Updating the Hottest Questions of 2015 MLB Spring Training, Week 2
Last week, it was time for pitchers and catchers to report to spring training. This week, it was everyone else's turn.
In other words: It's on, people.
Mind you, there are still a couple days to go before the exhibition season gets going next Tuesday, March 3, and more than a month to go until Opening Day. It's going to be a while before the top storylines and questions of spring training are resolved.
But with Week 2 of spring training just about in the bag, we can at least get up to date on the 10 biggest questions in the spring. So let's get to it.
Note: Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted/linked.
How's the Red Sox's Outfield Battle Shaping Up?
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Coming into the spring, no position battle figured to be hotter than the Boston Red Sox outfield competition. Only Hanley Ramirez was locked into a position, leaving Rusney Castillo, Mookie Betts, Shane Victorino, Allen Craig and Daniel Nava to duke it out for the other two.
Last Friday, however, Red Sox skipper John Farrell raised some eyebrows when he revealed that the competition for his right-field gig may not be much of a competition at all.
“If Shane Victorino is fully capable and fully healthy, he’s our right fielder,” Farrell said, via Rick Weber of ESPNBoston.com. “I mean, that’s pretty simple. He was one of the best right fielders in the game two years ago."
So much for the idea that Castillo and Betts were favored to line up alongside Ramirez. As such, Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com is right to wonder if the only real competition may be for center field between Castillo, Betts and defensive wiz Jackie Bradley Jr.
Of course, things could change. Victorino may prove to be no healthier than he was in 2014 or could struggle with his return to switch-hitting. Or maybe he, Castillo and Betts will all have awesome springs and make things complicated. Perhaps great springs from Craig and/or Nava will further complicate things.
We're going to find out. Boston's outfield competition may be different than expected, but it's still interesting.
How Are the Cubs Handling Kris Bryant?
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After hitting .325 with a 1.098 OPS and blasting 43 dingers in the minors in 2014, no prospect is hogging the spring spotlight quite like Kris Bryant.
Now all anyone needs to know is what the Chicago Cubs are going to do with him, which is as good a question now as it's ever been.
Thanks to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, we know Bryant wants to make Chicago's Opening Day roster. But the Cubs are being coy with their plans for the slugging third baseman, as skipper Joe Maddon told the Tribune's Paul Sullivan the organization is still in wait-and-see mode.
"Kris would be a nice long-term solution," said Maddon. "Is he ready right now? I don't know. I've never seen the guy on the field. There's other really good candidates who can play there, probably not to the level he can. At the conclusion of this camp, what's the right thing to do then? That's what we have to decide."
Though Maddon isn't sure about Bryant's readiness, he's evidently open to giving him an extra avenue through which to make the team. Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago reports that Maddon will give Bryant some reps in the outfield this spring.
It's still likely that Bryant opens the season in the minors. But with only Mike Olt blocking him at third, it's possible he breaks camp at the hot corner. And with only Chris Coghlan blocking him in left field, it's not unthinkable that Bryant may soon be Chicago's new left fielder.
How's Giancarlo Stanton's Recovery Going?
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When we last saw Giancarlo Stanton in 2014, he was in a bloody heap in the dirt at Miller Park after taking a fastball to the face.
Since then, all reports say the slugging right fielder has made a full recovery. That and the fact that the Miami Marlins felt confident enough to sign him to a 13-year, $325 million extension bode well.
But while Stanton may be recovered physically, you can't help but wonder where he's at psychologically.
"What if the guy does have a fear of the ball?" wondered one American League executive in a chat with ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. "Now you're in for 13 years. And there's no turning back."
For now, this question is still up in the air. Though Stanton saw his first live pitches of the spring on Thursday, he was only in the box to watch them go by. If he's not comfortable in the box, odds are it won't show until he plays his first exhibition anyway.
Or we could all just take the man's word for it.
"I haven't changed at all," Stanton said earlier this week, via The Associated Press. He later added, "What happened to me isn't one of my focuses to get past. I'm just looking at this as a normal spring training."
That's one reason not to worry about Stanton. If you want another, just keep in mind that his snazzy new helmet ought to keep him safe.
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How's Miguel Cabrera's Ankle Holding Up?
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Shortly after the 2014 season ended, Miguel Cabrera went in for his second significant surgery in as many years. This one was on his right ankle, and word came out that his recovery wasn't going to be easy.
But that was then. This is now, when things are much more positive.
Cabrera showed up to spring training earlier than expected this week, and he had a noticeably slimmer build. More importantly, he professed to be feeling good.
"No pain, no nothing. No issues," Cabrera told Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press.
Since reporting to spring training, Cabrera has continued to make progress. Chris Iott of MLive.com noted the slugging first baseman is playing catch, hitting in the cages and working towards carrying the entirety of his body weight on a custom treadmill. Before long, he should be able to take ground balls.
According to Fenech, Cabrera declined to say whether being in the Detroit Tigers' Opening Day lineup is realistic. But if the positive vibes keep up, it will at least stay within the realm of possibility.
How's Masahiro Tanaka's Elbow Holding Up?
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Masahiro Tanaka's dominant rookie season came to a screeching halt in July when he was diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
At the time, he seemed doomed for Tommy John surgery. Instead, the Yankees put him on a rest-and-rehab program. That understandably has some wondering if his elbow is a ticking time bomb.
But so far in spring training, it has yet to detonate.
Tanaka has already thrown three bullpen sessions, the latest of which was a 40-pitch session on Thursday morning that had the 26-year-old feeling quite pleased with himself.
"I think I was throwing with more force than the last bullpen," Tanaka told Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com. "As far as hitting the spots, the location goes, I think it was better than the last bullpen as well.”
From here, the New York Yankees will continue to play it safe. They're giving Tanaka extra time in between bullpen sessions and will also preserve him by using a six-man rotation in the exhibition season.
Exactly when Tanaka's first start of the spring will come is unclear. But he is set to throw live batting practice early next week, so it should be here soon.
How's Matt Harvey's Elbow Holding Up?
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Matt Harvey conquered his first 26 starts of 2013 to the tune of a 2.27 ERA, but that was as far as he went thanks to Tommy John surgery. It was also the last time we saw him, as he missed the entire 2014 season recovering from the procedure.
But now Harvey is gearing up for 2015, and the initial word out of New York Mets camp is very positive.
Harvey had everyone's attention when he threw a 40-pitch bullpen session last Sunday, including his skipper's. And while Terry Collins told Marc Carig of Newsday that he was impressed by Harvey's "stinkin' dynamite" curveball, he sounded even more enthused about Harvey's command.
"It doesn't look like he's missed much of a beat," Collins said. "You watch the command of his fastball and working both sides of the plate like he hardly has missed anything."
Consider this to be a very good sign, as command usually takes longer to come back than power after Tommy John surgery. If Harvey already has sharp command, he's on the right track.
Up next for Harvey is a live BP session on Friday, and then his first exhibition start of the spring. According to Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com, that'll be March 6 against the Detroit Tigers.
How Are the New Pace-of-Play Rules Going Over?
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Last week, Major League Baseball announced new rules designed to speed games up. Included among them is a rule requiring batters to keep one foot in the box, along with new warm-up restrictions for pitchers.
So how are players reacting to these new rules?
As you'd expect, it depends whom you ask.
On the one hand, Washington Nationals pitcher Craig Stammen told Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post that the rules will be "a good thing." On the other, Miami Marlins pitcher Mat Latos told Brian Costa of The Wall Street Journal that the new rules are "terrible."
So it goes for hitters, too. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout told Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com that he and his brethren must "make adjustments." Boston's David Ortiz told Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston that the new rules are "bull-[you-know-what]."
Now you have a good sense of the various opinions that are out there. Predictably, they're mixed.
As for how the new rules will look in action…well, we're going to find out. Definitely consider it something to keep an eye on when the exhibition season starts next week.
Are the Phillies Going to Trade an Ace?
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In an interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Philadelphia Phillies ace left-hander Cole Hamels all but said he wanted out. And for months, most everyone has been expecting the Phillies to ultimately grant his wish.
But with every day that passes, it sounds increasingly unlikely a trade will happen soon.
Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe reported over the weekend that Hamels' remarks aren't going to accelerate trade talks. A big reason why is that the Phillies aren't desperate, as they know they have the financial resources to hold on to Hamels' monster contract until the right offer presents itself.
Cliff Lee, however, might be another story.
The veteran left-hander has been off the trading block while recovering from an elbow injury, but he's already begun making his way back this spring. And per the latest from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, it's possible he could be moved before Hamels, most likely in a trade with the Boston Red Sox.
Don't take your eyes off the Phillies rumor mill either way. But it might be a better idea to focus on Lee.
What's Going to Happen with Josh Hamilton?
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Just when you thought Josh Hamilton's spring would be all about the health of his surgically repaired right shoulder, something considerably worse came along.
As Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday, the veteran outfielder recently met with Major League Baseball about a disciplinary issue that has the Los Angeles Angels bracing for a penalty.
It's still unclear exactly what the meeting was about. But Jon Heyman reported that Hamilton, who missed several years earlier in his career with addiction issues and has since relapsed several times, had another relapse recently that involved "at least" cocaine.
According to Heyman, MLB didn't find out from a failed test. It found out because Hamilton confessed. Despite Hamilton's history, word is he could be treated as a first-time offender, which would presumably come with a lighter penalty.
However, that might not be the case. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times has heard it's actually unlikely that Hamilton will be treated as a first-time offender. If he's not, Nathaniel Grow of FanGraphs poses that his penalty may be a year-long suspension, or even worse.
Presumably, MLB will announce its decision soon enough. But whatever happens to Hamilton, when he can get back on a baseball diamond should not be his primary concern. He needs to worry about his life first and his career second.
How Is Alex Rodriguez's Return Going?
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So Alex Rodriguez arrived at spring training last week. If you want the obligatory controversial perspective on that, the New York Daily News' Mark Feinsand has you covered.
Realistically, however, A-Rod's arrival to camp hasn't been all that interesting. He has yet to put his foot in his mouth when answering questions about his year-long Biogenesis suspension and has otherwise put his work in.
To this end, Jon Heyman described a positive scene on Thursday:
"The bigger question is whether he retained his fabulous home run stroke. And while it's too early to make judgments, he hit balls harder and farther than anyone else on Day 1. ...
The crowd loved it, too. The player coming off baseball's record suspension for performance-enhancing drugs received by far the loudest ovations from the fans. When he came out of the dugout, there were cheers. When he hit a bomb, more cheers.
"
A-Rod has also pursued other activities, such as jogging and taking ground balls. If there's an interesting wrinkle, it's that he could soon start taking grounders at first base. According to Anthony McCarron of the Daily News, Rodriguez is willing to play there if Yankees skipper Joe Girardi needs him to.
So how's A-Rod's return going? It's as big a spring training question as there is, but right now, the answer can be summed up in one simple word: Fine.
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