The Bum's MLB 2016 Spring Training News-Exhibition Picks-Trades-Gossips Etc. !!

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Reds OF Bruce is surprise early arrival
February 21, 2016

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) Outfielder Jay Bruce reported to Reds camp on Sunday. It was a surprise that he was two days early - and that he was still on Cincinnati's roster at all.

It was no secret the veteran was on the trading block during the offseason.

In his 11th spring training and his 12th year of professional baseball, Bruce has been through the complete cycle of building and rebuilding. Many expected him to be traded for prospects, but instead he walked into a clubhouse filled with young players who are part of another rebuilding plan.

''It didn't last long, honestly,'' Bruce said. ''I came up in `08. That was a get-your-feet-wet kind of deal. In '09, that was the only year they considered a rebuild, then in 2010 we shocked the world. I hope that's the case this year.''

Bruce, who turns 29 in April, and the Reds avoided arbitration when they agreed on a six-year contract after the 2010 season. This is the last year of that contract. The Reds have an option for 2017 which they are not expected to use after Bruce completes his eighth full season in the majors.

''I've said all along that if I would have played better the last year and a half, two years, I would have already been traded. I'm honest with myself,'' Bruce said. ''I know good and well that I'm not the player last year and 2014. The only way I can prove that is to go out and actually do it and get back to the real me.''

Bruce was one of only 16 players in major league history to hit at least 20 home runs in each of his first six seasons. He's the only one to hit at least 20 home runs and increase his totals each year for the next four.

His .217 batting average in 2014 and .226 batting average last year with strikeout totals of 149 and 145 caused his trade value to plummet. He also had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee in May 2014. He returned after two weeks, perhaps too soon.

Bruce strolled into the clubhouse and began to introduce himself to the many players he had never met. Even with the trade rumors fueling the expectations that he would not be in camp, Bruce was in the familiar surroundings for him.

''I tried my best not to think about it (being traded). Until I walk out on the field opening day as a member of the Cincinnati Reds, who knows what will happen? But I'm a Red until I'm not,'' Bruce said.

''It's business as usual for me. It comes with the territory. I try to deal with that as professionally as possible. This is all I know. It's an interesting time for the franchise. It's been a long time since we've been in the rebuilding process. I look forward to getting started and being a part of this thing. It would be awkward if this was another franchise that I was walking into,'' he said.

Manager Bryan Price believes that Bruce has value and something to prove.

''Jay is a highly motivated professional,'' Price said. ''I think he's motivated beyond his own personal situation. I think he's been really disappointed in his last two years. He had a productive year last year.''

''His batting average wasn't where he wanted it to be but his home runs (26) and RBI (87) were back up to what we expect of him. He still played outstanding defense and stole a few bases. I don't think his best years are behind him by any means, he said.

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Cespedes draw all eyes and ears at camp
February 21, 2016

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) From the minute Yoenis Cespedes pulled into the players' parking lot at Tradition Field in his custom Ford F-250 on Sunday morning, he was the center of attention.

Be it 20 minutes of batting practice with hitting coach Kevin Long or a quick group interview, all eyes and ears followed the New York Mets slugger.

''He deserves it,'' manager Terry Collins said. ''Those chants he heard late in the year? Had he been with our ballclub all year long, he certainly would have been talked about as an MVP.''

''The job he did for us the last couple of months certainly got us over the top. I think it's cool for him. He's a great player. People follow great players around. I think it's cool. It's part of what you get when you get to the World Series,'' he said.

Cespedes, who will play center field for the Mets in 2016, keyed the Mets' pennant chase last season when he hit .287 with 17 home runs and 44 RBIs in 57 games after being acquired from Detroit at the July 31 trade deadline.

Despite having more lucrative deals from other clubs this offseason, Cespedes signed a three-year, $75 million contract with the Mets. Cespedes can opt of his Mets deal after this season.

''It was a mix of everything,'' Cespedes said through a translator. ''The fans, front office, coaches, teammates - everything was positive. I don't think any other team was going to offer me that same positive atmosphere.''

''Just in a few short months I got along and they embraced me right away,'' he said.

Mets position players are not due to report until Wednesday, two days before the first full-squad workout. Cespedes said it was important to arrive early.

''It's meeting some of the new guys, creating that bond, getting in there early - that's one of the things that was important to me,'' Cespedes said. ''That's why I'm here early.''

''After the trades, everybody came together and the chemistry was just natural and everybody worked together. That's why we had the positive season we had at the end of the year next year.''

Cespedes is a career .271 hitter who averaged 30 home runs and 103 RBIs during his first four seasons, numbers considerably lower than what he did during his time in New York last August and September.

Still, Collins isn't sure that Cespedes can't repeat what he did last season.

''In my years in Pittsburgh they kept saying the same thing about Barry Bonds. He can't do that again next year.' No, he just did better,'' Collins said. ''We'll just have to wait and see how (Cespedes) does.''

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Samardzija relishes role in top rotation
February 20, 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) Jeff Samardzija has the durability and strikeout capability to be a front-line starter, if not an ace, on other teams. With the San Francisco Giants, he's in a potential starting rotation with four other pitchers who have been All-Stars.

The Giants paid big bucks - $90 million over five years - to sign the 31-year-old right-hander who was 11-13 with a 4.96 ERA over 32 starts for the Chicago White Sox last season. Samardzija looks forward to taking his turn every five days in an expected rotation that includes four pitchers with World Series experience: Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto, Matt Cain and Jake Peavy.

''When you have a starting rotation like this, for me, just as a fan of the game I enjoy it,'' Samardzija said after throwing a bullpen session Saturday. ''I love coming and watching guys pitch. Lefty, right, hard-thrower, location guy, to me it doesn't matter. I just like to watch good baseball.''

Samardzija has struck up a friendship with Cain, who lives near him, and is seeking to gain the familiarity with NL West hitters his teammates have.

''You can bounce ideas off each other, and for me it's great because a lot of these guys have pitched against this division for years now,'' Samardzija said.

The 2015 numbers might not look too impressive, but Samardzija pitched 214 innings last season. He had 163 strikeouts to 49 walks, and posted a 2.99 ERA with the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics in 2014. His career record is 47-61, including seven complete games.

''I don't really dwell in the past, to tell the truth. But you understand that you can only control what you control, and sometimes in this game, the numbers are a little skewed and a little disproportionate to what you did out there,'' Samardzija said. ''So as long as you know when you put your head on that pillow that you worked your butt off and you did everything you could do preparation-wise to put yourself and your team in a situation to win a ballgame, you're OK with the results.''

Samardzija has found the Bay Area to his liking. He first got a feel for it playing football for Notre Dame when the Fighting Irish would play Stanford every year, then pitched briefly for the A's.

''There's a lot of excitement and energy with everyone that lives in the Bay Area,'' he said. ''They're very passionate people, which I kind of fall into that same category.''

NOTES: Cueto was introduced to Renel Brooks-Moon, the public address announcer at AT&T Park, on Friday. Cueto smiled and explained to her in Spanish that he always wondered about and enjoyed the voice of the woman announcing the players' names when he came to San Francisco with opposing teams. ''I would say, `Who is that? Who talks so beautifully?''' Cueto said. Brooks-Moon obliged and did a practice announcement of his name for a video crew. ... Manager Bruce Bochy said he will increase the innings for veteran left-hander Ricky Romero as camp progresses. Romero is attempting a comeback after last pitching in the majors in 2013. Bochy and his staff on Sunday plan to map out how they want to use pitchers over the course of the spring. Romero said he is getting back to 100 percent after knee operations.

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Dave Roberts "in a good place" as rookie manager of Dodgers
February 20, 2016

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) That stolen base for the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 AL Championship Series will always be Dave Roberts' biggest moment in baseball, unless he can manage the Los Angeles Dodgers to a World Series title.

And maybe it's his youthful enthusiasm that makes it seem like Roberts retired as a player just yesterday.

Saturday morning, Roberts presided over the first workout for Dodgers pitchers and catchers. He stood a few feet from Clayton Kershaw as the ace threw his first pitches of spring.

Roberts, 43, hadn't managed at any level until the Dodgers hired him to replace Don Mattingly.

''I feel I'm in a good place,'' Roberts said a few minutes after addressing his players.

''It's exciting and I think that as a coach, or as a first-time manager, you always want to control your emotions,'' Roberts said. ''But we just met for the first time in there and I let the guys know how excited I am, the staff is, and I'm sure they are to get going as well. Every spring training the first day is exciting, but obviously in this position it's all new to me. But it's going to be fun.''

Roberts couldn't get an interview for the San Diego Padres' managerial vacancy, yet he became the first minority manager in Dodgers franchise history. He takes over a team that won three consecutive NL West titles under Mattingly, who mutually parted ways with the team in November and became manager of the Miami Marlins.

Roberts moves up in stature and up the freeway. He was on Bud Black's staff the last five seasons in San Diego, including the final two as bench coach.

After Black was fired in mid-June, Roberts managed the Padres for one game before Pat Murphy was brought in as interim manager. Murphy was fired the day after the season ended. Roberts wasn't interviewed for the job that went to Andy Green, also a rookie skipper.

The Padres apparently wanted a clean break from the Black era.

''I think initially it took me back, but at the end of the day, if it's not going to be a fit, then I do believe it's not personal,'' said Roberts, who was offered a chance to remain on San Diego's coaching staff. ''And so, I just felt it was time for me to move on. ... I couldn't be happier.''

Roberts will continue to make his offseason home in northern San Diego County, not far from where he went to high school. He played for the Padres in 2005-06, helping them win consecutive division titles. They haven't been back to the postseason since.

Players and others mention how Roberts cares about everyone around him. Mark Kotsay, the Athletics' new bench coach, is thrilled for his good friend.

''He definitely takes interest in the players and has a relationship, develops that relationship,'' said Kotsay, who spent the previous four seasons with the Padres, two as a player, one in the front office and then last year as hitting coach. ''He genuinely cares about people, which comes across very well. I think players will respect that and understand that he definitely will have to make tough decisions during the course of the season but also care about people.''

The Dodgers had baseball's highest payroll last year. They haven't won the World Series since 1988.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal, who spent three seasons with the Padres during Roberts' time as coach, says the expectations for the Dodgers go way past another NL West title.

''I think the expectation here is a championship. A World Series,'' he said. ''I know a lot of organizations say the same thing, but I think this organization honestly believes it. I do think he is the right man for the job.''

Grandal said Roberts is a ''people person; very smart, knows the game well enough to be able to explain it at a level where guys can understand it. At the same time, he basically just retired, not too long ago. It seems that way, because you always see the highlights of him stealing second base when he was with Boston.''

Roberts actually retired after the 2008 season, his last of two years with San Francisco.

Roberts played with the Dodgers from 2002 until being traded to Boston on July 31, 2004.

He is best known for stealing second in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS with the Red Sox three outs away from being swept by the New York Yankees. Roberts scored the tying run and David Ortiz won the game with a two-run homer in the 12th inning, a comeback that spurred Boston all the way to its first World Series title in 86 years.

''I knew that he stole second when everyone in the world knew he was going to steal and he still did it,'' Dodgers pitcher J.P. Howell said. ''I can relate to that, being that kind of role player. Big Papi gets the headlines hitting the homer, but Dave set it up. I wish that was me.''

Grandal likes to have fun with Roberts.

''He has told me that if he was catching, then I'd probably be out,'' Roberts said.

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Dombrowski not concerned about Sandoval's weight
February 22, 2016

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski says he is not concerned about Pablo Sandoval's weight.

After agreeing to a $95 million, five-year contract with the Red Sox, Sandoval hit .245 with a .292 on-base percentage and .366 slugging percentage - all career lows. He started just 122 games at third base, well below his career high of 150 in 2014 for San Francisco, and his range in the field appeared limited. He also abandoned switch-hitting during the season after going 2-for-41 (.049) with 12 strikeouts from the right side.

''He's always been a big guy,'' Dombrowski said Monday. ''He has one of those bodies that is not a svelte body, and I've been around other people in that regards. Our people here, once he reported the first day, he did drills, they said he moved around great, better than he did last year at the end of the season.

''You could tell he was in better shape,'' Dombrowski added, ''so, no, I don't have any concerns more so than I would with anybody else, other than we just have to realize you're always going to have to stay with him because you can't let that slip, the work ethic that he's had this winter. And I think he's prepared to not let that slip because I think he's committed to coming back and having a very good season for us. So, no, not really. He's got one of those bodies - they call him Panda for a reason - and really he's the same as he's been throughout his whole career.''

Boston went 78-84 and finished last in the AL East for the second straight season. Dombrowskl said a ''constant flow of people'' from the organization visited Sandoval throughout the offseason to monitor his work, including manager John Farrell and senior vice president of player personnel Allard Baird.

''It's not like he left Oct. 1 and we didn't see him until he arrived,'' Dombrowski said. ''We'd been seeing him on a regular basis. And I'll say that even from my own perspective yesterday, even when I saw him, and I saw him when he walked in and I didn't have any concerns whatsoever. He looked the same to me.''

Sandoval, 29, is expected to resume switch-hitting this season and said he worked almost exclusively on his right-handed swing during the offseason.

Sandoval said Sunday he had nothing to prove going into this season, then backtracked and said he wanted to show fans and teammates he can be a better player both offensively and defensively.

Dombrowski, who joined the Red Sox in August, and Farrell met with Sandoval before Monday's workout.

''I don't know if it was a language barrier when he said basically he didn't really care,'' Dombrowski said. ''He didn't have anything to prove to the media, he meant. He did say that he wanted to show the fans and his teammates that he was prepared and ready to have a good season, and we didn't have a good year last year, all of us collectively. So I'm not sure why that didn't come across well.''

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Bautista says he's told Blue Jays what deal he'd agree to
February 22, 2016

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) Jose Bautista sees no reason for a lot of back and forth about his contract.

The Toronto slugger said Monday he has let the Blue Jays know what it would take to keep him, and is waiting for an answer. Bautista is entering the final year of his deal. The 35-year-old outfielder is coming off a 40-homer season in which he helped Toronto to an AL East title and its first postseason appearance since 1993.

''I don't think there should be any negotiations. I think I've proved myself, and the question has been asked - what will it take - and I've given them an answer,'' Bautista said. ''I'm not going to sit here and try to bargain for a couple dollars.''

Wearing a shirt that said ''HOME IS TORONTO,'' Bautista spoke to reporters for about 15 minutes Monday, after the Blue Jays held their first official workout for pitchers and catchers. It was fitting that Bautista's comments made the biggest news of the day. Toronto is still a team built around its offense after Bautista, Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki powered the Blue Jays to the AL Championship Series last year.

Bautista and Encarnacion are in the final year of their contracts. Bautista said he let the team know a couple weeks ago what kind of deal he wanted, and that his agent has been involved in the process.

''I'm not trying to sound like it was adamant and I put down the law and I drew lines in the sand,'' Bautista said. ''They asked me a question and I gave them an answer.''

Toronto general manager Ross Atkins is expected to talk to reporters later this week. Atkins was hired to work with Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro after GM Alex Anthopoulos left the team this offseason.

Bautista said he has ''nothing but praise'' for what Shapiro and Atkins have done so far, even while his own future remains uncertain.

''I think they know and realize the things that I say and agree with me. It's just a matter of, are they willing to go there?'' Bautista said. ''And it's not just necessarily Ross and Mark. I can't say that, I don't know. Some of that decision making, of a contract the size that I presented, has to come from ownership.''

The Blue Jays are owned by Rogers Communications.

''In a publicly traded company, everybody can track their performance fairly easy. It's not a secret. It's out in the public,'' Bautista said. ''Stock prices are monitored very closely by the whole financial world, and I think there is a direct correlation with the success of their earnings-per-share after we start experiencing success. Are they going to put it out in the media and say because of the Jays, we made all this money? No. But everybody can read between the lines.''

Bautista made $64 million over the past five years, and the Blue Jays exercised his $14 million option for 2016. He says he feels he's outperformed that contract, and he dismissed the idea of a so-called hometown discount.

''That doesn't exist. Not in my world,'' Bautista said. ''In my eyes, I've given this organization a five-year hometown discount already.''

Bautista signed his long-term deal in 2011, when he was coming off a 54-homer season that more than tripled his career high in that category. He has averaged 35 home runs a year since then.

Encarnacion's agent has said his client would cease negotiations once the regular season begins. Bautista didn't say anything like that, but he certainly seemed intent on leaving the issue firmly on management.

''I didn't want to waste their time or their effort, so they can start planning ahead, and if it's not going to happen, they have plenty of time to do so,'' Bautista said. ''They asked me about two weeks ago, and I told them, and that's it. There's no negotiation. I told them what I wanted. They either meet it, or it is what it is.''

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Pittsburgh star McCutchen hoping to end his career with team
February 22, 2016

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) Andrew McCutchen wants to end his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but it will take a new contract to ensure that happens.

McCutchen, 29, has at least two seasons left on the $51.5 million deal he signed in 2012. On Monday, as position players reported to Pirates spring training camp, the All-Star center fielder did not blink when asked if he wants to extend his stay in Pittsburgh.

''I think you know that answer,'' McCutchen said. ''Everyone knows I want to be here. That's nothing new to anyone.''

In December, owner Bob Nutting said he would like to see McCutchen retire as a Pirate.

''That would be really cool,'' McCutchen said. ''It's great to hear that from an owner.''

However, Nutting has not indicated if he's willing to pay the $20 million or more a year McCutchen might command on the open market. The Pirates consistently rank among the bottom third of the 30 MLB clubs in player payroll.

McCutchen, the 2013 National League MVP, will make $13 million this season and $14 million in 2017. The Pirates hold a $14.5 million option for 2018.

''I don't know what my market value is. I haven't discussed that with my agent,'' McCutchen said. ''I still stick with the (notion that) money doesn't define me, because it doesn't. But no one plays for free.''

Over the winter, the budget-conscious Pirates parted with a pair of former first-round picks who were set to make about $15 million.

First baseman Pedro Alvarez was non-tendered after batting .243 and making 23 errors last season. Second baseman Neil Walker, a Pittsburgh native, was traded to the New York Mets for pitcher Jon Niese.

''You'd love to still have them as teammates, but we do understand that this is a business,'' McCutchen said. ''These things happen and we have to accept that.''

When the Pirates drafted McCutchen with the 11th overall pick in 2005, they were in the midst of 20 consecutive losing seasons. The team has earned a NL wild-card berth in each of the past three years.

The Pirates advanced to the division series in 2013, but lost the past two wild-card games at PNC Park. In 2014, they were shut out by San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner. Last year, they were blanked by Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs.

''It's just one game, so it's just a matter of which pitcher is on that day, who has their stuff,'' McCutchen said. ''Watching the (other playoff) games, it does sting knowing you could've been there.''

McCutchen hopes the next collective bargaining agreement leads to a three-game wild-card series.

''I think that would make it a little more equal,'' McCutchen said. ''I don't know if I'd lobby for it, but I'm sure that's one of the things they've been talking about.''

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Ryu not sure whether he'll be ready for start of season
February 22, 2016

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is working his way back into shape after missing last year following shoulder surgery but can't say yet whether he will be ready for the start of the season.

Ryu, the Dodgers' No. 3 starter in 2013 and 2014, threw his second bullpen session of spring training Monday. He said his arm felt better than it did after his first session last Thursday.

''Compared to last Thursday, it was a very good day,'' Ryu said through an interpreter. ''As far as the velocity and control, my arm felt much better. From day to day, it pretty much feels the same. Hopefully, I just have to throw more. I'm thinking I better gain some more speed and different kind of pitches.''

Manager Dave Roberts said that ''by design'' the Dodgers have been careful not to work Ryu too hard in the early weeks.

The cautious regimen puts Ryu behind the rest of the staff as it prepares for opening day.

''I would say Hyun-Jin is certainly behind, maybe by a couple of weeks, give or take,'' Roberts said. ''It's just hard to say.''

Ryu's comeback is a key concern in the Dodger camp. After Clayton Kershaw, the starting rotation isn't clear. Brett Anderson, Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda are all projected as starters.

Depending on Ryu's availability, Alex Wood could be the No. 5 starter. After the Dodgers acquired Wood last summer from the Atlanta Braves in a three-team trade, he started 12 times, going 5-6 with a 4.98 ERA.

Ryu had a combined record of 28-15 with a 3.17 ERA over his first two seasons with the Dodgers.

Los Angeles shut him down after just two appearances in spring training games last year.

He went on the 60-day disabled list on May 4 after coaches detected a loss of velocity in his pitches. He later underwent surgery to alleviate persistent pain in his left labrum.

Roberts and Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers' president of baseball operations, said there's no pressure on Ryu to be ready at an early date. Upon his return, they want him to be a reliable starter without any lingering concern about his shoulder.

''We want him to be pitching in October, hopefully,'' Friedman said.

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Reigning NL MVP Harper says he's not a leader with Nationals
February 22, 2016

VIERA, Fla. (AP) Bryce Harper is a lot of things, including the Washington Nationals' best player and reigning National League MVP.

One thing he's not is the team leader.

Harper arrived at Nationals spring training early and quietly took his place in the corner of the clubhouse with Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth and Danny Espinosa. Even after being a unanimous MVP selection, the 23-year-old Harper would rather leave the leadership responsibilities to those veterans.

''I don't think I'm a leader. I think I'm more just a guy playing the game,'' Harper said Monday. ''I'm still at that stage of where I'm still looking at J-Dub, I'm still looking at Zim to do everything they can to make the best moves for this team and play as hard as I can out there and lead by example. That's the best thing I can do.

There's not a much better example a player can set than Harper did last season. He hit .330, drove in 99 runs and led the NL with 42 home runs, 118 runs scored, a .460 on-base percentage and .649 slugging percentage.

Yet Harper is humble and deferential to older teammates heading into his fifth major league season. He expects Werth, or J-Dub to his teammates, to continue to set the tone in the clubhouse, and he'll continue to do his job at the plate and on the field.

Manager Dusty Baker agrees with that. Baker sees ''leadership potential'' in Harper but doesn't think the star outfielder is a leader yet.

''How many people are going to follow the youngest kid in the room? And just because you're the most talented doesn't mean that you're the leader,'' Baker said. ''I've always said that leaders are anointed, they're not appointed. People gravitate toward leaders. Ted Williams was the MVP, but I never heard Ted Williams was a leader.''

Harper didn't take much time to reflect on 2015 during the offseason, nor was he bragging much about one of the best statistical seasons in recent history. Several months removed from it, Harper said he was humbled to be the unanimous MVP but mentally over it.

''That's all in the past,'' Harper said. ''The 42 homers, .330 average, .4-whatever on-base, I'm not even worried about that now. I'm worried about what we're doing as a team this year.''

That's an approach Baker can get on board with. Harper repeatedly mentioned his primary goal for 2016 is to win, which is music to the ears of a 66-year-old still gunning for his first World Series as a manager.

Of course Baker knows that the Nationals' regular-season and playoff hopes hinge greatly on Harper. But he's not setting unrealistic expectations.

''I expect for him to just continue to grow as a player and as a man,'' Baker said. ''How many people 23 years old have been where Bryce has been? Let's not forget he's 23 years old. Where were most of us at 23 years old? I'm not putting any limitations on him; I'm not going to put any pressure on him. I'm just (going to) let him be Bryce.''

Harper certainly doesn't plan on setting any limitations for himself. For all his humility about his numbers and role in the clubhouse, Harper echoed his ''don't sell me short'' comment from a recent radio appearance when asked about potentially being a $400 million player in a few years.

''You can't put a limit on players,'' Harper said. ''You can't put a limit on what they do. If that's on the field, off the field, everything they do. Everybody says the sky's the limit. But we've been on the moon. So you can't really say that.''

That extends to the rest of the Nationals. Talking about the team, Harper sure sounded like a leader.

''I'm excited to see Joe Ross do what he can for a full year, I'm excited to see Lucas Giolito hopefully get to the big leagues this year throwing a billion,'' he said. ''I'm just very excited about the guys we have, such great minor league system that we have. I'm just looking forward to seeing J-Dub play every single day, Espi playing every single day. I'm excited about (Daniel Murphy) hitting homers off lefties hopefully. I'm just very excited to be part of it.''

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Opening day for Grapefruit, Cactus league
March 1, 2016

A look at the highlights of what's happening all around spring training in Florida and Arizona today:


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LEAPING AHEAD

March means the start of major league exhibitions. Four games open up the spring schedule: Orioles-Braves, Blue Jays-Phillies, Pirates-Tigers and Reds-Indians.

NOT SO FAST

Reds speedster Billy Hamilton will sit out the exhibition opener vs. Cleveland at the complex the teams share in Goodyear, Arizona. He injured his right shoulder in September and is recovering from surgery. The center fielder stole 57 bases last year, but is trying to improve his career .287 on-base percentage and regain the leadoff spot.

TAKE IT SLOW

Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion is expected back in camp, two days following the extraction of an abscessed tooth. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and outfielder Jose Bautista will ease into the exhibition lineup - Tulo will skip the first three games, Bautista will wait a week to 10 days before playing.

LET'S SEE

Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson is being examined by a doctor after arriving at camp with redness in an eye. The team is concerned the three-time All-Star might have conjunctivitis and be contagious.

REMEMBER US?

Pirates starter Kyle Lobstein and righty reliever Neftali Feliz are set to pitch against Detroit. Lobstein went 3-8 with the Tigers last year while Feliz finished up the season with them.

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Yankees' Chapman to accept 30-game ban
March 1, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman agreed to accept a 30-game suspension under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy, a penalty stemming from an incident with his girlfriend last October.

Under the discipline announced Tuesday, Chapman will serve the penalty from the start of the season in April. He will lose 30 days of pay - $1,856,557 of his $11,325,000 salary - and 30 days of major league service, which will allow him to reach six years of service time after this season, enough to become eligible for free agency.

''I found Mr. Chapman's acknowledged conduct on that day to be inappropriate ... particularly his use of a firearm and the impact of that behavior on his partner,'' baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. ''I am gratified that Mr. Chapman has taken responsibility for his conduct.''

Chapman became the first player penalized a finite number of games under the policy, which MLB and the players' association agreed to in August following several high-profile incidents among NFL players. Colorado shortstop Jose Reyes was given an indefinite paid suspension last week, pending a trial scheduled for April 4, following an alleged altercation with him wife in October.

Baseball's investigation of Chapman stemmed from Oct. 30. Chapman's girlfriend, 22-year-old Cristina Barnea, told police he pushed and choked her. Chapman said there was an argument but that he was pushed down by Barnea's brother, eventually getting a handgun and firing eight shots into a wall and window while locked in his garage.

The Davie Police Department and Broward Assistant State Attorney Stefanie Newman declined to file charges, saying conflicting accounts and insufficient evidence made a conviction unlikely. Under MLB's domestic violence policy, discipline does not have to be predicated on a conviction.

Chapman, the hardest-throwing pitcher in the major leagues, was traded from payroll-paring Cincinnati Reds to the Yankees in December. He had said he would contest any suspension, but a deal was reached following negotiations with MLB.

''I want to be clear, I did not in any way harm my girlfriend that evening,'' Chapman said in a statement. ''However, I should have exercised better judgment with respect to certain actions, and for that I am sorry. The decision to accept a suspension, as opposed to appealing one, was made after careful consideration. I made this decision in an effort to minimize the distractions that an appeal would cause the Yankees, my new teammates and most importantly, my family.''

The players' association said it supported Chapman's decision to accept the penalty and said ''its members do not condone the mistreatment of others by playing or non-playing personnel.''

With the Yankees, Chapman forms a powerful back end of the bullpen along with former closer Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances.

Chapman can continue to participate in all spring training activities. The penalty starts when the Yankees open the season April 4 at home against Houston. Barring rainouts, he would eligible to start his season May 9 when the Yankees host Kansas City.

''We need him,'' teammate Alex Rodriguez said Tuesday before the suspension was announced. ''He's a big part of our team, and I think the key in New York is you have to focus on the game, focus on your teammates, and I think he has a lot of support in that clubhouse.''

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig is under investigation by MLB for a fight with a bouncer at a Miami bar in November following an argument with his sister.

[StarDust Bum]

Royals, Perez agree to deal through 2021
March 1, 2016

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) Salvador Perez signed a club-friendly deal with the Royals four years ago in part so his mother, Yilda, would no longer have to work in their increasingly violent hometown in Venezuela.

Now, Perez hopes he can move her to the U.S. permanently.

The Royals signed the All-Star catcher to a contract through 2021 on Tuesday that guarantees him an additional $52.5 million over five seasons. The deal was announced two days after Yilda had her SUV stolen at gunpoint on the way to the market - she was unharmed and the vehicle was later recovered by the police.

''It feels like a family here,'' Perez said. ''Hopefully I can play the rest of my career here, be one of these guys like Frank White and George Brett.''

The 25-year-old Perez is set to make $2 million this season, the final guaranteed year of a deal signed in 2012 that included club options for 2017-19. His new deal includes a $6 million signing bonus and salaries of $3 million next season, $7.5 million in 2018, $10 million in 2019 and $13 million each in 2020 and 2021.

''Every player is difference, every negotiation is unique and we take them on a case-by-case basis,'' Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. ''We felt this was something that would take place in time.''

Perez signed with the Royals as a 16-year-old prospect but shot through the minor league system. He made his big league debut in 2011, became the everyday backstop the following season and has been voted to the All-Star game each of the past three years.

He hit .260 with a career-best 21 homers and 70 RBIs last season, helping the Royals to their second consecutive World Series appearance. They beat the Mets in five games for their first title since 1985, and he was the MVP.

Now, he hopes to help the Royals win many more championships.

Perez is the second homegrown star to agree to a long-term deal with Kansas City this offseason, joining All-Star outfielder Alex Gordon, who signed a $72 million, four-year contract in January.

''The thing about him that's so infectious about him is his love for the game,'' Royals manager Ned Yost said. ''He loves playing baseball. Everybody can sense it from his teammates to the fans watching him to the people that watch him on TV. His energy is off the charts.''

The popular narrative is that the Royals have a two-year window to win because star players such as Eric Hosmer can reach free agency after the 2017 season. But the decision to sign Perez - even though he was under club control - shows Moore is willing to pay to keep the foundations of the club intact.

''Salvy is easy to believe in,'' Moore said. ''It's a no-brainer.''

Perez signed a five-year, $7 million deal before the 2012 season, a deal even at the time considered exceedingly club-friendly. But he chose to accept the deal in part so that his mother would no longer have to work in their increasingly violent Venezuelan neighborhood.

After her carjacking Sunday, the affable catcher is hopeful she can stay in the U.S. permanently.

''I still love my country. I'm from Venezuela,'' he said. ''We've got bad places everywhere in the world - there's going to be good people and bad people - but in Venezuela it's a little more.''

Perez said he feels safe when he travels home, but that's because he has six bodyguards when he visits clinics or meets with fans. His teammate and countryman, Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar, has four bodyguards with him whenever he ventures out in public.

The violence has been slowly escalating since the 2013 death of Hugo Chavez, the nation's polarizing president. Political protests, demonstrations and civil unrest have become everyday occurrences, and high unemployment has forced many people to turn to crime to survive.

Four years ago, Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped outside his home in Valencia, the same city where Perez grew up. He was rescued by commandos in the mountains two days later.

''Sometimes I understand why bad people do it. They have four kids, they don't have a job, they want to be able to buy food,'' Perez said. ''They do the wrong thing but they have to.''

Perez has a green card and would like to become a U.S. citizen, but his mother is limited to six-month stays. She's planning to join him in Arizona after the kidnapping ordeal, and Perez plans to look into options to ensure that Yilda can stay with him on a more permanent basis.

''When things like that happen,'' he said, ''we just think about staying here and never going back to my country. But it's still a little hard because I still have my family there. Last year I went only for five weeks, this year maybe for two weeks, but it's hard. That makes me sad because I love my country. There's good people there. But I have to protect my family. People have to understand that.''

[StarDust Bum]

Korean slugger Park adjusting to Twins
March 1, 2016

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) Korean slugger Byung Ho Park has found a lot of things he likes off the field, namely American food and navigating the streets.

He'll be learning to adjust on the field soon, too. The right-handed batter is scheduled to make his Minnesota Twins debut as the designated hitter against the Boston Red Sox in the teams' Grapefruit League opener on Wednesday.

The Twins signed the 29-year-old Park to a four-year, $12-million deal during the offseason after making a $12.85 million winning bid to negotiate with him.

Acclimating to a lifestyle in a new country has its challenges - dealing with the language, meeting new teammates and understanding the talent he's about the face.

But there was one thing he was certain about.

''Steaaaak,'' he said in English, breaking into a grin and stretching the word when asked about his favorite food. ''Big ribs, too.''

Park, who is expected to get a heavy plate of at-bats, has brought added attention to Twins' camp. On the first day of full workouts, there were about a dozen Korean reporters covering his every move. At the start, many of them ventured down the right-field line to get a better look, prompting a member of the club's media relations staff to head down to bring them back into the infield.

''They came from far, far away,'' Park said through a translator Tuesday. ''Sometimes it might feel like it's too much, too much going on just on me, so I kind of feel bad for the other guys. I respect what they do for their living. They're here to see me, trying to pass along me being here to the fans in Korea. I respect that.''

Manager Paul Molitor also had to adjust. When first asked about Park by the Korean media, he gave a lengthy answer, seemingly forgetting it needed to be translated.

''Sorry, I'll shorten up the next one,'' he joked.

Park played nine seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization, hitting 210 home runs and with 604 RBIs in 868 games. Last season, he batted .343 with 53 and 146 after hitting .303 with 52 and 124 the previous year.

He enters needing at-bats, and could start the season in Triple-A due to a logjam of players that can DH or play first. He's likely battling for a roster spot with Oswaldo Arcia, who hit 20 homers in 372 at-bats in 2014, but struggled badly last season and wasn't called up last September. He's out of options.

''It's hard for me to tell right now because all I've been doing out here is train, train, train,'' Park said. ''I haven't played a game yet, but I understand that the level of game here is higher and actually all of the pitchers that I'll be facing, I haven't faced them. I'll be learning a lot and making adjustments.''

His teammates have warmed to him, with pitcher Phil Hughes inviting him over with a few others to watch ''The Bachelor.''

And besides hitting balls into the gap, Park's finding another type of driving easy.

''This is a lot easier than driving in Korea,'' he said. ''No problem.''

NOTES: Molitor said everyone's healthy heading into the opener. RHP Hughes is scheduled to start. . A day after halting workouts because he wasn't satisfied by the effort, Molitor said ''it was better.'' . He also said it would take ''something fairly significant'' to get LHP Tyler Duffey out of the rotation. He was 5-1 with a 3.10 ERA in 10 starts late last year.

[StarDust Bum]

Jake Arrieta will start Cubs' opener
March 1, 2016

MESA, Ariz. (AP) As expected, NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta will start the Chicago Cubs' season opener.

Manager Joe Maddon joked that he had ''another surprise'' in making the announcement on Tuesday. The Cubs, coming off a 97-win season and appearance in the NL Championship Series, open at the Los Angeles Angels on April 4.

Arrieta led the majors in wins while going 22-6 and posting a 1.77 ERA last year. His ERA after the All-Star break was 0.75.

The right-hander went 11-0 over his final 12 starts, and he finished with 236 strikeouts. Arrieta also tossed a no-hitter and beat out Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw for the Cy Young.

Arrieta started the 2012 opener for Baltimore. Jon Lester started the Cubs' opener last year.

[StarDust Bum]

Nationals have plenty of options, depth

VIERA, Fla. (AP) The Washington Nationals retooled their bullpen after last year's flop.

Former closer Drew Storen was traded to Toronto, and Washington jettisoned Casey Janssen, Matt Thornton and Craig Stammen.

General manager Mike Rizzo acquired hard-throwing young right-hander Trevor Gott from the Los Angeles Angeles and signed Shawn Kelley, Yusmeiro Petit and Oliver Perez. And then there are holders Felipe Rivero, Matt Grace, Sammy Solis, Rafael Martin, Blake Treinen and Abel De Los Santos, plus non-roster invitees like Burke Badenhop and Matt Belisle.

''I would assume, without even playing a spring training game, that we're probably going to have one of the better bullpens, just alone with our depth,'' Kelley sad. ''That's what I think separates the great bullpens from average ones.''

Kelley, who signed a $15 million, three-year contract, figures to be used at the back end of the bullpen, while Petit will likely be used in mid-to-long relief and Perez is a left-handed specialist.

Gott, a 23-year-old who went 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 48 games for the Angels last season, throws a 96 mph fastball. New manager Dusty Baker compared him with talented prospect Lucas Giolito.

''He has a good arm,'' Baker said. ''He has a quick arm, too.''

Rivero is a hard-throwing left-hander who could be a future closer. The 24-year-old made his major league debut last year and saved two games at the end of the season when Papelbon was serving his suspension.

If Kelley pitches the eighth, Rivero is a likely candidate for the seventh-inning role, though it's not hard to see those roles being reversed at some point.

''We've got guys with great arms and great stuff, and we think with the depth we've created, we've got ourselves a bullpen that we can count on to hold leads and help us win games,'' Rizzo said.

NOTES: Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez both pitched a scoreless inning in Monday's intrasquad game. . Bronson Arroyo, who is making a comeback after Tommy John surgery, also threw a scoreless inning.