Games have teams getting into spring of things
Spring Training is about adjustments.
New players arrive on the scene and play so well that they force themselves into lineups, and teams have to figure out whom these up-and-comers will replace. Veterans and young stars are injured in camp and miss time, and teams have to figure out how to replace them in case they won't be back by Opening Day, or, in some cases, the end of the regular season.
We're already seeing a lot of this movement, and as we enter the first full week of the Cactus and Grapefruit League schedules, we'll keep watching as clubs continue to alter their rosters, their expectations and their future plans with each daily discovery.
On the positive side this week, look for fresh faces whose mere presence should be a boon to their franchises' hopes, not to mention spring attendance figures.
Ryan Braun is back with the Brewers and should be working himself into MVP shape after he gets a few games under his belt. On Sunday, the slugger struck out twice against the Giants in his first Cactus League action, but he didn't seem concerned that he'd have any problem regaining his impeccable timing at the plate.
"Yeah, it was great," Braun said. "I think for all of us as a team, you look forward to games starting. It's a little more adrenaline, little more excitement and enthusiasm. So, it was fun."
Yoenis Cespedes offered similar sentiments after he met the media for the first time since arriving in Arizona to join the Oakland A's. Cespedes, the touted Cuban-born power hitter, took batting practice with Manny Ramirez and could be ready to play in games later this week.
Cespedes held court for almost 20 minutes and said all the right things through his translator, Juan Navarrete, saying he was "happy to be able to take my first step of my dream to play in the Major Leagues." Oakland general manager Billy Beane, who was happy enough to give Cespedes a four-year, $36 million deal, said he hoped the 26-year-old outfielder would be on the roster and on the field when the A's take on the Mariners in the season-opening two-game series in Japan on March 28-29.
"I expect he'll see quite a bit of activity before the Japan series," Beane said. "I think we all just kind of want to get him out there. Based on the contract, the sooner [he gets to the big leagues] the better. I think we're going to be open-minded, but I think we also don't want to immediately say, 'He's going to be here on Opening Day.'"
In Port St. Lucie, Fla., the Mets continued to be encouraged by their one-time ace, Johan Santana, who hasn't pitched in a big league game since Sept. 2, 2010, because of major shoulder issues. Santana looked good facing hitters last week and is likely to make his first Grapefruit League start Tuesday in a split-squad game against St. Louis. Get there early: He'll only go two innings or 40 pitches.
Another ace on the rebound is Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who missed most of last season because of Tommy John elbow-ligament replacement surgery but came back strong in September and looks good now.
Strasburg, who should make another start this week, pitched Sunday against the Astros and lasted 2 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and striking out three. The results weren't there, but everything else was, and that was precisely what Strasburg and his team wanted to see.
"I felt good. My arm felt strong," Strasburg said. "I think the big thing was going out and trying to pound the zone. Obviously, it has been a while throwing off-speed [pitches] to hitters and stuff. The biggest thing that I noticed was that it was very easy for me to go out there. Even in the third inning, I felt I could have gone a few more [innings]."
Yes, there was good news all around. In Marlins camp, new shortstop Jose Reyes homered in his first scrimmage at-bat on Sunday, and on Monday, the club will welcome its ace, Josh Johnson, back to the mound in a game for the first time since his 2011 season was shut down because of shoulder inflammation after a May 16 outing.
"Not only me, I think Josh wants to see himself on the mound," new Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said Sunday. "It's not fun when you're rehabbing. It's not fun. It's nice when you rehab and the hard work pays off. We'll find out [Monday] how he is."
On the unfortunate side of Spring Training, teams will start finding out this week how their rosters might shape up because they've been forced to face the uncomfortable reality that a key cog in their season hopes has been shelved.
Among the more serious recent injuries were Mariners center fielder Franklin Gutierrez's torn pectoral muscle, which will have him out for at least a month; Pirates starter A.J. Burnett's orbital fracture that required surgery; Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard's complications in his recovery from a torn Achilles; Brewers outfielder Corey Hart's need for arthroscopic knee surgery that will keep him out for three weeks to a month; and A's third baseman Scott Sizemore, out for the year with a torn ACL.
These injuries could open the door for newcomers to begin staking their claims to valuable playing time this week, or it could prompt general managers to charge up cell phones and give some intriguing free agents a call.
Remember Johnny Damon, Vladimir Guerrero, Javier Vazquez and Magglio Ordonez?
Their agents hope Major League teams do.
Kyle Orton Demaryius Thomas Ndamukong Suh Brad Childress Colt McCoy
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