A.L. Central Today—March 1, 2007

Happy Birthday to baseball legends Al Rosen and Pepper Martin, whose birthdays are February 29th.  Rosen is 20 ¾ today, while The Wild Horse of the Osage is still dead.  And if you didn’t feel old enough already, poor old Johnny Ray turns 50 today.  Ken Harvey, who only seems to be 50, will celebrate his 29th birthday today by icing down his pulled chest muscle in the Twins’ spring camp. 

CHICAGO

Closer Jumbo Jenks left the Sox first spring training game on Wednesday with “tightness” in his right shoulder.  “I’ve been working all spring on loosening the back of my shoulder because I had no internal rotation,” explained Jenks. “The combination of that and just using bad mechanics, leaking a little bit and dropping my elbow ... those two things together are not good.  Stretching is all I can do for it,” Jenks said. “I can get that extension. I can’t accelerate through the ball because I’ve got no range right now.  I’m still on the same schedule. There was no pain at all.  I was over-amped, and using bad mechanics was the biggest thing,” Jenks said. “I can only blame myself for that.” “He has to be careful because every time his mechanics are not in the right place, he’s going to be sore at least for the beginning of Spring Training,” said manager Ozzie Guillen who knew of Jenks problems before the game.  “I know he’s not lying to me,” Guillen said. “I believe him, trust him.” Doing their best Tony Snow impersonation, the Tribune declared that Jenks injury “ gives Guillen a chance to look at Mike MacDougal and Matt Thornton as potential closers. 

Rotation mainstays Mark Buehrle and Jon Garland were both roughed up in their first spring training appearances of 2007, but neither was terribly upset with their performances.  “I was hitting my spots and velocity was there,” Buehrle said. “That’s all you can look for right now.” Garland explained, “I’m out there throwing all fastballs so it’s pretty easy to pick up on that if you’re a hitter.”

RHP Gavin Floyd’s sprained right ankle is feeling better.  Is it 100% better? “Well, not 100 percent, but 75 percent better,” said Floyd.

Catcher/wrestler A.J. Pierzynski continues to “favor” the right ankle that he injured in an off-season workout.  ‘’I can go out there, I can play, but it hurts,’’ Pierzynski said. ‘’I don’t know what it is. I sprained it working out, and it just doesn’t seem like ... I mean, I’m here every day for an extra two hours [of treatment].  Herm [Schneider, team trainer,] keeps telling me it’s going to get better, so that’s all I can hope for.’’

Every player on the Sox 40-man roster is under contract, after the team agreed to terms with Jenks, Floyd, RP David Aardsma, P Nick Masset, LHP Andrew Sisco, LHP Matt Thornton, LHP Boone Logan, knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, fast-guy Jerry Owens, slugger Josh Fields, fly-catcher Brian Anderson and Iowan Ryan Sweeney. 

CLEVELAND

Cleveland G.M. Mark Shapiro is having Chris Antonetti, Assistant G.M., negotiate with starter Jake Westbrook since the pitcher’s agent, Michael Maas, works for the same firm as Shapiro’s father, Ron.  Both Shapiros have recused themselves from the proceedings to avoid ethics violations.  Hear that, Justice Scalia?  “I’d like to get something done this spring, if possible,” Westbrook said of the negotioations. “I’m very comfortable here.” “The numbers they threw out there were surprising and exciting to hear about,” he added in a masterful display of understatement.  “It feels good to be in the situation I’m in.”

Following the Indians’ signings of RHP Fernando Cabrera, RHP Edward Mujica, LHP Juan Lara, C Kelly Shoppach, IF Joe Inglett, 3B Andy Marte, OF Shin-Soo Choo, OF Ben Francisco and OF Franklin Gutierrez only four players from the 40-man roster remain unsigned – 2B Josh Barfield, LHP Rafael Perez, RHP Tom Mastny and RHP Fausto Carmona.

Jason Davis has lost weight this off-season.  Apparently, he has taken to eating properly while he kills things for fun. 

Travis Hafner wants to play first base about once a week this season, but the Indians logjam at first (Blake, Garko, VMart) may make that difficult.  “He’s done a good job and worked hard over there, and it’s really paid off for him,” said manager Eric Wedge of Pronk’s fielding. 

New outfielder Trot Nixon has been participating in all team workouts, including batting practice, but will not play in a spring training game for another week or so due to his off-season back surgery. 

RF Shin-Soo Choo remains upbeat despite the Indians bizarre signing of Nixon during the off-season.  “Trot Nixon is a good player,” said Choo. “He’s a veteran player who is going to help this team a lot. As for me, I just have to take care of myself. I’m staying as positive as I can.” Apparently, Wedge is taking away the 24-year old Choo’s job as the LHed half of the RF platoon for his own good.  “I want him to be an everyday guy,” explained Wedge. 

So far this spring, the team has signed 1,542 balls, bats and jerseys for Cleveland Indians charities. 

DETROIT

Detroit News’ Lynn Henning expects that the Tigers will trade several pitching prospects, including guys like Zach Miner and/or Jordan Tata, before the season starts.  They need a young stud catching prospect to replace Pudge Rodriguez in another year and a good shortstop that can replace or fill in for injury-prone Carlos Guillen.  Chad Durbin, out of waivers, is the most likely to be traded this spring. 

One of the reasons that the Tigers can move even more pitching prospects this spring (after trading three to the Yankees during the off-season) is because they have several excellent prospects that are clearly ready for the majors now.  One of those is southpaw Andrew Miller.  The Tigers first round draft pick in 2007 (#6 overall) out of the University of North Carolina, Miller pitched very well against the Mets.  In two innings, he struck out four batters (Franco, Beltran and Green swinging at fastballs; Wright looking at a curveball) and induced two weak groundouts to third base (Alou and LoDuca).  The only hard hit ball off his was a line drive to left center by Delgado. 

Will we see more leadoff at bats this season from Ivan Rodriguez?  It’s possible.  Think Pudge’s .310 OBP (from 2005-2006) isn’t good enough for the top of the order?  Tell that to Leyland, who put Chico Lind’s .290 OBP in the #2 spot more than 1100 times in 1988-1989.

Manager Jim Leyland wants CF Curtis Granderson to use a “two-strike approach” – simply put the ball in play and avoid a strikeout – throughout his at bats.  “That’s smart, in my opinion,” said Leyland.  “That’s smart hitting.” Granderson: “One of the things I’ve heard a lot of people say is that a lot of the guys who hit two-strike home runs, they choke up, and all they’re trying to do is just make contact.  And that’s when you end up squaring a ball up pretty well. . . . I don’t think you’re going to sacrifice a lot of power with it. If you get a pitch that you can drive with two strikes, you’re still going to be able to do that.”

The Tigers are happy to have 72-year old Jose Mesa on the staff.  “He’s always been a manager’s dream,” says Leyland.  “He takes the ball whenever you want him to take the ball, and he’s got good stuff. That’s a pretty good combination.”

KANSAS CITY

The Royals are going ahead with their sad plan to destroy most of Mark Teahen’s value by moving him to the outfield.  “We have got to be patient about it,” Bell said. “The only way you’re going to get better is experience it.  I think he has got the ability to play anywhere on the field. Mark is going to have some issues out in the outfield. Arizona is a tough place to play the outfield. If he can get it done down here, he shouldn’t have really any problem with any ball park in the American League or National League.”

What are the qualities that Buddy Bell is looking for from John Buck and Jason LaRue, who are engaged in fierce competition for the Royals’ starting catcher job?  “I want to see a little bit of arrogance and a lot of confidence,” Bell suggests. “A lot of tempo. A lot of energy.” Remember, as Nook LaLoosh told us, you have to play this game with “fear and ignorance” and no one knows that more than Bell. 

Jorge De La Rosa is the most likely candidate to fill the team’s #4 starter slot.  “He’s got a 90 percent shot of being in the rotation,” Bell said. “We saw enough of him last year that we’d like for him to be in the rotation.”

Apparently, the Royals have decided that if they don’t allow Mike Sweeney to play in any games then he can’t miss any games due to injury.  “We’ll limit his at-bats, so come April 2, he’s ready to go and he has no problems,” said manager Buddy Bell.  “I think it is really important that he gets through this spring without any mishaps.” Does Bell have any hard-and-fast rules for Sweeney this spring?  “He’ll never go to Tucson,” said Bell. 

Aches and Pains: RHP Joel Peralta is recovering from a nasty case of food poisoning that put him in the hospital for two days.  “At one point, when I got to the hospital, I didn’t know where I was,” Peralta said. “It was very scary. I never felt that way before.” “He lost eight or nine pounds, so he’s got to get his energy back,” Bell said. . . . OF prospect Mitch Maier is on the mend from a pinched tendon nerve in his right wrist.  “It is not a big deal,” Maier said. “It is inflamed. I just taped it and iced it. I took some swings afterwards. I don’t expect to miss any time.” . . . Much to Bell’s dismay, IF Angel Guzman has a stiff arm that has held him out of recent infield drills. . . . RHP Zack Day, who had rotator cuff surgery last summer, threw off the mound again. . . . RHP Brandon Duckworth, who had bone chips removed from his elbow in August, is slated to throw three innings on Monday.

Royals’ players hate their new synthetic caps.  “These are just terrible,” veteran hurler Steve Kline says. “They fall back over your face, they’re too big, they stretch out too far, they don’t stay on. They’re terrible.”

MINNESOTA

The Twins reached a contract agreement with “potential closer” Jesse Crain.  Crain will earn $3.25 million over the next three years, including two arbitration years.  “If he becomes a closer, there are incentives,” said Rob Antony, director of baseball operations and contracts.  Crain’s salary will escalate from $500K this year to $1.05 million to $1.7 million with incentives based on games finished.  “I think whenever you have some security, it makes you feel more comfortable and takes the pressure off,” said Crain.

An MRI exam has shown that OF Lew Ford has a slight meniscus tear in right knee.  He had a cortisone shot and will miss a few days; surgery is a possibility.  Ford had off-season surgery to repair the cartilage in his left knee. 

Uber-prospect Matt Garza is excited that he has been given an opportunity to win a spot in the Twins rotation.  “I know my stuff is good and I know it’s ready to go,” Garza said. “I’m just ready to see it live and get it going when I’m 95 percent or 100 percent.” In his first appearance of the spring, Garza held the Red Sox regulars hitless in his two innings of work.  ”I got to the point last year where I was using all arm, and that’s where you got the lofty curveballs and floating sliders,” Garza said, analyzing his outing. “Tonight, I could just feel the changes in my body. I felt like I could throw all day, but it ain’t that time yet.”

Sir Sidney Ponson is not able to pitching until at least March 9th due to visa problems. 

Ken Harvey left Wednesday’s game with a pulled chest muscle and should remain on the sidelines for three or four days. 

Manager Ron Gardenhire is all about “hustle” and “attitude” but he has learned to accept 2B Luis Castillo’s more “laid back” attitude.  “That’s just his makeup,” Gardenhire said. “He’s giving pretty much everything he has. Sure, you’d like to see everybody full bore all the time. But that’s just not his gig. I can live with it, because I know he has a lot of heart.”