Tigers manager Ausmus: Cespedes will hit in heart of the order
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(12:41 pm ET) Tigers manager Brad Ausmus told reporters that outfielder Yoenis Cespedes will hit in the heart of the order this season, per the Detroit Free-Press.

Cespedes, 29, was acquired in a December trade with Boston. He batted cleanup in 235 of his 416 career games in the majors. He hit .260 with 100 RBI last season between Oakland and Boston. He owns a .263 average, .464 slugging percentage and .780 OPS in 416 games over three MLB seasons.

Tigers GM: Avila could see 1B time if Cabrera isn’t ready for opener
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(11:59 am ET) Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said Saturday that if Miguel Cabrera is unable to play when the season opens, the team will look to Alex Avila as a possible short-term replacement at first base, per MLB.com.

“If he’s not ready by opening day, it’s gonna be very, very close. We’ll know more Feb. 15,” Dombrowski said.

Cabrera underwent right ankle surgery to remove bone spurs and to repair a stress fracture in a bone at the top of his foot on Oct. 22. He was cleared to remove his walking boot earlier in January and is expected to be reexamined on Feb. 15, right before Detroit’s first full-squad workouts.

White Sox mapping out blueprint for Carlos Rodon’s future
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(11:32 am ET) The White Sox are willing to wait before deciding Carlos Rodon‘s immediate future, according to Comcast SportsNet Chicago on Saturday.

Although general manager Rick Hahn said Rodon will go through his first professional spring training as a starter, pitching coach Don Cooper indicated that the team could use a similar bullpen-to-rotation blueprint to groom Rodon down the road, which Chicago used for previous pitchers like Chris Sale and Mark Buehrle.

“We didn’t draft this guy third in the nation to be a reliever,” Cooper said. “At some point he’s going to be a starter. We haven’t discussed when is that point. Right now he’s going to come to spring training, show us what he can do and he’s going to give us all the information we need.

“Chris Sale, Mark Buehrle, they started their careers in relief. Buehrle’s one of the top pitchers over the last 15 years in White Sox history and Sale is quickly rising up those ranks.”

After being drafted No. 3 overall in June, the left-hander worked his way from the Arizona League to Triple-A Charlotte in limited minor league action. He told the Chicago Tribune he’s ready for whatever comes his way.

“I’m just focusing on getting better,” Rodon said. “They tell me what to do, I show up and I pitch. That’s how I look at it.”

GM: Indians’ Ryan Raburn will start spring training without restrictions
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(11:18 am ET) Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said outfielder Ryan Raburn will enter spring training without restrictions, reports the Plain Dealer on Saturday.

Raburn underwent surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his knee in mid-September. He finished 2014 with a .200/.250/.297 line along with four home runs and 22 RBI in 195 at-bats.

Vin Mazzaro signs minor-league deal with Marlins
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(10:09 am ET) The Marlins have signed reliever Vin Mazzaro to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training on Wednesday, per FOX Sports Florida.

After a strong 2013 campaign, Mazzaro struggled to make it back to the majors in 2014. He registered 2.52 ERA over 50 innings of relief at Triple-A Indianapolis. He posted a 3.48 ERA in just 10 1/3 innings of work with the Pirates last season.

Mariners GM: We’ve had some discussions with Franklin Gutierrez
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(9:43 am ET) Mariners assistant general manager Jeff Kingston indicated that free agent outfielder Franklin Gutierrez is still on the team’s radar, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. Gutierrez spent the 2014 season on the restricted list due to ongoing gastrointestinal issues.

“He wants to give it a shot,” Kingston said. “Full disclosure, there are some veteran non-roster players we’re still talking to, and we probably will add a few more here before the start of camp.

“He is somebody we’ve had some discussions with. So it is a possibility.”

Tigers C Alex Avila cleared for all physical activities
by Igor Mello | CBSSports.com

(9:19 am ET) After an injury-plagued season in which he suffered several concussions, Tigers catcher Alex Avila has been cleared by doctors for all physical activities, he told reporters on Thursday, per MLive.com.

“I’m feeling great,” Avila said. “After the season, there were a few days of just kind of relaxing, recovering from the concussion. After that, I was cleared by the doctors on everything. I feel great and moving along as normal.”

Avilla will enter spring training without any restrictions. Manager Brad Ausmus indicated in December that he could see a lighter workload behind the plate in 2015. Because of the injuries, Avilla is open to wearing a hockey-style catcher’s mask this season.

“I tried it one time my very first spring training in a bullpen,” Avila said. “I didn’t give it much of a chance. I never really thought how much of a difference it would make as far as kind of withstanding those impacts from the ball. But you live and you learn.”

Avilla struggled last season, hitting just .218/.327/.359 over 390 at-bats. He noted that he never considered hanging up his cleats after a rough 2014 campaign.

“Never,” Avila said. “That’s never even crossed my mind.”

White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija not worrying about contract
by Brandon Wise | CBSSports.com

(12:39 am ET) New White Sox pitcher Jeff Samardzija told reporters Friday he is happy to be back in his hometown playing for the White Sox.

“All of a sudden, just like that, you’re back in the same situation you were in, on a different team but back home,” Samardzija said. “So, it’s still taken me a second to really soak it in and pinch myself and realize whether it’s real. I’m just excited to get out there and pitch and wear the uniform in Spring Training, get to know these teammates and build relationships that last a lifetime.”

Samardzija was traded to Chicago from Oakland during the offseason and has one year remaining on his contract, but he’s not concerned about it at this point.

“I haven’t discussed it at all. It’s only been brought up to me,” said Samardzija, who will earn $9.8 million in ’15. “Until something happens that’s worth the discussion, we’ll talk about it then. But until then we’re worried about prepping for the start of the season, and being prepared to do our part on this team.”

He went 7-13 in 2014 with a 2.99 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 219 2/3 innings.

White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu could see more days off in 2015
by Brandon Wise | CBSSports.com

(12:16 am ET) White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu might see a dip in playing time at first with the addition of Adam LaRoche, but he is preparing to be ready all season long.

“I’m excited about the depth we have right now,” Abreu said. “That is something good and will put us in the position to compete and I’m very excited about that. 

“I’ve been working the same way on my defense. It doesn’t matter if I’m playing more or less games because that is part of my game. I have to be a complete player and I can’t work less and still be that. I have the same mentality, it doesn’t matter who will be on the team. I just prepare myself to be successful and 100 percent on the field.”

Abreu hit .317 in 2014 with 36 home runs and 107 RBI. He was also unanimously voted the AL Rookie of the Year.

Twins’ Trevor Plouffe ready to bounce back from broken forearm
by Brandon Wise | CBSSports.com

(1/23/2015) Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe said he has fully recovered from the broken left forearm he suffered on Sept. 24 and his working out as scheduled.

“I got to take the time off that I needed to rest it and let it heal,” Plouffe said. “I’ve been rehabbing it out in Southern California. It really didn’t set me back as far as timeline, as far as the gym, weightlifting and my baseball activities. It’s obviously not something you want to have happen, but it was a good time for it to happen.”

Plouffe hit .258 in 2014 with 14 home runs and 80 RBI in 520 at-bats, but knows his statistics aren’t the focus for the team this season.

“I’m just going to try to continue to improve in every facet of the game,” Plouffe said. “The big thing for us this year is just wins, putting all the personal statistics aside. I think Mollie’s going to bring that to the clubhouse. We just want to win. We want to win games. We’ve made some additions that are going to help that.”