Spring Training Daily: ST Daily: Waino Making Strides
Friday, March 13, 2015
Adam Wainwright continues to work toward getting into his first Grapefruit League game this spring.
Fantasy baseball draft season is in full swing, and you can’t afford to miss out on any of the happenings. For all the help you need with your fantasy draft, purchase the 2015 Rotoworld Draft Guide. It’s loaded with all sorts of helpful stuff for fantasy owners, including projections, tiers, cheat sheets, mock draft analysis, ADP data, and much, much more. For all the latest news and notes around the league, keep refreshing Rotoworld’s player news page and also be sure to follow @Rotoworld_BB and @Nate_Grimm on Twitter.
Wainwright threw roughly 40 pitches over the course of two simulated innings Thursday, the latest development for the Cardinals’ ace as he recovers from an abdominal strain. The session was the second simulated action Waino has had this week.
While it’s promising, Wainwright is still unable to run or take fielding practice. Those may come soon, though, as Wainwright is scheduled to undergo more tests on his abdomen in the coming days.
“I want to be out there taking [groundballs] and running station to station and leading groups and doing all that, too,” Wainwright said. “But each year is different. This year, it’s not smart for me to be running around. We’re trying to get me ready for April 5.”
Wainwright has been behind schedule after straining the abdomen while working out in mid-February. Wainwright said he felt the injury when he placed a weight back on the weight rack after lifting.
He’s yet to get into a game in Grapefruit League play, but the competitor nonetheless thinks he’ll be ready to take the ball on Opening Day. Even if he isn’t ready by the time April rolls around, it’s not an injury that should linger too long after.
Editor’s Note: Sign up to play Yahoo Fantasy Baseball today! Baseball season is right around the corner. Get in the game today. Play Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball
Cabrera, V-Mart Progress
Two Tigers sluggers are also making progress toward a return to the field.
Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez were both cleared to run at full speed recently, lending credence to the idea that both could be in the Tigers’ lineup on Opening Day.
Cabrera, who had surgery on his right ankle and foot in October, started running on the field earlier this week and has been fielding ground balls for the past four days. Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand said Cabrera has “been progressing real well.”
More surprising is Martinez, who was expected to miss at least the start of the season after having knee surgery in February. Martinez has been taking batting practice from both sides of the plate in recent days. He’s also been running on an anti-gravity treadmill, using a knee brace to avoid further injury.
“I wanted him to really build up a good sweat with the brace and see how he handled that, and he did very well,” Rand said.
The next step for both appears to be running the bases, which could happen soon.
Olivera Intrigue Continues
The Hector Olivera saga took a few more sharp turns Thursday.
The Cuban infielder has been the center of a few teams’ attention in recent weeks as clubs vie for his services, and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reported Thursday that the Dodgers were the most aggressive of his suitors. The Dodgers have offered the 29-year-old $77 million this spring, Spencer reported, $24 million more than any other team has offered. The Marlins, Padres and Braves have also made substantial offers to Olivera, according to Spencer.
A report late Thursday from CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman suggested the Dodgers remain leery of Olivera’s right elbow, though. The club recently requested a second MRI of Olivera’s elbow, an MRI which Heyman said Olivera “intially … declined to provide.” The request likely came at least partly as a result of Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan’s recent report that concern existed about the ulnar collateral ligament in Olivera’s right elbow.
Add in the fact that Olivera recently changed representation — the reported $77 million offer from the Dodgers was made to his former agent, bringing into question whether that offer is still on the table — and Olivera’s story has been more of a soap opera than sports movie to this point. A resolution to the drama should come sooner than later.
Red Sox Announce Moncada Deal
Another Cuban infielder recently made his large payday official.
The Red Sox announced their signing of Yoan Moncada Thursday, finalizing a $31.5 million signing bonus with the teenager. Because the Red Sox went over their assigned international spending limit with the signing, they’ll also pay $31.5 million in penalties. The entire agreement will end up costing the Sox $63 million.
The 19-year-old will begin the season in the minors, but the club isn’t paying that sort of money for a project. Moncada should ascend quickly through the system on the strength of his athleticism and hitting ability — he’s widely regarded as one of the best prospects in the minors already, without a single game played — and he’ll call Fenway Park home soon enough. At what position is still uncertain, as he can likely play third base, second base, shortstop or outfield in the majors, but it shouldn’t be long before Moncada is a household name.
Adam Wainwright continues to work toward getting into his first Grapefruit League game this spring.
Fantasy baseball draft season is in full swing, and you can’t afford to miss out on any of the happenings. For all the help you need with your fantasy draft, purchase the 2015 Rotoworld Draft Guide. It’s loaded with all sorts of helpful stuff for fantasy owners, including projections, tiers, cheat sheets, mock draft analysis, ADP data, and much, much more. For all the latest news and notes around the league, keep refreshing Rotoworld’s player news page and also be sure to follow @Rotoworld_BB and @Nate_Grimm on Twitter.
Wainwright threw roughly 40 pitches over the course of two simulated innings Thursday, the latest development for the Cardinals’ ace as he recovers from an abdominal strain. The session was the second simulated action Waino has had this week.
While it’s promising, Wainwright is still unable to run or take fielding practice. Those may come soon, though, as Wainwright is scheduled to undergo more tests on his abdomen in the coming days.
“I want to be out there taking [groundballs] and running station to station and leading groups and doing all that, too,” Wainwright said. “But each year is different. This year, it’s not smart for me to be running around. We’re trying to get me ready for April 5.”
Wainwright has been behind schedule after straining the abdomen while working out in mid-February. Wainwright said he felt the injury when he placed a weight back on the weight rack after lifting.
He’s yet to get into a game in Grapefruit League play, but the competitor nonetheless thinks he’ll be ready to take the ball on Opening Day. Even if he isn’t ready by the time April rolls around, it’s not an injury that should linger too long after.
Editor’s Note: Sign up to play Yahoo Fantasy Baseball today! Baseball season is right around the corner. Get in the game today. Play Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball
Cabrera, V-Mart Progress
Two Tigers sluggers are also making progress toward a return to the field.
Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez were both cleared to run at full speed recently, lending credence to the idea that both could be in the Tigers’ lineup on Opening Day.
Cabrera, who had surgery on his right ankle and foot in October, started running on the field earlier this week and has been fielding ground balls for the past four days. Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand said Cabrera has “been progressing real well.”
More surprising is Martinez, who was expected to miss at least the start of the season after having knee surgery in February. Martinez has been taking batting practice from both sides of the plate in recent days. He’s also been running on an anti-gravity treadmill, using a knee brace to avoid further injury.
“I wanted him to really build up a good sweat with the brace and see how he handled that, and he did very well,” Rand said.
The next step for both appears to be running the bases, which could happen soon.
Olivera Intrigue Continues
The Hector Olivera saga took a few more sharp turns Thursday.
The Cuban infielder has been the center of a few teams’ attention in recent weeks as clubs vie for his services, and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reported Thursday that the Dodgers were the most aggressive of his suitors. The Dodgers have offered the 29-year-old $77 million this spring, Spencer reported, $24 million more than any other team has offered. The Marlins, Padres and Braves have also made substantial offers to Olivera, according to Spencer.
A report late Thursday from CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman suggested the Dodgers remain leery of Olivera’s right elbow, though. The club recently requested a second MRI of Olivera’s elbow, an MRI which Heyman said Olivera “intially … declined to provide.” The request likely came at least partly as a result of Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan’s recent report that concern existed about the ulnar collateral ligament in Olivera’s right elbow.
Add in the fact that Olivera recently changed representation — the reported $77 million offer from the Dodgers was made to his former agent, bringing into question whether that offer is still on the table — and Olivera’s story has been more of a soap opera than sports movie to this point. A resolution to the drama should come sooner than later.
Red Sox Announce Moncada Deal
Another Cuban infielder recently made his large payday official.
The Red Sox announced their signing of Yoan Moncada Thursday, finalizing a $31.5 million signing bonus with the teenager. Because the Red Sox went over their assigned international spending limit with the signing, they’ll also pay $31.5 million in penalties. The entire agreement will end up costing the Sox $63 million.
The 19-year-old will begin the season in the minors, but the club isn’t paying that sort of money for a project. Moncada should ascend quickly through the system on the strength of his athleticism and hitting ability — he’s widely regarded as one of the best prospects in the minors already, without a single game played — and he’ll call Fenway Park home soon enough. At what position is still uncertain, as he can likely play third base, second base, shortstop or outfield in the majors, but it shouldn’t be long before Moncada is a household name.
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