Notes from Monday’s games

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tigers-Orioles
DETROIT: Manager Jim Leyland said C Ivan Rodriguez would get Thursday off when the Tigers open a four-game series at Toronto. Mike Rabelo will catch LHP Mike Maroth in that game. … After going 2-for-4 Monday, OF Magglio Ordonez is 43-for-124 (.347) lifetime at Camden Yards. … In three lifetime appearances at Camden Yards, RHP Chad Durbin is 0-3 with a 10.45 ERA. … 2B Placido Polanco had a pair of singles in Monday’s game and has hit safely in all six of the Tigers’ games this season. … Brandon Inge went 0-for-3 Monday and is 0-for-20 this season.
Orioles needed a closer, manager Sam Perlozzo would have turned to RHP Danys Baez, who has 11 career saves, instead of RHP Chris Ray, who had pitched on three consecutive days in New York.
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Yankees-Twins
NEW YORK: With Johnny Damon back in CF, Melky Cabrera will play every day in LF with Hideki Matsui on the disabled list. Manager Joe Torre, who batted Cabrera ninth on Monday, was eager to get him going at the plate. “He could be a big plus for us,” Torre said. … Like the Twins, the Yankees were glad to be inside for this three-game series after a chilly season-opening homestand. Several players worked out early at the Metrodome, not so much to get used to the roof and the turf but simply to work up a sweat and take batting practice in comfortable conditions. Former Minnesota 1B Doug Mientkiewicz was glad to see the dome, too. “It beats playing in the snow,” he said.
at since Monday’s opener. Cirillo had a cortisone shot last week to reduce pain from an old meniscus cartilage injury, but soreness has persisted.
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Royals-Blue Jays
KANSAS CITY: Manager Buddy Bell said Mike Sweeney and Mark Grudzielanek will each get a day off in Toronto because of the turf. … The Royals played the first of a 10-game road trip. Kansas City went 28-53 on the road last season – the second-worst mark in the AL. … Bell said utility player Ross Gload is only available in a pinch-hitting role because of a strained quad.
TORONTO: 3B Troy Glaus played in Toronto’s home opener Monday after missing Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay because of a sore left heel. … The Blue Jays presented CF Vernon Wells with his third Gold Glove and DH Frank Thomas with his comeback player of the year trophy. … Manager John Gibbons said the best thing about opening day is when it’s over. “Too many distractions,” he said. … The Rogers Centre has a new and bigger clubhouse for visiting teams.
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Devil Rays-Rangers
TAMPA BAY: C Dioner Navarro wasn’t in the starting lineup Monday night, a move manager Joe Maddon said was planned. Josh Paul started instead. Navarro was limited to eight games in spring training because of a strained left hamstring. Maddon said Navarro played in all three games at home last weekend “to stretch out, get in step and catch up some from spring training.” Navarro is expected back in the lineup Tuesday night. … RHP Jae Seo gets his second start Tuesday, after allowing a career-high 11 hits Thursday against the New York Yankees. Maddon said he’s expecting “a really good year out of” the right-hander.
TEXAS: RHP Jamey Wright, the No. 5 starter, finally makes his debut Tuesday night against Tampa Bay. “I’m excited it’s finally here,” Wright said. “It’s been difficult for all these games to sit and watch.” Wright made a minor league start Thursday, an off day for the Rangers. Texas will have to make a move to clear a spot on the roster for Wright. … C Chris Stewart started Monday night, becoming the last player from the 25-man opening-day roster to appear in a game.
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White Sox-Athletics
start and not holding me back, but no one has said ‘you’re pitching,”’ Buehrle said. “There’s still some stiffness, but whether I pitch or not, I’m still going to be sore.” He doesn’t want to be limited in his next outing either. … The White Sox were happy to have a brief respite from the cold Midwest weather. They head next to Cleveland for a weekend series. “It was just cold,” outfielder Jermaine Dye said. As much as teams like to open the season at home, Guillen figures baseball’s schedule makers may consider doing things differently next year. “I don’t remember the weather being this bad,” he said. “They might think about some things next year and see what happens.” … More Guillen: “I just read in the paper today that we have the best general manager in baseball. I think Billy (Beane of A’s) is doing pretty good. … It seems like every time we come here we lose.”
n around Thursday’s first off day. Instead, each starter will have an extra day to rest – then after the club’s second day off Monday either LHP Joe Kennedy or RHP Chad Gaudin will have their turn skipped. … SS Bobby Crosby made his second straight start since leaving Friday’s game against the Angels with back spasms and then being scratched Saturday. “I’m feeling great,” Crosby said. “That’s the main thing. Everything is coming along slowly with the bat and defense, but the more reps I get, it will get better and better.” … Geren called rookie RF Travis Buck’s first week “respectable.” He batted .235 (4-for-17) and started five of the seven games in right and reached base safely via a hit or walk in each one. … Longtime public address announcer Roy Steele, who has been dealing with a serious throat condition for the past two seasons, threw out the ceremonial first pitch for Oakland’s home opener. He returned to the booth for the first time in 2006 to call a game in late September.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Phillies-Mets
PHILADELPHIA: Ryan Howard has homered in five straight games against the Mets, including four in a row at Shea Stadium. … LHP Cole Hamels has a 1.38 ERA after two starts. He has 15 strikeouts and four walks in 13 innings, but does not have a decision. The 23-year-old Hamels pitched in front of 56,227 fans Monday, the largest opening-day crowd in Mets history. “Last year I probably could not have handled it,” he said.
NEW YORK: One of the loudest ovations during pregame introductions at the Mets’ home opener went to reserve OF Endy Chavez, who made that incredible catch in Game 7 of the NL championship series against St. Louis last year. … Mets manager Willie Randolph is puzzled by all the attention Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins is getting for saying Philadelphia is the team to beat in the NL East. “Jimmy Rollins is an excellent player,” Randolph said. “All the hoopla over him is kind of funny, really. I’d like him on my team any day.”
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Cardinals-Pirates
ou lose focus in what you need to do to prepare for the game.”
PITTSBURGH: LHP John Grabow (elbow), who remained behind in Bradenton, Fla., when the Pirates broke camp, is about three weeks away from returning. … The Pirates’ home opener Monday was a sellout, but there were empty seats along the left field and right field lines and in the left field bleachers – possibly because of the cold weather. The crowd was announced at 38,429, down from the 39,129 who watched last year’s opener. … LHP Tom Gorzelanny makes his first career start against St. Louis on Tuesday night. … Freddy Sanchez went 0-for-4 in his second start since coming off the disabled list Sunday. He returned to hitting third after leading off Sunday in Cincinnati. … The Pirates’ last four games have been played with a gametime temperature in the 30s, including Monday’s 37-degree reading.
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Astros-Cubs
… The Astros began a stretch in which they play 14 of 16 games on the road. … Adam Everett battled out of a two-strike hole to hit his homer on a 3-2 pitch from Bob Howry. He took one pitch at 1-2 that the Cubs thought was close to being strike three. “I got down two quick strikes. The only thing I told myself was ‘Put the ball in play, give myself a chance,”’ Everett said. “I just thought it was a sacrifice fly at first. I knew I hit it well, but with the way the wind is around here, you never know. That’s why I was running as hard as I was.”
as running the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. That was the same interleague series in which former Cubs star Sammy Sosa was caught using a corked bat. … The Cubs play 13 of their next 15 games at home.
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Rockies-Dodgers
COLORADO: The Rockies had gone two straight games without an extra-base hit before Garrett Atkins homered in the first against RHP Jason Schmidt. Colorado has never played three consecutive games without an extra-base hit. … The Rockies’ rotation has a 3-0 record, and their five starters have combined to give up only 14 earned runs in 47 2-3 innings for a 2.64 ERA. … The relievers have had a much tougher time, allowing at least one run in every game and being charged with each of the team’s three losses. … 1B Todd Helton wasn’t in the lineup for the first time this year. Manager Clint Hurdle said a list of days off for Helton was drawn up during the offseason. Helton, who has 998 career RBIs, grounded out as a pinch hitter in the eighth.
ll start the two games for Rancho Cucamonga. … 2B Jeff Kent singled in the first, giving him a seven-game hitting streak this season and a 12-game streak dating back to last year. … The attendance at Monday’s home opener was 56,000, equaling the largest crowd in Dodger Stadium history. … LHP Mark Hendrickson struck out the side in the sixth after Jeff Baker’s leadoff single. Hendrickson worked three shutout innings, allowing only one hit and striking out four.
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Brewers-Marlins
FLORIDA: LF Josh Willingham (back) and C Miguel Olivo (thumb) were back in the lineup Monday. SS Hanley Ramirez (hamstring) sat out but may start Tuesday, manager Fredi Gonzalez said. … Florida began the week with 40 runs and 31 extra-base hits, leading the majors in both categories. … In the season’s first week, new closer Jorge Julio allowed 13 baserunners in 2 2-3 innings. Gonzalez said he’ll keep Julio in the role. … The Marlins walked 11 batters in Sunday’s win over Philadelphia, improving to 2-13 when they walk at least 11.
MILWAUKEE: Craig Counsell started at SS Monday for the first time this season. … 1B Prince Fielder began the series in Miami 2-for-24 (.083) lifetime against the Marlins. … Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Geoff Jenkins and Bill Hall began the week a combined 2-for-20 (.100) with runners in scoring position.
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Reds-Diamondbacks
CINCINNATI: RHP Kyle Lohse (0-0, 2.84 ERA) makes his second start of the season Tuesday night at Arizona. He’s 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two career starts against the Diamondbacks. … The Reds won their first two series against the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh. They haven’t opened the season with three straight series wins since 1990, when they swept Houston, Atlanta and San Diego in succession. Those Reds went on to win the World Series. … The Reds were happy to arrive in Phoenix, where the temperature was in the mid-80s Monday. The gametime temperature was in the 30s for the last five games of Cincinnati’s homestand that ended Sunday.
ARIZONA: OF Carlos Quentin, on the 15-day disabled list with a shoulder injury, will play in an extended spring training game in Tucson Wednesday. Quentin could rejoin the Diamondbacks in the next two weeks. … OF Chris Young missed Monday night’s game with a groin injury but could return to the lineup Tuesday. … Manager Bob Melvin said Randy Johnson is on schedule to pitch for Triple-A Tucson on Friday. Johnson, who is returning from offseason back surgery, allowed two runs on four hits in six innings for Single-A Visalia Sunday. Melvin said the club still hasn’t decided which pitcher to drop from the rotation when Johnson returns.