pitches) very often. So today’s another step for him.”Yoan Moncada lined a double to the right-center wall to lead off the fifth, but didn’t advance as Bieber struck out Ryan LaMarre and Nicky Delmonico before getting Yolmer Sanchez to fly out.The White Sox used three relievers as they escaped a Cleveland threat in the ninth.Cedeno walked Melky Cabrera to lead off, then Juan Minaya got Brandon Guyer to ground into a force at second. Yonder Alonso greeted Jace Fry with a single, but Fry struck out Jan Gomes and got Jason Kipnis to pop out.AL Central Leading Cleveland is 35-17 against division opponents.TRAINER’S ROOM:Indians: DH Edwin Encarnacion left the game in the third with left biceps discomfort and was replaced by Cabrera. He’ll be examined on Saturday. .. Francona had no update on OF Leonys Martin Jeurys Familia Jersey , who was placed on the 10-disabled list on Thursday with an unspecified illness that’s not baseball-related. Francona, however, hinted Martin’s condition could be serious. “What I would say, if you are into saying prayers and things like that, keep him in your thoughts,” Francona said. “He’s at the (Cleveland) Clinic and getting good care.” … RHP Josh Tomlin (strained right hamstring) and RHP Nick Goody (right elbow inflammation) threw bullpen sessions in Cleveland on Friday. Tomlin is expected to throw a rehab start at Triple-A Columbus on Monday and Goody will head to the Arizona League for a rehab assignment.White Sox: Manager Rick Renteria said the team will know in the next couple of day if INF/OF Leury Garcia (left hamstring strain) will need a rehab stint. Garcia was injured on Sunday at Tampa Bay.UP NEXT: Indians RHP Trevor Bauer (11-6, 2.25) takes the mound against White Sox RHP James Shields (4-13, 4.50) on Saturday night. Bauer has won his last three starts, and is 4-0 in his last seven with a 1.76 ERA. The New York Yankees announced Tuesday that they have placed shortstopDidi Gregorius on the 10-day disabled list with a left heel contusion.The 28-year-old was injured when he collided with Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Kendrys Morales while beating out an infield single during the first inning of Monday's game:He was able to remain in the game to run the bases and came around to score on a Greg Bird grand slam. However, he was removed from the game in the top of the third inning.The transaction is retroactive to Monday. InfielderLuke Voit has been recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding roster move.After the game Mike Piazza Jersey , New York skipper Aaron Boone acknowledged there was concern surrounding the injury."Not great," Boone said, viaMLB.com. "There is nothing broken or anything like that, but he's got a pretty significant bruise, and there is some swelling in there."Gregorius was having another impressive season, hitting .270/.333/.482 with 22 home runs, 22 doubles, four triples and 74 RBI. He had been hitting .292 with five dingers, four doubles and two triples in 28 games since the All-Star break.This is just the latest injury blow to the Yankees. Outfielder Aaron Judge (wrist), catcher Gary Sanchez (groin) http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , CC Sabathia (knee), outfielder Clint Frazier (concussion) and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (hip) are all on the disabled list. Giancarlo Stanton is also playing through a hamstring injury.In the field, Boone does have some options to work with in Gregorius' absence. Both the highly touted Gleyber Torres and Ronald Torreyes can play either shortstop or second. Plus, veteran Neil Walker could see time at second, although he is no longer the hitter he once was.Losing Gregorius will leave a big hole in the middle of New York's lineup, though.None of the Yankees' backup plans can replace his bat, one that has hit 20-plus home runs in three consecutive seasons.New York currently holds a seven-game lead in the wild-card race. While Gregorius' injury will make it nearly impossible to catch the Boston Red Sox, who hold a nine-game lead in the American League East, it shouldn't have a serious effect on the Yankees' playoff status.

He’sg. What might he do to get better?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections NewsAnalysis & EditorialsCleveland Indians prospects & minor leaguesGame RecapsTransactionsAnalysis & EditorialsFinding Shane Bieber’s breakoutNew http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-paul-konerko-jersey ,3commentsHe’s talked about as the next big thing in Cleveland pitching. What might he do to get better? ESTShareTweetShareShareFinding Shane Bieber’s breakoutJohn E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY SportsAs rumors continue to rumble about the Indians trading away one of their Cy Young-caliber pitchers, the pain that move would inevitably cause is at least dampened somewhat by the emergence of Shane Bieber this past season. Though the 4.55 ERA over 114.2 innings doesn’t exactly engender a lot of excitement, the numbers behind the numbers - 5/1 K/BB ratio, 3.23 FIP, a probably unsustainably high .356 BABIP - make Bieber seem like a real candidate for mid-rotation starter, if not something even greater. MLB.com’s Mike Petriello included him in a list of 5 potential breakout pitchers for 2019. Now we have a couple months to marinate on it, and still a lot of winter to get through, what might that look like?The elements that made Bieber an effective pitcher are simple. He has a solid repertoire of pitches, though nothing world-beating, and he pounds the hell out of the strike zone. This combo catapulted him through the minors as he over-matched with command and some solid stuff. Both continued in the Majors, where he showed no fear. He actually hit the zone 47.9 percent of the time in 2018, the 9th highest among starters who pitched more than 100 innings. His 4.7 percent walk rate also ranked ninth in that cohort, while his K%-BB% was 19th. As we all saw, his ability to throw more than 85 mph with his fastball - he averaged 93 mph on the four-seam this year, a shade above league average 92.6 - means he’s likely not a Josh Tomlin clone, and that this was a beginning, not a glimpse of all he could be. So that’s good news. The bad news Bill Melton Jersey , or at least the thing that might waylay his hopes for a leap, is how often hitters swung at his pitches in the zone. While he ranked ninth in in-zone pitches, he was 61st in having those pitches swung at. Obviously hitters are going to swing at pitches in the zone more, because that’s the point of the strike zone. But this was a season of hitters getting used to him, and probably a bit of being overwhelmed with his preternatural control. He didn’t throw like a rookie, which is probably pretty unsettling for a veteran hitter suddenly shown this new pitcher. It would make sense that, if he keeps throwing the ball in the zone, and keeps leaning on his fastball a lot, that hitters will recognize that and attack more often. And when those swung-at pitches were struck — which happened 85 percent of the time on in-zone pitches — they were struck hard. His 43.3 percent Hard Hit rate (Exit Velo over 95 mph) was fifth highest among starters in 2018. If this holds similar and hitters are more aggressive with him, it could make that hoped for breakout a bashing pretty quickly. His propensity for giving up hard-hit balls had something to do with his elevated BABIP of course, but it should tack downwards in 2019 regardless just by natural regression. Only two other pitchers in the top 10 in Hard Hit Rate had a BABIP over .300. Of course, home runs don’t count towards BABIP, and Jason Hammel hard the second highest rate while playing in Kaufmann Stadium with a .337 BABIP. Bieber doesn’t have an ocean of grass behind him, so there’s a small chance that BABIP drop might also lead to a spike in home runs. Balls in the zone in this era of swinging for the fences is a recipe for big ERA’s and quick exits.But Bieber also had a 45.3 percent grounder rate in 2018, so he at least didn’t give hitters quite as much of a chance to hit for extra bases. If he can elevate that number a bit — and with that control of his, it’s not out of the realm of possibility as he can work the edges, down in the zone and keep guys off balance if he features less fastballs http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-paul-konerko-jersey , he is bound to have at least a bit of a leap. Speaking of that pinpoint control, which is always central to any projection surrounding Bieber, his uber-refined mechanics place him perfectly to develop some kind of out pitch that can help that Hard Hit Rate drop. Before we go there, think back to Mike Clevinger’s first season in Cleveland in 2016. He had a tantalizing skill set - solid fastball, good secondary stuff, and he struck out a respectable 21.5 percent of batters. He also walked 12.5 percent, which was less respectable. The next year that K rate spiked to 27.3 and the walk rate fell a bit to 12 percent. But the central part of his 2018 breakout to stardom was seeing that walk rate crater, plummeting to 8.3 percent while the K rate held near-firm at 25.6 percent. And central to this whole improvement was a refinement of his mechanics, encapsulated in his release point. Take a look at his year-to-year improvement:via GIPHYHe cut his walk rate by cutting down on the variance in rlease point. This also made him harder to track by the hitter. Now, take a look at Bieber’s 2018 release point chart:It’s refined, even more so than a three year veteran like Clevinger, and even moreso than a two-time Cy Young winner like, say, Corey KluberAgain, it’s elite control, he just doesn’t have the pitch to back it up like Kluber. Which isn’t a small thing, by any stretch. to throw less fastballs Early Wynn Jersey , cut their usage down to 45 percent or so from the 57.5 he showed in 2018. He’s already demonstrated great control with his offspeed stuff as much as his fastball, so leaping into more “pitching” rather than just throwing could be his solution, rather than Bauer-ing his way into stealing an elite pitch from somebody. Barring some kind of pitch development, and seeing what we have from pitchers across the league and even within the Indians’ organization that doesn’t seem unlikely, that control and improvement of his pitch selection would be what elevates Bieber. He’s not going to turn into Tomlin, but that could be a guy to emulate, at least in approach. It’s a different way to forge a breakout of course, but one that you can rightfully foresee. Back to afternoon baseball!"For the first time since the Cubs left HoHoKam Park after the 2013 season, I won’t see them play there. I went to four Cubs/Athletics games at what they now call HoHoKam Stadium from 2015-18, but this one... been there, done that. Going to skip the extra trip to Mesa this year.If there are a lot of home runs hit this afternoon, blame the weather, not the pitchers. Winds could gust up to 35 miles per hour today.This is the A’s last spring training game before they leave to open the season in Japan. They play a pair of exhibition games against the Nippon Ham Fighters March 17 and 18, then open the regular season against the Mariners in Tokyo March 20 and 21.Notes for today:The Cubs’ 124 runs scored are second-most in the Cactus League behind only the Angels (146 runs).Mark Zagunis’ 10 RBI are tied for sixth-most in the Cactus League. Johnny Field’s .359 on-base percentage ranks ninth.Cristhian Adames’ 13 hits are tied for the Cactus League lead while his eight runs scored are tied for seventh and his 23 total bases are tied for eighth. Kyle Schwarber is tied for third in the Cactus League with nine walks.Carl Edwards Jr. has thrown four scoreless innings in four appearances, walking none and striking out five.Steve Cishek has turned in three scoreless outings, totaling three innings.Dillon Maples has walked two and struck out nine in 4?innings.Here are today’s particulars.Cubs lineup:Athletics lineup:Jon Lester gets the start for the Cubs. Also on the Cubs pitching list today: Steve Cishek, Brad Brach Avisail Garcia Jersey , George Kontos, Mike Zagurski and Matt Carasiti.Mike Fiers will start for the A’s. Other A’s pitchers scheduled: Blake Treinen, Fernando Rodney, Joakim Soria and Yusmeiro Petit.Today’s game is an audio webcast on cubs.com. No TV today.MLB.com GamedayPlease note that during spring training, Gameday doesn’t usually go pitch-by-pitch as it does during the regular season — usually, it will update after each at-bat.Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.Please visit our SB Nation Athletics site Athletics Nation. If you do go there to interact with A’s fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.For spring-training games, we’ll have a first-pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time (because I know how you all like overflow threads!). For today, that will be 3 p.m. CT and 4:30 p.m. CT. These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher boxes and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.Discuss amongst yourselves.

HOUSTON (AP) —t-reel catch on a ball hit by Robinson Cano for the second out of the eighth inning Monday night Mark McGwire Jersey , Seattle manager Scott Servais started to think it just might not be his team’s night.Turns out he just had to wait a little bit longer.Rookie pinch-hitter Daniel Vogelbach hit his first career grand slam two batters later, lifting the Mariners over the Houston Astros 4-1 on Monday night.The Mariners trailed 1-0 when Nelson Cruz singled off Hector Rondon (2-5) with no outs in the eighth, and Kyle Seager singled with one out. Cano then hit a ball into shallow center field that looked like it would drop, but Marisnick, who also made a nice grab for the inning’s first out, sprinted before diving and extending his arm to make the catch.Rondon walked pinch-hitter Denard Span to load bases before Vogelbach sent a 97-mph fastball into the bullpen in right-center.“Obviously a great at-bat by him and really coming through in a big moment,” Servais said. “It seems like we had to figure out a way to get the ball away from Marisnick. … We figured out a way to hit one where he couldn’t catch it.”It was the third pinch-hit grand slam in Mariners’ history and the first since Franklin Gutierrez hit one on July 21, 2015 at Detroit.“I think I’ve learned my lesson pinch-hitting and failing multiple times with trying to be really patient and trying to go up there and work an at-bat like I was starting http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-khris-davis-jersey ,” Vogelbach said. “So just going up there and trying to get something elevated and hard and put a good swing on it and see what happens.”The loss cut Houston’s lead in the AL West to four games over Oakland, which was off Monday night.Marwin Gonzalez had an RBI double to give the Astros the lead in the fourth. But they couldn’t muster much else on a night they managed just three hits, with the last one coming in the fifth.Mariners starter Wade LeBlanc allowed three hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings. Ryan Cook (2-1) struck out one in a perfect seventh for the win, and Edwin Diaz pitched a scoreless ninth for his MLB-leading 56th save.“We had a rough night offensively,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “It didn’t look like we were picking the ball up very well. Leblanc always does this cat-and-mouse game of moving the ball around. We’ve had pretty good success against him, but for whatever reason, we weren’t taking great swings against him.”Houston’s Framber Valdez walked five but gave up just two hits in five innings. Rondon allowed four hits and four runs for his second straight loss after giving up three hits and two runs in 1 1/3 innings of a loss to Arizona on Friday night.LeBlanc walked a batter in both the first and second innings but didn’t allow a hit until Yuli Gurriel doubled with two outs in the fourth. Gonzalez followed with his double, which bounced off the wall in left center http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , to score Gurriel and make it 1-0.TRAINER’S ROOMMariners: LHP James Paxton rejoined the team Monday after resting at home for a few days after being diagnosed with pneumonia. He said he had a fever of as high as 104 degrees and it was the sickest he could ever remember being. He’s feeling much better now but is still a little week and lacking energy. He’ll try to throw a bullpen session either Tuesday or Wednesday but isn’t sure when he’ll feel good enough to rejoin the rotation.Astros: OF Josh Reddick was replaced by Marisnick in the bottom of the fifth inning because of discomfort in his right ankle.THEY SAID ITMarisnick and his mentality in center field: “Anytime I’m out there, I’m trying to take away as many hits and runs from the other team as I can. Our pitchers have carried us through big spots all year and as a defense, we take pride in helping them out when we can.”UP NEXTThe Astros will push back Gerrit Cole’s scheduled start until Friday and start rookie Josh James (0-0, 4.22 ERA) in the second game of the series on Tuesday night. Hinch said they wanted to give Cole a little extra rest before his next start as his innings have started to pile up. The flame-throwing James has made two appearances out of the bullpen since making his major league debut in a start on Sept. 1. Mike Leake (10-9, 3.99) will pitch for Seattle. SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Veteran outfielder Hunter Pence is set to start the season with his hometown Texas Rangers after going to spring training on a minor league contract.Manager Chris Woodward told Pence on Thursday that he will be on the 25-man roster as the team’s fourth outfielder when the Rangers open the regular season at home next Thursday against the Chicago Cubs.That means slimmed-down 24-year-old outfielder Willie Calhoun will start the season at Triple-A Nashville.Pence, a three-time All-Star who turns 36 on April 13, is a .280 career hitter in 12 big league seasons with Houston Darryl Strawberry Jersey , Philadelphia and San Francisco. He was part of two World Series championships with the Giants.Pence was hitting .333 with three homers and seven RBIs in 40 spring training at-bats through Thursday. The right-hander was a better fit for the Rangers roster at this point. He will make $2 million while in the majors.“This is a really big deal, and it impacted me in a big way,” Pence said. “To be honest, the way I ended last year and how I played wasn’t good enough. I needed to get better and I put my mind to it. I’m extremely appreciative of this opportunity and it’s very special.”Pence dealt with a thumb injury early last season, when he played 97 games for San Francisco. He hit .226 with four homers and 24 RBIs, all career lows, before playing winter ball.He played at Arlington High School and then at the University of Texas-Arlington, only a few miles from the Rangers home stadium.Calhoun is a left-handed hitter http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , like slugging corner outfielders Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara, and designated hitter/outfielder Shin-Soo Choo. Delino DeShields, a right-hander, is expected to start in center.“He was not happy obviously, and rightfully so,” Woodward said of Calhoun, who came to camp after losing about 24 pounds during the offseason. “This will be a learning moment for him to see how mature he can handle the situation. It’s not an easy one. He has done everything we’ve asked.”Woodward previously was with the Dodgers. The Rangers got Calhoun from Los Angeles when they traded Yu Darvish during the 2017 season.

ay at the age of 76.Henry Schulman and Sam Whiting of the San Francisco Chronicle reported the news http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , noting Magowan had recently gone into hospice care and underwent surgeries for prostate and liver cancer during the past few years.Giants legend Willie Mays released a statement on Magowan, via David Lombardi of The Athletic:David Lombardi LombardiHimselfWillie Mays on the passing of Peter Magowan: NdPOpWprqJMagowan was the CEO of Safeway from 1979 until 1993 and was a managing general partner of the Giants for 15 years. His tenure with the Giants started in March 1993 when his time as the CEO of Safeway ended.Schulman and Whiting noted Giants fans remember the late executive as one of the most important people involved in keeping the team in San Francisco. Former owner Bob Lurie reached a deal with a group planning on moving the team to St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1992, but the National League rejected the sale.Magowan and Larry Baer stepped in to organize a collection of partners to buy the club and keep it in San Francisco."Peter Magowan did save baseball for San Francisco," former MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said in 2008, per Schulman and Whiting. "He should get credit for that. That's a fact. He got a beautiful ballpark built. When you look back at what he done in San Francisco, a town he loves, those are the two overriding things he did."The ballpark Selig referred to was what is now known as Oracle Park. Magowan helped orchestrate the decision to move from Candlestick Park to a new waterfront stadium, and the team was able to use private funding in the process.He and Baer threw out the first pitches when the stadium opened in 2000.Magowan was also instrumental in signing Barry Bonds when the investment group took over the team following the 1992 season. Schulman and Whiting also pointed out he was known for sitting with the fans while wearing a business suit in Candlestick Park rather than in an ownership box.Magowan will be inducted onto the Giants Wall of Fame on Feb. 9. The first-place Cleveland Indians will attempt to avoid being swept in a three-game series by the last-place Kansas City Royals when the two teams meet on Sunday afternoon in Kauffman Stadium.After splitting a tense and competitive four-game series with the Red Sox in Boston on the first leg of a seven-game road trip http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , the Indians have looked flat in dropping the first two games in Kansas City by a combined score of 12-5, including the Royals beating Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber 7-1 Saturday night.Cleveland has lost four in a row, matching its longest losing streak of the year.Article continues below ...“We’ve got to figure out a way to play better,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “We look a little tired. We’ve got to show up (Sunday) and grind and find a way to win.”The Indians go into Sunday’s series finale with their two most important hitters, both MVP candidates, in slumps. In the first six games of the road trip Francisco Lindor is hitting .154 (4-for-26) with no RBIs, and Jose Ramirez is hitting .143 (3-for-21) with no RBIs.“They’re having a tough time,” Francona said. “We lean on them so much, and we will continue to. But (Royals pitchers) have done a real good job on those guys the last couple of nights.”In their 7-1 loss Saturday night the Indians were out-hit by the Royals 14-5. Cleveland’s only run came on a balk.Sunday’s pitching matchup will be a pair of right-handers, Cleveland’s Shane Bieber vs. Kansas City’s Jorge Lopez.Bieber (7-2 Christian Yelich Jersey , 4.36) is coming off one of his most impressive starts of the season, a 6-3 win over Boston on Aug. 21 in which he held the Red Sox’ potent offense scoreless on two hits through the first six innings. Bieber’s final line was 6 1/3 innings, three runs, five hits, with five strikeouts and no walks.Bieber is a rookie, and like many rookies he’s been very streaky. In four August starts he is 2-0 with a 3.13 ERA. In his four starts prior to that he was 1-2 with a 7.71 ERA. In his four starts prior to that he was 4-0 with a 2.19 ERA.Sunday will be Bieber’s second career appearance vs. Kansas City. His only other appearance against the Royals was a start on July 3 in which he got the win in a 6-4 Cleveland victory. He pitched six innings, allowing four runs and nine hits, with two strikeouts and one walk.Lopez (0-3, 3.99) was acquired by Kansas City from Milwaukee as part of a trade in which the Royals sent Mike Moustakas to the Brewers. Lopez was used as a reliever in Milwaukee, but the Royals are using him as a starter.In 10 relief appearances with the Brewers Lopez was 0-1 with a 2.75 ERA. In two starts with the Royals he is 0-2 with a 6.52 ERA. Lopez also appeared in a combined 26 games (two starts) at the Triple-A level for the Brewers and Royals and was 4-3 with a 5.26 ERA.Lopez’s last major league start for Kansas City was a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Aug. 20 http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , in which he pitched five innings, allowing one run and five hits, with three strikeouts and three walks.Lopez has one career appearance vs. Cleveland, a relief effort for Milwaukee on May 9. He pitched two innings, giving up two runs and two hits, with one strikeout and no walks.For his career overall at the major league level, Lopez is 1-3 with a 5.95 ERA in four career starts. In 11 career relief appearances he is 0-1 with a 2.91 ERA.

BOSTON — American League wild-card game Jose Iglesias Jersey , the New York Yankees seek their 100th win of the season in the second game of the final regular-season series against the Boston Red Sox Saturday.Lance Lynn pitches for the Yankees, who haven’t won 100 games since winning the World Series in 2009, against former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi, who has pitched his way into the postseason starting rotation for Boston.The Yankees have hit seven home runs in the last two games to pull into a tie with the 1997 Seattle Mariners for the all-time major league record for home runs — with 264. They have scored 23 runs in the two victories.Article continues below ...They got Didi Gregorius, feared lost for the season after suffering a wrist injury a week ago, back in the lineup Friday night, along with Aaron Hicks, who returned after missing three games in St. Petersburg and hit a three-run homer Friday night.And now the Yankees don’t have to fly cross country to play in a hostile environment, where even a win would lead to turning around and flying right back to Boston.“It’s a huge advantage,” Hicks said on the YES Network after the game. “We’re a great team when we’re playing at home. We’re hard to beat there, so that’s going to be huge for us.”Said manager Aaron Boone: “In a lot of ways we’re built for our ballpark.”Now, on Saturday, in a game that means little except for the chase for No. 100, the Yankees have to deal with Eovaldi. The right-hander has faced his former team twice since joining the Red Sox, throwing 14 shutout innings as part of going 6-7 with a 3.88 ERA this season with Tampa Bay and Boston. He also started a game against the Yankees while pitching for Tampa Bay this season, allowing five runs and eight hits in a loss on June 15.He could be in line for an ALDS start.Over his last two starts, Eovaldi has pitched 11 innings, allowing six hits and one run while striking out 15.Either the Yankees or Oakland A’s will be back at Fenway next Friday, and Eovaldi would be starting on the road in a Game 4 — or perhaps even Game 3.“I haven’t heard anything yet, officially, about what I’ll be doing playoff-wise,” Eovaldi told Sirius XM’s MLB Network Radio. “I (have) the one more start this Saturday. So I’m trying to focus on that one.”Eovaldi Denny McLain Jersey , picked up from the Rays prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, came out of the gate like a rocket with Boston, throwing two straight scoreless starts. He faltered and has come on again.Lynn was picked up by the Yankees from the Twins at the deadline and is 2-2 in nine games, including eight starts, with New York. Overall this season, Lynn is 9-10 with a 4.80 ERA.In his last three outings, he has allowed 13 hits and four earned runs in 16 innings. That followed a poor stretch, where he went 0-2 with a 9.16 ERA in four starts.His success upon arrival allowed the Yankees to move the floundering Sonny Gray to the bullpen.Lynn doesn’t seem to have a starting spot in the postseason and may or may not force his way into the crowded and talented bullpen.Lynn is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in five career starts against Boston, and he is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA against the Red Sox this season.Jackie Bradley Jr. is 3-for-5 (.600) with two home runs, Ian Kinsler 4-for-8 (.500), Eduardo Nunez 3-for-6 (.500) and Mookie Betts 4-for-10 (.400) against Lynn, while Xander Bogaerts is just 1-for-14 (.071), Andrew Benintendi 1-for-10 (.100) and J.D. Martinez 3-for-17 (.176).For the Yankees, Andrew McCutchen is 3-for-6 and Gregorius 5-for-14 (.357) with a homer against Eovaldi, while Gleyber Torres is 1-for-8 (.125), Hicks 3-for-13 (.213) and Giancarlo Stanton 2-for-9 (.222).Yankees rookie Miguel Andujar, who started the season in Triple-A, ripped his 44th double of the season Friday night, tying Joe DiMaggio for the franchise’s rookie record. Joe D. did it in 1936 and never had as many as 44 again.It still hasn’t been announced, but Friday night winner J.A. Happ is in line to pitch the wild-card game. However, his career success against the Red Sox could lead to starting either Luis Severino or Masahiro Tanaka in the game against Oakland.The Yankees and A’s split six games this season, both going 2-1 in their own ballpark.Friday night’s win by New York left the Red Sox ahead of the Yankees 9-8 in the season series. PORT ST. LUCIE http://www.tigersfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-jimenez-jersey , Fla. (AP) — Former captain David Wright showed up at Mets spring training camp Monday and spoke to reporters before New York’s game against the Washington Nationals, repeatedly referring fondly to “Al and Johnny.”It’s that kind of attitude and personal touch, a sort of chumminess that develops within a clubhouse and organization, that Wright thinks can be essential to a winning team.“Al and Johnny” are Al Leiter and John Franco, former Mets pitchers who were added to the front office two weeks ago in advisory positions.Wright said the topic of close bonds and friendships that are forged during successful seasons was brought up in a morning meeting with them and new general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, who has communicated regularly with Wright about player development in his own new advisory role.“The biggest thing in listening to Al and Johnny, specifically, is it seemed like the years when we put it all together, it was more than just (games),” Wright said, referring to the 2000 and 2015 National League pennant-winning clubs.“If you look at the teams Al and Johnny played on, they probably weren’t the most talented teams, as we weren’t the most talented team in 2015. But what we had was everybody pulling that rope in the same direction.“Guys got to know each other on a personal level and, more importantly, go out there and play well for each other. … You tried extra hard to go out there and win for one another.”The 36-year-old Wright was named special adviser to chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and Van Wagenen in January. An All-Star third baseman before a string of injuries led to the end of his shortened career last season, Wright added there’s no shortage of potential clubhouse leaders in his absence.New second baseman Robinson Cano, entering his 15th season in the majors, Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom and reacquired reliever Jeurys Familia all fit the role, Wright said.“It just seems like you’ve got leaders all over the field, guys who can get you to that point where you’re talking about the intangibles of a winning season,” Wright said.Dressed in slacks and a polo shirt, Wright discussed his role with the Mets and even joked about his health.“I got a stiff neck on the plane ride here — there’s no way I could play. I can’t even make a plane ride without getting hurt Kirk Gibson Jersey ,” he quipped.HIDEAWAY CAMPOn the smaller stage of Field 7 behind the main field, a marquee mound matchup took place three hours before Familia fired the first pitch against Washington in the afternoon.In front of fans, coaches and plenty of prospects lined up around the field, deGrom and Noah Syndergaard, the two flame-throwers at the top of the Mets’ rotation, faced squads comprised of almost entirely minor league players in outings that approached 100 pitches for both.The reason for the back fields?The Nationals.The Mets open the season with a three-game series beginning a week from Thursday in Washington, facing three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and free-agent acquisition Patrick Corbin over the course of four days.New York manager Mickey Callaway and his staff chose to avoid having the team’s top two starters face an NL East rival an extra time.“Every place I’ve ever been, you take the approach that we’re taking,” Callaway said. “I think that there’s good that comes from this.”In 6 1/3 innings, deGrom allowed one run and struck out 12. Syndergaard yielded four runs (three earned) and also fanned a dozen in six innings, but prized prospect Andres Gimenez and Wilson Ramos sliced opposite-field homers on consecutive pitches.Callaway said the Mets will come up with a plan for their last two spring starts over the weekend.NOTES: OF Michael Conforto homered in his third consecutive game, driving a ball into the wind and onto the right-field berm against Washington for his fourth home run this spring. Pete Alonso also has four, tying for the team lead. . Rule 5 Draft selection Kyle Dowdy worked around a few baserunners to pitch three scoreless innings in the 6-5 loss to the Nationals. The 26-year-old Dowdy, chosen from the Cleveland Indians, said he wants to stick with the Mets: “Hopefully, it looks good. I truly believe this is a World Series-caliber team. They have great chemistry, and I’d love to be a part of it.” . LHP Luis Avilan, who has a 2.38 ERA in a team-high nine appearances, allowed one run in 1 2/3 innings in his bid to land a bullpen spot.

NEW YORK (AP) —s year’s New York Yankees.“They’ve had a couple of really good teams here that have been close Wade Boggs Jersey , and the disappointment of an ending when you feel like you have a team capable of greatness I think does add a log to the fire,” he said Wednesday. “It does add a little extra kick to wanting this to get done, and I think that adds to everyone’s hunger a little bit.”New York worked out at Yankee Stadium ahead of Thursday’s opener against Baltimore. The Yankees have not reached the World Series since winning the 2009 title and haven’t finished first in the AL East since 2012.They finished eight games behind Boston in the AL East last year and were eliminated by the Red Sox in the Division Series. In 2017, they lost to Houston in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series.“In ’17 we got one game away from the World Series and last year leaving in the DS, those games sting. Both those years sting a little bit,” said right fielder Aaron Judge, who was a rookie when his team lost Game 7 to the Astros.After last year’s elimination, Judge tuned out.“Once we were out, I was done watching baseball,” he said.The 2019 version of the Bronx Bombers features many of the same players from last year’s cast, which set a big league record with 267 home runs. New York added lefty starter James Paxton, reliever Adam Ottavino, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and infielder DJ LeMahieu Wilson Ramos Jersey , while re-signing CC Sabathia, J.A. Happ, Zack Britton and Brett Gardner.“We won 100 games last year, and we’re better than we were,” Stanton said.Stanton is starting his second season in New York following his December 2017 trade from Miami.“We got solid additions in the offseason and we’ve got a returning lineup that has an extra year under our belt together, so the more you play together the better you are,” he added. “Whether that’s the on-field, off-field chemistry, the overall dynamic is better the more you’re with the same team.”New York starts the season banged up, with Luis Severino, Sabathia, Aaron Hicks, Dellin Betances http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , Didi Gregorius and Jordan Montgomery sidelined. Based on what he’s seen, Boone, also starting his second season, thinks the Yankees have enough depth.“The way they compete in the little things they’re doing behind the scenes is palpable to me,” he said. “It’s something I notice.”The Orioles open up under new manager Brandon Hyde, who aims to improve a team that staggered to 115 losses last year under Buck Showalter.TANAKA TIMERight-hander Masahiro Tanaka will be making his fourth straight opening day start for New York, facing a rookie-laden Orioles lineup containing several hitters he’s never seen before. The 30-year-old is 0-2 with a 9.49 ERA in previous openers, but isn’t planning to do anything different beforehand.Aside from strategizing ways to approach the young O’s hitters, his preparation remains the same as if Thursday were just another matchup, although Tanaka did acknowledge that the tension is heightened.“Lot of eyes on this game,” he said through an interpreter.He sustained a partially-torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow back in 2014, which was never surgically repaired. It hasn’t affected him recently, and he sounded surprised when asked about the joint.“It was completely out of my mind Blake Snell Jersey ,” Tanaka said. “My elbow’s fine. I’m ready going into the season.”Fellow righty Andrew Cashner is scheduled to start for Baltimore in place of Alex Cobb, who strained a groin in his last spring training appearance.Greg Bird and Luke Voit are expected to be in Thursday’s lineup for New York. The duo had been competing for the first base job throughout spring training, but both made the opening-day roster due to injuries as well as solid performances over the past month.STANTONBoone thinks Stanton will be more relaxed. Stanton hit .266 with 38 home runs, 100 RBIs and a career-high 211 strikeouts during his first year in pinstripes. Stanton had 59 homers and 132 RBIs in his final season with Miami, when he won the NL MVP.“He’s a worker. He gets under the hood. He studies, he really studies pitchers,” Boone said. “He does really well the more he sees somebody, more so than most guys, so I think he’s able to process information when he gains experience against a guy.”Stanton appreciates being noticed for his work ethic.“It’s part of my DNA, I guess,” he said.TRAINER’S ROOMSeveral players dealing with various maladies remained in Tampa for injury rehabilitation. Hicks (stiff lower back) ran on a treadmill and is continuing to do core work. He has not started baseball activities. … Severino (right rotator cuff inflammation) threw from 120 feet on Tuesday, then had Wednesday off. … Betances (right shoulder impingement) is expected to throw off a mound in a side session this weekend. WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals were expected to be in the midst of a pennant race as August wound down. Instead it is the Milwaukee Brewers who are in the running for a playoff spot.More Brewers coverageBrewers Final Pitch: Chacin dominates mound in Game 3 of NLCSChacin, Brewers blank Dodgers to take 2-1 lead in NLCSDespite struggles Rob Refsnyder Jersey , No. 23 Badgers still have hope in Big TenStrong winds could be factor for Brewers, Dodgers in NLCS Game 3Photos of the Week: 10/7/18 – 10/13/18Milwaukee comes to Washington for three games beginning Friday after beating the Cincinnati Reds for the second straight day on Thursday.The Brewers (75-60) got a Lorenzo Cain homer in the 11th inning for a 2-1 win that left them a half-game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the top wild-card spot in the National League. Milwaukee is five games behind first-place Chicago in the National League Central.Thursday’s win followed Milwaukee’s 13-12 victory in a 10-inning slugfest on Wednesday night.“I think the offense looked tired,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell told mlb.com after Thursday’s win, “but you grind through it and you play good defense. We made pitches and Lo Cain got the big hit.”Washington (67-67) begins a 10-game homestand against NL Central entries Milwaukee, St. Louis and Chicago while trying to remain in the playoff hunt coming off a 3-3 road trip. The Nationals are 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Braves in the NL East and nearly as far back in the wild-card race with four teams ahead of them for the No. 2 spot.Brewers right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (13-5, 3.61 ERA) opposes right-hander Tanner Roark (8-13, 3.95) in Friday’s opener.Roark has been a different pitcher since the All-Star break, stepping up when the Nationals needed someone to back up ace Max Scherzer. Roark is 5-1 with a 1.61 ERA in his last seven starts. During that stretch, he has struck out 37 batters and walked five.“You really just feel unhittable,” a grinning Roark recently told the Washington Post. “You feel like each pitch that you’re about to throw is untouchable, and that’s what you want as a pitcher.”He started that streak in Milwaukee when he blanked the Brewers for eight innings in a July 25 win. Roark struck out 11 and walked only one.Last time out he was an unlucky loser against the Mets, allowing one run and four hits in six innings of a 3-0 Mets win.Roark entered the All-Star break 3-12 — winless since June 6 — with a 4.87 ERA.“It’s been awesome,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told the Post regarding Roark’s sharp turnaround. “Every time he goes out there we have a chance to win ballgames.”Roark is 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) in his career versus the Brewers.Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich is 9-for-36 (.250) against Roark. Jonathan Schoop is 2-for-4 and both hits are homers.Chacin has also enjoyed a strong August. After allowing eight earned runs to the Dodgers on Aug. 2 http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , he has surrendered just six earned runs while going 3-1 over his last four starts.“We talked in spring training that once Yelich and Cain came aboard, we kind of forgot about Chac铆n, and how important he can be,” Counsell told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “He’s ended up being really important.”The Brewers are 19-9 in games Chacin has started. He’s coming off a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in which he gave up three earned runs in six innings.Chacin beat the Nationals on July 23. He pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing a run and two hits while striking out nine without a walk. In his career, he’s 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA in nine starts against Washington.Anthony Rendon is 4-for-14 (.286) versus Chacin, and Adam Eaton is 3-or-11 (.273) and Bryce Harper 0-for-6.

WASHINGTON (AP) —s acquired by Washington from Miami on Wednesday in the Nationals’ first offseason move to rebuild their bullpen.Washington sent the Marlins $1 million in international slot allotment as part of the deal.Barraclough went 1-6 with 4.20 ERA and 10 saves in 17 chances during 61 appearances this year. He allowed one hit in 36 at-bats in June Mitch Haniger Jersey , when he was chosen NL reliever of the month, but struggled with his command the rest of the season.Barraclough’s ERA ballooned to 10.24 over his final 24 games and he lost the Marlins closer’s job. His fastball average velocity dropped from 96.5 mph in 2016 to 94 mph this year.He has a 3.21 career ERA with 279 strikeouts and 134 walks in 218 2/3 innings over four seasons, all with Miami.Washington general manager Mike Rizzo is in need of relievers after jettisoning Shawn Kelley and Brandon Kintzler late this season.Miami obtained greater financial flexibility to pursue 22-year-old Cuban outfielder Victor Victor Mesa, an international amateur free agent who showcased for major league scouts at Marlins Park last week. Miami started with $6,044,500 in available allotment for its 2018-19 international signing bonus pool, has increased it to $8 http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-edgar-martinez-jersey ,044,500 and has spent $1,975,000, leaving $6,069,500 remaining. WEST PALM BEACH Alex Colome Jersey , Fla. (AP) — Trea Turner led the National League in stolen bases last season, and Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez wants him to run even more.Turner was successful on 43 of 52 attempts last year. He had a career-high 46 steals in 2017. Martinez wants the speedy shortstop to attempt close to 100 this year.Turner got his third steal of the spring during Saturday’s 4-4 tie against St. Louis.“He’s kind of challenged me with going more,” said Turner, who is admittedly hesitant to make outs on the basepaths. “I haven’t ran too much in spring training try to save them for the season, but when the season comes around try to push it a little bit.”After Bryce Harper left Washington for Philadelphia in free agency, Martinez wants the Nationals to make better use of their speed rather than wait for big home runs.“This year as a team we have a chance to steal a lot of bases and run the bases really well, put a lot of pressure on teams http://www.marinersfanproshop.com/authentic-edgar-martinez-jersey ,” Turner said. “I think we should take advantage of it.”If Turner is going to steal as often as Martinez would like he would prefer to be in the leadoff spot so he isn’t disrupting the at-bats of run producers Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto and Ryan Zimmerman.But Martinez prefers Adam Eaton’s pesky approach at the top of the order, announcing Saturday that the 30-year-old outfielder will begin the season in the leadoff slot.Turner hit .271 last year, batting most frequently in the second spot in the lineup.“I think his biggest fear is maybe hitting in front of Anthony and Soto, but I told him that shouldn’t deter what you do and that’s who you are,” Martinez said. “We want him to steal bases.”Martinez also intends to hit rookie Victor Robles ninth, giving the Nationals a trio of speedsters in a row as the order turns over.“Those three guys hitting together like that makes for exciting baseball Marcell Ozuna Jersey ,” Martinez said.Rendon says Turner shouldn’t worry about being a distraction.“If anything I love that he’s in front of me because, one, it gives him an opportunity to steal for himself and then at the second time I can take a pitch,” Rendon said. “I don’t mind batting with two strikes. I don’t feel like I’m fighting for my life. I actually feel like I get more simplified, therefore if he’s on second base I have the ability to drive a run in now, and I know I don’t have to hit the ball to the wall to score somebody from first.”