1. Strasburg shines in debut
2. Matsuzaka following Nolan Ryan's footsteps
3. Vizquel plans to stick around for a few more years
4. Nathan's injury offers hope to beleaguered AL Central hitters
5. Brian Roberts Injury 'Growing Concern' as Orioles Mull Trades
6. Phils have best all-around infield of modern era
7. Jose Reyes confirmed to have overactive thyroid, will remain in New York to await treatment
8. Nathan might need Tommy John surgery
1. Strasburg shines in debut
Steve Henson of yahoo sports is reporting And so it begins, Stephen Strasburg(notes) rocking and firing for the Washington Nationals, batters flailing, batters adjusting, Strasburg pitching out of a jam with an other-worldly fastball and physics-defying curveball.
Yes, we have liftoff. On Tuesday at Space Coast Stadium, so named because of its proximity to Cape Canaveral, the rookie with the rocket right arm took one small step toward the big leagues and one giant leap toward Nationals’ relevance, pitching two scoreless innings in his Grapefruit League debut against the Detroit Tigers.
Stephen Strasburg threw 15 of his 27 pitches for strikes and allowed two hits.
Strasburg didn’t come close to his personal-best 103 mph, topping out at 98 and consistently hitting 97 from the windup and 95 from the stretch. Hey, it’s early. More important, he had four pitches working, recorded outs after falling behind in counts, and with two on and two out in the second inning got strike three looking on a wicked curve that began at batter Brent Dlugach’s(notes) hip and crossed the plate from an angle perpendicular to the third-base line. He also struck out one of the best hitters in baseball, Miguel Cabrera(notes), with a high four-seam fastball and induced several groundouts on two-seamers.
To read more..
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AocmA8eZoXeT9Yni89QvqoARvLYF?slug=sh-strasburgdebut030910&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
2. Matsuzaka following Nolan Ryan's footsteps
markjmill. is reporting Boston Red Sox hurler Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) is apparently planning to pitch for at least another decade, according to WEEI.com. The 29-year-old Japanese pitcher has been in the pros for 10 years (and is now entering his fourth with the Boston Red Sox) and he tells WEEI he'd like to still be effective after he turns 40.
"I think both personally and from a family standpoint we're all enjoying our lives over here in the U.S., and if at all possible I would like to play over here as long as I can," Matsuzaka told WEEI through translator Masa Hoshino. "I guess in the very least I hope that I can play for at least another 10 years here in the U.S."
Matsuzaka apparently has been studying the book "Nolan Ryan's Pitching Bible" since he was in high school and has found in Ryan inspiration to stay in shape and able to pitch effectively till he is in his mid-40s. Matsuzaka knows it'll be difficult to sustain long-term success but he sure seems game to try.
To read more..
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2010/03/09/daisuke-i-want-to-play-at-least-10-more-years-in-the-u-s/
3. Vizquel plans to stick around for a few more years
Mark J. Miller is reporting Chicago White Sox infielder Omar Vizquel(notes) will be 43 in April but he apparently isn't planning to call it quits at season's end, according to MLB.com. Right now he's got a one-year, $1.375 million deal with the South Siders. This is his fifth team since he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners way back in 1989.
"My body's holding on good, I'm feeling good, I feel I have the passion for it," he told the site. "I consider that I had a good year last year and that's why I'm here, because my body's telling me that I can still be out there and compete with the other guys."
He hit .266 in 62 games with the Texas Rangers last year but he knows it's not his bat that keeps him around. As long as he can serve as a late-inning defensive replacement and provide a few hits here and there, Vizquel seems to figure he'll have a job somewhere.
To read more..
http://chrishaft.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/03/maybe_omar_will_play_forever.html
4. Nathan's injury offers hope to beleaguered AL Central hitters
Joe Posnanski of Si is reporting OK, before we get to the heart of the matter -- and the elbow of Joe Nathan -- it's probably worthwhile to show you a few numbers that could blow your mind. Here are Nathan's statistics against the other four teams in the American League Central:
Kansas City Royals: 3-0, 0.85 ERA, 35 saves, team hitting .144 against him
Detroit Tigers: 2-1, 1.55 ERA, 30 saves, team hitting .153 against him
Chicago White Sox: 3-2, 2.06 ERA, 24 saves, team hitting .151 against him
Cleveland Indians: 3-1, 2.98 ERA, 26 saves, team hitting .201 against him
And here is how some of the biggest stars of the division have hit against Nathan over the last six years:
Grady Sizemore: 0-for-15 with seven strikeouts
Miguel Cabrera: 0-for-8 with four strikeouts
Frank Thomas: 0-for-7 with six strikeouts
Miguel Olivo: 0-for-8 with six strikeouts
Reggie Sanders: 0-for-12 with six strikeouts
Juan Uribe: 0-for-10 with five strikeouts
Alberto Callaspo: 0-for-9 with two strikeouts
Jose Guillen: 0-for-6 with two strikeouts
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/joe_posnanski/03/09/joe.nathan/index.html#ixzz0hmZ6YZHV
5. Brian Roberts Injury 'Growing Concern' as Orioles Mull Trades
Matt Snyder of Mlb fanhouse is reporting A few weeks ago, the Orioles informed the public of the issues All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts was having with his back. Neither Roberts nor his manager Dave Trembley initially believed the herniated disc injury would linger long enough for the the veteran to miss Opening Day, but things may have changed. There are now reports surfacing that Orioles president Andy MacPhail might start looking outside the organization for second base help because Roberts' back is a "growing concern."
If there's been a fixture for the Orioles during the past seven seasons, it's been Roberts, who has consistently and admirably filled both second base and the leadoff spot in the batting order. He led the majors in doubles last season (56) while stealing 30 bases and hitting .283 with a .356 OBP.
In house, the Orioles could use Robert Andino or Justin Turner, who would both be out of position and aren't overly enticing everyday options. Ty Wigginton appeared at second base in eight games last season, but he's not equipped to handle it more than on rare occasions. Really, the Orioles were counting on 150-plus games from Roberts, as usual, which is why they'll have to look outside the organization to replace him.
If the Orioles wanted to pursue an available option via free agency, well, they can probably give up on that idea pretty quickly. The only free agent who can play second base is Ryan Freel, who did so twice for the Orioles in 2009. Of course, Freel hit .193 last year and doesn't appear to have much left in the tank. That means the likely path here is a trade.
When it comes to MacPhail, though, this is a very odd proposition at this point in the season. He's a notoriously deliberate contestant in trade talks and is normally very close to the vest in terms of negotiating.
The fact that he's letting it be known the Orioles are looking for second base help and wants to get some during spring training is possibly a harbinger that Roberts' back problems are going to be a long-term issue in 2010.
To read more..
http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/03/09/brian-roberts-injury-growing-concern-as-orioles-might-explore/?ncid=txtlnkusspor00000002
6. Phils have best all-around infield of modern era
Bill Conlin of philly.com is reporting The quartet of Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard is not only efficient but perhaps demands higher praise. It is potentially the greatest all-around infield of a modern era that began in 1947 when Jack Roosevelt Robinson kicked down the door that had barred players of color from the major leagues. Polanco hit just 10 homers for the Tigers last year, playing in one of baseball's toughest home-run parks. He has a chance to hit 15-plus in the friendly alleys of the Bank, particularly batting in front of Utley and Howard. J-Roll hit 21 homers last year in a season when he was MIA most of the first half. The Gold Glove shortstop has hit as many as 30. Utley is quite simply one of the great offensive second basemen of all time and has consistently put up Rogers Hornsby power numbers.
To read more..
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20100310_Bill_Conlin__Phillies_have_best_infield_of_baseball_s_modern_era.html
7. Jose Reyes confirmed to have overactive thyroid, will remain in New York to await treatment
The Ny Daily is reporting "Upon further review, Jose Reyes has an overactive thyroid. Still, Mets fans likely don't need to panic about losing the shortstop's services.
A New York City expert, Dr. Leonard M. Freeman, indicated that most cases of hyperthyroidism are easily treated with radioactive iodine. Assuming Reyes has the common type of hyperactivity, known as Graves' disease, his availability for Opening Day should not be in question, Freeman added. However, it could be a close call.
"When treated, the vast majority of patients do quite well," said Freeman, the director of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the Moses Division of Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx. "I treat many patients every week."
The thyroid, located in front of the neck, is responsible for metabolism. Left unchecked, an overactive gland can lead to a rapid or abnormal heart rate or even protruding eyes and vision issues. Sometimes the treatment can cause patients to end up with an underactive thyroid, but that can be addressed with a thyroid pill each day, Freeman said.
Reyes downplayed the thyroid issue and appeared to suggest that even the radioactive iodine won't be necessary. He told ESPN Deportes Tuesday night: "The specialists who took care of me in New York have told me that I'm fine and that there's nothing wrong with my thyroid. The test showed that I'm fine. We just have to wait for the results of the additional test. The (doctors) found inflammation in my throat, and no medicine to treat the thyroid or any other condition has been prescribed.""
To read more..
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2010/03/09/2010-03-09_mets_jose_reyes_diagnosed_with_overactive_thyroid_will_remain_in_new_york_to_awa.html
8. Nathan might need Tommy John surgery
The Chicago Sun Times is reporting "Ozzie Guillen slept a little better than usual Tuesday night.
Then again, the idea of facing Jon Rauch in the ninth inning with the game on the line instead of Twins closer Joe Nathan, well, that's the best pillow Guillen could've asked for.
''If Rauch is the closer, I'll take my chances,'' Guillen said before the Cactus League game against the Giants. ''It's nothing against Rauch, but Nathan is so good against us. ... I don't remember in the six or seven years with this ballclub that we had a good day against him, except once.''
With the news out of Florida on Tuesday morning that Nathan has a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and is likely headed for Tommy John surgery, the balance of power in the American League Central Division instantly switched.
That doesn't mean the White Sox were scurrying to start printing playoff tickets, but there was no denying that without Nathan, one of the game's best closers, the Twins had been weakened."
To read more...
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/2093834,CST-SPT-sox10.article
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