Mets shortstop Jose Reyes has an overactive thyroid and is expected to remain in New York while the results of additional blood tests are used to determine his treatment. Doctors cleared Reyes to play Friday after he took a blood test to follow one conducted during his physical. But team doctors in New York wanted to take a closer look at the speedster and pulled him out of pregame stretching.
Johan Santana struggled in his first game since August, allowing four runs on six hits in 1 2-3 innings, and the Houston Astros beat the New York Mets 8-4 on Tuesday. Kaz Matsui hit a solo homer for the first of four straight hits in the first inning off Santana, who struck out one and walked one. The left-hander made it through the short outing with no setbacks as he continues to build strength...
Willie Davis, a speedy center fielder who collected two World Series rings, three Gold Gloves and was a two-time All-Star during his 14 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has died. He was 69. "He was beloved by generations of Dodger fans and remains one of the most talented players ever to wear the Dodger uniform.
A top New York Yankees executive was charged with driving under the influence in Tampa. Hillsborough County Jail reports show that Mark Newman, the Yankees' senior vice president of baseball operations, was arrested Monday night. He reportedly refused to take a blood-alcohol test. He was released several hours later on $500 bail.
Hideki Matsui made his spring debut for the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, getting a single in two trips to the plate during a 6-5 win over the San Diego Padres. Matsui struck out against Chris Young in the first and grounded Radhames Liz's 3-1 pitch up the middle for a hit in the fourth. Matsui agreed to a $6 million, one-year contract with the Angels in December after spending seven seasons...
Nick Johnson is working on a new hitting philosophy this spring. CC Sabathia is trying to refine his pitching motion. Their results couldn't have been more dissimilar Tuesday. Johnson pulled homers to right in each of his at-bats, while Sabathia was rocked for five runs in two-plus innings in the New York Yankees' 12-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Stephen Strasburg battled some nerves and location issues during his spring training debut. Other than those minor hiccups, the top prospect was pretty impressive. Strasburg threw two scoreless innings in the Washington Nationals' 9-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, responding well to the hoopla surrounding his first exhibition start.
The Minnesota Twins suddenly have a glaring concern about closing games for the first time since Joe Nathan took over in 2004. Tests on Nathan's right throwing elbow have revealed a significant tear in the ulnar collateral ligament, an injury that could require season-ending Tommy John surgery. Nathan's 246 saves over six seasons are the most in the majors during that span.
Hank Blalock will get an opportunity to rekindle his career with the Tampa Bay Rays. The two-time All-Star agreed to a minor league contract and reported to spring training on Tuesday. Blalock hit .234 with 25 homers and 66 RBIs in 123 games for the Texas Rangers last year. He missed much of the previous two seasons with injuries and is a .269 career hitter with 152 homers and 535 RBIs.
Tim Wakefield spent a lot more time on the road than on the mound Tuesday, which was fine with him. The knuckleballer made the three-hour trip from Fort Myers and pitched three shutout innings to keep his spring training ERA at 0.00, helping the Boston Red Sox beat the Florida Marlins 9-0. The visitors' batting order looked like a lineup for the Pawtucket Red Sox, with designated hitter Jacoby...
Colorado Rockies closer Huston Street says he has been notified that federal investigators might want to talk to him about a Canadian doctor being investigated in probes involving HGH and another drug. Street says he was told by his agents that he "might be interviewed by the U.S. attorney's office regarding the case or by the commissioner's office or both." Street says he visited...
San Francisco second baseman Freddy Sanchez has begun taking swings off a tee and considers himself ahead of schedule as he recovers from a procedure on his non-throwing left shoulder. Still, Sanchez is set to begin the season on the disabled list. "That hasn't changed," general manager Brian Sabean said.
Mets right-hander Mike Pelfrey returned to the mound Tuesday after being sidelined by a sore right leg. Pelfrey was struck on the outside of the knee by a comebacker during his first spring start Saturday. He stayed in the game against the Nationals and pitched three innings, but he pushed a scheduled bullpen session back a day because the leg was sore.
Royals catcher Jason Kendall has returned to spring training and says his divorce and child custody case won't be a distraction. Kendall missed the exhibition game Monday against Cincinnati to be in court in Los Angeles. He returned on Tuesday and told reporters he will not "dignify the ridiculous accusations" being carried by various media outlets about his divorce.
Yankees star Alex Rodriguez said Tuesday he is at ease with his ties to a Canadian sports doctor embroiled in cross-border investigations involving HGH and another drug, though he still hasn't talked to federal authorities about the case. Speaking a day after Dr. Anthony Galea told The Associated Press he treated Rodriguez last year and prescribed anti-inflammatories but never gave him or any...
A sports doctor at the center of drug investigations in Canada and the United States said Monday he treated Alex Rodriguez after the Yankees slugger had hip surgery last year and prescribed anti-inflammatories but not human growth hormone. Dr. Anthony Galea also told The Associated Press an assistant who was stopped at the U.S.-Canadian border in Buffalo, N.Y., last year was carrying only a...
The story of Spring Training right now is of Jason Heyward, whose father drove six hours a day so his son could play with the best youth baseball program in the South.
Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig was presented with the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Jackie Robinson Foundation's Awards Dinner.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig says it's too soon to determine whether a blood test for human growth hormone can be used for minor leaguers. The United Kingdom Anti-Doping authority announced a two-year ban on Feb. 23 for rugby player Terry Newton, saying he had tested positive and was the first athlete suspended for using HGH.
The Rays have confirmed that a Minor League deal with Hank Blalock is essentially done, it will be worth $925,000, plus $350,000 in incentives and an opt-out if he is not in the Major Leagues.
