Spring Training News & Notes, 3/16: Catching Up With Everyone

Blue Jays: The biggest question mark revolving around the Blue Jays this offseason is how they will fill the hole left by the dearly departed Roy Halladay. Answer? A lot of young guys. ... One of the guys looking to fill Halladay's shoes will be Shaun Marcum, who now will take a leadership role as one of the more veteran pitchers on the staff. ... Bluebird Banter wants to know who you think will be the last person off the bench for the Jays this season.

Orioles: The Orioles will feature a young squad this season, but who will stand out the most offensively? Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Matt Wieters all should be in the mix for that title. ... Justin Turner is making Brian Roberts seem obsolete this spring training. ... Camden Chat looks at father-son combos that have played in Baltimore.

Rays: There are a lot of problems with the Rays staying in Tampa Bay, but don't expect a resolution any time soon. The Rays are trying to focus on this season and not any potential stadium troubles. ... Depending on who you ask, the Rays could win 88-97 games this season. Unfortunately for the Rays, that may just get them a third place finish in the East and no playoffs.

Red Sox: The Red Sox are really concerned about Ryan Westmoreland and his future. He had surgery today and it "went well," but the full prognosis is not known yet. ... Anthony Rizzo, a Red Sox prospect who has become good friends with Westmoreland, comments on the situation. Rizzo is a cancer survivior. ... Jon Lester seems to be settling down in spring training. He allowed one run and three hits in four innings of work.

Yankees: Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci breaks down the fight between New York and Boston. Who's going to win? It will most likely be the team that can get the most starts out of their starting rotation. ... Kevin Towers was introduced as a Yankee today. GM Brian Cashman says Towers was brought in to "make us better."

Marlins: Hanley Ramirez returned the lineup after a precautionary rest of a tight groin…Jorge Cantu is still recovering from the flu…Cameron Maybin has resumed running the bases. He has been nursing a groin strain for the past few weeks…Derrick Turnbow’s shoulder tendinitis flared up in a wild eighth inning today. He is conceded to not making the team and beginning treatment on the injury…The Marlins are internally discussing re-acquiring former Fish-hero Mike Lowell as an option at first base.

Braves: Tom Glavine made his debut today as special assistant to Braves president John Schuerholz, a job which includes coaching Braves pitchers and broadcasting games on SportsSouth…RHP Scott Proctor is near pitching in a game for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery…John Smoltz may be leaning toward retirement, as he has joined his friend Tom Glavine in the broadcast booth.

Mets: Top prospect Jenrry Mejia and newcomer Kiko Calero will be pitching tomorrow and potentially competing for the 8th-inning relief role, in so doing…Nelson Figueroa seems out of the fifth starter competition, so it’s between Jon Niese, Fernando Nieve, and Hisanori Takahashi now…Jerry Manuel will give Fernando Martinez a chance to be the opening day center fielder, despite comments from Omar Minaya earlier in the week.

Phillies: Dominic Brown, B.J. Rosenberg, Andrew Carpenter, and Ryan Vogelsong were all re-assigned to minor league camp…There is no Howard-Pujols swap in the works…Placido Polanco could be back from a sprained knee as soon as Friday.

Nationals:Nyjer Morgan will miss a few games with a tweaked hamstring…Cristian Guzman is out with the birth of his daughter…Willie Harris seems to have the only assured bench spot outside of back-up catcher Wil Nieves…Chien-Ming Wang threw his first bullpen session yesterday. The Nats hope he could be in the rotation by the All-Star break.

Diamondbacks The team was distinctly unimpressed by what appeared to be the Mariners’ Cliff Lee throwing at catcher Chris Snyder yesterday. Third baseman Mark Reynolds said, “It’s bush league. Stuff like that doesn’t need to happen anytime, especially in spring training. You’re messing with guys’ careers going up that high. I think something was intentional. I’ve faced Cliff Lee enough times to know he has amazing control.” Reynolds is right: over the past two seasons, only Roy Halladay and Kevin Slowey walked fewer batters per nine innings than Lee.

Dodgers True Blue LA have been impressed with the numbers put up by Ramon Ortiz this spring. “It would be great if Ortiz, who turns 37 a week from tomorrow, has suddenly turned over a new leaf as a pitcher,” they say, with Ortiz saying his time in Japan has helped him grow as a pitcher. However, they are not entirely convinced, this being spring training ‘n’ all – “Color me skeptical that Ramon Ortiz will make it” - though they note success from similar projects in the past, like Chan Ho Park.

Giants Rule 5 draft pick Steve Johnson has been sent back to the team from whom the Giants selected him, the Baltimore Orioles. Johnson allowed five hits and three runs in 4 2/3 innings this spring, but it was his lack of control which damned him – he walked six batters and hit another in that time. By the draft rules, he had to be kept on the 25-man roster all season, or offered back to the Orioles at half the price paid for him ($50,000). The Giants decided to cut their losses early with Johnson.

Padres Gaslamp Ball write poignantly about Adrian Gonzalez: “As a player with no speed in a ballpark that robs him of hits and home runs and on a team that can’t afford his services much longer this seems just about the worst place for him.” This follows up Adrian’s comments that "I play in San Diego, but I’m not playing for the name across the jersey." One wonders how long the first part will remain true.

Rockies Fascinating story on Ubaldo Jimenez growing up in the Dominican Republic. His mom was a nurse and his sister is studying to be a doctor, so if baseball hadn’t come calling, it’s likely he would have entered the medical profession too. He said, "I used to love medicine… It’s something I grew up seeing. Every time people got sick, my mom would be the one who helped make them better." Now, it’s just the reverse: seeing Jimenez tends to make opposing hitters feel sick.

Mariners: The Mariners released their 2010 team commercials today, to much public approval...Rob Johnson caught five innings on Monday and moved around well, showing that he's made a good recovery from his countless offseason surgeries...the M's cut six more players from camp on Tuesday, including Dustin Ackley and Ezequiel Carrera...Mike Sweeney went 3-4 on Monday and is now batting 13-17 on the spring...the M's are off on Tuesday.

Athletics: Ben Sheets faced ten hitters on Monday and allowed all ten to reach, and became the first pitcher in the modern era to allow ten runs without recording an out...Rule 5 selection Bobby Cassevah was offered back to the Angels, his original team...Clayton Mortensen, Pedro Figueroa, and Fautino De Los Santos were re-assigned to minor league camp.

Angels: The Angels took Bobby Cassevah back from the A's. Cassevah was selected by Oakland in the Rule 5 Draft...Scott Kazmir, coming off a strained hamstring, made his spring debut on Monday and threw 2.1 innings...Kazmir has a new grip for his slider, using his middle finger instead of the usual index. Kazmir says the grip should increase his slider velocity and late movement while also helping to keep him healthy.

Rangers: T.R. Sullivan comes up with the Rangers' All-Decade team...the sale of the Rangers remains in limbo, as Hicks Sports Group creditors turned down Chuck Greenberg's latest proposal...rotation candidates C.J. Wilson and Neftali Feliz are both scheduled to throw four innings on Tuesday in big appearances for each...Josh Hamilton was hit on the hand by a pitch on Monday, but only has a bruise, and should return on Wednesday...Rich Harden, in a rough appearance on Monday, topped out at 93mph.

Royals: The Royals seem headed towards a number of questionable decisions regarding playing time. You can never have enough Bloomquist. Spring Training pictures and videos here. Royals Authority breaks down the spring training stats so far and discusses if they matter.

White Sox: The Hardball Times offers five questions on the White Sox, while the Sun Times looks at the roster.

Tigers: The Tigers like Austin Jackson, yet so is the very Germanic-sounding prospect Brennan Boesch. Are we sure he isn't a Twin?

Twins: The Hardball Times examines the Twins, discussing the Mauer contract rumors and Delmon Young, among other things. Twinkie Town/SB Nation preview the 2010 season, and Seth Speaks interviews Nate Hanson.

Indians: My kingdom for a regularly updated Indians blog! The Tribe have acquired RHP Omar Aguilar from the Brewers, while the official site looks at the roster crunch.

Pirates: Reliever Octavio Dotel, who has yet to pitch in a game this spring due to a strained oblique, pitched off a mound for the first time Monday, and was seen high-fiving teammates afterwards, usually a good indication that all went well. Dotel will likely pitch in a minor league game sometime this week and could see his first Grapefruit League action shortly thereafter.

Reds: Prospect Juan Francisco, who has played third base in 390 of his 395 career minor league games, is expected to start in left field Tuesday against the Diamondbacks. Francisco has very limited experience in the outfield but the Reds would love to find a place to stash his bat: He’s hit 75 home runs in the minors over the last three seasons.

Cardinals: Brad Penny dodged two bullets in his outing Monday, as he avoided serious injury while taking line drives off both his right forearm and left shin. He remained in the game and allowed three runs on six hits in 3.2 innings.

Cubs: Lou Piniella announced yesterday that Ryan Theriot will be the Cubs’ primary leadoff hitter this season, with Kosuke Fukudome batting second. Theriot is 11-for-20 at the plate this spring with two doubles and four stolen bases.

Astros: Rookie shortstop Tommy Manzella has a lot to learn in his first camp as a likely major leaguer, but he’s added to that work load a bit by attempting to learn some Japanese to better communicate with double play-partner Kazuo Matsui. Manzella says he’s already learned about 50 or 60 words, but still doesn’t know the word for "baseball."

Brewers: He’s 42 years old and entering his 18th major league season, so Trevor Hoffman has earned the right to slow things down a bit this spring. He pitched live BP for the first time on Monday, and will make his Cactus League debut on Friday. Hoffman opened the season on the DL with an oblique injury in 2009, so the Brewers are building him up at a more gradual pace this spring.