Red Sox slugger David Ortiz will miss at least one month with a wrist injury. AP

Around the Majors

• Insiders say the Rockies may not be far from starting to make trades or even considering an overhaul. Nobody would be considered untouchable, but if anyone has designs on Matt Holliday, they better start with at least two of their best young players.

• If any team can survive an extended absence by a star slugger, it's the Red Sox, who will be without David Ortiz for at least month after he suffered a wrist injury following what appeared to be a "normal'' swing over the weekend. They will benefit from still having four starting outfielders and never having found a trading partner for Coco Crisp. Boston will not consider Barry Bonds as a possible fill-in. "No,'' one Red Sox person answered succinctly when I inquired.

• According to that same exec, Daisuke Matsuzaka only needs to "strengthen'' his shoulder.

• Speaking of shoulders, John Smoltz will miss the rest of this season due to another surgery. He's still one of my five favorite players from this era -- a competitor, a warrior, a champion and definitely a Hall of Famer.

• As for a pitcher who doesn't make my top five, I loved the latest reports about Mike Hampton's "progress.'' Though the dispatches don't seem quite as breathless as the ones this spring that trumpeted Hampton's impending return, it still seems like a waste of time to pay attention to a pitcher who's done nothing worthwhile in years except for collecting paychecks.

• Bill Hall doesn't like idea of platooning and wants out of Milwaukee. But as one executive from another team noted, "He's not really a third baseman and his offense doesn't profile as a corner outfielder.'' Hall made a good call signing a big contract early, for $24 million over four years.

• What's even better about Jay Bruce is that he's considered a great kid. Reds insiders say that even though he's a phenom, Bruce -- who's down to .552 after going 1 for 3 at Philly -- is going along with all the stuff rookies are supposed to put up with. If he feels guilty about overshadowing Ken Griffey Jr.'s chase for homer No. 600, he shouldn't.

• Speaking of the Phillies, they appear to have a lot of fight in them. And if Carlos Quentin wasn't the best deal of the winter, then maybe Brad Lidge was.

• Pedro Martinez does still know how to put on a show, doesn't he?.

• Regarding Joba Chamberlain, that sure was a lot of hoopla for 2 1/3 innings.