Yanks' Stanton loses 2 flyballs in sun
March 4, 2018
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) This wasn't the kind of sun-day Giancarlo Stanton hoped for.
Making his first start in left field for the New York Yankees, the slugger lost two flyballs in the sun and both fell for hits Sunday in a 9-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
''They were in the sun but doesn't matter, it's still part of the game,'' Stanton said.
Stanton never played left field in his eight seasons with the Marlins. The reigning NL MVP always started in right, the spot where Yankees star Aaron Judge plays. With Brett Gardner getting a day off, Stanton took over in left.
In the second inning, Stanton was moving toward the warning track when Jake Bauers' drive went off his glove for a double.
Asked how someone should work on catching balls in the sun, a smiling Stanton said: ''Get sun vision gloves, see right through the sun.''
Stanton went 0 for 3 at the plate.
''I felt worse in the box my first ABs than I did my first time in left,'' he said. ''It's a process.''
Stanton, acquired in December from Miami, and Judge both will get time at designated hitter as the Yankees look for ways to keep all their big bats in the lineup.
''You know what, I honestly look at it as kind of a positive,'' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. ''Picked about as tough a day to play the outfield as you could have in Florida. There's a lot of balls falling out there. It was just one of those sun days.''
''We thought it's a good first step,'' he said. ''Frankly, I saw nothing that keeps me from feeling good about him out there going forward.''
Stanton will play left again in Tuesday's game against Detroit.
Judge, coming back from offseason left shoulder surgery, made his second start in right field. He has been working out in left and could get some playing time there before spring training ends.
Also, Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman struggled with his control during his first outing, throwing 10 of 18 pitches for strikes. The left-hander hit a batter, allowed a single and got a grounder in the third before departing due to pitch count.
Chapman, through a translator, said he feels fine physically.
NOTES: OF Jacoby Ellsbury (oblique) still has soreness and is undergoing treatment. ... OF Clint Frazier (concussion) rode a stationary bike but didn't hit.
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DeGrom may not get Mets' opening day nod
March 4, 2018
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) With at least five necessary hurdles ahead of him, Jacob deGrom is running out of time to be the New York Mets' starting pitcher on opening day.
The right-hander tossed a 40-pitch bullpen alongside Rafael Montero, A.J. Griffin and Zack Wheeler on Sunday before the Mets' home game against Washington. He did not, as way anticipated, face any hitters.
DeGrom said two days ago he would be facing batters on Sunday, but somewhere along the line that plan changed. Instead, rehabbing Michael Conforto stepped into the batter's box and tracked pitches without swinging in the bullpen outside the stadium.
''I honestly did not know what I was doing today. I thought I would probably face batters, but the plan was, I guess, to throw a bullpen. I think the plan is not to anything dumb and make sure everything's right,'' deGrom said.
''I'm looking to feel good, and that's been the case so far,'' said deGrom, who flashed an impressive fastball and didn't hold anything back as he faced Conforto.
DeGrom was the team's most consistent and reliable pitcher last year. He went 15-10 with a 3.53 ERA in 31 starts on a club that went 70-92 in Terry Collins' last season as manager.
The 29-year-old deGrom has been sidelined with lower back stiffness and missed time in camp due to the birth of his daughter. That's hampered his drive toward getting the nod for the Mets' first game, at home against St. Louis on March 29, an appearance new pitching coach Dave Eiland said deGrom deserves.
''Absolutely, he's earned it. Whether he pitches opening day or not, he's earned it, but we've got to be smart about this,'' Eiland said.
Eiland said deGrom has ''hurdles'' to go through and that there's no good reason to rush him.
He added there are no exceptions on the staff and deGrom will have to face hitters five different times in March before the club opens the season at Citi Field.
''With Jacob deGrom we will not make an exception. That's stupid,'' Eiland said. ''We're not going to be careless just so he can pitch opening day. If it falls where he can, he will because he earned it. He deserves that start.
''But we're not going to push the envelope and be careless and he starts opening day and doesn't start again until June. That would be pretty ignorant on our part,'' he said.
The plan is for deGrom to get back into a game on Tuesday, but that could be a simulated game facing batters on a back field.
He'll then need to build up to a higher pitch-count over subsequent spring training starts.
''We've got to see where it leads. If he can't get out there and get built up to 80, 90 pitches, then it's not going to happen. But is there still time for him to do that? Yes,'' Eiland said.
''Every day's a hurdle. Today we crossed a big hurdle.''
Conforto appreciated the chance to see ''electric stuff'' as he recovers from shoulder surgery to repair a torn posterior capsule in his left shoulder.
''It looks effortless, and at the same time it has late life to it. His breaking stuff is pretty sharp. Sometimes you can see the hump in the breaking ball, but from Jake today there was no hump,'' he said.
''I don't get to see deGrom on a daily basis, so whenever he's throwing a side I try to get out there.''
NOTES: LHP Steven Matz struggled again in his second start, giving up five runs on five singles and two walks while getting only two outs vs. Washington. He threw 34 pitches. ''My ball was just up really, and I was missing my spot by a few inches. It's frustrating because I feel healthy,'' said Matz, who has 10 earned runs this spring. ... SS Amed Rosario, who left Saturday's game with knee irritation, checked out fine. Manager Mickey Callaway said he should be back in the lineup Tuesday against Houston. . RHP Corey Taylor relieved Matz and recorded an out without a pitch by picking off Rafael Bautista to end the top of the first. . RF Jay Bruce hit his first homer, a shot to right field off RHP Edwin Jackson in the first. ''I'm not necessarily concerned with home runs in spring training. I'm never really concerned with home runs at all, to be honest with you. They just kind of happen,'' Bruce said. . DH Tim Tebow went 0 for 3 and struck out twice.
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Indians' Brantley progressing in recovery
March 4, 2018
GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley knows all about the grind of recovering from a major injury. Way too much about the slow process back to the field.
At least this time around, he gets to put that experience to good use.
The 30-year-old Brantley has progressed to lateral agility drills as he works his way back from right ankle surgery in October with an eye toward playing as much as possible this season. If that means he isn't ready for Cleveland's opener at Seattle, so be it.
''I think I'm getting older and I think I'm starting to understand it more, that I need to make sure that I'm 100 percent healthy when I come back,'' Brantley said Sunday. ''It takes time. It's not going to happen overnight, but put in the hard work that you need to get done and everything comes out good in the end.''
Brantley hasn't always had that big-picture approach as he worked his way back from an injury. Manager Terry Francona has noticed a difference this spring.
''Because he's been through so much, I think we haven't had to put the reins around him as much as maybe in the past,'' Francona said. ''I think he's trying to look at this thing logically also. But if hard work means anything, which it does, he's going to be just fine.''
If Brantley can stay on the field, he could provide a huge boost for Cleveland as it tries to recover from last year's disappointing loss to the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series. Before his recent run of injury woes, Brantley was one of the majors' best all-around players, capable of making a key play at the plate, on the bases or in the field.
He had a breakout season in 2014, batting .327 with 20 homers, 97 RBIs and 23 steals in 156 games. He was working on another good year in 2015 when he hurt his right shoulder diving for a ball in Minnesota.
The two-time All-Star needed two surgeries to fix his shoulder and played in just 11 games in 2016, missing Cleveland's run to the World Series. He appeared to be back on track last year before he injured his ankle while chasing a fly ball to left during a game on Aug. 8.
Brantley made a surprising return late last season and was selected for the playoff roster against New York, but went just 1 for 11 in the five-game series. Despite the string of injuries, Cleveland decided to pick up his $11.5 million option for 2018.
''Whether it's second week of April, whenever, we're going to be really happy to have him back,'' Francona said, ''because that's a position then that you don't have to platoon, you just kind of wind him up and let him go play.''
Brantley said everything has gone smoothly so far this spring. There is no public timetable for his first appearance in the Cactus League, and he said he has no number in mind in terms of how many exhibition games he needs to be ready for opening day.
''It's more how I personally feel and respond every day,'' he said. ''I just want to get out there and get the reps when I'm needed and if I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go. If I'm not, I'll be there when I'm 100 percent healthy and get back to helping this team win.''
Brantley spent part of his Sunday morning peering over the shoulder of Mike Napoli while he played cribbage with pitchers Josh Tomlin and Adam Plutko. There was a hearty round of laughs as the game broke up and the players headed off to their rest of their day.
Brantley, who was acquired by Cleveland in the CC Sabathia deal with Milwaukee in 2008, also is drawing strength from his teammates as he looks to rejoin them on the field when he can.
''They help me. They keep me positive and keep me going,'' he said. ''I can't thank them enough for what they do for me. Just picking me up every day if you're not healthy and telling how much they miss you and then at the same time, I'm doing anything I can to help them. It's a team effort all the way around.''
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Bo Jackson returns to work with Royals
March 4, 2018
SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) Bo Jackson slipped into a Kansas City Royals uniform Sunday for the first time since 1990.
A little bigger, but still a comfortable fit with his old team.
''I just had to go up a size, that's about it,'' he said.
Jackson chatted with former teammate and Royals Hall of Famer George Brett and discussed bow hunting with manager Ned Yost. At 55, the two-sport star is a guest coach for the Royals in spring training.
His duties?
''Anything I want to do,'' Jackson said, laughing. ''I've been told I have diplomatic immunity.''
''It's fun being back here because this is where it all started for me,'' he said.
The Royals drafted Jackson in the fourth round in 1986, but few thought they had a chance to sign the Heisman Trophy-winning running back from Auburn. He chose the Royals over the Tampa Bay Bucs, who picked him first overall in the 1986 NFL draft.
A year later, the Los Angeles Raiders took Jackson in the seventh round and he signed.
Jackson last played baseball on Aug. 10, 1994, with the Angels. He got two hits and stole a base against the Royals in that final game - the same week, MLB players went on strike and the season was lost.
Jackson's career was shortened after he was injured in January 1991 in a playoff game for the Raiders. The setback required hip replacement surgery.
''Most of these players probably weren't even born when I played or they were babies,'' Jackson said.
But they likely know the aura of Bo Knows, his popular ad campaign.
''I hope so,'' he said.
Jackson plans on mingling with minor league players.
''Giving what advice I can, tricks of the trade on how to get from over there to over here,'' he said.
Jackson said the game has changed drastically since he retired.
''Players aren't the same. The game is not the same. The players are bigger, stronger, faster. The players look like they should be playing for the Chiefs, instead of the Royals.''
''Not only that, the technical side of the game has changed a lot. Everything is done on computers now. Computers were in their infancy when we were playing. Everything is analyzed now from the computer,'' he said.
Jackson was an eye-popping combination of speed and strength. He showed off those talents in the 1989 All-Star Game, when he led off the bottom of the first inning with a 450-foot home run and later stole a base in becoming the MVP.
''I would love to say, if I could go back 25 years from now to get out here to compete with these guys I would wear'' them out, Jackson said. ''I'm sure if you ask any player that played 25 years ago, they'd probably say the same thing. That's just us old folk talking and reminiscing about our younger days.''
In 1990, Jackson homered in four straight at-bats. He hit three on July 17 at Yankee Stadium, but dislocated his left shoulder diving in the outfield for a line drive by Deion Sanders and didn't come up again.
Jackson returned on Aug. 26 and homered in his first at-bat.
''I did it over a six-week period, but I got it,'' he said.
Jackson had shoulder replacement surgery last year, the delayed result from diving for Sanders' hit.
''That finally caught up with me,'' Jackson said. ''I kind of felt something bugging me about 2 1/2 years ago. Within 2 1/2 years, it went from just a little bug to I couldn't lift my arm to put on deodorant.''
