azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Jack Magruder, Tribune
TUCSON - Troy Glaus played third base for the first time in 10 months Friday, and, believe him, it felt like 10 months.
"That is not like riding a bike,’’ Glaus said after the Diamondbacks’ 10-9 win over the Chicago White Sox at Tucson Electric Park. "It doesn’t just come back. You have to get out there and do it."
Glaus had not played the field since right shoulder surgery May 11, although he was the designated hitter for the final five weeks of the 2004 season with Anaheim.
He hit like he had not missed a beat, lining a runscoring double off the batter’s eye in center field in the third inning after a single in the second. He left for a pinch-runner after his double.
Glaus committed a fielding error on a two-hop chopper in the second inning.
"You hear guys talk about how the game slows down. The game was not slow today,’’ Glaus said. "It will get better. It’s just going to take a little bit of time, reading the balls off the bat."
Luis Gonzalez went 0-for-3 in his spring debut, his first atbats after elbow surgery Aug. 2. The second pitch he saw was an eephus curve from Orlando Hernandez.
"I was a little jumpy,’’ Gonzalez admitted. "I told Bo Mel (Bob Melvin) after my first at-bat, it felt like the first time I ever was up there.’’
ALL DONE
The D-Backs announced they have agreed to terms with their remaining eight unsigned players, including infielders Alex Cintron ($360,000) and Chad Tracy ($335,000). With those, the D-Backs’ on-field payroll will be right at $57.5 million, a $20 million decrease from last season.
The D-Backs also have a greater cost containment structure in place this season. Of the new signees, only Brandon Lyon has incentive awards in his contract. Veterans Gonzalez and Shawn Green have bonus clauses that carried over from previous deals.
SHORT HOPS
Former San Francisco first baseman Will Clark, a six-time All-Star and a career .303 hitter, joined former teammate Matt Williams as a special assistant to the D-Backs on Thursday.
"I saw the intensity that Will brought to the field every day as a player, and I am confident he will bring the same drive and determination to our organization,’’ managing partner Ken Kendrick said. Among other duties Clark is expected to help in the minor league system.
Pitcher Tony Pena is scheduled to make his first spring appearance against Colorado at TEP on Monday night.
The D-Backs have added a five-inning "B’’ game at the White Sox’s request March 9. It will give both teams an opportunity to look at pitching candidates.
AT A GLANCE
D-Backs 10, White Sox 9
Notable hitting: Sergio Santos, one of three D-Backs players listed in Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects, hit a two-run homer with two outs in the eighth to break an 8-8 tie. . . . Jose Cruz, Shawn Green and Koyie Hill hit their first spring homers, and Green came within two feet of another when he doubled off the top of the fence in leftcenter. . . . Troy Glaus had two hits, doubling off the batter’s eye in center field in the third. Notable pitching: Brandon Webb gave up four hits and three walks in his first spring start, saying he rushed, causing his fastball to stay up in the zone. . . . Donovan Osborne and Enrique Gonzalez had 1-2-3 innings, left-hander Osborne retiring the lone lefty he faced. . . . Juan Acevedo gave up four two-out hits while allowing three runs in the fourth.
ON DECK
White Sox at D-Backs
What: The Diamondbacks play the third of four straight games against the White Sox to open the exhibition season at 1 p.m. today at Tucson Electric Park. Pitchers: Arizona — Shawn Estes, Oscar Villarreal, Jose Valverde, Jose Jiminez, Bill Murphy, Brian Bruney, Brandon Lyon, Jason Bulger; White Sox — Brandon McCarthy Records: Arizona 2-0; White Sox 0-3 Tickets: (866) 672-1343
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=37472
TUCSON - Troy Glaus played third base for the first time in 10 months Friday, and, believe him, it felt like 10 months.
"That is not like riding a bike,’’ Glaus said after the Diamondbacks’ 10-9 win over the Chicago White Sox at Tucson Electric Park. "It doesn’t just come back. You have to get out there and do it."
Glaus had not played the field since right shoulder surgery May 11, although he was the designated hitter for the final five weeks of the 2004 season with Anaheim.
He hit like he had not missed a beat, lining a runscoring double off the batter’s eye in center field in the third inning after a single in the second. He left for a pinch-runner after his double.
Glaus committed a fielding error on a two-hop chopper in the second inning.
"You hear guys talk about how the game slows down. The game was not slow today,’’ Glaus said. "It will get better. It’s just going to take a little bit of time, reading the balls off the bat."
Luis Gonzalez went 0-for-3 in his spring debut, his first atbats after elbow surgery Aug. 2. The second pitch he saw was an eephus curve from Orlando Hernandez.
"I was a little jumpy,’’ Gonzalez admitted. "I told Bo Mel (Bob Melvin) after my first at-bat, it felt like the first time I ever was up there.’’
ALL DONE
The D-Backs announced they have agreed to terms with their remaining eight unsigned players, including infielders Alex Cintron ($360,000) and Chad Tracy ($335,000). With those, the D-Backs’ on-field payroll will be right at $57.5 million, a $20 million decrease from last season.
The D-Backs also have a greater cost containment structure in place this season. Of the new signees, only Brandon Lyon has incentive awards in his contract. Veterans Gonzalez and Shawn Green have bonus clauses that carried over from previous deals.
SHORT HOPS
Former San Francisco first baseman Will Clark, a six-time All-Star and a career .303 hitter, joined former teammate Matt Williams as a special assistant to the D-Backs on Thursday.
"I saw the intensity that Will brought to the field every day as a player, and I am confident he will bring the same drive and determination to our organization,’’ managing partner Ken Kendrick said. Among other duties Clark is expected to help in the minor league system.
Pitcher Tony Pena is scheduled to make his first spring appearance against Colorado at TEP on Monday night.
The D-Backs have added a five-inning "B’’ game at the White Sox’s request March 9. It will give both teams an opportunity to look at pitching candidates.
AT A GLANCE
D-Backs 10, White Sox 9
Notable hitting: Sergio Santos, one of three D-Backs players listed in Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects, hit a two-run homer with two outs in the eighth to break an 8-8 tie. . . . Jose Cruz, Shawn Green and Koyie Hill hit their first spring homers, and Green came within two feet of another when he doubled off the top of the fence in leftcenter. . . . Troy Glaus had two hits, doubling off the batter’s eye in center field in the third. Notable pitching: Brandon Webb gave up four hits and three walks in his first spring start, saying he rushed, causing his fastball to stay up in the zone. . . . Donovan Osborne and Enrique Gonzalez had 1-2-3 innings, left-hander Osborne retiring the lone lefty he faced. . . . Juan Acevedo gave up four two-out hits while allowing three runs in the fourth.
ON DECK
White Sox at D-Backs
What: The Diamondbacks play the third of four straight games against the White Sox to open the exhibition season at 1 p.m. today at Tucson Electric Park. Pitchers: Arizona — Shawn Estes, Oscar Villarreal, Jose Valverde, Jose Jiminez, Bill Murphy, Brian Bruney, Brandon Lyon, Jason Bulger; White Sox — Brandon McCarthy Records: Arizona 2-0; White Sox 0-3 Tickets: (866) 672-1343
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=37472
