azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
TUCSON - As the Diamondbacks made their first roster cuts of the spring on Monday, manager Bob Melvin said that he hopes a veteran reliever can return and hinted that a young starter could come back in a relief role.
Among six players reassigned to minor league camp was Casey Daigle, a right-hander who struggled last season after winning the No. 5 spot in the Arizona rotation out of camp.
The 23-year-old Daigle did not get enough innings this spring to warrant starting consideration. The remainder of March will be devoted to finding a role for him — as a starter or in relief — at Class AAA Tucson.
"Just because he is not here doesn’t mean he can’t be in the plans later," Melvin said. "You saw the turnover we had last year. That’s how quickly it can change. We can look at him not just as a starter, but in a relief role to give him more options to get him back here."
Left-handed reliever Donovan Osborne was released. Arizona has given the 35-yearold an opportunity to hook on with another club, but Melvin said he hopes the D-Backs can sign him to a minor league deal.
"That was a tough move," Melvin said. "He’s a good soldier who works his butt off and does everything we are about."
Osborne was one of three non-roster veterans seeking a bullpen spot. Jose Jimenez and Juan Acevedo, both righthanders, remain in camp.
The other roster moves:
• Optioned — pitchers Enrique Gonzalez, Dustin Nippert and Justin Wechsler; outfielders Reggie Abercrombie and Josh Kroeger.
• Re-assigned — pitcher Phil Stockman; catchers Juan Brito, Corey Myers and Alan Zinter; outfielder Doug DeVore.
PUT ME IN, COACH
Even though he played on Sunday, third baseman Troy Glaus walked into Melvin’s office Monday and said he "needed" to play.
Although his right shoulder got back-to-back days of full work, health was not the primary motivation. Glaus was eager for more work on reading and reacting to ground balls.
"I just need to get reps," Glaus said. "It’s been a while since I’ve had that consistently. The game is slower than on the first day (of spring training), but I still want to slow it up a little more. It will, just by being out there."
INJURY REPORT
A day after working a perfect inning against Oakland, non-roster pitcher Brandon Medders — who had not pitched in a game since May — said his surgically repaired shoulder felt good.
"I felt better in the game than I did in all my side work," said Medders, who will likely start the year at Tucson. "My mechanics were much better than they were before (the injury)."
In other news:
• Closer Greg Aquino, who has been sidelined with a strained flexor mass in his right elbow, worked an eightminute bullpen session and reported no pain. He will be re-evaluated on Wednesday.
• Pitcher Bill Murphy (sore left hamstring) underwent an MRI exam on Monday and is expected to miss at least two or three days.
• Utility player Scott Hairston was unavailable due to back spasms.
SHORT HOPS
Colorado infielder Tim Olson, a former Arizona farmhand, hit a seventh-inning grand slam off Jose Valverde on Monday. Olson has two homers this spring — both grand slams. . . .
The D-Backs are off today. The minor league contest Javier Vazquez will pitch in (with Brito catching) begins at 10 a.m. at Kino Sports Complex.
AT A GLANCE
Rockies 11, D-Backs 8
Notable pitching: In his first spring start, Oscar Villarreal allowed two hits and a run in three innings, throwing 33 pitches. Tony Pena, back after being out with an elbow flexor mass strain, gave up two runs on four hits in two innings. Reliever Jose Valverde was erratic, allowing five earned runs on one hit and four walks in a third of an inning. Notable hitting: Catcher Kelly Stinnett and minor league third baseman Jamie D’Antona hit solo home runs, and catcher Chris Snyder went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Outfielder Luis Gonzalez tripled.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=37990
TUCSON - As the Diamondbacks made their first roster cuts of the spring on Monday, manager Bob Melvin said that he hopes a veteran reliever can return and hinted that a young starter could come back in a relief role.
Among six players reassigned to minor league camp was Casey Daigle, a right-hander who struggled last season after winning the No. 5 spot in the Arizona rotation out of camp.
The 23-year-old Daigle did not get enough innings this spring to warrant starting consideration. The remainder of March will be devoted to finding a role for him — as a starter or in relief — at Class AAA Tucson.
"Just because he is not here doesn’t mean he can’t be in the plans later," Melvin said. "You saw the turnover we had last year. That’s how quickly it can change. We can look at him not just as a starter, but in a relief role to give him more options to get him back here."
Left-handed reliever Donovan Osborne was released. Arizona has given the 35-yearold an opportunity to hook on with another club, but Melvin said he hopes the D-Backs can sign him to a minor league deal.
"That was a tough move," Melvin said. "He’s a good soldier who works his butt off and does everything we are about."
Osborne was one of three non-roster veterans seeking a bullpen spot. Jose Jimenez and Juan Acevedo, both righthanders, remain in camp.
The other roster moves:
• Optioned — pitchers Enrique Gonzalez, Dustin Nippert and Justin Wechsler; outfielders Reggie Abercrombie and Josh Kroeger.
• Re-assigned — pitcher Phil Stockman; catchers Juan Brito, Corey Myers and Alan Zinter; outfielder Doug DeVore.
PUT ME IN, COACH
Even though he played on Sunday, third baseman Troy Glaus walked into Melvin’s office Monday and said he "needed" to play.
Although his right shoulder got back-to-back days of full work, health was not the primary motivation. Glaus was eager for more work on reading and reacting to ground balls.
"I just need to get reps," Glaus said. "It’s been a while since I’ve had that consistently. The game is slower than on the first day (of spring training), but I still want to slow it up a little more. It will, just by being out there."
INJURY REPORT
A day after working a perfect inning against Oakland, non-roster pitcher Brandon Medders — who had not pitched in a game since May — said his surgically repaired shoulder felt good.
"I felt better in the game than I did in all my side work," said Medders, who will likely start the year at Tucson. "My mechanics were much better than they were before (the injury)."
In other news:
• Closer Greg Aquino, who has been sidelined with a strained flexor mass in his right elbow, worked an eightminute bullpen session and reported no pain. He will be re-evaluated on Wednesday.
• Pitcher Bill Murphy (sore left hamstring) underwent an MRI exam on Monday and is expected to miss at least two or three days.
• Utility player Scott Hairston was unavailable due to back spasms.
SHORT HOPS
Colorado infielder Tim Olson, a former Arizona farmhand, hit a seventh-inning grand slam off Jose Valverde on Monday. Olson has two homers this spring — both grand slams. . . .
The D-Backs are off today. The minor league contest Javier Vazquez will pitch in (with Brito catching) begins at 10 a.m. at Kino Sports Complex.
AT A GLANCE
Rockies 11, D-Backs 8
Notable pitching: In his first spring start, Oscar Villarreal allowed two hits and a run in three innings, throwing 33 pitches. Tony Pena, back after being out with an elbow flexor mass strain, gave up two runs on four hits in two innings. Reliever Jose Valverde was erratic, allowing five earned runs on one hit and four walks in a third of an inning. Notable hitting: Catcher Kelly Stinnett and minor league third baseman Jamie D’Antona hit solo home runs, and catcher Chris Snyder went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Outfielder Luis Gonzalez tripled.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=37990
