let's play ball

OK, the Phillies have set their roster, and Mike Stutes has been sent back to Lehigh Valley, with Philippe Aumont winning the final bullpen spot.  The Lakewood roster has been set, with 6 of the players returning from having played some here last year.  You can find the list on the Claws' website.

I am short on time today with the holiday, but here are some notes from yesterday.  The Blue Jays won in Philadelphia for the second straight day, beating Kyle Kendrick on Saturday.  Kyle allowed 5 runs on 6 hits and a walk in his 3 innings.  Antonio Bastardo also allowed a run on 2 hit and a walk, in just .2 innings.   Domonic Brown, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz and Freddy Galvis combined to go 0 for 9.

In Houston, Domingo Santana had 3 hits including a triple, knocked in 2 runs and scored another to pace the Astros to a 6-3 win over the Cubs.  Jonathan Singleton was 0 for 3, with 2 walks, and Jason Jaramillo got 2 at bats in a back up role........In Milwaukee, Gavin Floyd made his final tune up appearance, throwing an inning against the Brewers and allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits and a walk, with 2 Ks.

Out in Scottsdale, the Indians trounced the Reds, 9-1.  Michael Bourn had a double in his only at bat, and Lou Marson went 0 for 3 for the Indians.

I will go over where the former Claws will all be starting their season tomorrow, in the meantime, a Happy Easter to all and, PLAY BALL!

camps winding down.

Friday night in Philadelphia, the Blue Jays shut out the Phillies, 1-0 on 4 hits.  Ryan Howard had one of the hits for Philadelphia, who wrap up the preseason with a rematch today, before heading to Atlanta to open the regular season Monday..........In Houston, the Cubs and Astros played to a 6-6 tie.  Josh Zeid threw the final inning for Houston, walking 2 (1 on purpose), lowering his spring ERA to a stellar 1.50 in major league games.......In Phoenix, the Reds edged the Diamondbacks, 2-1.  Jason Donald  was 0 for 2 for Cincinnati, and Tuffy Gosewisch went 0 for 1 in a relief role for Arizona.  Alfredo Simon got the save, throwing the final frame for the Reds.......Out in Surprise, the Royals hit 4 home runs to top the Indians, 5-1.  Michael Bourn was 1 for 2 in the action, and Lou Marson had an RBI double for the Tribe.

If you go to the Phillies website this morning, there is a great video of Cole Hamels and the Phanatic with the giant hot dog launcher.  Cole will be the Phillies starter in the opener!

Minor league affiliates will set their rosters this weekend once the big league teams make their final decisions.

The Rangers and the Astros will kick off the regular season Sunday night, in Houston's first game as an American League team!!

Singleton hits 2 bombs!

In Kissimmee on Thursday, Jonathan Singleton hit 2 home runs, drove in 3 runs and scored 3, to pace the Astros to an 11-4 win over Detroit.  Singleton may have made this team if he were not scheduled to serve a 50-game suspension stemming from a drug test at the end of last season.  Still the Astros #1 prospect, Jonathan will probably go to AAA-Oklahome City when his suspension is up, but a short stint back in AA would not be out of the question either.  Jason Jaramillo had a single in his only at bat, and Domingo Santana entered the game as a pinch runner, and scored a run.  Santana flied out in his only at bat. Santana had a big year in the California League last year and will probably start at AA-Corpus Christi.  Jaramillo appears to be in the mix for a minor league assignment, but his major league experience may serve him well if the Astros need it.  Jonathan Villar, Josh Zeid, Jarred Cosart, and Sergio Escalona are all still in camp.   Villar and Cosart have been assigned to Oklahoma City, but it is unclear to me if Zeid goes with them or to Corpus Christi to satrt.  Escalona is recovering from Tommy John surgery and sat out 2012.  Call them BlueClawsSouth!

Then, of course, there are the Toronto Blue Jays.  There are a similar number of HomeSiders with the Jays, although most of them will start in the minors this season.  While Jay Happ has secured himself a spot in the rotation, Anthony Gose has been sent to AAA-Buffalo, Kyle Drabek is on the 60-day DL recovering from surgery, and Bobby Korecky, Kevin Howard, Mike Dubee, and Tyson Brummett were all in camp at some point this spring.   The Jays dropped a 7-2 decision to the Phillies in Clearwater.  Ryan Howard and Domonic Brown had a hit each, and Derrick Mitchell got into his 3rd game this week as a defensive replacement, then flied out.  Freddy Galvis was 0 for 4, playing some third and some shortstop.  The Phillies also used Hector Neris to get 2 outs in the 5th inning.

Out in Indians' camp, while Michael Bourn has made the roster, and Lou Marson appears to be a lock, Carlos Carrasco has been sent to Columbus to get regular starts.  He will probably be the first one recallled if he is healthy and doing well when the need arises........In Surprise, the Diamondbacks punished the Rangers, 9-3.  Tuffy Gosewisch, still in D-Backs' camp, had another hit in his only at bat and is hitting .308 for the Snakes this spring.......In Goodyear, Jason Donald was 0 for 1 and played second base for the Reds in their 8-3 loss to the Royals..............In Scottsdale, the Brewers beat the Rockies 6-2.  Josh Outman, who has been optioned to AAA- threw a scoreless inning (1 walk) for the Rockies, and Jesus Sanchez threw a perfect 9th inning for Milwaukee.  Sanchez, a converted catcher, has thrown 6 times for the Brewers in major league games, a total of 5.1 innings, 1 run, 5 hits, 1walk and 5 Ks.

Worley named for opener; Jays extend Happ

Wednesday in Lakeland, Cole Hamels made his final spring tune up start, throwing 3 scoreless innings (1 hit, 1 walk, 3 Ks) against the Tigers in a 4-1 Philadelphia win.  Cole (0.90 ERA in Florida) leads a core group of HomeSiders on the Phillies who are ready to go.  Cole, Domonic Brown, Ryan Howard, Freddy Galvis, Kyle Kendrick , and Antonio Bastardo all look to be in "regular season form".  Add Carlos Ruiz (once his suspension expires) and the BlueClaws are well represented here!   Yesterday, Bastardo threw a scoreless frame, and Ruiz had a hit and a walk,  and scored a run. Galvis' 0 for 4 saw his average slip to a still-respectable .284, and Derrick Mitchell got into his 2nd game this week.  The Phillies have decisions to make as they have a log jam of outfielders for AA and AAA.  Major league rosters have to be set by Sunday afternoon, and minor league assignments will trickle down from there.

In Bradenton, Vance Worley made his final tune up, throwing 5 innings for the Twins in their 7-4 win over the Pirates.  Worley allowed 2 runs on 7 hits, NO walks, and 5 strike outs.  After the game, the Twins named Vance opening day starter!!  The Phillies will visit Minnesota June 11,12 and 13.  Meanwhile, the Pirates have assigned Mike Zaguski to minor league camp..........In Port Charlotte, Jay Happ pitched another 4.2 innings for the Jays, allowing 1 run on 4 hits and 4 walks, striking out 4 and ending the spring with a 1.90 ERA.  Earlier this week, Happ was signed to a 2-year extension worth almost $9 million (with a club option for a 3rd year) and named to the rotation.  Congrats to Jay!!.............In Port St Lucie, the Mets beat the BlueClaws-sorry the Astros, 6-2.  Jason Jaramillo (1 for 3 and scored a run), Jonathan Singleton (0 for 4) and Domingo Santana (0 for 1) all played for Houston.

Out in Glendale, the White Sox edged the Indians, 5-4.   Michael Bourn was 1 for 3 and stole a base, and Lou Marson (.310 this spring) was 1 for 3 and scored a run for the Tribe.........In Phoenix, Oakland beat Colorado, 6-5.  D'Arby Myers played most of the game, going 1 for 3 for the Athletics, and  Greg Golson got into that one as a late replacement, going 0 for 1 for the Rockies............In Goodyear, Jason Donald reached base on an error, stole second and scored a run in a 3-run rally for the Reds in their 7-3 win over the Padres.  Jason played 3rd base in this one, and looks to have made the team as a utility infielder.

IronPigs rotation

Nothing is set in stone, but it looks like Tyler Cloyd, Jonathan Pettibone, and BJ Rosenberg will start the season in the Lehigh Valley rotation, along with Ethan Martin and Adam Morgan.  Morgan was drafted by the Phillies and skipped past Lakewood, and Martin was acquired from the Dodgers last summer.  Odd man out here seems to be Austin Hyatt.

Also, I overlooked that Mike Cisco has been traded to the Angels, and Julio Rodriguez has been dealt to Baltimore.........I also want to wish Jiwan James well.  Jiwan will miss a good deal of this season recovering from left knee surgery.

Finally, it appears that "Q" is my Mud Hen, as the Tigers optioned Quintin Berry to AAA-Toledo today.

Dom, Freddy lead Phillies attack

Tuesday in Clearwater, the Phillies ripped the Rays, 10-1.  Domonic Brown had 3 hits, including 2 doubles, knocked in a run and scored 2 more,  Freddy Galvis had a single and a home run, driving in 3 and scoring 2, and Ryan Howard added 2 hits and scored twice.  Derrick Mitchell got in the game late, replacing Brown.  Michael Stutes and Colby Shreve each threw a scoreless frame, and Antonio Bastardo retired both hitters he faced................In Lakeland, Quintin Berry had a hit and a walk in his 2 at bats, stole a base and scored a run for Tigers in Detroit's 6-5 loss to the Braves........In Tampa, Jonathan Singleton had a walk and a strike out in his 2 at bats for Houston, as the Astros played the Yankees to a 4-4 draw.

Out in Goodyear, the Athletics edged Cleveland, 7-6.  D'Arby Myers was used by Oakland as a defensive replacement late in the game.  The Indians also resigned Matsuzaka, after releasing him earlier this week.............In Scottsdale, where the Giants got past the Padres, 4-2, Jesus Merchan was 0 for 3 for San Diego............In Mesa, Jason Donald was 0 for 2 and Alfredo Simon threw 2 innings (1 run 3 hits, 1 walk, 1 K)  for the Reds in Cincinnati's 11-1 win over the Cubs.

Phillies play the Tigers today, final tune-up for both Cole Hamels and Justin Verlander before opening day next Monday.

Q's my Tiger

Just read on the wire that Detroit has placed Avisail Garcia on the 15-day DL, retro to the 22nd, which means he will be elligible to come off April 5.  That leaves Quintin Berry as the 4th outfielder behind Hunter, Jackson and Dirks.  Healthy, and in the right place at the right time, "Q" is once again positioned to go north with the Tigers!   Detroit will open the season on April 1 with 3 games @ Minnesota-where they could face Vance Worley, before going home to play the Yankees and Blue Jays.

If you go to the Tigers website, they will ask you-  "Who's your Tiger?" 

the final countdown to the season!

On Monday in Dunedin, the Jays thrashed the Phillies, 13-4.  Domonic Brown was 0 for 3, but was replaced by Steve Susdorf, who had an RBI hit and scored a run during the Phillies' 4-run rally in the 9th.  Freddy Galvis and Ryan Howard had a hit each........In Jupiter, the Tigers doubled up the Marlins, 6-3.  Quintin Berry had a hit in 2 at bats, raising his spring average to .300.........In Glendale, Gavin Floyd made his final spring start, going 7 innings for the White Sox in their 11-5 loss to the Angels.  Gavin allowed 7 runs on 13 hits and just 1 walk, striking out 6..........In Scottsdale, Michael Bourn had 2 doubles and scored a run, and Lou Marson added a hit and a run scored for the Indians in the Tribe's 18-4 loss to Colorado.

Gose, d'Arnaud to AAA

Toronto has optioned Anthony Gose to AAA-Buffalo, where the Bisons are now the Jay's affiliate.  Last season, Anthony also started in AAA, but that was in Las Vegas.   Returning to Vegas, this time for the Mets, is Travis d'Arnaud.  Looking at where the Mets will be playing in April -Minnesota and Colorado, maybe Travis is lucky going to Vegas (no pun intended) and stay out of the cold for the first month or so.

jobs on the line in final week of spring

The first thing I noticed this morning is that the Indians have released Diasuke Matsuzaka, which is good news for Carlos Carrasco, as they were competing for the same spot in the rotation.


In Clearwater Sunday, the Red Sox held on to beat the Phillies, 7-6.  Ryan Howard smashed his 7th home run of the spring, and this extra-long spring training has most of the regulars ready to go with a week left before the openers.  Domonic Brown was 0 for 4, but is still hitting .368.  Mike Stutes bounced back from a bad outing last week to get 4 outs, allowing 1 hit and 1 walk.  It is still unclear whether Mike has made the squad as yet.

In Bradenton, the Baltimore Orioles scored 8 runs in the top of the first inning, but the Pirates came back and had the game tied at 8-8 going into the 7th, when Pittsburgh brought on Mike Zagurski.  Mike got the next 5 outs, but gave up a home run along the way, and was the losing pitcher.  He has struggled and time is running out on his chance to make the staff, with a 6.75 ERA..............In Jupiter, Travis d'Arnaud was 1 for 4, scoring a run and driving in another for the Mets in New York's 10-7 win over St. Louis.  Travis has been impressing the Mets with his .343 average and his handling of the pitchers, and he is still in big league camp with a shot to sart the year in New York.........In Fort Myers, the Twins blasted the Jays, 14-5.  Tyson Brummett tossed 2 frames for Toronto, giving up a run on 2 hits, and is still in the hunt for a big league job.  Anthony Gose had 2 walks in 4 plate appearances................Out in Goodyear, Michael Bourn was 0 for 2 for the Indians in their 4-3 loss to the Cubs..........In Phoenix, D'Arby Myers got into the game for Oakland as a pich-hitter and smoked a line drive into a double play.  It is still unclear whether D'Arby will go to AA or AAA to start the year............In Scottsdale, Tuffy Gosewisch had a pinch hit single for the Diamondbacks in their 8-4 win over Seattle.

Opening day is a week away!

Outman to AAA

On Sunday, the Colorado Rockies optioned Josh Outman to AAA-Colorado Springs. 

The Phillies have released Yunieski Betancourt, so it appears Freddy Galvis will go north with the team as a utility infielder.

Dom goes deep again, d'Arnaud gets game winner

It is the final week of spring training and the Phillies offense is coming together.  Saturday, in Bradenton, the Fightin' Phils pounded the Orioles, 13-4.  Domonic Brown (.389) belted his 7th spring homer, drove in a total of 4 runs and has apparently won a starting job!  Ryan Howard,  looking 100% healthy, also went deep for Philadelphia.  Antonio Bastardo threw a scoreless inning out of the pen.

In Port St. Lucie, Travis d'Arnaud was 1 for 1, a single to drive in the game winning run in the 8th inning for the Mets, as New York topped the Nationals, 3-2!..............In Lakeland, Quintin Berry was 2 for 2 and scored a run for the Tigers in their 10-6 victory over the Yankees.

Out in Arizona, Lou Marson was 2 for 2 and scored a run for the Indians in Cleveland's 10-5 win over the Mariners.

The Athletics have assigned Michael Taylor to AAA-Sacramento.

Ruf walks off, heads for AAA

Friday  Clearwater, Darin Ruf hit a monster walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Phillies a 7-6 thriller against the Braves. Darin also had a single and a walk and scored 3 times for Philadelphia.  Right after the game, Ruf was reassigned to AAA-Lehigh Valley where he will work on playing the outfield so the Phillies can have his bat in the line-up.  Ryan Howard added 2 hits and Domonic Brown and Freddy Galvis chipped in with a hit each.

Former BlueClaws Chris Duffy, Guantlett Eldemire, Moises Rivas and Tim Kennelley were all released this week.

Meanwhile, in Dunedin, Jay Happ continues to make his case to make the Jays, throwing 6 shutout innings against the Red Sox.  Happ allowed just 2 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3, and lowering his spring ERA to a nifty 1.89.  The Jays have said he is the odd man out, #6 in a 5-man rotation, but his performance just may force his way back in...........In Viera, Quintin Berry had a hit and 2 walks for the Tigers in their 4-3 win over Washington................Vance Worley continues to struggle this spring.  Vance gave up 5 runs, 4 earned, on 8 hits (NO walks) in 5 innings of work against the Yankees in New York's 9-7 win over the Twins.  Vance's ERA this spring in 6.35!............In Bradenton, Mike Zagurski was rocked for 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk in just 1 inning against the Rays, in the Pirates' 6-4 win.  Z-Man saw his ERA balloon to 7.04 and made have lost this oppurtunity to make the team.  We will have to see, but it does not look good to me.

Out in Cactusland, the Rockies topped the Rangers, 14-9.  Josh Outman was the winning pitcher, throwing  1.1 innings of relief for the Rox, and Lisalverto Bonilla, still in Ranger's camp, threw the final frame for Texas (1 walk, 1 K).............In Goodyear, the Diamondbacks defeated the Indians, 7-5.  Michael Bourn had 1 for 3 for the Tribe, and Tuffy Gosewisch got in the game late, reached on a fielder's choice, and stole second base for the Snakes!

Hamels on target for opener

Thursday in Fort Myers, Cole Hamels had another strong outing as he tunes up for Opening day.  Cole pitched 6 strong innings against Boston, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 5.  The Red Sox got to Mike Stutes, who was wild, walking 3, and allowing a hit and surrendering 5 runs.  Mike Nesseth came on and got the final out out the inning, but the damamge was done in the 6-1 Boston victory.  Freddy Galvis had 2 of the Phillies 6 hits, Darin Ruf adding in a double.

In Port Charlotte, the Jays topped the Rays, 3-1.  Anthony Gose was 0 for 4, his average slipping to .279 for Toronto this spring......Over in Port St Lucie, the Cards edged the Mets, 3-2.  Travis d'Arnaud had a walk in 2 at bats for New York.......In Lakeland, Quintion Berry had a walk and scored a run in 3 plate appearances for Detriot in the Tigers' 7-2 loss to Houston.

Out in Goodyear, the Athletics outscored the Reds, 10-9.  Jason Donald (.303 so far) was 0 for 1 in his only at bat for Cincinnati.......In Scottsdale, Carlos Carrasco won his 2nd straight start, throwing 5 innings for the Indians in their 5-4 win over Arizona.  Carlos allowed 4 runs on 8 hits and NO walks, striking out 3 on the way.  Michael Bourn was 0 for 4 for the Indians.

some Wednesday notes

A quiet day on Wednesday with many teams having an off day, but there were a few things to report.

In Sarasota, Baltimore edged Toronto, 6-5.  Anthony Gose had 2 walks, a sac bunt, and scored a run for the Blue Jays...............Over in Kissimmee, the Mets beat the Astros, 7-5.   Jason Jaramillo got an at bat for Houston.

Out in Glendale, Gavin Floyd threw 5 innings for the White Sox, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits and a walk, striking out 5 in the Sox' 4-2 loss to the Diamondbacks.  Tuffy Gosewisch, still in D-Backs camp, struck out in his only plate appearance.........In Tempe, Michael Bourn had a walk in 3 at bats for the Indians in their 6-5 loss to the Angels.

Big time cuts coming for all teams in the coming days as teams finalize their rosters for opening day.

Byrd dealt

The Milwaukee Brewers have traded Darren Byrd to the Oakland Athletics today for infielder Stephen Parker.  Byrd won 9 games for the BlueClaws in 2007, and pitched in 50 games last year with Huntsville in the AA-Southern League.

Kendrick sharp

Tuesday in Clearwater, Kyle Kendrick was solid for 6  innings, allowing the Yankees just 2 hits, NO walks, and 1 UNearned run in the Phillies' 4-1 win over New York.   Ryan Howard and Domonic Brown both homered for Philadelphia........Over in Dunedin, the Blue Jays topped the Astros, 10-6.  Anthony Gose came on as a pinch runner and was thrown out stealing, then struck out in his only at bat for Tornoto, and Jason Jaramillo was 0 for 2 for Houston.

In San Francisco, the Dominican Republic finished off a perfect WBC, going 8-0 with a 3-0 victory over Puerto Rico in the final game.  The DR team has combined great pitching with timely hitting for their first title in the tournament.

Brown cranks out 3 more hits

Another game, and another big day for Domonic Brown.  Brown raised his spring average to a lofty .400 yesterday with a 3-hit game, including his 5th home run, scoring 2 and driving in 2 in the Phillies 17-10 loss to Atlanta in Lake Buena Vista.  Darin Ruf had 2 doubles, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI, and Ryan Howard added 2 singles and scored twice.  Freddy Galvis relieved Michael Young  at third base and went 0 for1.  Colton Murray  allowed 3 runs on 3 hits, Mike Stutes gave up a run on 2 hits and Antonio Bastardo was touched for 2 runs on 2 hits, each of them throwing 1 inning..........In Jupiter, Travis d'Arnaud had a single and a double and scored both Mets' runs in New York's 3-2 loss to the Cardinals.  Travis is impressing the Mets with  a .345 average and making a bid the start the year with the team!

In Glendale, Tuffy Gosewisch was 1 for 2 for the Diamondbacks in Arzona's 5-3 win over the Dodgers...........In Goodyear, Lou Marson had 2 hits and drove in a run,  and Michael Bourn added a hit for the Indians as Cleveland doubled up Milwaukee, 4-2..........In Surprise, the Rangers topped the Royals, 8-2. The 2 KC runs came in the 9th inning off Lisalverto Bonilla, who allowed 2 hits and a walk, but struck out 2 on the way.......In Scottsdale, Jason Donald struck out in his only at bat for the Reds in Cincinnati's 4-3 win over the Rockies.

In San Francisco, the clock struck midnight for Cinderella, as the Dominican Republic remained undefeated with a 4-1 win over the Kingdom of the Netherlands to advance to the championship game tonight against Puerto Rico.  The DR has won both previous meetings in tournament, beating Puerto Rico 4-2 in San Juan, and 2-0 in Miami.

In 2009, the final was an all Asian affair (between Japan and Korea), but this year's game will have a Latino flavor.

Galvis, Brown lead Phillies over O's

Sunday in Clearwater, Freddy Galvis' 2-run home run was the difference in the Phillies' 5-3 win over Baltimore.  Domonic Brown had 2 hits, scored a run and drove in another, raising his spring average .375, and Ryan Howard and Darin Ruf picked up a hit each.  Colby Shreve threw a 1-2-3 6th inning in relief.

In Sarasota, Vance Worley pitched 4 inning for Minnesota, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and a walk, striking out 2, as the Twins lost the other half of the Orioles, 7-1..............In Bradenton, the Yankees outscored the Pirates, 11-9.  Mike Zagurski recorded 5 outs, but allowed a grand slam home run by Melky Mesa.  2 of those runs were charged to Mike...........In Kissimmee, the Astros blasted the Jays, 11-2.  Anthony Gose had a sac fly to drive in one of the Jays runs, and Jason Jaramillo got an at bat for Houston...............In Lakeland, Quintin Berry walked and scored a run in his only at bat for the Tigers in their 12-10 loss to the Nationals.

In Tucson, the Diamondbacks beat the Padres, 8-6.  Tuffy Gosewisch (AZ)  and Jesus Merchan (SD) each had an at bat in that one..........In Phoenix, Michael Taylor was 0 for 3 for Oakland, as the Athletics doubled up the Cubs 12-6......... Over in Goodyear, the Reds and Indians played to a 7-7 draw, with Michael Bourn (0 for 3 for Tribe) and Jason Donald (0 for 2 for Cincy) getting playing time.

A 2-run home by the White Sox' Alex Rios gave Puerto Rico a 3-1 win over 2-time defending WBC champ Japan in Sunday's semifinal in San Francisco.  Tonight, the Domincan Republic with play the Netherlands for the right to face Puerto Rico in Tuesday's final.

some transactions

Today the Phillies assigned both Justin De Fratus and Jake Diekman to AAA Lehigh Valley, and the Astros have optioned Jonathan Villar to AAA Oklahoma City.

Brown goes deep, Carrasco strong

Saturday night in Tampa, Domonic Brown hit a 3-run home run and 5 Phillies pitchers scattered 7 hits as Philadelphia shut out the Yankees, 7-0.  It was the 4th home run of the spring for Dom, who is hitting .365 and looks like a lock to start in the outffield this year.  Ryan Howard walked and scored a run, and Freddy Galvis had a doubled and scored in his only at bat.  Mike Stutes is pitching well, throwing another scoreless frame with 2 Ks, and Jake Diekman finished it off with a scoreless 9th despite allowing 2 walks and a hit...........In Jupiter, Quintin Berry had 1 for 3 for Detroit as the Tigers shut out the Cardinals, 3-0.  It looks like "Q" will make this team, but as a reserve outfielder with playing time a question mark.......In Viera, both Jonathan Singleton and Domingo Santana got at bats for Houston, with Santana drawing a walk in the Astros' 4-2 win over the Nationals.


In Goodyear, Carlos Carrasco pitched 5 solid innings, allowing just 1 run on 2 hits, NO walks, and struck out 5 in the Indians' 4-3 win over the Giants.  Lou Marson was 0 for 2 in the game......In Scottsdale, the Reds beat the rest of the Giants, 7-6.  Jason Donald was 0 for 2 for Cincinnati.............The Rangers deferated the Dodgers 4-2, with Lisalverto Bonilla throwing a scoreless frame with 2 Ks..........In Glendale, Michael Taylor had a single and a double and drove in 3 runs for the Athletics, who lost to the White Sox, 11-5.  It has been a slow start for Taylor, who hopefully is coming around.

Semi final #1 today in the WBC with Japan taking out Puerto Rico.

USA eliminated

Friday in Port Charlotte, the Rays beat the Phillies, 3-1 in 10 innings.  Domonic Brown and Carlos Ruiz each had a hit, with Ruiz picking up the lone RBI.  Freddy Galvis and Darin Ruf were hitless in the game.  Justin De Fratus pitched 2 innings, allowing a run on 3 hits and a walk, Antonio Bastardo threw a scoreless 9th, and Jay Johnson allowed the game winninhg home run in the bottom of the 10th.  Colby Shreve did NOT get in the game.

In Lakeland, the Tigers beat the Jays, 4-2.  Anthony Gose (.333 so far) had another hit for Toronto..........In Kissimmee, Travis d'Arnaud had a hit in his only at bat for Mets, as New York topped Atlanta, 5-2.........The Pirates beat the Astros, 3-2.  Jason Jaramillo and Jonathan Villar both got in the game for Houston.

In Glendale, Gavin Floyd was sharp, going 5.1 innings for the Sox, and allowing the Cubs just 1 run on 4 hits, NO walks, and struck out 5 in the White Sox' 15-3 win.  Bill Rice got in the game as a pinch runner for the Sox, and scored a run...........In Surprise, the Royals improved to 16-3 this spring with a 7-5 win over the Padres.  Jesus Merchan, back from the WBC, had 1 at bat in the game for San Diego.........In Phoenix, Michael Bourn had a hit and a walk, and scored a run for the Indians, but the Brewers pravailed in the game, 4-3.

In Miami, Puerto Rico advanced to the semi finals of the WBC, eliminating the USA with a 4-3 thriller.  Puerto Rico joins the Dominican. the Netherlands and Japan in the final four.  PR will face DR tonight to determine the semifinal match ups.

Hamels named opening day starter

The Phillies have named Cole Hamels as the opening day starter.  One more notch on Cole's belt!

The Phils have also activated a number of minor leaguers for the road game today against Tampa in Port Charlotte.  Among the listed is Colby Shreve, so look for Colby to get an inning today.

Diek the winner, Z-Man the loser, as Phils edge Bucs

In Clearwater Thursday, Pete Orr hit a home run off Mike Zagurski in the bottom of the 8th inning to give the Phillies a 2-1 win over the Pirates.  Jake Diekman was in the right place at the right time to pick up the win.  Jake pitched a scoreless inning, despite allowing 2 hits.  Ryan Howard drove in his 13th run of the spring in the 6th inning, and Darin Ruf had a hit in 3 at bats for the Phillies.  Domonic Brown (0 for 3) and Freddy Galvis (0 for 4) also played for Philadelphia.   No other HomeSiders played in Florida.

Out in Arizona, Jason Donald (.370) had 2 more hits and drove in a run for Cincinnati in the Reds' 8-7 loss to Seattle,  and  Michael Taylor returned to the Oakland line up and had an RBI single in 2 at bats in the Athletics' 6-2 defeat by Texas.

Last night in Miami, the Dominican Republic rallied for 2 runs in the 8th inning to beat Team USA, 3-1, and advance to the semifinals in San Francisco.   The USA will play Puerto Rico tonight, with the winner joining the DR, the Netherlands and Japan in the final Four!

Cosart optioned to AAA

Two things jump out at me first thing this morning.  First the Houston Astros have optioned Jarred Cosart to AAA Oklahoma City, and second the Tigers have released outfielder Brennan Boesch, which removes one obstacle from Quintin Berry in his effort to make the team.

Last night in Tampa, the Yankees beat the Phillies, 6-2.  Darin Ruf hit a home run, Domonic Brown was 1 for 3 with an RBI and Freddy Galvis also had a hit. Mike Stutes threw 2 shut out innings (1 hit, 1 walk, 2 Ks) and Justin De Fratus tossed a  1-2-3 frame.........In Viera, the Nats topped the Mets, 8-5.  Travis d'Arnaud went 0 for 3 for New York.  The rest of Washington's squad went to Kissimmee and beat the Houston Astros, 9-7.  Jonathan Villar and Jason Jaramillo each went 0 for 2 in that game..............In Bradenton, the Pirates edged the Jays, 5-4.  Anthony Gose had a walk and scored a run in 3 at bats, and Tyson Brummett blew the save, allowing the tying runs to score in the bottom of the 9th for Toronto.

Out in Glendale, Michael Bourn had a single and scored a run for the Indians in their 5-2 win over the White Sox...........In Mesa, the Rockies shut out the Cubs, 2-0.  Josh Outman threw another scoreless inning for Colorado............In Goodyear, Jason Donald had 2 hits and an RBI for the Reds, but Cincinnati dropped a 9-5 game to the Giants.

Finally, last night in Miami, Puerto Rico rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th inning, eliminating Italy 4-3 from the WBC.  It was a good run for the Italians, but failure to hold late leads the last 2 nights cost them their chance to make the semifinals.  Team USA will face the DR tonight, with the winner going to San Francisco, and the loser facing Puerto Rico for the final slot.

Berry, Gose, Donald all make their case to play

In Grapefruit action on Tuesday, the Tigers beat the Phillies 10-6 in Clearwater.  Ryan Howard had a double in 3 at bats, and Domonic Brown was 0 for 3.  Jake Diekman did not help his cause as he tries to make the team, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits in 2 innings, striking out 3.  If there is  a silver lining for Diekman, he did not walk a hitter.  Quintin Berry had a hit and a walk, stole a base, and scored a run for the Tigers..........In Fort Myers, the Red Sox got past the Blue Jays, 5-3.  Anthony Gose (.367 this spring) had a double in 4 at bats, and threw out a runner at second base.  There are still a lot of outfielders in camp for the Jays, but Gose has kept himself in the mix with his good play this month.

Out in Scottsdale, the Reds beat the Dodgers, 6-2, Jason Donald made a pinch hitting appearance late in the game, and grounded into a double play.  Jason is hitting .286 so far this spring, has played all 3 infield postions (except first base) and could make the roster as a utility player waiting for an opportunity. 

USA has the Wright stuff

Powered by 5 RBI from the Mets' David Wright, Team USA moved one step closer to the semifinals with a 7-1 win over Puerto Rico.  Friend of the HomeSide Gio Gonzalez started and went 5 scoreless innings to post the victory for the United States.  Wright leads the tournament with 10 RBI in 4 games.

Earlier in the day, the DR came from behind to top Italy, 5-4, so Italy and Puerto Rico will play an elimination game tonight at 7:00.  Team USA will face the Domincan Republic with a trip to San Francisco on the line tomorrow night.

Phillies send 5 more down

After Tuesday's game with Detroit, the Phillies reassigned 5 players including Tyler Cloyd, BJ Rosenberg and Sebastian Valle who were all optioned to Lehigh Valley.  Tyson Gillies and Mauricio Robles were also sent to the IronPigs.

d'Arnaud OK, Ruiz signs with Sox

Monday in Port Charlotte, Vance Worley started and pitched 4 innings for the Twins, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 1 walk, striking out 2 against the Rays.  In Lakeland, the Mets bombed Justin Verlander and the Tigers, 11-0.  Travis d'Arnaud played the whole game (0 for 5) for New York, showing no ill effects from being plunked the other day and Quintin Berry got a late at bat for Detroit.

In Goodyear, the Angels and Indians played to a 0-0 tie(!), but Michael Bourn had a single and a double, and Lou Marson had a walk in 3 at bats for Cleveland......Over in Phoenix, Jesus Sanchez threw a scoreless inning for the Brewers (1 hit), striking out 2 and recording a hold in Milwaukee's 3-2 win over the Dodgers.  Jesus, who converted from a catcher, could actually made this bullpen at some point this year!.............In Scottsdale, the Cubs beat the Diamondbacks, 7-5. Tuffy Gosewisch was 0 for 1 for Arizona.

Randy Ruiz is in White Sox camp, and had a double in his only at bat so far.

Reassignments are in full force, here is what I know so far:

Twins  optioned Trevor May to AA New Britain.
Phillies optioned Zack Collier to AA Reading.
Phillies optioned Jonathan Pettibone to AAA Lehigh Valley.

I am sure there is more, but this stuffs leaks out a little at a time.

WBC notes

The Kingdom of the Netherlands scored 3 late runs, including the game winner in the bottom of the 9th inning to eliminate Cuba, 7-6 yesterday.  The win clinched a berth in the semi finals in San Francisco for the Netherlands.  Japan, 10-6 winners over the Netherlands today in a seeding game, will also advance.

The other 2 slots will be decided in Miami, with the DR taking on Italy, and Puerto Rico facing the USA today in the opening games of this round, which is a "modified" double elimination event. 

5 Phils 1-hit Houston

Sunday, in Kissimmee, the Phillies beat Houston, 7-1 behind spectacular pitching.  Cole Hamels started and went 5 solid innings, allowing just 1 run on 1 hit and 1 walk.  Four relivers tossed a  hitless inning each, including Tyler Cloyd and Justin De Fratus.  Freddy Galvis had 3 hits, including a double, 2 RBI and a run scored.  Sergio Escalona thew an inning and gave up a run for Houston and Jarred Cosart was lit up for 4 runs on 3 hits and a walk in just 1.2 innings of work.  Jonathan Villar and Jason Jaramillo  got into the game late for the Astros, and Ryan Howard and Darin Ruf started for the Phillies.

Over in Dunedin, Jay Happ threw 3.1 scoreless innings against New York, allowing just 4 hits and 1 walk, but the Yankees won later, 3-0.   Anthony Gose (.385 so far) was 1 for 2 and Tyson Brummett threw a shut out inning (1 walk) in the 9th............In Jupiter, the Mets shut out St. Louis, 3-0.  Travis d'Arnaud, OK after that scare the other day, walked and scored a run in his only at bat for the Mets.............Mike Zagurski threw another scoreless inning for the Pirates, striking out 2 of the 3 hitters he faced in Pittsburgh's 7-4 win over the Twins.  Zaguski has yet to allow an earned run for the Pirates this spring..........In Lakeland, Quintin Berry had a hit in his only at bat, returning to active duty after sitting out for a week, as the Tigers edged the Nationals, 2-1.

In Glendale, the Reds got to Gavin Floyd for 4 runs on 7 hits and a walk in 3.1 innings en route to a 7-4 win over the White Sox.  Floyd did fan 5 batters.  Travis Mattair got into the game late and had an at bat for Cincinnati...........In Goodyear, Carlos Carrasco allowed 2 runs on 4 hits amd 2 walks in 4 innings, and was tagged with the loss in a 7-6 win for Texas.

In theWBC, the USA survived the opening round and will join Italy, Puerto Rico and Domincan Republic in the next phase in Miami.  2 of these 4 will advance to the semi finals.  In Asia, Japan has a leg up, with the Netherlands and Cuba  battling for a berth in the semis.  They are playing right now, a 4-4 tie through 6 innings, with the loser eliminated and the winner joining Japan in San Francisco.

Citrus League

All of Friday's scheduled action in Arizona was rained out, but there were games in Florida.

The only place to start is Lake Buena Vista, where Anthony Gose led the Blue Jays to a 7-1 win over Atlanta.  Gose had 2 singles, a 2-run home run, stole 2 bases and scored 4 of the Jay's 7 runs!!  I don't know if he is going to start the year with Toronto, but at .375 with 5 steals so far this spring, Gose is certainly giving the Jays something to think about.   Tyson Brummett threw a 1-2-3 9th inning for Toronto.

The rest of the Braves went into Kissimmee and outscored the Astros, 14-9.  Jason Jaramillo had an RBI double and a walk, and scored a run for Houston, and friend of the HomeSide Yohan Flande, retired 4 hitters with just 6 pitches for the Braves.......In Lakeland, the Tigers beat the Mets, 3-2.  Travis d'Arnaud was 0 for 1 and was hit by a pitch in his right elbow and left the game.  There is no serious damage and Travis is listed as "day-to'day"...........In Bradenton, Mike Zagurski struck out the side in his only inning for the Pirates in their 6-3 loss to Baltimore.  Zaguski has yet to allow an earned run this spring, and looks like he could make the big team.

Finally, in Port Charlotte, the Rays edged the Phillies, 3-2.   Red hot Domonic Brown had 2 more hits and at .424, the season cannot start soon enough for him!  Freddy Galvis had a double and scored a run, and Darin Ruf also doubled in the game.  Carlos Ruiz was 0 for 3, and Zack Collier struck out in his only at bat.  Kyle Kendrick was the starter and loser, going 4 innings and giving up 3 runs on 5 hits and 1 walk.  Mike Stutes came on for a scoreless frame in the 5th, striking out 2 of the 3 hitters he faced.

I will be out of town Sunday from early in the morning, but I will be back Monday morning.

WBC

It looks like Korea's early exit from the tournament will not be the last surprise for us. The Italian team has beaten Mexico and Canada in less than 24 hours, and looks like a lock to advance to the second round.  Mexico did bounce back, beating Team USA, 5-2 yesterday.   Huge game today between Canada and Mexico with the loser being done. 

In Puerto Rico, the host team beat Spain yesterday, 3-0 to match the DR's win over Venezuela the day before. The team will swith opponents today, with DR taking on Spain, and Venezuela challanging Puerto Rico.

In the second round in Tokyo, Chinese Taipei has been eliminated, after having Japan on the ropes the other day.  But the 2-time defending champs once again came from behind, scoring 4 late runs for a 4-2 win.  Japan will play the Netherlands today, with the winner in the drivers seat of the group.  Cuba will face the loser of that one tomorrow.

sorry about that!

I am too busy today......you are on your own.........I'll try to catch up a little tomorrow.

8 more exibitions as WBC teams prepare for start of play today

Lets start today with the exibitions between WBC squads and MLB teams.  In Florida, Vance Worley started and pitched 3.1 innings for Minnesota against Puerto Rico.  Worley allowed 2 runs on 6 hits and NO walks, striking out 3 in the PR's 8-7 win.........Venezuela jumped out to a 12-0 lead and then held on for a 14-10 win over the Mets.  Travis d'Arnaud was 0 for 2 for New York.............The Dominican Republic followed up their win over the Phillies with an 8-2 pounding of the Yankees, and the Orioles defeated Spain, 19-7.   Jesus Merchan had a single and a double and scored a run for Spain............In Arizona, the Angels beat Italy, 12-6, and the Dodgers defeated Mexico, 10-2.   The Reds pounded Canada, 12-2.  Jason Donald was 0 for 2 for Cincinnati and RJ Swindle recorded 4 outs for Canada, allowing 1 hit.   Swindle is in camp with the Cardinals. Finally the Colorado Rockies rallied for 6 runs in the 9th inning to beat Team USA, 8-7.  Josh Outman was the winning pitcher, despite allowing 2 runs on 3 hits in his inning of work.


In Clearwater, the Phillies defeated Washington, 6-3.   Mike Stutes, Antonio Bastardo, Justin De Fratus and Jake Diekman each threw a scoreless inning for the Phillies.  Domonic Brown continues his excellent spring with a single and double and scored a run, and Ryan Howard was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.  Freddy Galvis and Zack Collier also got int the game for Philadelphia...........In Lakeland, the Tigers beat Toronto, 4-1.  Anthony Gose was 0 for 3 with a walk for the Jays.

Italy faces Mexico,   and Venezuela takes on the Domincan Republic as the final 2 pools begin play today in the WBC.

WBC ready for full throttle!

Tuesday's action included 8 games against WBC teams preparing to join the fray in the tournament.  First up was the Phillies against the Domincan Republic.  The DR team jumped on Cole Hamels and the rest of the Philies staff for 15 runs on 28 hits in a 15-2 pounding in Clearwater.  Hamels started and allowed 8 runs on 12 hits in just 2.2 innings of work.  Later Jonathan Pettibone allowed 4 runs on 9 hits in his 2.2 innings.   The Phillies offense picked up 9 hits, Freddy Galvis' 1 for 4 the only HomeSide hit as Ryan Howard (0 for 3), Domonic Brown (0 for 3), Darin Ruf (0 for 4), and Cameron Rupp (0 for 2) combined for an 0 for 12.  Alfredo Simon threw a scorless inning for the DR, and the Phillies lent the visitors a few pitchers to get them some work.  Juan Sosa, Edgar Garcia (back in Phillies camp), and Mike Cisco all threw against the Phillies!

In Bradenton, the Pirates had no such trouble with Spain, taking a 10-0 decision.  Jesus Merchan was 0 for 2 for Spain, and Mike Zagurski tossed a scoreless 9th inning for the Pirates.  In Fort Myers, the Red Sox defeated Puerto Rico, 4-3, and over in Jupiter, the Marlins edged Venezuela, 6-5........Out in Arizona, Canada took a 7-4 game from Milwaukee, with Scott Mathieson throwing 1.1 innings for Canada amd retiring all 4 hitters he faced.........The USA played a 4-4 draw with the White Sox, Gavin Floyd tossing 2.2 scoreless innings for Chicago, allowing 2 hits and 1 walk, striking out 3...........The Athletics took a 4-3 win from team Italy, with D'Arby Myers making an appearance for Oakland, going 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter and Jack Santora, who played 17 games for Lakewood in 2003, was 0 for 1 for Italy..........Mexico edged the Diamondbacks, 1-0, Tuffy Gosewisch going 0 for 1 for Arizona.

In Dunedin, Anthony Gose had 2 walks, a stolen base and scored 2 runs for Toronto, as the Blue Jays played a 6-6 tie with Baltimore.  Jay Happ started and threw 3 innings for the Jays, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, NO walks............The Nationals beat the Astros, 7-1.  Sergio Escalona got the final 2 outs for Houston. striking out 1........Jason Donald had a walk in 2 plate appearances for the Reds in their 6-4 loss to the Angels..............Michael Bourn and Lou Marson had a hit each for the Indians, Bourn stealing his first base, as Cleveland beat the Giants, 4-3.

light schedule on Monday

In Bradenton, 4 Phillies hurlers 1-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Phils moved thier spring record to 6-5 with a 5-0 win.  Adam Morgan was very impressive, throwing 3 scoreless, and hitless,  innings- allowing just 2 walks.  In the second inning Darin Ruf led off and was hit by a pitch, Domonic Brown singled and they both scored as the Phillies put up a 4-spot......Over in St. Lucie, the Braves topped the Mets, 4-2.  Travis d'Arnaud had another good game.   He was 1 for 3, a double off Tim Hudson, made a put out at home tagging a runner, and threw another runner out at second trying to steal. Travis is 6 for 14, (.427)  and has picked up where he left off in Las Vegas last summer without missing a beat...........In Lakeland, the Tigers beat the Astros, 8-5.  Jarred Cosart started for Houston and pitched 2 innings, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks.  It actually could have been worse.  Josh Zied came on and pitched a scoreless 3rd inning (1 walk, 1 K).   Jason Jaramillo had a walk and a strike out in 2 at bats, and Jonathan Villar was 1 for 4, a 7th inning double, and drove in a run earlier with a ground out.

In Mesa, Carlos Carrasco was the winning pitcher for the Indians in their 13-5 win over the Cubs.  Carlos threw 3 innings and gave up 2 runs on 4 hits, including an Alfonso Soriano home run.  He walked just 1 and struck out 2.  Carlos was hit in the head in the 1st inning by a line drive, but not only stayed in the game, but dove for a ball in foul territory in the 2nd inning!  Love the toughness!. .....Over in Scotsdale, the Diamondbacks beat the Reds, 7-2. Jason Donald was 1 for 2, a pinch hit single in the 6th inning.  Donald is hitting .333 and playing all 3 infield positions for the Reds, who are just 2-10 so far.

Big news in the WBC is that Korea, despite winning today 3-2 over Chinese Taipei, will not advance as they lose out in the run differential tie breaker.  Chinese Taipei and the Netherlands will advance to the the next round in Tokyo, along with Japan and Cuba.  Korea had advanced all the way to the final game in 2009...........China scored 5 runs in the 8th inning and beat Brazil, 5-2 in the final game for each team.

Japan and Cuba will square off in the final game in the group, that one starts at 5:00 AM EST tomorrow, if you are up!

On Thursday, Italy will take on Mexico in Phoenix, and the Dominican Republic will face Venezuela in San Juan.  The USA plays on Friday.

Ryno, Brown each go deep again

The Phillies split their squad on Sunday with some noteworthy results.  The side that stayed in Clearwater defeated Toronto, 13-5.  Ryan Howard belted his 3rd home run of the spring, a 3-run bomb in the 5th inning.   Domonic Brown also went deep for #3 and looks like a different player this spring, his confidence level at all time highs.  Darin Ruf was 0 for 5 (RBI),  and is just 3 for 21 so far this spring.  Derrick Mitchell also got into the game for Philadelphia.  Justin De Fratus was the winning pitcher, throwing a perfect inning, and Antonio Bastardo notched another hold with an inning of work (1 run, 1 hit).  Anthony Gose was 1 for 4 and scored a run for Toronto, and is hitting .375 so far........The rest of the Phillies went down to Sarasota and lost to Baltimore, 12-3.  Freddy Galvis was 1 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI, and Carlos Ruiz went 0 for 3.  Jiwan James and Edgar Duran both got into this one in the late innings.  Kyle Kendrick took the loss, allowing 4 runs (2 homers) on 4 hits in just 2 innings, and Jake Diekman threw the final 2 frames and gave up a run, but struck out 5 of the 6 outs he recorded.

In Bradenton, Jonathan Villar's spring struggles continues, as he was 0 for 4 for the Astros (and down to .063)  as the Astros dropped an 8-6 decision to the Pirates............Trevor May was his usual self,  throwing a scoreless inning with 2 walks and a strike out for Minnesota in the Twins' 7-2 loss to the Rays in Port Charlotte.

In the Cactus League, the Giants beat the Diamondbacks 5-2 in Scotsdale.  Tuffy Gosewisch was 0 for 1 in the game for Arizona..............Michael Bourn was 0 for 3 (and down to .071 this spring) for the Indians in their 5-1 loss to the Dodgers in Glendale...........In Goodyear, the Royals pounded the Reds, 8-1.  Jason Donald was 0 for 2 and played second base for the Reds.........Back in Scotdale, in the night game, the Athletics beat the Rockies, 7-2.  Michael Taylor had a double and scored a run in 2 at bats for Oakland.  Josh Outman threw 2 innings against his former team and gave up 2 runs on 3 hits (NO walks).

Last night in Japan, Cuba pounded China, 12-0 and it appear the Cuba and Japan will advance to the next stage of tounament, and China and Brazil will go home.  In Taiwan, Korea is leading Austalia by the score of 5-0 in the 7th inning as I am writing this.

HomeSide hurlers stuggle on Saturday

Saturday in Dunedin, the Blue Jays took the Phillies, 11-6.  Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz both homered for Philadelphia,  Domonic Brown added a hit in 3 at bats, and Freddy Galvis was 0 for 3.  Tyler Cloyd was the losing pitcher, allowing a big 6 runs on 7 hits and a walk in just 2 innings of work.  Mike Stutes also gave up a run on 2 hits in his inning.............Over in Kissimmee, the Astros edged the Braves, 6-5.  Jason Jaramillo had a walk in his only at bat for Houston in that one.........In Lakeland, the Tigers defeated Pittsburgh, 4-1.  Mike Zagurski tossed a 1-2-3 inning, with 2 Ks, in the 4th for the Pirates...........In St. Lucie, the Mets and Marlins played to an 8-8 draw.  Travis d'Arnaud had an RBI double and scored a run in the Mets 3-run 7th inning rally, and is now 5 for 11 (.455) with New York.

Out in Scotsdale, the Giants outplayed the Cubs, 9-7.  Brian Schlitter  allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in his inning for Chicago...........In Glendale the White Sox shut out the Reds, 4-0.  Jason Donald was 0 for 1 in his only at bat in this one, playing the final few frames at shortstop for Cincinnati..........In Phoenix, Michael Taylor grounded out in a pinch hitting appearance for Oakland, in the Athletics' 6-3 over Colorado.

In the WBC in Taiwan last night, Chinese Taipei took control of Group B with an 8-3 win over the Netherlands.  Over in Japan, Cuba defeated a stubborn Brazil squad, 5-2, and Japan defeated China by the same score.

Phils win again, WBC kicks off!

On Friday in Tampa, the Phillies won their second straight 10-5 game, this time over the Yankees.  Freddy Galvis and Darin Ruf had a hit and an RBI each, and Domonic Brown added 3 walks, and scored twice.  Cody Asche also had 2 hits for the Phils.  None of our HomeSiders took the mound in this one!

In Jupiter, the Marlins tagged Vance Worley for 4 runs, 3 earned, on 6 hits and a walk in just 2 innings, but the Twins rallied for and 8-7 win............In Kissimmee, the Cardinals and Astros played an 8-8 draw.  Jason Jaramillo was 2 for 3 for Houston and Josh Zeid added a 1-2-3 7th inning in relief............In Dunedin, the Jays topped the Rays, 5-4.  Anthony Gose had 2 hits, stole a base (and was caught once), raising his spring average to .417 for Toronto.

In Goodyear, the Indians improved to 6-3 with a 9-7 win over the White Sox.  Lou Marson had a hit and a walk, and scored a run for the Tribe.  Michael Bourn, off to a slow start, was 0 for 3, dropping his early averave to .091 with Cleveland............Travis Mattair played for the 2nd straight day for the Reds, going 0 for 2 in Cincinnati's 3-2 loss to the Royals...........In Phoenix, Michael Taylor was 1 for 2 and scored a run for Oakland, who lost a 13-9 slugfest to the Giants...........In Scotsdale, the Rockies beat Milwaukee, 5-2.  Jesus Sanchez allowed a run on 2 hits in his inning for the Brewers.

The World Baseball Classic opened last night in Taiwan, with the Chinese Taipei  topping Australia, 4-1.  Brad Harman was 0 for 3 and Tim Kennelley made a pinch hitting appearance for the Ausies.  The Netherlands shut out group favorite Korea, 5-0.   Over in Japan, Japan rallied for 3 runs in the 8th inning to come from behind against Brazil to capture a 5-3 win. 

Phils bomb Braves

In Clearwater Thursday, Freddy Galvis (single, double, run, RBI), Ryan Howard (double, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBI), and Darin Ruf (single, double, RBI) had 2 hits each to lead the Phillies to a 10-5 win.  Domonic Brown added a single, a walk, and a run to keep his spring average at a lofty .417 for the first week.   Cole Hamels was very good, allowing 4 hits, NO walks, and 1 UNearned run, striking out 5 in his 3 innings.  Jake Diekman threw a scoreless frame (1 walk), but Jonathan Pettibone was roughed up for 4 runs on 3 hits and a walk in his 2 innings.

In other action, Trevor May tossed a scoreless frame (with 2 walks)  for the Twins in their 7-1 win over Baltimore...........Travis d'Arnaud had 2 singles and scored 2 runs for the Mets in their 4-4 draw with Washington.  Travis is now 4 for 9 (.444) in his first week with New York...........The Astros edged a Yankee split squad, 7-6.  Jonathan Villar took an 0 for 4, Jason Jaramillo had a walk and scored a run in 2 plate appearances, and Sergio Escalona got the final 4 outs (1 hit, 1 walk) to register the save for Houston.  The other half of the Yankees dropped a 1-0 game to Toronto.  Jay Happ threw a 1-2-3 inning for the Jays in that one.

In Goodyear, Jason Donald had 3 hits, including 2 doubles and drove in 2 runs (playing second base), and Travis Mattair had a hit in 2 at bats for Cincinnati, but the Reds lost to Arizona, 6-5.  Alfredo Simon pitched 3 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, NO walks.

The Blue Jays officially put Kyle Drabek on the 60-day DL this week.  Kyle is recovering from Tommy John surgery last June.