Baseball America

Zunino Builds On Father's Foundation

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:33:41 EST

Content: PEORIA, Ariz.—As far back as he can remember, Mike Zunino was hanging around ballparks, tagging along with his father Greg, a scout with the Marlins back then. "He was always watching, asking questions, wanting to know why things were happening," said Greg, who is still based in Florida but now scouts for the Reds. And Mike was paying attention. "When he first got to tee ball, he was a little advanced," Greg remembered. "One day they are playing catch and he says, 'Coach, when are we going to take infield?' " The father laughed. The kid was serious. "He always wanted to get better," Greg said. And he has. A 29th-round draft choice of the Athletics when he came out of Cape Coral (Fla.) High in 2009, Mike opted instead to attend the University of Florida. Three years later—after going from 6 feet, 185 pounds, to 6-foot-2, 220 pounds—Zunino was the first-round selection of the Mariners, the third overall pick. He made such an impressive pro debut last summer that the Mariners invited him to major league spring training, where he has a chance to accelerate his development because of his exposure to big league players and the big league . . .

Athletics Trade Parker To Brewers For Byrd

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:46:42 EST

Content: << Trade Central 2013 . . .

Bullpen Delivers Dominican Championship

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 03:11:19 EST

Content: SAN FRANCISCO—As general manager for the Dominican Republic's entry in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, Moises Alou knew what kind of talent pool he had at his disposal, its strengths and weaknesses. As was the case with virtually every WBC team, the Dominican didn't get everyone that it wanted, or all of its top players. What it got, Alou believed, would be plenty good enough if certain things broke the Dominicans' way, the way they did at AT&T Park in the championship game, a 3-0 victory against Puerto Rico to win the International Baseball Federation's world championship. "(Orioles bullpen coach) Bill Castro was asking me if we were a little short of starting pitching," Alou said. "I said, 'You know what? I've been to every single WBC and (too little starting pitching) hasn't been a problem.' Teams win with bullpens.� We won every game; we kept winning so we kept getting days off, so everybody fell right into their turn in the rotation. "We knew what we had. My only worry was if we lost one game, that we would have to play back-to-back. Tonight was our first time going back to back, and that was huge, that was clutch. . . .

Trap's View: Eye In The Sky

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:44:41 EST

Content: . . .

Pawelek Pops Back Up As Dutch Team Reliever

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:43:17 EST

Content: SAN FRANCISCO—All things considered, Mark Pawelek would rather be a baseball player. After all, he's tried working customer service as a gas station. He's tried being a door-to-door salesman. And he's tried baseball player. The 26-year-old, who was the Cubs' first-round pick in 2005, likes baseball player best among those occupations, and it's what he's done in March for the Netherlands' World Baseball Classic team. Who wouldn't? It's not just the $1.75 million signing bonus the Cubs gave him when they picked him 20th overall in 2005, making him the highest-drafted prep player in Utah history. But Pawelek's career never went as planned with the Cubs. Pawelek was released in spring training in 2009 by the Cubs, pitched in the Reds system for a year and then was released again. In 2010, he walked 15 in 8.2 innings in the independent Frontier League. The lefthander says his problems throwing strikes, which basically drove him out of the game, were mostly mental, not physical. "It wasn't an injury. I was released by the Reds, and I'd been doing this game a long time," he said. "And I was mentally exhausted. Things didn't work out the way I had hoped they would. . . .

Ochinko Still Catching On For Jays

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:35:20 EST

Content: DUNEDIN, Fla.—Catching is not a new position to Sean Ochinko, but for most of his baseball career he has combined it with playing first or third base. So the transition to full-time catcher has taken time. "I think he's made tremendous progress," roving catching instructor Sal Fasano said. "Right now as a receiver, he could probably receive in the big leagues. But there is a lot of stuff, because he is new to the position, where it's a little bit difficult because you don't have the reps: the blocking, the throwing to second base, even calling the game." The Blue Jays drafted Ochinko in the 11th round in 2009 out of Louisiana State. "Sean kind of did it part-time when he was in college and he didn't get a chance to call his own game, so in the minors it was a process of how do we get him to learn that part of it," said Fasano, who was Ochinko's manager at low Class A Lansing in 2010 and Double-A New Hampshire last season. "He's got way more upside still, so I'm not sure where his ceiling lays. "If he gets the timing with the blocking and the timing of . . .

Ramirez Won't Be First Option For Yankees

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:21:25 EST

Content: TAMPA—A lot of things would have to go wrong for Jose Ramirez to surface in the major leagues this season. The 23-year-old from Yaguate, Dominican Republic—the same hometown of injured Yankees righthander Michael Pineda—has never pitched above high Class A Tampa. When spring training opened, the Yankees had six pitchers and five spots in the rotation, and Adam Warren and Brett Marshall each enter this season with more minor league experience than Ramirez. Yet the big leagues should eventually be a destination for the slender righthander ticketed for Double-A Trenton this season. "He has arm strength and commands the bottom of the strike zone pretty well, he has a good changeup and his slider is improving from what I understand," major league pitching coach Larry Rothschild said early in spring training. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Ramirez throws a 96 mph fastball that helped him fan 94 batters in 99 innings last year at Tampa, while going 7-6, 3.19 in 21 games. The performance was a marked improvement from the previous season, when he posted a 5-12, 5.66 record in 99 innings between low Class A Charleston and Tampa. It earned him a spot on the 40-man roster for the first time. . . .

Bringing Heat Not Necessary For Boston's Hernandez

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:13:30 EST

Content: FORT MYERS, Fla.—Chris Hernandez does not light up the radar gun. And he's fine with that—for good reason. In two full seasons since the Red Sox tabbed him in the seventh round of the 2010 draft out of Miami, the 24-year-old lefthander has been as consistent as any pitcher in the organization. He has a 3.23 ERA in 52 games (51 starts), having taken the ball every five days and almost unfailingly producing a solid outing despite relatively low strikeout numbers (5.6 per nine innings in his career). In 2012, between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket, Hernandez logged 146 innings with a 3.26 ERA, 5.5 strikeouts and 3.3 walks per nine. Instead of relying on velocity, he mixes an 85-89 mph fastball with a cutter, curveball and changeup, demonstrating purpose and understanding of every pitch he throws. "They all move. Nothing stays straight," said Hernandez, Baseball America's 2008 Freshman of the Year while at Miami. "I play with both sides of the plate and just kind of keep it moving away from the bat, get the worst contact I possibly can. I think (pitching at that velocity) just takes a mentality of understanding what kind of pitcher you are and . . .

Wait Is Over For Orioles' Urrutia

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:09:32 EST

Content: SARASOTA, Fla.—The wait for Henry Urrutia is over, and it took just seven months. The Cuban outfielder, who agreed to terms with the Orioles last July, obtained his work visa and was able to leave Haiti. He arrived in Miami in late February and took his physical in Sarasota. Urrutia agreed to a $778,500 bonus from the Orioles over the summer, but he hadn't been paid because the club couldn't get him into the U.S. The original planned called for him to open this season at Double-A Bowie. "He needs to get in shape and we need to see how far along he is," general manager Dan Duquette said. "He needs to get the rust off. I'm not sure how much he was able to train in Haiti." Urrutia, 26, batted .397/.461/.597 with 12 homers, 32 walks and 23 strikeouts in 305 at-bats in his final season in Cuba. He played for Las Tunas in Serie Nacional from 2006-10 and batted .350 with 72 doubles, nine triples, 33 home runs, 219 RBIs and 209 runs. The 6-foot-4 switch-hitter didn't play in 2011 due to a suspension after an unsuccessful attempt at defection. That's what Duquette means by "rust." Orioles manager . . .

Puerto Rico Goes On Without Vazquez

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:10:10 EST

Content: SAN FRANCISCO—Javier Vazquez accompanied Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez to AT&T Park's interview room before Sunday's World Baseball Classic semifinal. Had Puerto Rico added the veteran righthander as an injury replacement/reinforcement? It seemed plausible that perhaps Vazquez, who had been on the Puerto Rican preliminary roster, had recovered sufficiently from his late January knee surgery to give it a go. Considering the plight of Puerto Rico's pitching—it will start minor league vet Mario Santiago tonight against Japan—it seemed plausible. When a reporter asked Vazquez what it's like to throw to a catcher the caliber of Yadier Molina, Vazquez ended any speculation. "Well," he said, "I'm not throwing to him. But he's definitely the best." Later, Vazquez added, "I've been preparing for the World Classic with this purpose in mind, and well, it couldn't happen. Of course I'm sad. But this team has played so well. I'm here with the team and the boys are doing a great job. The pitchers are doing a great job. "And Santiago's been a great pitcher. He's been a winner. I think that I'm waiting for so much great stuff from him, and I think that we have a pitcher who is great." In reality, . . .

Emotion, Absentees Don't Explain Team USA's WBC Exit

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 12:52:38 EST

Content: BOSTON—They barely even made it out of the first round of the World Baseball Classic. Their offense looked lackluster in pool play, where their ace got the early hook in his first start and their No. 2 starter didn't have his regular-season velocity. They needed a late-inning rally to beat a heavy underdog and barely edged another one just to make it to the second round. Most of the damage the offense did at the tournament came against marginal pitching. It's hard to win the WBC when you're fielding a team without several of your country's top players, but on top of it, the players who were there showed little outward emotion. And in the end, they're headed to San Francisco. No, that's not Team USA. That would be Japan, the two-time reigning WBC champions. The story arcs around Team USA's second-round exit from the WBC are easy to generate. They lost because they didn't have their best players. They lost because they didn't care as much as the other countries. They didn't play with energy or passion. Those explanations simply don't hold up. Plenty Of Talent Yes, Team USA didn't have its perfect-world roster, but it still had a . . .

Japan Gets Comfortable With Pressure

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 00:08:23 EST

Content: SAN FRANCISCO—Japanese media made for an overflow crowd in the interview room at AT&T Park, and when pitcher Kenta Maeda and manager Koji Yamamoto walked in, the sound of all the cameras firing at the same time had to be distracting, even for a player and manager used to all the attention. The first question directed at Yamamoto was about the pressure of expectations, considering Japan has won the first two World Baseball Classics. Yamamoto betrayed no emotion in his answer. "I have been feeling the pressure from the first pool," he said (via a translator). "And I have survived up to here." Indeed, Japan lost to Cuba in the round robin of Pool A, but it went undefeated in the second round of Pool 1 and enters the semifinals confident and favored against upstart Puerto Rico, which has advanced to its first WBC semifinals. The first pitch at their game Sunday at 9 p.m. ET will feature legends from both sides. Puerto Rico's Orlando Cepeda, whose play for the Giants earned him a statue outside AT&T Park, will be involved in the pregame ceremonies while Yamamoto's predecessors as Japan's WBC managers—all-time home run king Sadaharu Oh , who managed . . .

Semifinal Berth Represents Next Step For Honkbal

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 20:27:53 EST

Content: SAN FRANCISCO—Rob Cordemans has been on the Netherlands' national team since the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. That's a lot of honkbal (the Dutch word for baseball). Seventeen years later, he's still a significant factor for the team, earning a win and a loss for the Dutch in the first two rounds of the World Baseball Classic. He's likely to pitch for the Honkballers here at AT&T Park, though Dutch manager Hensley Meulens did not say who his starter would be for the team's Monday semifinal matchup against the Dominican Republic. Meulens, the Giants' big league hitting coach, did say his newest player, Rangers prospect Jurickson Profar, would play second base and bat second as the Dutch chase a WBC championship to go with the 2011 World Cup title they won when Cordemans beat Cuba, pitching into the eighth inning. "It's a great honor to be in this ballpark where I work," said Meulens, the batting coach for the Giants. "We've won championships two of the last three years, wearing the same colors that we're wearing now. So it's very special." Cordemans isn't surprised the Dutch are in this position while the United States is home. But having seen the evolution . . .

WBC Finals Preview: Puerto Rico

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 11:20:13 EST

Content: Manager: Edwin Rodriguez. WBC History: This is Puerto Rico's first trip to the semifinals, but the club has had its moments in the World Baseball Classic before. In 2006, Puerto Rico was one of three teams to finish the first round undefeated, as they handled all comers, including international power Cuba. But in the second round, Puerto Rico went 1-2 and was knocked out when it lost its rematch to Cuba 4-3. It was a similar story in 2009. Puerto Rico again went undefeated in the first round, but again fell just short in the second round. Puerto Rico run-ruled the U.S. 11-1 in its second round opener, but a 2-0 loss to Venezuela, followed by a 6-5 loss to the U.S. in a loser bracket rematch sent Puerto Rico home. But Puerto Rico's 8-4 WBC lifetime record heading into this year's tournament is a sign of how well this team has played in previous WBC's. How They Got Here: It wasn't easy for the Puerto Ricans. Playing a pool with the Dominican Republic, Spain and Venezuela, Puerto Rico was a heavy underdog. Instead a 6-3 win over Venezuela ensured a spot in the second round, although a loss to . . .

WBC Finals Preview: Dominican Republic

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 11:17:19 EST

Content: Manager: Tony Pena. WBC History: The Dominican Republic's run to the World Baseball Classic semifinals is helping to erase bad memories from 2009. A heavy favorite in the first-round's Pool D that year, the Dominicans lost their opener to the Netherlands. They did rally to beat Panama, but a rematch with the Dutch produced no better result, as the Dominicans were eliminated after only three games. The Dominican Republic club fared much better in 2006. It went 3-0 in the first round, then earned a spot in the semifinals by going 2-1 with wins over Cuba and Venezuela. The Dominican Republic's run ended there as Cuba won a rematch 3-1 thanks to Pedro Luis Lazo's 4 2/3 innings of relief work. How They Got Here: At 5-0, the Dominicans are the only undefeated team left in this year's WBC. The Dominican Republic went 3-0 in a pool that included Venezuela, Spain and Puerto Rico, then knocked off Italy and the U.S. in the second round to earn a spot in the semifinals. The Lineup It's not the 1927 Yankees or the 1975 Reds, but it's hard to complain about a lineup that features Robinson Cano, Hanley Ramirez, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose . . .

WBC Finals Preview: The Netherlands

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:43:00 EST

Content: Manager: Hensley Meulens. WBC History: The Netherlands went 1-2 in pool play in the 2006 WBC and didn't advance from the first round. Three years later, the Dutch made it to the second round by beating the Dominican Republic twice in pool play, though they lost to Venezuela and the United States in their only second-round games in 2009. How They Got Here: Don't underestimate the Dutch national team. After delivering a knockout blow to the Dominican Republic in 2009, the Netherlands beat South Korea 5-0 in its first WBC game this year in Taiwan and went 2-1 in Pool B to advance to the second round in Tokyo. That's where the Netherlands beat Cuba 6-2 and 7-6 to bounce the Cubans from the tournament, though the Dutch lost both games to fellow semifinalist Japan by 16-4 and 10-6 margins. The Lineup The Netherlands won't have the most firepower among the lineups in San Francisco, but they do have the most exciting young players to watch. They're led by Braves 23-year-old shortstop Andrelton Simmons, a dynamic threat who brings outstanding defense and a quality bat to the top of the lineup. The biggest boost for the Netherlands will be the . . .

Trap's View: 2013 Season Preview

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:54:00 EST

Content: . . .

WBC Finals Preview: Japan

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:24:48 EST

Content: Manager: Koji Yamamoto WBC History: Japan captured the inaugural WBC championship with a victory over Cuba in the finals in 2006, then defended its title in 2009 with an extra-inning victory over South Korea in the championship game. The Japanese are 17-6 all-time in WBC games. How They Got Here: Japan and Cuba were the heavy favorites to make it out of Pool A in Fukuoka. Japan didn't make it look easy, however, needing a late-inning rally to beat Brazil, beating China 5-2 and losing to the Cubans to go 2-1 in the first round. The Japanese needed another late rally before edging Taiwan 4-3 in 10 innings in their second round opener, but then they put a 16-4 beatdown on the Netherlands before defeating the Dutch again, 10-6, to go 3-0 in the second round. The Lineup Catcher Shinnosuke Abe didn't start in Japan's first game of the WBC against Brazil due to knee soreness, but any lingering issues he's having seem to have worn off. Abe, who turns 34 next week, is Japan's captain and the team's best hitter. Abe won the MVP award last season in the Central League of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, hitting .340/.429/.565 with . . .

Relaxation Keys Breakout For A's Crocker

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:04:57 EST

Content: PHOENIX—Sometimes, a ballplayer can just try too hard. From the time Bobby Crocker signed with the Athletics after being their fourth-round pick in 2011 out of Cal Poly, he worked so hard and played with such intensity that he often lost the looseness needed to thrive on the baseball field. "He was a very intense player that never really freed up to let his muscles to react, to be free and easy as a hitter," farm director Keith Lieppman said. "He sometimes got locked into his swing and didn't react to the late movement (of the pitch)." That started changing at instructional league last year. "He learned to breathe, to react and trust his swing," Lieppman said. "He made huge adjustments; I think that's one of the hardest adjustments a hitter has to make." The A's will be most excited to see how the newly relaxed Crocker thrives this year. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, he is big, strong and fast, with a good feel for defense in the outfield. He plays center effectively, but probably profiles best in left because his arm grades out as average. Crocker hit .268/.347/.369 with 109 strikeouts and 39 walks in 406 at-bats with low . . .

Springer Could Arrive In Houston Sooner Than Expected

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:57:26 EST

Content: KISSIMMEE, Fla.—George Springer isn't just ahead of schedule. He could become the Astros' first real building block. The 23-year-old center fielder smacked two rocket-like home runs during his first-ever spring training start, going 3-for-6 during his initial four games with seven RBIs, four runs and two walks. Granted, Springer has never played above Double-A and the No. 11 overall pick of the 2011 draft out of Connecticut is likely to spend the majority of 2013 at Triple-A Oklahoma City. But the 6-foot-3, 200-pound outfielder's alluring combination of power, speed and natural instinct has Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow—who's often preached patience developing the club's top minor leaguers—considering Springer for the majors earlier than expected. "With a prospect like George, we'll put him in the right place for him," Luhnow said. "We won't put him in a place because of five other players we're trying to shift around." Luhnow acknowledged Springer, who hit .316/.398/.557 with high Class A Lancaster before a late-season callup to Double-A in 2012, might be best suited to begin 2013 in Corpus Christi. But if he continues to impress the Astros during spring training, the organization is open to accelerating his path with an eye on 2014. . . .

Angels' Calhoun Looking For Opportunity

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:48:22 EST

Content: TEMPE, Ariz.—Kole Calhoun doesn't have the kind of eye-popping skills that would make him a top prospect, but he has enough tools to help the Angels in a reserve role. That could make this a season of uncertainty—and limited growth—for the 25-year-old outfielder, who would benefit from playing every day at Triple-A but might spend much of 2013 on the bench in the big leagues. "At this point in his career, Kole is looking for opportunity, and his growth will come facing major league pitching," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "There's only so much you're going to learn playing Triple-A. You have to carve a spot for yourself, and that's what he's trying to do." The lefthanded-hitting Calhoun, an eighth-round pick out of Arizona State in 2010 hit .298/.369/.507 with 14 home runs, 30 doubles, seven triples and 73 RBIs in 410 at-bats with Salt Lake last season. The 5-foot-10, 190-pounder is an excellent defender at three outfield spots and a good baserunner and bunter, as he showed in a 21-game big league cameo last season. But with Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton and Peter Bourjos entrenched in the Angels outfield and Mark Trumbo and Vernon Wells in reserve, there isn't . . .

Pineyro's Recovery From Serious Injury Impresses Nats

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:40:16 EST

Content: VIERA, Fla.—Ivan Pineyro took a line drive to the jaw and came back as strong as ever. Now the 21-year-old righthander is on track to make a full-season team for the first time. At extended spring training last year, Pineyro was impressing organization officials with his command and poise. Then came his injury, which hardly set him back as he zipped through the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League before making eight starts with short-season Auburn. "He didn't bat an eyelash," Auburn pitching coach Sam Narron said. "I was there when he got hit. All of his outings—even that one—had been very good. He was throwing strikes and getting a lot of weak contact. "The next thing you know, the ball caught him right in the jaw and he's writhing in pain." Narron, who had a line drive hit him in the face when he pitched at Class A, put together a 10-year professional career and pitched in one game for the 2004 Rangers. He saw just how tough Pineyro was by the time the two were together with the Doubledays. Pineyro had continued to long-toss when his jaw was wired shut. He was out six weeks before going 0-0, 2.38 in . . .

Phillies' Pettibone Will Polish Repertoire At Triple-A

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:30:46 EST

Content: CLEARWATER, Fla.—Jonathan Pettibone was not part of the winning team at the Phillies' annual spring training golf outing, but he came away with a winning experience. The 22-year-old righthander had some laughs and picked up some pitching wisdom in a foursome that included 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, two-time Cy Young winner Roy Halladay and six-year veteran Kyle Kendrick. "I was on cloud nine the whole day," Pettibone said. "It was great just to talk to those guys." Pettibone, added to the 40-man roster in November, had some history with Hamels. Both were scouted as prep stars by Darrell Conner in Southern California. The Phillies selected Pettibone in the third round of the 2008 draft, and shortly afterward Hamels phoned Pettibone and the two had a nice conversation. Later that summer, Pettibone passed on a chance to pitch for Southern California and signed for $500,000. "At the time it was a tough decision," he recalled. "I always loved (USC). That was my dream school. But sitting here in this locker room, I can say I made the right call." Pettibone went 13-8, 3.10 in 160 innings last season between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he learned a . . .

Mariners' Catricala Refocused For 2013

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:29:53 EST

Content: PEORIA, Ariz.—Last spring, all eyes in Mariners camp were on Vinnie Catricala. He had exploded onto the scene in 2011, hitting a combined .349/.421/.601 with 101 runs, 77 extra-base hits and 106 RBIs in 521 at-bats combined between Double-A Jackson and high Class A High Desert. The Mariners named him their minor league player of the year, and Catricala seemed to be on the fast track to the major leagues. But 2012 turned out to be a disaster. Catricala struggled all season with Triple-A Tacoma, hitting just .229/.292/.348. He hit 10 homers, down from 25 the previous year, while his RBIs dropped to 60. Catricala, a 10th-round pick by the Mariners in 2009 out of Hawaii, admits now that being so close to the major leagues played with his head. "I just tried to do too many things, trying to make it happen," he said. "I felt like I was so close, I'm just going to make it happen. I just went the complete other way. It was a learning experience, definitely." In fact, Catricala now believes, as he performs in his second major league camp, that his struggles will be a long-term benefit. "I ended up learning a lot . . .

Gallo's Power A Must-See In Rangers Camp

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:26:28 EST

Content: SURPRISE, Ariz.—Rangers pitchers throw live batting practice beginning with the first workout each spring, and those pitchers in big league camp need hitters to face. The second workout last month gave 19-year-old Joey Gallo the opportunity to face pitchers vying for spots on the Opening Day roster. It also gave many coaches and players the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the 6-foot-5, 205-pound power-hitting third baseman for the first time after hearing about his exploits last summer. Gallo didn't disappoint, hitting three home runs during the session. Two of those came against Evan Meek, the former National League all-star in camp on a minor league deal. For Gallo, it was just another day in what has become a quick rise to prospect stardom. To his credit, between all the home runs, he has remained humble and has set the realistic goal of starting 2013 at low Class A Hickory. "I really don't try to get into the expectation thing," said Gallo, the 39th overall pick in last year's draft. "I go out there, and whatever happens is going to happen. Everybody's going to have different expectations for you. I set high expectations, and my goal is to be the . . .