First game on tap tonight : 8:05est
Texas (valdes) 10.0 u -119
Anaheim (lackey) -154
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Glaus shows good signs
The Angels third baseman goes 1 for 4 and says he'll be in the lineup for tonight's opener.
By BILL PLUNKETT and MICHAEL FELTEN
The Orange County Register
ANAHEIM ? Looking for positive signs they will not be without the World Series MVP as they raise their championship flag tonight, the Angels found them in a 1-for-4 performance by Troy Glaus on Saturday.
After sitting out five days with tendinitis in his right wrist, Glaus took early batting practice, participated in pregame drills (fielding and hitting) and played eight innings as the Dodgers completed a two-game sweep of the reborn Freeway Series with a 6-5 victory over the Angels at Edison Field.
More important, Glaus reported no problems with his wrist after the full day's work.
"It felt good. There was no pain," he said. "As of right now, I plan on it (playing tonight) - barring anything flaring up."
Glaus looked uncomfortable at times as he struck out in his first two at-bats against the off-speed offerings of Dodgers left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii and hit into a double play in his third at-bat.
He added a single off Paul Shuey in the eighth inning to finish the exhibition schedule with a .217 average, no home runs and 18 strikeouts in 46 at-bats.
"It's just a matter of trying to get the swing right - then worry about the pain," Glaus said about the discomfort which has plagued him every spring.
"We'll see how he comes out of it but everything that we saw tonight was a positive," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "He took some decent swings after his first couple at bats. It's just a matter of shaking the rust off.
"As things stand, he's in the lineup (against the Texas Rangers tonight). "
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Rangers cut roster down to size
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Catchers Chad Kreuter and Todd Greene both made the team, Jermaine Clark beat out Donnie Sadler as the utility player and Laynce Nix is going back to the minor leagues.
Those were the decisions made by manager Buck Showalter and the Rangers after they defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-5 in their final exhibition game Saturday at Raley Field. The Rangers open the season at 7:05 tonight against the Anaheim Angels at Edison International Field.
The details:
? Kreuter made the team on the strength of his catching and pitch-calling, most notably for Chan Ho Park. Kreuter will catch Park on Tuesday against the Angels.
"We'll see where that takes us," Showalter said. "I like some of the things that Chad brings to the club. He's very impressive. Chan Ho is not the only pitcher he'll catch."
? Greene made it because of his bat, and he hit his fifth home run of the spring Saturday. Showalter said having Kreuter allows the Rangers to use Greene's bat more liberally during games.
? Mike Lamb won a spot on the bench over Nix and Ryan Christenson. Said Showalter on Lamb: "I've heard a lot about his ability to hit good pitching at the end of a game."
? Showalter said he came close to taking Nix, who has never played above Class A, but knew Nix would stay up only until either Herbert Perry or Kevin Mench came off the disabled list. That could be in the next two weeks.
? Clark gives the Rangers some speed off the bench, which Showalter considers essential. Christenson and Sadler were sent to Triple-A Oklahoma.
? Showalter said Ruben Sierra will be used at designated hitter and as a pinch hitter. Said Showalter: "I wouldn't anoint him the DH, and I wouldn't anoint him a pinch hitter."
? With the setting of the roster, the Rangers are expected to have a base-salary payroll of about $99 million. With the addition of 40-man roster salaries and benefits, the Rangers will likely be around $113-114 million for luxury-tax purposes.
? Taking away deferred money plus insurance back for outfielder Rusty Greer and pitcher Jeff Zimmerman, who were placed on the disabled list, the Rangers are likely to spend in the mid-$80 million range as far as actual cash.
Thomson watch
The results of X-rays on Rangers pitcher John Thomson's sprained left ankle were negative. The Rangers remain unsure if he'll be able to start Wednesday against the Anaheim Angels, but Thomson, after throwing in the outfield Saturday, said he expects to be ready.
"It feels a little bit tender, but it's going to be OK for Wednesday," Thomson said.
Manager Buck Showalter said the Rangers will make a decision today. They have the option of moving up Colby Lewis to pitch Wednesday and having Thomson wait until Saturday to pitch against the Seattle Mariners.
Briefly
? With Saturday's victory, the Rangers finished spring training with a record of 16-14-1. This is the fourth consecutive spring they've finished with a winning record. In 1999, they were 14-14-1. The Rangers' last losing spring was 1994 (12-19-1).
? The Angels will hoist the championship flag and have a presentation of their World Series trophy before tonight's game. The players will receive their World Series rings before Tuesday's game.
GAMEDAY
SCOUTING REPORT
The Rangers' Ismael Valdes was 0-1 with a 5.59 earned-run average in three spring-training starts, and also pitched in two Triple-A games. He was 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in five starts against the Angels last year. Lackey, the Angels' Game 7 starter in the World Series, was given the Opening Day start when Jarrod Washburn injured a shoulder in spring training.
TODAY'S PITCHING MATCHUP
Probable 2002 Career vs. Opp.
pitcher W-L ERA IP Lg.Avg W-L ERA IP
Valdes (R) 8-12 4.18 196.0 .257 3-2 3.47 49.1
Lackey (R) 9-4 3.66 108.1 .267 1-1 12.0 4.50
Scouting the series ...
? The Rangers were 7-12 against the Angels last year and 2-7 in Anaheim.
? The Rangers batted .237 against the Angels last year, their lowest against any team. But their 29 home runs were the most they hit against any team.
? Tim Salmon has a career average of .355 against the Rangers, fourth highest of any opponent in club history. Garret Anderson is fifth at .351.
? Alex Rodriguez has a .343 average against the Angels, his third highest against any AL team. His highest is .350 against Toronto.
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Texas (valdes) 10.0 u -119
Anaheim (lackey) -154
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Glaus shows good signs
The Angels third baseman goes 1 for 4 and says he'll be in the lineup for tonight's opener.
By BILL PLUNKETT and MICHAEL FELTEN
The Orange County Register
ANAHEIM ? Looking for positive signs they will not be without the World Series MVP as they raise their championship flag tonight, the Angels found them in a 1-for-4 performance by Troy Glaus on Saturday.
After sitting out five days with tendinitis in his right wrist, Glaus took early batting practice, participated in pregame drills (fielding and hitting) and played eight innings as the Dodgers completed a two-game sweep of the reborn Freeway Series with a 6-5 victory over the Angels at Edison Field.
More important, Glaus reported no problems with his wrist after the full day's work.
"It felt good. There was no pain," he said. "As of right now, I plan on it (playing tonight) - barring anything flaring up."
Glaus looked uncomfortable at times as he struck out in his first two at-bats against the off-speed offerings of Dodgers left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii and hit into a double play in his third at-bat.
He added a single off Paul Shuey in the eighth inning to finish the exhibition schedule with a .217 average, no home runs and 18 strikeouts in 46 at-bats.
"It's just a matter of trying to get the swing right - then worry about the pain," Glaus said about the discomfort which has plagued him every spring.
"We'll see how he comes out of it but everything that we saw tonight was a positive," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "He took some decent swings after his first couple at bats. It's just a matter of shaking the rust off.
"As things stand, he's in the lineup (against the Texas Rangers tonight). "
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Rangers cut roster down to size
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Catchers Chad Kreuter and Todd Greene both made the team, Jermaine Clark beat out Donnie Sadler as the utility player and Laynce Nix is going back to the minor leagues.
Those were the decisions made by manager Buck Showalter and the Rangers after they defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-5 in their final exhibition game Saturday at Raley Field. The Rangers open the season at 7:05 tonight against the Anaheim Angels at Edison International Field.
The details:
? Kreuter made the team on the strength of his catching and pitch-calling, most notably for Chan Ho Park. Kreuter will catch Park on Tuesday against the Angels.
"We'll see where that takes us," Showalter said. "I like some of the things that Chad brings to the club. He's very impressive. Chan Ho is not the only pitcher he'll catch."
? Greene made it because of his bat, and he hit his fifth home run of the spring Saturday. Showalter said having Kreuter allows the Rangers to use Greene's bat more liberally during games.
? Mike Lamb won a spot on the bench over Nix and Ryan Christenson. Said Showalter on Lamb: "I've heard a lot about his ability to hit good pitching at the end of a game."
? Showalter said he came close to taking Nix, who has never played above Class A, but knew Nix would stay up only until either Herbert Perry or Kevin Mench came off the disabled list. That could be in the next two weeks.
? Clark gives the Rangers some speed off the bench, which Showalter considers essential. Christenson and Sadler were sent to Triple-A Oklahoma.
? Showalter said Ruben Sierra will be used at designated hitter and as a pinch hitter. Said Showalter: "I wouldn't anoint him the DH, and I wouldn't anoint him a pinch hitter."
? With the setting of the roster, the Rangers are expected to have a base-salary payroll of about $99 million. With the addition of 40-man roster salaries and benefits, the Rangers will likely be around $113-114 million for luxury-tax purposes.
? Taking away deferred money plus insurance back for outfielder Rusty Greer and pitcher Jeff Zimmerman, who were placed on the disabled list, the Rangers are likely to spend in the mid-$80 million range as far as actual cash.
Thomson watch
The results of X-rays on Rangers pitcher John Thomson's sprained left ankle were negative. The Rangers remain unsure if he'll be able to start Wednesday against the Anaheim Angels, but Thomson, after throwing in the outfield Saturday, said he expects to be ready.
"It feels a little bit tender, but it's going to be OK for Wednesday," Thomson said.
Manager Buck Showalter said the Rangers will make a decision today. They have the option of moving up Colby Lewis to pitch Wednesday and having Thomson wait until Saturday to pitch against the Seattle Mariners.
Briefly
? With Saturday's victory, the Rangers finished spring training with a record of 16-14-1. This is the fourth consecutive spring they've finished with a winning record. In 1999, they were 14-14-1. The Rangers' last losing spring was 1994 (12-19-1).
? The Angels will hoist the championship flag and have a presentation of their World Series trophy before tonight's game. The players will receive their World Series rings before Tuesday's game.
GAMEDAY
SCOUTING REPORT
The Rangers' Ismael Valdes was 0-1 with a 5.59 earned-run average in three spring-training starts, and also pitched in two Triple-A games. He was 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in five starts against the Angels last year. Lackey, the Angels' Game 7 starter in the World Series, was given the Opening Day start when Jarrod Washburn injured a shoulder in spring training.
TODAY'S PITCHING MATCHUP
Probable 2002 Career vs. Opp.
pitcher W-L ERA IP Lg.Avg W-L ERA IP
Valdes (R) 8-12 4.18 196.0 .257 3-2 3.47 49.1
Lackey (R) 9-4 3.66 108.1 .267 1-1 12.0 4.50
Scouting the series ...
? The Rangers were 7-12 against the Angels last year and 2-7 in Anaheim.
? The Rangers batted .237 against the Angels last year, their lowest against any team. But their 29 home runs were the most they hit against any team.
? Tim Salmon has a career average of .355 against the Rangers, fourth highest of any opponent in club history. Garret Anderson is fifth at .351.
? Alex Rodriguez has a .343 average against the Angels, his third highest against any AL team. His highest is .350 against Toronto.
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