azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 18, 2005 12:00 AM
TUCSON - He's gotten his rest. The tightness in the flexor mass area of his elbow has been relaxed. Now, after two weeks of holding him back, the Diamondbacks are ready to turn Greg Aquino loose.
Arizona's closer has been cleared by the medical staff to pitch in a game for the first time since the Diamondbacks' Cactus League opener, and manager Bob Melvin has decided Aquino will pitch at least one inning Saturday against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria.
"We don't foresee and problems and that's why we kept him out as long as we did," Melvin said. "We really wanted to take care of this thing and make sure he's healthy because he's going to be a big part of things."
Aquino had 16 saves last season - the most among National League rookies - and he held opponents to a .194 batting average. Melvin said the pitcher still has plenty of time to get ready for Opening Day and may try to get him to pitch two innings in a game at least twice before the end of spring training.
Role call
Melvin has a good idea how his bullpen is going to shake out when the team breaks camp in two weeks. He and his staff still have to sort out which pitcher is going to have what role.
Only Aquino and left-handed specialist Randy Choate, the lone southpaw in the mix, are set in that regard. The rest of the pen, including Mike Koplove, Jose Valverde and Brandon Lyon, along with Brian Bruney, are all late-inning, set-up men and so far, there is no clear-cut pecking order.
"Any one of them could be a set-up guy," Melvin said, "but that gives us the luxury to take turns a little bit, too, and in an ideal world, get some guys some rest."
Others in contention for spots are Lance Cormier and Oscar Villarreal, should he lose out in a bid for the fifth starter's job.
Webb satisfied
Right-hander Brandon Webb allowed four runs on eight hits through four innings Thursday against the Brewers, but said it might have been the best he's felt all spring.
"The ball felt real good coming out, mechanically," said Webb, who had five strikeouts and only one walk. "I wasn't getting ahead of guys like I wanted to, but I was able to come back and get ground balls or strikeouts in the first three innings."
Webb said he grew a little tired in the fourth after he neared his pitch count (70), and that's when Milwaukee did most of its damage against him, striking for the four runs off six hits in the inning.
Short hops
Luis Gonzalez will be among the handful of veterans Melvin plans to bring with him to Yuma for the club's split-squad game Sunday against the Padres. Others scheduled to play in that game include infielders Alex Cintron and Chad Tracy and catcher Kelly Stinnett. Villarreal will be the starting pitcher.
• Scott Hairston, who has been bothered by back spasms, hit a double in a pinch-hitting role Thursday.
If NCAA Tournament is too much, try this
If you're in Tucson for the NCAA Tournament and are looking for things to do during a break in the action, you might want to take in a Cactus League game.
Unlike the games at McKale Center, the baseball games are meaningless. But the point is to go, soak up some rays and try not to think about those bad NCAA tourney pool picks.
Three teams are based in Tucson - the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies. The Diamondbacks and White Sox share Tucson Electric Park and the Rockies play at Hi Corbett Field.
Here are the weekend's games:
TODAY
Arizona at Colorado, 1:05 p.m., Hi Corbett Field. Two NL West rivals meet in the Cactus League's coziest park.
Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox, 1:05 p.m., Tucson Electric Park. It's the second of two Cactus League meetings for these crosstown rivals. Next time they play, it will count.
SATURDAY
Kansas City at Chicago White Sox, 1:05 p.m., Tucson Electric Park. Free hot dog to everyone who can name three Royals.
Oakland at Colorado, 1:05 p.m., Hi Corbett Field. One team that has figured out how to win with a low budget and one team that hasn't.
SUNDAY
Seattle at Arizona, 1:05 p.m., Tucson Electric Park. First baseman Richie Sexson's new team faces his former one. The Mariners are hoping he plays more than 23 games for them.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0318dbnotes0318.html
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 18, 2005 12:00 AM
TUCSON - He's gotten his rest. The tightness in the flexor mass area of his elbow has been relaxed. Now, after two weeks of holding him back, the Diamondbacks are ready to turn Greg Aquino loose.
Arizona's closer has been cleared by the medical staff to pitch in a game for the first time since the Diamondbacks' Cactus League opener, and manager Bob Melvin has decided Aquino will pitch at least one inning Saturday against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria.
"We don't foresee and problems and that's why we kept him out as long as we did," Melvin said. "We really wanted to take care of this thing and make sure he's healthy because he's going to be a big part of things."
Aquino had 16 saves last season - the most among National League rookies - and he held opponents to a .194 batting average. Melvin said the pitcher still has plenty of time to get ready for Opening Day and may try to get him to pitch two innings in a game at least twice before the end of spring training.
Role call
Melvin has a good idea how his bullpen is going to shake out when the team breaks camp in two weeks. He and his staff still have to sort out which pitcher is going to have what role.
Only Aquino and left-handed specialist Randy Choate, the lone southpaw in the mix, are set in that regard. The rest of the pen, including Mike Koplove, Jose Valverde and Brandon Lyon, along with Brian Bruney, are all late-inning, set-up men and so far, there is no clear-cut pecking order.
"Any one of them could be a set-up guy," Melvin said, "but that gives us the luxury to take turns a little bit, too, and in an ideal world, get some guys some rest."
Others in contention for spots are Lance Cormier and Oscar Villarreal, should he lose out in a bid for the fifth starter's job.
Webb satisfied
Right-hander Brandon Webb allowed four runs on eight hits through four innings Thursday against the Brewers, but said it might have been the best he's felt all spring.
"The ball felt real good coming out, mechanically," said Webb, who had five strikeouts and only one walk. "I wasn't getting ahead of guys like I wanted to, but I was able to come back and get ground balls or strikeouts in the first three innings."
Webb said he grew a little tired in the fourth after he neared his pitch count (70), and that's when Milwaukee did most of its damage against him, striking for the four runs off six hits in the inning.
Short hops
Luis Gonzalez will be among the handful of veterans Melvin plans to bring with him to Yuma for the club's split-squad game Sunday against the Padres. Others scheduled to play in that game include infielders Alex Cintron and Chad Tracy and catcher Kelly Stinnett. Villarreal will be the starting pitcher.
• Scott Hairston, who has been bothered by back spasms, hit a double in a pinch-hitting role Thursday.
If NCAA Tournament is too much, try this
If you're in Tucson for the NCAA Tournament and are looking for things to do during a break in the action, you might want to take in a Cactus League game.
Unlike the games at McKale Center, the baseball games are meaningless. But the point is to go, soak up some rays and try not to think about those bad NCAA tourney pool picks.
Three teams are based in Tucson - the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies. The Diamondbacks and White Sox share Tucson Electric Park and the Rockies play at Hi Corbett Field.
Here are the weekend's games:
TODAY
Arizona at Colorado, 1:05 p.m., Hi Corbett Field. Two NL West rivals meet in the Cactus League's coziest park.
Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox, 1:05 p.m., Tucson Electric Park. It's the second of two Cactus League meetings for these crosstown rivals. Next time they play, it will count.
SATURDAY
Kansas City at Chicago White Sox, 1:05 p.m., Tucson Electric Park. Free hot dog to everyone who can name three Royals.
Oakland at Colorado, 1:05 p.m., Hi Corbett Field. One team that has figured out how to win with a low budget and one team that hasn't.
SUNDAY
Seattle at Arizona, 1:05 p.m., Tucson Electric Park. First baseman Richie Sexson's new team faces his former one. The Mariners are hoping he plays more than 23 games for them.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/special3/articles/0318dbnotes0318.html
