Roundup

Griffey among early arrivals at Reds camp

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) -- Ken Griffey Jr. wants to make up for lost time.

Hobbled for much of last season, Griffey was among the early arrivals at camp for the Cincinnati Reds.

Griffey tore his left hamstring during spring training last year. He started the season as a pinch-hitter and went 0-for-12 before aggravating the injury and going on the disabled list for six weeks.

Griffey returned on June 15 and wound up hitting .286 in 111 games with 22 homers and 65 RBIs.

"I was hurt," he said Wednesday. "People look at my numbers and say, 'He didn't do much.' My whole thing is: You look at the numbers all the way back and go by that."

Griffey said he intensified his offseason workouts and did more work with weights to get the hamstring stronger.

Hudson out 2-3 weeks with ankle sprain

PHOENIX -- Oakland A's starter Tim Hudson will miss 2-to-3 weeks with a sprained left ankle.

Hudson returned to camp Wednesday sporting crutches and an ankle brace. X-rays showed Hudson had a second degree sprain.

"It's a lot better than yesterday," Hudson said. "The worse part are the crutches."

Hudson will be on crutches for the several days and hopes to be ready for the first week of the season.

"I feel it's not going to take that long to get ready," Hudson said. "I'd need a good two weeks of throwing batting practice to live hitters and playing in game situations to get prepared."

Hudson was 18-9 with a 3.37 ERA last year. He was a 20-game winner in 2000. Over the last three seasons, he's 49-17 with 3.61 ERA.

Smoltz throws without any problems

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Atlanta's John Smoltz, slowed this spring by a sore thumb, threw off the mound without pain for about 10 minutes Wednesday.

The right-hander, expected to be the Braves' closer after signing a three-year $30 million deal over the winter, had a staph infection after half the nail on his right thumb was removed last month.

"It's a lot better," Smoltz said. "There was no pain, and it's one step toward getting back in the routine."

Smoltz said he plans to throw again on Thursday.

Ramirez, Henderson miss first workout

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Manny Ramirez was a no-show at Boston's training camp Wednesday, an absence apparently unrelated to his problems adjusting to the Red Sox last season.

He just had to complete his physical, a spokesman for his agent, Jeff Moorad, said.

Manager Joe Kerrigan wasn't upset that his star missed the first full-squad workout because players don't have to report until Feb. 26 under the collective bargaining agreement.

"It's not an issue," Kerrigan said. "We got a call ahead of time. It's not like it was a surprise. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it."

He said the club was notified before the workout that Ramirez, Rickey Henderson and Juan Diaz would not show up Wednesday. The other 56 players expected in camp were present.

Ankiel sharp in 40-pitch workout

JUPITER, Fla. -- Rick Ankiel, trying to regain his control and make it back to the majors in 2002, got his season off to a good start.

The St. Louis Cardinals' left-hander threw 40 pitches in batting practice Wednesday at Roger Dean Stadium during the team's first full-squad practice, and looked sharp.

"Rick was awesome," catcher Mike Matheny said. "He really looked great."

Ankiel threw to an assortment of minor league hitters. Only three of the 40 pitches were hit, two weakly to shortstop and one sharply to the same spot. More importantly, all the pitches were around the plate.

"I felt OK," Ankiel said. "I'm happy with the way I pitched today."

Shinjo arrives to media circus

Dressed in jeans, a tight-fitting red T-shirt, red sunglasses and his hair dyed a light chestnut color, San Francisco's new center fielder pushed through a crowd of Japanese photographers and reporters as he exited his van.

After a quick look at the field, Shinjo made his way upstairs to a press conference that included over 20 Japanese photographers and reporters.

Shinjo was asked if he knew why he was being treated in such a royal manner.

"Why me?" Shinjo said. "I don't understand why I get this attention. I take it as a positive, though, that people seem to pay attention to me."

Delgado wants to forget 2001

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Carlos Delgado is done thinking about 2001.

"I think last year was a bad year all together, on the field and off the field," he said Wednesday after reporting to the Toronto Blue Jays. "It was something you don't want to remember. It was a horrible year, something you want to put behind. We have a brand new team and it's a fresh start, I am looking forward to the challenge."

Delgado hit .279 with 39 homers and 102 RBIs year, a huge drop from 2000, when he batted .344 with 41 homers and 137 RBIs.

Of the 47 players in camp, 13 weren't with the Blue Jays last year. During the offseason, Toronto traded Billy Koch, Paul Quantrill, Alex Gonzalez and Brad Fulmer.

"It's a fun bunch of guys," Delgado said, "but we're still in the process of getting to know each other."

Wells making more progress

TAMPA, Fla. -- David Wells reported no problems after throwing 45 pitches in batting practice Wednesday.

It was the first time the left-hander has faced hitters since back surgery last July.

"I'm delighted it's working out so far," Wells said. "I didn't feel anything, and that's a good sign."

Wells threw off a mound twice before Wednesday's 10-minute session.

"From what I've seen, he seems to be with everybody else," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "I'm encouraged by what I've seen."

Tigers, Macias agree to two-year contract

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Utilityman Jose Macias and the Detroit Tigers agreed Wednesday to a two-year contract worth about $1.2 million.

Macias, 28, was not eligible for arbitration. He saw time at second and third base and all three outfield positions last season, eventually settling in at center field. Macias hit .268, was fourth on the team with 131 hits and second with 21 steals.

His deal calls for salaries of about $375,000 this year and $800,000 in 2003.

Detroit also agreed to one-year contracts with right-handers Jeff Farnsworth and Kris Keller, left-hander Mike Maroth and outfielder Andres Torres.

The Tigers selected Farnsworth, 26, from the Seattle organization in December's rule major league draft.

Healthy, rested Mercker bids for Rockies job

TUCSON, Ariz. -- A year out of baseball convinced Kent Mercker he wanted to be back in.

Completely recovered from the cerebral hemorrhage he suffered on the mound in May 2000, Mercker is bidding for a job in the Colorado Rockies bullpen.

Mercker has an exemplary record in Denver, going 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA in eight appearances -- six of them starts -- at both Mile High Stadium and Coors Field. At Coors alone, he is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA.

"I think half of the battle in pitching in Denver is not being overwhelmed that you're pitching in Denver," Mercker said Wednesday. "Even though the ball carries, you've got to stay aggressive. A lot of guys think they can't throw a fastball on a 2-0 count there, that they have to make some weird pitch. You can still throw fastballs, you just have to throw them in a good spot."

Retired Buhner takes on new role with Mariners

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Jay Buhner looked a little out of place Wednesday at the Seattle Mariners spring training facility.

Instead of going through drills and running sprints on the first day of full team workouts like he did for the past 14 seasons, the newly retired Buhner was on the sidelines most of the time.

He laughed with the media and shared observations with the coaching staff. Buhner will serve as a "coach extraordinaire," as manager Lou Piniella put it, for the Mariners and their minor league teams this season -- with a limited role as an announcer.

His role is not the only thing that's changed. Buhner, a known prankster who retired this offseason, was assigned uniform No. 91. He wore No. 19 in his playing days.

"It could have been an area code," Buhner said.

Wunsch comeback slowed by hamstring strain

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Kelly Wunsch's comeback from shoulder surgery was sidetracked Wednesday -- at least briefly -- when the Chicago White Sox reliever hurt his right hamstring during spring drills.

"My first thought is, 'OK, it's not my arm,'" said Wunsch, who led the American League with 83 appearances two years ago as a rookie. "I don't want to get a reputation as a guy who gets hurt a lot. This is just a freakish thing."

Wunsch, who will undergo treatment and take anti-inflammatory drugs, hopes to miss just a couple of throwing sessions. The injury was described as a moderate strain and he'll be re-evaluated Thursday, when the White Sox full squad reports for spring training.

Wunsch was running to cover home plate during a drill that simulates what a pitcher does after throwing a wild pitch. He felt the hamstring give and had to be taken to the clubhouse on a golf cart.

Cone in no hurry to return

TAMPA, Fla.-- David Cone has no immediate plans to pitch, but has not ruled out a return later this season.

"I'm not officially retired," Cone said. "I'm not going to play right now. If something comes down the road, I'll be ready."

Cone visited with former teammates and manager Joe Torre Wednesday at the New York Yankees' spring training camp.

"He's a winner," Torre said. ":He seems to be in good spirits."

The Yankees have not contacted Cone about a job.

Cone said several teams have contacted him about attending spring training. But, he has opted to see if an opportunity to start for a contending team develops.

Boston signs Cuban defector

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Boston Red Sox agreed Wednesday to a minor league contract with Andy Morales, a Cuban defector who played for the New York Yankees' organization last year.

Morales is the subject of a players' association grievance over a $4.5 million, four-year contract he signed with the Yankees, who later said the third baseman was three years older than he claimed.

Morales left Cuba in July 2000 and said he was 26 when he signed with the Yankees last March 11.

He is best known for his three-run homer for Cuba's national team in a 12-6 exhibition win over Baltimore at Camden Yards in 1999.

Morales, who will work out in Boston's minor league camp, spent two weeks in spring training last year with the Yankees.

Twins' Mays determined to avoid letdown

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- It's a familiar story in sports. Player has breakthrough season, gets big contract, has even bigger letdown.

Minnesota starter Joe Mays is confident he can avoid that pratfall.

"I just don't want to be characterized as one of those guys," said Mays, who went 17-13 last season with a 3.16 ERA that was third best in the American League.

His efforts earned him a four-year, $20 million deal that was finalized in January.

"There are a lot of people where once you sign that contract, sometimes you back off a little bit," Mays said. "I want to be a guy that comes in and is able to get on the same boat I was on last year, having fun, throwing strikes."

Rangers reach agreements with lamb, Myette

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Third baseman Mike Lamb, Texas' likely starter, was one of four players who signed one-year contracts with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.

Right-handed pitcher Aaron Myette, who has an outside shot at a spot in the starting rotation, outfielder Jason Romano and infielder Jason Hart also signed contracts.

Acquired from Oakland in January, Hart batted .247 with 19 homers and 75 RBI in 134 games at Sacramento. Romano hit .242 with one homer and 19 RBI in 46 games at Tulsa and hit .315 with four homers and 13 RBI in 41 games at Oklahoma.

 

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