spring training 2012

PLAY BALL!

http://springtrainingonline.com/

the first mlb.com paean to truck day came last tuesday (happily without actually using the phrase 'truck day')

have never heard of Truck Day!

p sure mark newman will breathlessly weigh in shortly: 2010, 2011

The thrill ride has begun.

It always starts here, not with the thud of a baseball into a mitt or the crack of a bat in a cage, but with the lion's roar of an 18-wheeler's diesel engine and the cacophony of interstate traffic.

sorry, this kind of stuff irrationally enrages me

Im taking this year off but I always love spring training. Its kind of like a summer preview - chillin outside, drinking beers and watching beisbol in 85 degree weather.

would like to go to ST again some year when I have, y'know, money, as I only did it in ... 1984.

happy Grapefruit Cactus Christmas

http://badspringtrainingtwitpics.tumblr.com

David O'Brien @ajcbraves
#Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson has mild concussioi

Read this as "concusslol."

Aroldis to start?

http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/2/21/2815023/aroldis-chapman-cincinnati-reds-starting-role

so has the extra wildcard been ruled out for this year yet?

Sad.

http://bollingerbeat.mlblogs.com/2012/02/24/morneau-optimistic-but-concerned-about-concussion-symptoms/

“I don’t think there will be a career if it’s something I’m dealing with,” Morneau said. “That’s the reality of the whole thing. I’m obviously not going to continue to mess around with this if it continues to be a problem. There comes a point where you can only torture yourself for so long. It’s something I love to do but you keep preparing and you keep being left out, that’s something that nobody wants to go through.

“It’s been a tough winter that way. I try not to think about that kind of stuff. Obviously it’s crossed my mind and it’s something I’ve had to think about but when that stuff comes into my mind I continue to look for something positive, and look how far I’ve come in the last week or in the last month and just hope it continues to go well.”

Mauer to 1b by act of god

fuck you morneau

fight on for sidney crosby's sake

Morneau teammate Joel Zumaya out for season with torn UCL.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/joel-zumaya-agrees-to-throw-one-last-amazing-pitch,27183/

The Orioles signed righty Josh Banks to a minor league deal, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com. He notes that the Yankees and Dodgers were also interested in the 29-year-old, who will start at minor league camp.

Former slugger Gary Sheffield has apparently become an agent, because it was revealed this morning that he represents Banks. Banks hails from Severna Park, Maryland, and Sheffield reached out to arrange a tryout with the Orioles, according to MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli. Sheffield also represents Pirates reliever Jason Grilli, reported Ghiroli.

that is so bizarre. wasn't Shef a perpetual malcontent?!

is there any dissonance there?

well I would want a hardass as my agent fwiw

It would be great if he kept the "G" "S" gold teeth in when negotiating.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2552/3753965296_1079802aa5.jpg

so gangsta

so has the extra wildcard been ruled out for this year yet?

http://www.bizofbaseball.com/

While it is not a given by any stretch, the chances of expanded playoffs in Major League Baseball for 2012 are improving, according to sources. As part of the new collective bargaining agreement, a decision, done in concert with the MLBPA, has to occur by March 1, or just two days from now...As to why the heavy push, Selig has not said. But, it’s worth noting that MLB’s national television contracts are up for renewal at the end of 2013. With (most) fans loving the aspect of sudden death in the playoffs, putting the new teams in this year, as opposed to next, could mean a ratings and viewership win for baseball, especially if large market, storied brands make the cut (for example, the Red Sox and Braves would have made it last year, if the format had been in place).
Expect word any day on this major change for baseball.

AJ Burnett, what's on your iPod?

No one cares he's on the Pirates now

u_u

1. Orbital, complete discography

boy springtrainingonline.com didn't really have the follow-through, did it?

HOT STOVE, ICE-COLD QUESTIONS

Sizemore ran out every ball as if it were his last at-bat. He dove in the outfield and crashed into walls. "Do you ever worry about being the next Darin Erstad?" I asked him. "Someone who plays so hard he beats himself up and shortens his career?"

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120302&content_id=26950532

Teheran has surrendered a six-pack of tacos to the Tigers in 1 2/3 IP today.

OK, that's two innings, six HRs. Apparently Prince hit one off the light tower.

E-5, Cabrera.

teheran gave up five homers all last year in the minors (144 ip)

but he did allow four in 20 big league innings . . .

also, if he were my 21-year-old starter of the future, maybe i pull him after the third or fourth homer?

Jon Heyman ‏ @JonHeymanCBS
glad to see #braves pulled teheran. 6 hrs allowed. dont want to hear about wind, either. 2 hrs went thru a gale in LF

Teheran has surrendered a six-pack of tacos to the Tigers in 1 2/3 IP today.

― Andy K, Sunday, March 4, 2012 2:32 PM (24 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

OK, that's two innings, six HRs. Apparently Prince hit one off the light tower.

― Andy K, Sunday, March 4, 2012 2:34 PM (22 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

keith law said on twitter that had it been a big league game, it'd have been the first six-jack, six-out performance ever

this is kinda weird

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/64108_366767076678217_201491739872419_1261684_342465180_n.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CxDJs3mhdog

MLBN's current Diamondbacks/Indians telecast is mostly crowd noise, though a bunch of players and umps are wired with mikes. Occasional between-pitch interjections from Vadgesturgeon. Very nice.

^^^also jason kipnis singing adele

this is a home game for the d-bax, so they decided the game would not use a dh. the indians starter actually had to bat twice to get his three innings in, but was directed not to swing the bat lest he get hurt.

(this actually worked out, as he drew a walk once. apparently he survived his dangerous experience on the base paths.)

i mean i guess there's aj burnett or whatever, but good lord

Jason Parks of BP brings the flavor of Cactus League camps, w/ Darvish report and resourceful Japanese reporters towing ladders:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=16170

(He calls his diary "Patricia.")

the patricia thing is a little creepy.

he likes to be creepy

is it a twin peaks ref?

no idea! he's from Texas and is in therapy. (also, his tales of his Bushwick nabe on the podcast are good ones)

I know this is a meaningless stat because it's only spring training, but the M's are averaging 7.4 runs/gm so far.

Ruh roh:

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/14/desmond-jennings-b-j-upton-carted-off-the-field-after-major-outfield-collision/

@TBTimes_Rays
Both #Rays Jennings and Upton are okay, just general soreness

saw this, thought it meant wins above replacement

WAR albums poll

http://deadspin.com/5894195/rick-santorum-secures-the-all-important-carlos-baerga-endorsement

Ron Stilanovich says DON'T PLAY THE IN-BETWEEN HOP!

http://guyism.com/sports/video-miguel-cabrera-leaves-game-after-taking-groundball-to-face.html

wait a minute bobby valentine is managing the red sox

holy shit

i am so out of it

this is gonna be a v v entertaining year

in a bad way

is there *any* evidence that a pitcher's weight affects his durability?

ppl talk about how cc can throw 300 innings because he's fat while fretting about how skinny pitchers will get ground down by a long season. but it's not like they're running around a soccer field for 90 minutes every five days -- they're throwing baseballs.

i ask this because cards prospect shelby miller apparently worked out too hard this winter. i'd have thought that being as fit as possible would help a pitcher avoid injuries and be his best, but i guess i am not a true baseball guy.

guess he's not a "horse"

by which i mean pudgy

yeah, like joba

I get where they're coming from, though - 6'3" 195 is already going to be very low body fat, and if he lost weight from there that's tough.

Maintaining 6% body fat isn't really optimal as far as athletic conditioning.

this fuckin guy

Matt Bush was arrested for DUI and leaving the scene of a crime Thursday night in Florida.
Bush has also been charged with property damage and suffered what are being described as "serious injuries." The No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft was trying to revitalize his career this year in a relief role with the Rays, but it's quite possible that Tampa Bay will now release him. This isn't the first time Bush has been in serious legal trouble.

related to dubya?

Jenks got a DUI too

florida cops must love spring training

as suspected earlier, TJ surgery for Joakim Soria

And Ryan Madson:

http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/2012/03/24/madson-needs-tommy-john-surgery/

“We feel terrible for him because he feels terrible,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

Didn't U Madson sign a one-year deal? Oops.

http://30fps.mocksession.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2012-March-24-17-17-5.jpg

@AdamRubinESPN
Johan Santana so far: Walk, Walk, Single, Walk. Dan Warthen visiting.

@AdamRubinESPN
Scout at game says Johan velocity down today. Sat mostly at 86 mph in first inning. Not good.

Zach Duke, Jack Cust cut by the Astros, the ultimate ignominy

toronto is 20-4 in spring training?!?

yup. they usually do pretty well for themselves in march.

20-4 suggests we'll go about 137-25 for the season, but that's misleading; I don't expect we'll win more than 120.

ha ha.

@MLBastian
Ubaldo hit Tulo on the back, dropped glove & dared Tulo to charge him. Benches cleared shortly thereafter.

@MLBastian
Back story: Ubaldo had some choice words for Rockies organization early in spring; Tulo had some choice word for Ubaldo in print recently.

@Buster_ESPN
For those asking: earlier this spring, Tulowitzki said bluntly that Ubaldo should just pitch and stop talking about his COL past issues.

@hoynsie
Lots of back and forth between Ubaldo and Rockies this spring. Ubaldo said Cleveland is "heaven.' Some Rockies upset at his effort last yr.

@TroyRenck
Ubaldo leaves mound to a scattering of boos. Hard to believe it's come to this. Greatest Rockies' pitcher ever now Public Enemy No. 1

@Rockies
#Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki has been take to a local hospital for precautionary x-rays on his left elbow. More updates later.

joey votto he rich

Alrodis back to the 'pen. Seems very un-Dusty. I was really looking forward to seeing if he could sustain a 6-7 inning stretch.