Seattle right-hander Brandon Morrow may have to pitch out of the bullpen to get his work in this spring.
Morrow, who is projected to be the Mariners' fifth starter, has
been slowed by a stiff forearm in training camp and hasn't pitched
in a Cactus League game since March 1. There are concerns the
24-year-old's arm won't be strong enough to handle the rigors of
starting when the regular season begins April 6.
Manager Don Wakamatsu in the past has shot down talk of using
Morrow in the bullpen, but now is keeping his options open.
Wakamatsu said Saturday that he thinks it will come down to the
last week of camp, to see how much Morrow progresses, before he can
decide whether he will be a starter.
GLAVINE NEARING ROTATION SPOT (7:56 p.m. ET)
Tom Glavine knows the end of his career is in sight and he wants to leave on his own terms.
The Atlanta Braves lefty pitched three pain-free innings against his former team in his first start this spring, allowing only two hits Saturday in a 12-1 win over the New York Mets.
Glavine had thrown a simulated game Monday and said he felt as though he'd be ready to join the rotation in about a month.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has 305 wins, but he started a career-low 13 games last year, going 2-4 before his season was cut short due to elbow surgery. Glavine, who will turn 43 on Wednesday, contemplated retirement but said he wasn't quite finished.
YOUKILIS ON WAY BACK, DREW OUT (6:38 p.m. ET)
Kevin Youkilis could rejoin the Boston Red Sox lineup on Monday after giving his sprained left ankle more time to lead. J.D. Drew could need more time to get back on the field after bruising a hand when getting hit by a pitch.
Youkilis returned to the Red Sox on Wednesday from the World Baseball Classic with a mild sprain and mild Achilles tendinitis in his left foot. The first baseman had been wearing a hard plastic boot, then was examined Saturday by team physician Dr. Peter Asnis and took batting practice while wearing running shoes.
"He can maybe get a couple of at-bats on Monday," manager Terry Francona before his team's game against the Marlins in Jupiter. "We certainly don't want this to linger."
Drew did not participate in an on-field workout Saturday, a day after he was hit on the right hand by a Donnie Veal pitch. X-rays Friday were negative.
"Just kind of hang out until it feels well enough to start swinging and stuff," Drew said. "It feels pretty good, just stiff and sore from the bruise. But fortunately, it doesn't look like it's broke or anything. Hopefully, I don't have any issues when I start coming back to swing."
Francona said the team will proceed cautiously.
"It will be completely day to day on how he feels and how quickly the bruise doesn't feel bruised," the manager said.
UPTON HIT BY PITCH, BUT SHOULD BE OK (6:37 p.m. ET)
Tampa Bay's B.J. Upton was hit by a pitch on the left hand during a minor league game, however the Rays don't believe it's a serious injury.
X-rays were negative Saturday. The defending AL champions said the center fielder has a bone bruise and described his status as day to day. Upton has been limited throughout spring training while rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery.
The 24-year-old played most of last year with an injured left shoulder that affected his production at the plate. He had surgery shortly after the World Series and has yet to appear in a major league exhibition this spring training.
CHAVEZ GETS THE GO-AHEAD (4:25 p.m. ET)
Eric Chavez has been cleared to take batting practice for the first time in nearly two weeks.
Chavez, rehabbing from shoulder surgery, was tested Saturday using pulleys and swinging a bat without a ball. Chavez had not swung a bat since a setback on March. 8.
In other A's news, left-hander Dallas Braden was scratched from his scheduled start in Saturday's split-squad game against the Mariners at Peoria. Braden had a root canal operation on Friday and was not ready to pitch. He was rescheduled for Sunday against the White Sox.
LHP PARRISH TO UNDERGO SHOULDER SURGERY(3:57 p.m. ET)
Left-hander John Parrish will return to Baltimore for exploratory arthroscopic procedure on his sore pitching shoulder.
Parrish, with the Orioles on a minor league contract, hasn't pitched during spring training because of the shoulder injury.
The 31-year-old was 1-1 with a 4.04 ERA last year for Toronto in six starts and seven relief appearances.
NATIONALS SIGN CATCHER BARD (3:22 p.m. ET)
The Washington Nationals signed catcher Josh Bard to a minor-league deal on Saturday, adding another veteran to compete for the backup job behind Jesus Flores.
Bard was released by the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, and will join the Nationals' big league camp. He would make $600,000 this year if he makes the major league team.
The 30-year-old catcher played 57 games for San Diego last season, hitting .202 with a home run and 16 RBIs. His best season came in 2006, when he hit .338 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 93 games for the Padres.
Wil Nieves caught 68 games as the Nationals' backup last season, and figured to have a roster spot locked up until Washington signed Bard. The two will now compete for the backup spot.
DREW, YOUKILIS TO RETURN SOON (2:17 p.m. ET)
Right fielder J.D. Drew was held out of the Boston Red Sox's lineup with an injured right hand Saturday, a day after getting hit by a pitch from Pirates left-hander Donnie Veal.
"It'll be day-to-day on how he feels, and how quickly the bruise doesn't feel bruised," manager Terry Francona said, according to MLB.com.
First baseman Kevin Youkilis, who returned this week to Fort Myers, Fla., from the World Baseball Classic with a mild sprained ankle and mild Achilles tendinitis in his left foot, took batting practice and fielded ground balls Saturday.
Youkilis could return to live games as soon as Monday, MLB.com reported.
"We'll see about that," Francona said. "Since he's in the boot and not feeling too good, we certainly don't want this to linger, so I'll talk to Youk and the medical people about that."
HUGHES AMONG 6 SENT TO MINOR LEAGUE CAMP (2:01 p.m. ET)
Phil Hughes was among six right-handed pitchers the New York Yankees sent down Saturday to their minor league spring training camp.
"I told him that he had a great camp and to keep working," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said of Hughes, according to MLB.com. "We told him about all the things that we saw and what he needs to continue to work on.
"He's in a great frame of mind. He knows he did great here, but he also knows that it's not in his best interest to now be held back."
Hughes joined Anthony Claggett, and Steven Jackson, who were sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Humberto Sanchez was shipped to Double-A Trenton, while Sergio Mitre and Jason Johnson were also shipped to the Yankees' minor league camp.
"Because his pitch count continues to climb, there's no innings to provide here," Cashman said of Hughes.
GARDENHIRE BACKS LHP MIJARES (11:12 a.m. ET)
The Minnesota Twins are standing behind the left-handed Jose Mijares despite a shaky spring in which he's recorded a 11.37 ERA.
"What we need to do is get him straightened out, right here," manager Ron Gardenhire said, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I can always throw problems to somebody else, and not try to do it ourselves right here before we break camp.
"But he's a pretty good arm, and if we can figure this out, we'll be a better baseball team."
Gardenhire had been critical of Mijares, hinting of a connection to his performance and a lack of conditioning.
The rookie continued to struggle Friday, going to a 3-0 count on three Yankees hitters and allowing a home run to Todd Linden and singles to Doug Bernier and Juan Miranda.
"We're going to keep trying to get him going in the right direction," Gardenhire said, according to the newspaper. "He did some pretty good things last year, and even though I'm a little bit upset at him, we have to get this kid right. That's our job."
LF ANDERSON ON MEND (10:49 a.m. ET)
Left fielder Garret Anderson said he felt much improved Friday since pulling a calf muscle while warming up for a spring training game two weeks ago.
"[Trainers] just wanted me to get the muscle fatigued and see how it responded the next day," Anderson said, according to the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I didn't feel anything when I ran at all. I think we waited more than enough time to start running."
Anderson said he expected to return as early as next week.
LACKEY, ANGELS STILL IN TALKS (10:38 a.m. ET)
John Lackey's four-year, $27-million deal expires after this season, and according to the right-hander, the Angels' efforts to re-sign him to a new deal before the season starts continue to poke along -- without much steam.
"They're not trying very hard," Lackey said Friday, according to the Los Angeles Times. "It's kind of on them at this point. I love playing here and I'd like to stay, but I've put myself into a category that they need to get to."
One of the possible problems for the Angels?
Lackey may be using CC Sabathia's seven-year, $161-million contract he received from the New York Yankees this offseason as a measuring stick.
"Except for his time in the National League, look at the numbers," Lackey said, according to the newspaper. "That's how you do it; you throw out comparables."
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
