Original article link: Verlander at 30 still a timeless classic, by Jason Beck

Justin Verlander, RHP, Detroit Tigers
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Justin Verlander’s first pitches as a thirtysomething looked much the same as they did when he was in his twenties.

His reactions seemed the same, too — salty language, irritated looks and all. No matter how old Verlander is, having just turned 30, his vocabulary never includes the words “just getting my work in.”

He still expects to be able to drop a curveball on the corner in mid-February, and he’ll flash a grimace of agitation if he doesn’t execute it right. He still cranks up the velocity on occasion, though not to full game speed. He expects the same execution that propelled him to the top of the Tigers rotation in his mid-20s.

In that sense, his first meeting with hitters this spring looked the same as always.

“It felt good to get back out there and get guys in the box,” Verlander said. “Obviously, it was a little different. There were a couple times where I’m like, ‘Man, a fastball in would be really good right here.’ But you don’t want to hit anybody on your team.”

He fell to temptation on a fastball or two, much to Ramon Cabrera’s chagrin. He didn’t hit Cabrera, but he left him without a bat.

Cabrera, the switch-hitting catcher the Tigers acquired for Andy Oliver in December, had just enjoyed a firsthand view of reliever Bruce Rondon’s pitches, catching the hard-throwing youngster in his second live batting practice session. As soon as Rondon was finished, Cabrera shed the catching gear, grabbed a bat and stepped into the box against Verlander, who wanted to see a left-handed hitter.

Verlander tried to spot pitches on the corner, getting feedback from his catcher, Alex Avila, along the way. Then he reared back and challenged him.

Cabrera reacted quickly enough to foul the ball back, which was pretty good for a hitter this early in camp. The pitch, however, knocked the bat out of his hands.

Not bad for the old man in the Tigers rotation. For someone who has built his career on numbers, from the velocity on his fastball to the consistent win totals to the strikeouts, age isn’t high on that list.

“It doesn’t change anything,” Verlander said.

His first game of the spring, fittingly, paired him against a former Cy Young Award winner who has aged gracefully. Roy Halladay has averaged better than 17 wins and 225 innings a year since he turned 30 early in the 2007 season, and he won his second Cy Young Award three years ago at age 33.

Halladay had to remake his game in his 30s as age and his velocity forced him to change. He not only survived, but continued to thrive before struggling in an injury-shortened 2012 season.

Verlander heads into his 30s with 124 wins. Among active players, only CC Sabathia had more heading into his age-30 season with 157 from 2001-10, according to baseball-reference.com. Same goes for strikeouts, though Javier Vazquez could be on the list if he stays active this season.

Someday, if Verlander keeps pitching long enough, he’ll have to adjust. With four Major League-worthy pitches and the ability to get outs with any of them when he needs them, he has the repertoire and the command to evolve with age. Consider that until Verlander picked up his first-inning power down the stretch last season, he was pitching effectively with a low- to mid-90s fastball in the early innings and building up as games went on.

He spent a good amount of time working on those secondary pitches Wednesday.

“The changeup especially comes pretty easy to me, as far as offspeed’s concerned, but the curveball takes some more work,” Verlander said. “I threw a couple good ones out of the stretch.”

That time for aging, however, isn’t anytime soon. His consistency isn’t just in his numbers, but his game. It’s also clearly in his expectations. He began throwing again barely a month ago, a reaction to back-to-back seasons with heavy innings workloads.

From an execution standpoint, he doesn’t care. He has his standard.

“I feel about the same,” Verlander said. “I may be slightly behind just because I started a little later, but as far as where my progression is throwing, where I’m at right now, I feel good.”

By feeling good, he doesn’t mean feeling happy. His mound reactions don’t mature — a glare there, an inside fastball every so often — even if he does.

Original article link: Castellanos making most of spring playing time, by Jason Beck

Nick Castellanos, OF, Detroit Tigers
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Call Nick Castellanos too young or inexperienced for the Major Leagues. Label him underseasoned for the outfield with less than a year of work. List any number of reasons why Castellanos won’t make the Tigers out of camp, and that’s the fate he probably faces.

But he’s opportunistic, give him that.

Whether or not manager Jim Leyland intended to give Castellanos a long look in left field, he’s getting it. With Andy Dirks, Brennan Boesch and Quintin Berry all injured, Leyland is short on outfielders. Castellanos is making the most of his chances.

The young man the Tigers view as the future, ironically, is simply playing for the now.

“I’m really fortunate that I’m getting as much playing time,” Castellanos said after Thursday’s 11-2 win over the Rays, “but I also understand there’s a lot of big leaguers that are injured. I know that when they’re healthy, they need playing time, so I’m not going to be disappointed when Boesch and Dirks and Berry are starting to get reps. So I’m just trying to take advantage of the time I have now.”

The more he hits, the more it’s a positive. He’s hitting a ton this week.

With Thursday’s three-hit game, Castellanos has reached base safely in eight of 10 plate appearances since he played all nine innings against the Phillies on Monday. He had a trio of singles in as many plate appearances Thursday, including a two-out RBI liner to center off the Rays’ young lefty Matt Moore and a broken-bat single off seasoned right-hander Jamey Wright.

He’s now tied for the team lead in hits (six) with Victor Martinez and Tyler Collins, and he has three walks. In the process, he’s growing into the title of this year’s Spring Training tear.

The Tigers have had veterans do that and eventually fade. Ryan Raburn had six home runs heading into mid-March last year and never hit the rest of the year. Detroit had young players tear up the Grapefruit League and use it as a springboard to an early-season appearance, such as Dirks and Boesch.

Neither Dirks or Boesch came in with the prospect ranking of Castellanos. Neither came in with as much momentum as Castellanos, whose 2012 season put him on the clock for a Major League opportunity sometime in the near future.

Even if Leyland doesn’t want people going overboard about early Spring Training performances, he can’t blame them. He wants to temper the enthusiasm about Castellanos’ chances at winning playing time in left field — Detroit needs a right-handed hitter alongside Dirks or Boesch, after all — but he doesn’t extinguish the enthusiasm.

“I would say that they’re getting a little ahead of themselves, if that’s what they’re saying,” Leyland said. “You know what? I want them to get ahead of themselves. We’ve got this kid down here that’s tearing the cover off the ball. I like that. I mean, that’s good stuff.”

Castellanos, clearly, will not go overboard.

“If this is a boxing match, this is just the end of Round 1,” he said. “I don’t know how many rounds there are, 12 or whatever, but there’s still a long way.”

Though Castellanos’ tear began Monday with his opposite-field home run off Jonathan Papelbon, he has thrived on the line-drive single. Instead of trying to swing big, he has made his swing look nice and easy in delivering balls to the outfield. He centered all three pitches he hit Thursday.

“Had three good swings,” Castellanos said. “The last guy broke my bat, those cutters, but still I stayed on it and I covered that outside part of the plate. It was a good swing.”

Thursday also saw Castellanos receive more activity in left field in six innings than he did in nine innings Monday. The converted third baseman handled himself well, catching a few fly balls and playing a double off the wall, though he briefly struggled to retrieve it.

“It’s good, just because it shows them that I can handle myself in all those different types of situations,” Castellanos said, “playing a ball off the wall, cutting off a ball in the gap, and just catching routine fly balls. I haven’t had too much of running catches or anything so far, but I haven’t had the opportunity to make that.”

He’ll probably get enough opportunities in the coming days. Dirks could return from his left intercostal strain on Friday to face the Mets, but the Tigers’ split-squad games Saturday pretty much guarantee that Castellanos will play. Berry is sidelined for at least the next few days while he receives treatment for patellar tendinitis in his left knee, and Boesch has missed almost two weeks of camp with his oblique strain.

The longer those injuries linger, the better chance Castellanos will face the next test, when pitchers begin honing in their stuff and starters work into the middle innings.

“Anybody in Spring Training, when the curves get a little sharper and the sliders get a little better and all that, who knows what’s going to happen,” Leyland said. “But one thing is for sure: Doing good right now is a good thing. It’s better than not doing good when pitchers aren’t sharp and everything.”

Leyland grouped Castellanos, Collins and other youngsters into that category, but Castellanos is quickly becoming the focus. Even if he doesn’t make the team out of camp, a strong spring could keep that focus on him heading to Triple-A Toledo. Leyland seemingly hinted at that possibility.

“I like it when, whoever it is, you send somebody down and they made a real good impression in Spring Training and they go down there and do good in the Minor Leagues,” Leyland said. “That’s in the memory bank, what these guys are doing right now.”

Castellanos would like it to be more, no doubt, but he can’t make the decisions. All he can do is keep hitting.

“I’m just happy that I’m showing them that I really want to help this team win,” he said. “Whether it’s at third base or the outfield or wherever, as long as I can get in a spot in a Tigers uniform.”

Original article link: Price aims to repeat success of last year, lead staff, by Bill Chastain

David Price, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
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David Price remembers what got him here, so he always packs extra socks.

The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner had a busy offseason, full of events that took place in venues from the east to west coasts. At times, the traveling made it difficult for him to keep up with his throwing regimen. No problem. He would simply go to his suitcase and grab a clean sock. With a baseball in his hand, he would place the sock over his left arm and proceed to throw into it. Pitchers call this drill “sock throws,” and they can perform it anywhere — holding the ball, winding up and firing over and over again.

“I just had to adjust to what I was doing,” said Price about his offseason. “It’s hard to throw in New York in a hotel when it’s 25 degrees outside. I just had a ball and a sock and did sock throws. That’s what I’ve learned from this organization. Something I did a lot more during this offseason. I feel like it has benefitted me. Because I feel better than I have in Spring Trainings in the past.”

Price had a dominating 2012 season, posting a 20-5 mark with a 2.56 ERA in 31 starts. Don’t expect anything less from the 27-year-old southpaw this season. He’s way too competitive to rest on his laurels. He wants to be the best, as always, in everything he does.

“I know that he’s very motivated,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “He’s a very humble guy. When it comes down to it, he is probably very motivated to do it again.”

For all of his success, Price has remained grounded. Those who have known him a long time might describe him as being anything from a “goof ball” to a “14-year-old in a 27-year-old’s body,” unless he’s on the mound.

“He’s been a kid his whole life,” said Matt Buschmann, who has known Price since both were at Vanderbilt together. “I don’t think he’s ever going to change. Video games and baseball — that’s pretty much all he knows.”

Buschmann called Price “awesome” for the way he has gracefully handled his success and remained the same guy he’s always known.

“Because you see him when he first got to Vanderbilt, and he really hasn’t changed a bit,” Buschman said. “And knowing his family — that’s a testament to them. They kept him right where he was, and it’s been great to see him progress the way he has and stay the same guy.”

Clearly, Price is special. Evan Longoria noted that there’s a different vibe any night he’s the starter.

“He’s the leader of our staff,” Longoria said. “He’s the guy that we look to when we’re stuck in a rut, can’t get anything going. He’s the kind of guy you look to to really go out there and give you a quality start every time he goes out. There is a different level of confidence when he goes out on the mound.”

And just like every time a Felix Hernandez or a Justin Verlander pitches, the promise of what might happen is always there.

“He’s just really become such a polished pitcher that every time he does go out there, you feel like he could throw a no-hitter,” Longoria said. “He has that kind of stuff, and he’s that electric and that special.”

Now that James Shields has moved on to the Royals, Price has become the de facto leader of the staff, a role he won’t shy away from, but one that he doesn’t necessarily feel has fallen directly on his shoulders.

“It’s not just one person, it’s our entire team,” Price said. “We’ve all talked about [replacing Shields]. It’s not up to one person to step up and try to fill James Shields’ shoes. It’s a team effort. It doesn’t have to be a pitcher. A position player can go out there and fill his shoes a little bit.”

Having issued that disclaimer of sorts, Price addressed how he has suddenly become one of the elder members of the staff and how he’s more than happy to help anyone seeking his help.

“It all happened so fast,” Price said. “You don’t even think about it. But it is cool. I have a little bit of time in the league now, and I have quite a bit in comparison to our team. They know I’m an open book. They can call me or text me whenever they want. And they know I’m here for them.”

Price allowed that the pitching staff having a repeat performance anywhere near what it did in 2012 could be difficult.

“We had a historic pitching staff last year,” Price said. “I read where we had the ninth-best bullpen in Major League Baseball, and that’s forever. So it’s pretty cool to be able to have a year like that, and be a part of this. We’re all going to come out here, and try and pitch a little better than we did last year and hopefully have some better results.”

As for Maddon, he likes Price just the way he is.

“Even though he’s got Cy in his bedroom now, I don’t want him to change anything,” Maddon said. “I just want him to be himself. He’ll continue to grow.”

Original article link: 2013 MLB draft: Top 50 high school prospects, by Dan Kirby

1. Clint Frazier, OF, Loganville HS (GA)

2. Austin Meadows, OF, Grayson HS (GA)
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At 6’-4” and 200 pounds, the left-hander already has a major league body.
A true five-tool talent, his plus speed, plus arm and instincts should allow him to stick at center field.
Great bat speed allows him to hit the ball all over the field and the power potential is huge.
Like best friend Frazier, he has a great make up and high understanding of the game.

3. Jonathan Denney, C, Yukon HS (OK)

4. Dominic Smith, 1B/OF, Serra HS (CA)

5. Trey Ball, LHP/OF, New Castle Chrysler HS (TX)

6. Reese McGuire, C, Kentwood HS (WA)
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Left-handed hitting catchers, who also happen to be plus defenders, are always at a premium.
McGuire fits that bill as the 6’-1”, 190-pound backstop is arguably the best defensive catcher in the draft.
He showed his offensive potential as a member of U18 Team USA last fall, hitting .462 (12-for-26) with four doubles, 11 RBI, eight walks and a .583 OBP over nine games as Team USA won the gold in Seoul, South Korea.

7. J.P. Crawford, SS, Lakewood HS (CA)

8. Jordan Sheffield, RHP, Tullahoma HS (TN)
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The 6’-3”, 195-pound right-hander may have the best fastball in the draft, easily hitting the mid 90s with room for more as he matures.
He also adds a hammer curve to go along with a developing slider that has plus potential.
Over 49.2 innings last season, he had a 0.99 ERA and 73 K/24 BB while only allowing 21 hits.

9. Oscar Mercado, SS, Gaither HS (FL)

10. Kohl Stewart, RHP, St. Pius X HS (TX)

11. Rob Kaminsky, LHP, St. Joseph HS (NJ)

12. Jonah Wesely, LHP, Tracy HS (CA)

13. Ryan Boldt, OF, Red Wing HS (MN)
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A leadoff-type hitter with great speed (6.41/60), the 6’-1”, 195-pound left-hander has a short, compact swing that allows him to drive the ball to all fields.
More power should come as he matures.
His glove, strong arm and speed should allow him to stick at center field.
Was 12-for-12 in stolen base attempts for U18 Team USA over nine games.
He also drew seven walks, showing an advanced feel for the plate.
One of the more exciting players in the draft.

14. Ian Clarkin, LHP, James Madison HS (TX)
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There a lot of very good high school lefties in this draft and Clarkin (6’-2”, 190 pounds) is among the best.
He can dial his fastball up to 93 mph, and he also adds a big, looping curveball that sits in the low 70s with nice fade.
He has a lot of deception in his delivery and has great mound presence.
Went 8-2 as a junior with a 0.62 ERA and 106 K/27 BB over 68 innings, allowing just 27 hits.

15. Andy McGuire, INF, James Madison HS (VA)

16. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP, Cathedral Catholic HS (CA)
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At 6’-5”, the southpaw has a lot of projection and can get his fastball up to 92 mph with sink.
He also adds a solid mid-70s curveball and a developing change-up.
Went 2-0 with a0.88 ERA and 12 K/4 BB over 16 innings for 2012 U18 Team USA, helping them to a gold medal in Seoul.
As a junior, he had a 1.91 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 79 K/20 BB over 66 innings, leading his team to a second straight state title by tossing a three-hitter with eight strikeouts in the title game.

17. Dustin Driver, RHP, Wenatchee HS (WA)

18. Justin Williams, OF, Terrebone HS (LA)

19. Clinton Hollon, RHP, Woodford County HS (KY)

20. Nick Ciuffo, C, Lexington HS (SC)
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Another left-handed hitting catcher, Ciuffo uses his above-average bat speed to drive balls all over the field and more power is on the way.
Defensively, his strong arm and footwork behind the plate will allow him to stick at a premium position.
A leader on the field, he is among the elite in this deep class of prep catchers.

21. Travis Demeritte, 3B, Winder Barrow HS (GA)

22. Garrett Williams, RHP, Cavalry Baptist Academy (LA)
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A former Little League World Series star, the 6’-2”, 200-pound southpaw is one of the top prep pitchers in the country. A two-way player, his future seems brighter on the mound, as he features a low-90s fastball and a plus curveball. He helped U18 Team USA to a gold medal at the World Championships held in Seoul, South Korea, posting a 1.26 ERA and a team-leading 18 strikeouts over 16.2 innings.

23. A.J. Puk, LHP/1B, Washington HS (IA)

24. Rowdy Tellez, 1B, Elk Grove HS (CA)

25. Brett Morales, RHP, King HS (FL)

26. Matt McPhearson, OF, Riverdale Baptist HS (MD)

27. Brian Navarreto, C, Arlington Country Day HS (FL)

28. Casey Shane, RHP, Centennial HS (TX)

29. Chris Okey, C, Eustis HS (FL)
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Like Martinez, Okey has the tools to stick behind the plate, and many think his offensive potential his higher. Also like Martinez, he is a two-time gold medal winner for U18 Team USA. He has great bat speed, and his strong wrists project to a lot more power at the next level. He hit .386 his junior year with three home runs, 21 RBI and just four strikeouts over 57 at-bats. As a sophomore, he hit .519 with seven doubles, three home runs and 25 RBI.

30. Cavan Biggio, 2B, St. Thomas HS (TX)
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A very good athlete who has a high understanding of the game having grown up around it, the 6’-1” left-hander has a lot of upside. As a sophomore, the 6’-1” left-hander hit .402 over 34 games with seven home runs, 48 RBI and a .750 SLG. He also drew 36 walks for a .570 OBP. Last season, he hit .420 with two home runs, 26 RBI and a .488 OBP over 24 games. Very sound defensively.

31. Jeremy Martinez, C, Mater Dei HS (CA)
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A two-time gold medal winner for U18 Team USA, Martinez is one of the more polished prep players in the draft. His strong arm, footwork and high understanding of the game will allow him to stick at catcher. Some question the bat and want to see more power from him. At 5’-11” and 195 pounds, he hits the gaps and has a good feel for the strike zone. Hit .388 over 29 games as a junior. A true leader on the field.

32. Jan Hernandez, 3B/SS, Carlos Beltran BB Academy (PR)

33. Connor Jones, RHP, Great Bridge HS (VA)

34. Carlos Salazar, RHP, Kerman HS (CA)

35. Ryder Jones, RHP/3B, Watauga HS (NC)

36. Hunter Green, LHP, Warren East HS (TX)

37. Zack Collins, C/1B, American Heritage HS (FL)
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Enormous power from the left side. The 6’-3”, 205-pound masher has a good understanding of the strike zone, as well as very good bat speed. Most believe he will eventually end up at first base. He was also a member of U16 Team USA, hitting .500 (16-for-32) with three home runs and 16 RBI over eight games.

38. Ryan McMahon, 3B, Mater Dei HS (CA)

39. Derek Beauprez, RHP, Cherry Creek HS (CO)

40. Terry McClure, OF, Riverwood HS (GA)

41. Willie Abreu, OF, Mater HS (FL)
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A 6’-4” right-hander, Abreu is more of a line-drive hitter now, but his size suggests a lot more power will come. His quick wrists allow him to hit lasers to all fields and he also has a good understanding of the strike zone. Like many on this list, he has been a regular on Team USA and hit .423 (11for-26) for gold medal winning 2010 U16 Team USA. Has a strong enough arm and range to hold down a corner outfield spot. Plays for the same school as Albert Almora, the sixth-overall pick in 2012 by the Cubs.

42. Trevor Clifton, RHP, Heritage HS (TN)
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Clifton’s size (6’-5”, 180 pounds) makes him a very projectable pitcher. His fastball sits in the low 90s and his change-up is his out pitch and looks plus at times. He also adds a developing curveball and slider. Needs to refine his command as he walked 28 batters over 33.2 innings as a junior, although he did strikeout 57 while allowing just 17 hits.

43. Keegan Thompson, RHP, Cullman HS (AL)
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The 6’-3”, 195-pound right-hander can get his fastball up to 94 mph with movement. He also features a plus curveball, developing curve and has command of all three. Was the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Alabama as a sophomore and went 7-2 with a 0.94 ERA and 119 K/5 BB over 67.1 innings as a junior. Has been a fixture on Team USA.

44. Cord Sandberg, OF, Manatee County Private HS (FL)

45. Chris Kohler, LHP, Los Osos HS (CA)

46. Chris Oakley, RHP, St. Augustine HS (NJ)

47. Chris Rivera, SS, El Dorado HS (CA)
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A slick-fielding shortstop who may actually be better suited behind the plate. He has the arm, footwork and instincts to be a solid defender at either. Offensively, his short, compact swing project to a high-average hitter with decent pop.

48. Josh Hart, OF, Parkview HS (GA)

49. John Sternagel, 3B/SS, Rockledge HS (FL)

50. Nick Longhi, 1B/LHP, Venice Senior HS (FL)

Original article link: Springer steppin’ up with Astros

George Springer, OF, Houston Astros
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George Springer calmly placed two bats inside his travel bag, untucked his bright-orange undershirt and sat on a bench at the far left end of the Astros’ locker room.

Then general manager Jeff Luhnow walked by. The man charged with the largest rebuilding project in baseball was beaming. Luhnow lightly touched Springer’s arm, said a few kind words and delivered the biggest message of Springer’s young career: Nice job, kid. Really nice job.

Springer blasted a three-run homer to deep right-center field in the fourth inning of the Astros’ 10-1 win over Toronto. His second shot was a monster and even more big league-like.

After falling behind 0-2 when fooled on the second strike by a breaking pitch, the 23-year-old Springer told his brain to slow down. Then, with his hands lightly waving and his back slightly bent, the No. 11 pick of the 2011 amateur draft delivered on his promise.

Springer uncoiled, sending a bullet toward left-center. The ball flew hard, settling in netting below the Florida Auto Exchange Stadium scoreboard.

*************************************************************************

Following two straight 100-loss seasons by the Astros, there hasn’t been much to be excited about when it comes to baseball in Houston.
George Springer could change that.

The 23-year-old center fielder has just the right combination of power and speed to grab attention around the diamond. It was those abilities, along with a quality glove and arm, that made him stand out in three seasons at the University of Connecticut, where, along with Red Sox prospect Matt Barnes and D-backs prospect Nick Ahmed, he led the Huskies in 2011 to their first College World Series appearance in 32 years. Rangers prospect Mike Olt also played alongside Springer in 2009.

After being named Big East Player of the Year, the native of New Britain, Conn., was selected 11th overall by the Astros in that year’s Draft.

Springer didn’t disappoint in 2012 — his first full season in pro ball. He batted .302 with 24 homers, 87 RBIs and 32 steals in 128 games between Class A Advanced Lancaster and Double-A Corpus Christi. Thanks to those numbers, he was named the Astros’ No. 3 prospect and MLB.com’s No. 57 overall entering the upcoming 2013 campaign.

We caught up with the promising outfielder to discuss the memories of his times in Storrs and what he believes lies ahead with the Astros.

MiLB.com: You’re down in Florida for your second Spring Training with the Astros. How’s it been so far, and what have you noticed that’s been different?

George Springer: As of right now, it’s all been good. You’re getting quality reps, quality swings and other offensive reps every single day over and over. As a player, that’s good. You definitely want to get your legs underneath you after a long offseason.

As for going from last year to this year, the atmosphere here has completely changed. Bo Porter and all the other new coaches have done a fantastic job so far of establishing that the old Astros are the old Astros. This is a new year, and that’s a great way of thinking. And that doesn’t just go for the big-league team. It’s an attitude the organization as a whole is taking.

MiLB.com: With that being said, people are still looking at the Astros as an organization that’s focusing more on the future than the present. Because of that, do you feel any more pressure as someone seen as one of the top prospects in the organization?

Springer: I guess you want to say the future is the future and you’ll worry about it when it comes. I wouldn’t say prospects or guys who have the potential to play at higher levels have any added pressure or anything like that.

Still being the young player that I am, I have complete respect for the guys who are up there in the Majors right now. They’re still pro hitters, pro throwers, pro pitchers.

I’m spending a lot of time here talking with guys like Jose Altuve, Justin Maxwell, Jason Castro, Fernando Martinez — the list could go on and on. As a player, they are the big league team, so you want to see what they do and how they work. … Right now, wins and losses, I don’t care about that. Those guys up there go out and compete and play to win every day.

MiLB.com: Going back to yourself, what did you take away from the 2012 season?

Springer: I learned a lot more about myself as a hitter. From the moment I was drafted to instructs to my first year, I feel like I’ve learned and grown tremendously, and that’s great. I have a lot of things to improve on, and I will improve on all of them. It’s going to take blood, sweat and tears, but I know I’ve got just as much to learn from all my mistakes, not just my successes.

The biggest part of that is not to give away at-bats at all — be more aware of how I’m being pitched and how the guy behind me is being pitched. I could go on for hours about what needs work. But at the top, I have to have a better sense of who I am as a player and a teammate because in order to succeed in this game, you have to make the necessary adjustments.

MiLB.com: You’ve talked a little about knowing what kind of player you are. What kind do you see yourself as right now?

Springer: In my own mind, I’m a guy that’s going to compete for you every day. It doesn’t matter if we’re up nine or down nine, I’m going to play hard and do all I can to be a good teammate. … If I go 3-for-3 but we lose, I’m going to be upset. But if I’m 0-for-3 and we win, I guarantee you I’ll be happy.

MiLB.com: As for more technical things, you’ve been described as a toolsy player. What do you think is your most important tool?

Springer: Speed. Speed is something that can help you in all aspects of the game. It’ll help you run the bases fast. You’ll play the field fast. The faster you can be, the better player you are. It’s really the No. 1 tool for me. Our organization has some guys, like Delino DeShields, who has great speed and really knows how to use that speed. So as far back as freshman year of school, I’ve been trying to understand how to best utilize my speed in everything I do.

MiLB.com: So if you and DeShields were to race down there in Spring Training, you think you’d have a shot to beat him?

Springer: I don’t really know to be honest. He can definitely run. You saw that when he stole more than 100 bags last year. But in a game situation, who knows? He can run. I can run. If we ever race, I think we’d make it pretty fun for everyone.

MiLB.com: Moving back a little bit, between yourself, Mike Olt, Matt Barnes and Nick Ahmed, you guys had a couple of really good teams at UConn. What was it like to be a part of that?

Springer: That experience was honestly something I won’t forget. I was extremely fortunate to play with guys like Nick, Mike, John Andreoli. It’s another thing that I could go on and on about, just the guys who were there.

imageBut one of the biggest forces to our team was Coach [Jim Penders]. He made sure everyone was loose and let us have fun with what we were doing. He really understood us as players and people. With guys like Olt, Ahmed, Barnes, Andreoli, one of the best parts was how he got everybody to pull in the same direction.

When I was there, I have every confidence in the guy behind me. If I strike out, I know he has my back. If Ahmed is on first, I know he’s stealing. I’ve never played on a team like that. We fed on each other, and that started with Coach on Day 1. We knew we had to play hard for the team and its goals. Because of that, we did some things in my three years that hadn’t been done by the program ever.

And that’s a testament as much to the guys who came before us too. The Pete Fatse’s of the world, he helped me a lot. Harold Brantley. Pierre LePage. … It was just the best time of my life.

MiLB.com: Was it even a little sweeter being that college teams in the North don’t usually have the success you guys did with the Huskies?

Springer: It was obviously something special for sure. To play for Connecticut and play the big-time schools that have had success historically was huge. And for me, Mike and Matt, it was an honor to represent our state and the place we’re all from. I feel like it definitely opened up some eyes and got us some exposure that we normally wouldn’t get in that situation.

MiLB.com: Do you still keep in touch with everyone from that team?

Springer: Oh, yeah, I’m in contact with those guys all the time. I’m always checking up on how they’re doing, checking their stats. It’s something great, just to see as a program where we’ve gone. It’s something special to me to see guys I’ve played with are having success.

Original article link: Frazier ready to capitalize on strong rookie year, by Mark Sheldon

Todd Frazier, IF, Cincinnati Reds
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There was very little “off” in the offseason for Reds third baseman Todd Frazier, who managed to cram a whole lot of activity into just a few months.

For starters, there were two major personal milestones. Frazier got married, and he and new wife, Jackie, bought their first home, in his hometown of Toms River, N.J. Then came Hurricane Sandy, which brought devastation that Frazier and his family were fortunate to escape unscathed. After the storm beat up New Jersey, he donated his time and effort to raise funds for those who were not as lucky.

“I’ll tell you one thing, it was one of the fastest offseasons I’ve ever had,” said Frazier, who was drafted by Cincinnati in 2007. “Something came up every day. It flew by. The only downtime I got was the honeymoon. It was good. I got two big things out of the way. We’re still working hard to get back to where we need to be in the community.”

And then there was his job. Frazier was anointed the new regular third baseman shortly after his 2012 breakout rookie year. He spent considerable portions of his winter making sure he was ready to replace eight-time Gold Glove winner Scott Rolen.

Reds manager Dusty Baker gave Frazier the assignment of improving his footwork.

“I worked out five days a week, mainly on my footwork at third base,” Frazier said. “It’s all about reaction, but that first step is really big. I’m working on that a lot here, too.”

Frazier batted .273 with 19 home runs and 67 RBIs in 128 games last season and finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting. However, his peers voted him as the Players Choice Award Rookie of the Year. It was a strong outcome for a player who began the season in Triple-A and who lacked a regular spot in the Majors.

Among NL rookies, Frazier was second in RBIs and with a .498 slugging percentage. He was tied for second with six triples, third in homers and 10th in batting average.

Frazier, who turned 27 last Tuesday, is the epitome of a player not squandering an opportunity. From May 12 to June 16, he started 28 of the games Rolen missed while on the disabled list with a shoulder injury, and he hit six homers with 19 RBIs. When cornerstone first baseman Joey Votto was out from July 16 to Sept. 3 with a knee injury, Frazier batted .305 with eight homers and 32 RBIs in 47 games, including 36 starts at first base.

The contributions were pivotal as the Reds did not miss a beat without Votto or Rolen during their drive to win the NL Central.

“We’re going to give him an opportunity to play,” Baker said. “He’s a strong man. He brings some good things to the table and some good things to the team. Not only with the game in how he plays, but the personality of a winner. He’s not scared or intimidated by anybody.”

When Rolen became a free agent contemplating retirement last fall, the Reds were quick to name Frazier as their projected starter. The door was left open for Rolen to return in a reduced role. It still remains open, but Rolen decided last week not to commit to the team.

Frazier was never worried about Rolen’s decision affecting his status.

“I went in thinking it was my spot,” he said. “You have to have that confidence and a positive vibe about yourself. If you go in and think you don’t have a spot, you’re hesitant. You don’t want to be hesitant in anything you do.”

The Reds have gotten an extended look at what Frazier can do. But there is still work to be done for him to become a complete player, Baker acknowledged.

“It takes time to see how a young player makes adjustments to how a league learns him and how to pitch him,” Baker said. “A lot of times that affects your fielding. He worked hard this winter. We told him to go home and work on his first step agility, and that’s what he did. It’s not called the hot corner for nothing. You end up reaching if you don’t have that quick step. We take pride on defense here. He’s worked hard at it.”

Frazier enlisted the help of Ed Hefernan, a retired speed and agility coach in New Jersey, three days a week during the winter to make him more nimble.

“That ball down the line, it’s getting to it instead of letting it get by,” Frazier said. “My forehand is good and my backhand is pretty good, but it’s not good enough.”

Since the day the former Rutgers shortstop was a first-round supplemental pick of the Reds in the 2007 Draft, Frazier has moved all over the place. He’s played first base, second base, third base and left field. It’s been the same during his brief time in the Majors.

Now Frazier has a new home in New Jersey, and a place to call home on the field.

“It’s huge. I don’t have a lot of gloves anymore, only four or five instead of nine,” Frazier said. “To work at one position is great. That was my ultimate goal. Being a utility guy was awesome. If I had to do it again, I would. It was great for me. You never knew where you’d be that day, and now to work on one position is fun. It’s awesome even being a starter. It’s something I’ve dreamed of my whole life. Like last year, once you get that opportunity, take off with it. You have to prove yourself year after year and day after day.”

Original article link: Bryant Tabbed WCC Player of the Week – University of San Diego Official Athletic Site

Kris Bryant, 3B, San Diego Toreros
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Junior All-American Kris Bryant of the University of San Diego baseball team has been tabbed the West Coast Conference Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday afternoon.

Bryant, a 6-5 third baseman from Las Vegas, Nev., helped lead the Toreros to a 4-2 record this past week. Bryant paced the Team’s offense with a .474 batting average, going 9-for-19, with one double, five home runs and nine RBI. Bryant slugged at a 1.316 clip, had an on base percentage of .643, and he scored 12 runs.

Bryant began the week with an impressive 2-for-2, two home runs, and four RBI performance against No. 10 Cal State Fullerton at Fowler Park. He then went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the win against Seton Hall the very next day.

Bryant continued his offensive assault on Friday as he went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI against Saint Louis. Bryant then wrapped up his week with a 3-for-5 and one home run performance against Saint Louis.

Original article link: Hosmer KISSing ‘12 goodbye with simpler approach, by Dick Kaegel

Eric Hosmer, 1B, Kansas City Royals
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It’s the old KISS theory with a slight twist. Instead of Keep It Simple Stupid, it’s Keep It Simple Slugger.

Slugger in this case being the Royals’ Eric Hosmer, who did far less slugging than he’d hoped last year because he didn’t keep his approach to hitting simple enough. So he’s going back to basics, swinging like he did as a kid in Florida.

When Hosmer went home for the winter, he enlisted the help of his brother Mike. He’s five years older than Eric, born in 1985, which happens to be the year the Royals won the World Series. They haven’t reached the postseason since, a 27-year gap that the Hosmers would like to close ASAP.

“I’ve been hitting with him since I was a little kid and basically what I wanted to do was make it as simple as possible with my swing and my approach,” Hosmer said. “And that’s basically what I did. Just keep it as simple as possible and let my hands do the work.”

Eric moved into a home between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, not far from the Everglades, and one of the first additions was an outdoor batting cage.

There’s no pitching machine, but his coach from American Heritage High in Plantation, Fla., Mike Macey, came over often after school to do some throwing. Some of Hosmer’s buddies, including Deven Marrero, a shortstop drafted by Boston, joined in.

Brother Mike would throw BP, too, and do some analyzing.

“When I got home, I just basically told him that if he saw something that looked awkward or didn’t look natural with me, just let me know. We got good work in the whole offseason and it was real productive,” Eric said.

Jack Maloof, the Royals’ new hitting coach, thought so, too.

“He came in here more to what I remember him being like than what he was last year,” Maloof said.

Maloof saw video of Hosmer hitting even before the Royals drafted him in the first round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. As a Minor League instructor, Maloof was with the left-handed-hitting phenom as he struggled through vision problems in 2009 and, after laser eye surgery, as he prospered in 2010 and reached the Majors in 2011.

While 2011 was a joyful rookie revelation (.293, 19 homers, 78 RBIs in 128 games), 2012 was a fretful sophomore slowdown (.232/14/60 in 152 games).

So for Hosmer and Maloof, it was back to basics.

“It’s getting back to a more fundamental way of doing things and, based on what I’ve seen so far, it’s a good first indicator,” Maloof said.

Did Maloof feel there were radical departures from Hosmer’s simpler-days approach last year?

“There was a lot radical — even in his stance, a definite rock back and forth, to a wide-open stance that crept wider and wider before the pitcher even threw the ball, so the alignment was not good. … It got to where the kid was so confused with what he was trying to do that he didn’t know where he was at,” Maloof said.

Maloof detected indications of “over-thinking” and “over-responding” on Hosmer’s part. The 23-year-old first baseman didn’t argue the point.

“Last year, I just maybe tried to do a little too much and I just want to make it as simple as possible,” Hosmer said. “I use the term, make it seem boring. Everything’s quiet and you’re just sitting back, letting the hands do all the work.”

Early last season, Hosmer seemed to hit an inordinate number of rocket line drives and grass-scorching grounders that were caught. After his first 40 games, he was hitting a mere .177.

“It just started out as bad luck and I was getting frustrated after some tough hops or bounces or whatever and you tend to want to work out of it and get it all back in one swing and I think that’s where the mistake was,” he said.

It was difficult to fix a hitting problem in the whirlwind of a 162-game season.

“It’s an avalanche,” manager Ned Yost said. “You can’t stop an avalanche once it starts. And that’s what the season’s like. You’ve just got to try to out-ski it and not get caught up in it. But during the offseason, you can go back and review and you can look at a bunch of different escape routes.”

Yost has seen improvement in Hosmer already in Spring Training.

“He looks good,” Yost said. “He’s just going to keep it simple. Sometimes you over-think, you over-analyze, you try to do too much when you’re in the box instead of just letting your natural reactions take over: See the ball, hit the ball. And that’s what he’s doing now.”

Once again, Yost sees Hosmer, who sank to No. 8 in the lineup last season, as his No. 3 hitter behind Alex Gordon and Alcides Escobar, and ahead of Billy Butler.

“Definitely having the manager have that confidence in you is huge,” Hosmer said. “I just want to put last year behind me. I’ve had this offseason to forget about it and just come here with a new goal in mind.”

With Interleague Play coming up early this season at Philadelphia and Atlanta, Yost again is toying with using Hosmer in the outfield with Butler at first base. It was an idea that was quickly abandoned last year, but Hosmer is eager to try it again.

“Yeah, definitely, because it keeps you in the lineup,” Hosmer said. “Billy’s got to be in the lineup, because he’s the best hitter on our team so [I’ll take] any way I can stay in the lineup during that time.”

And as far as 2012 goes, he’d like to KISS it goodbye.

Original article link: Grichuk still has time to make impact like Trout, by Tracy Ringolsby

Randal Grichuk, OF, Los Angeles Angels
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Twenty-four selections were made in the first round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft before the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected Mike Trout.

Randal Grichuk was one of the 24.

Grichuk, however, is different.

Not only was Grichuk drafted 24th, directly ahead of Trout, but he, like Trout, was selected by the Angels and is an outfielder.

The two of them became friends as teammates in the Arizona Rookie League in 2009.

After that, however, Trout’s career took off.

Grichuk’s career was put on hold.

Trout was in the big leagues in the second half of 2011, carrying the label of the best young player in the game.

Grichuk was stalled at the Class A level, the victim of a strange trio of injuries that limited him to 117 games combined his first two pro seasons. He tore a ligament 12 games into the 2010 season at low Class A Cedar Rapids, and after his return, broke his wrist diving for a fly ball. In 2011, his season started late while he recovered from a fractured kneecap, suffered when he fouled a ball off the knee during Spring Training.

“We took two different paths,” said Grichuk.

Grichuk said comparisons to Trout “never bothered me. I just knew I needed to stay on the field.”

Eddie Bane, now a special assistant to Boston general manager Ben Cherington, was the Angels’ scouting director who made the decision to select Grichuk and Trout.

“I know he was hurt, but I also think it’s human nature for a competitor to prove things, and he may have gotten out of doing what he does best,” said Bane. “He got himself back on track last year. He got back to doing what Randal Grichuk is capable of doing. And he can do plenty.”

Grichuk put together a solid season at high Class A Inland Empire in 2012, earning California League Player of the Week honors the first week of August. He hit .298 with 18 home runs, 71 RBIs and 16 stolen bases, earning an invite to big league Spring Training this year. He was recently ranked the Angels’ No. 7 overall prospect. He was one of the Angels selected to play during the offseason in the Arizona Fall League.

Bane feels comparisons of Grichuk and Trout are unfair.

“But that is part of the game,” he said.

That brought back memories of a 1985 spring day in Lakeland, Fla. Kansas City was playing Detroit in an exhibition game. Gene Lamont, the Triple-A manager for the Royals, was with the big league team, and he was hitting ground balls to infielders during batting practice.

“Hey Lamont, you bum,” an elderly fan shouted. “We could have had [Johnny] Bench and got stuck with you.”

Lamont, the Tigers’ No. 1 Draft pick as a catcher in 1965, the year Bench went in the second round to Cincinnati, smiled.

“Nice to be remembered, I guess,” he said.

Grichuk still has plenty of time to create his own memories.

He, however, has found himself faced with unfair comparisons to Trout that has to make Bane wonder at times if he would have been better off drafting Trout before Grichuk. The Angels, after all, did have Trout rated higher.

Heck, Bane said, Trout was easily the No. 2 player on his Draft list, behind only Stephen Strasburg, who went to Washington with the first pick.

Bane said there was no debate in the Angels’ Draft room about taking Trout in the first round. The debate was on whether to gamble on Grichuk slipping to the sandwich round, where the Angels had the 40th and 42nd pick overall.

“We went back and forth on Randal, Tyler Skaggs and Garrett Richards for the first-round pick [along with Trout],” said Bane. “We just felt we better take [Grichuk] if we wanted him.”

The Rockies were the other team that showed strong interest in Grichuk, and they had both the 30th and 32nd picks in the Draft. They could have picked the Angels’ pocket and taken Grichuk.

As for which order to take Trout and Grichuk, it came down to more a bargaining chip than talent.

Craig Landis, the agent who was serving as Trout’s adviser, was making “rumbles of wanting way-over-the-slot money,” said Bane. “I felt, ‘OK, we’ll go the other way.’”

It worked. Both signed for slot money. Grichuk received $1.24 million, and Trout, one pick later, $1.215 million. And Bane was able to get all four players he wanted, selecting Skaggs 40th and Richards 42nd.

Skaggs, one of four players the Angels traded to Arizona for Dan Haren, made his big league debut for the D-backs in 2012. Richards made his big league debut in ‘11, and he was with the Angels the second half last season.

Now it’s up to Grichuk to make it a big league foursome from those early Angels picks in 2009.

“He’ll be there,” said Trout. “The name of the game is staying healthy. You can’t do anything in the trainer’s room. He’s had to deal with that, but he fought through it.”

He showed the flashes last year of what he is capable of when healthy.

And Grichuk has a chance to build off that in 2013.

Original article link:

Rickie Weeks, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
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At least Rickie Weeks wasn’t alone in dealing with frustration last season.

The Brewers second baseman, who was a National League All-Star the year before, owned a sub-.200 batting average deep into July. It was a side effect, he would finally admit in September, of the devastating ankle injury he’d suffered in 2011.

Meanwhile, in Oakland, Weeks’ younger brother Jemile was struggling himself, bumped from the A’s leadoff hole to Triple-A Sacramento.

So throughout April, May and June, as their troubles mounted, the brothers stayed in touch. Just like they always do.

“I think it’s a big advantage, not just for me but for the both of us, just to be able to bounce things off of each other and know that there’s always a comfort zone to go to with him,” Jemile Weeks said. “It gives you that mental rest.”

Big brother Rickie stressed that this was no pity party.

“No, no, no. Come on, now,” Rickie said. “We don’t work like that as a family. You have to stay strong. You don’t make excuses. You go out there and do your job.”

Now both are back for 2013, Rickie Weeks having further cemented his role as the Brewers’ starting second baseman with a strong finish to 2012, and Jemile back in A’s camp trying to win back his old job. They share a Scottsdale, Ariz., apartment, Rickie traveling across town to Maryvale Baseball Park and Jemile just down the road to the A’s complex.

On Saturday, they will meet in the traditional Cactus League opener between the two teams with Phoenix-based camps.

For the Weeks brothers, it’s a fresh start.

“You know, talking about baseball stuff is one thing, but we talk about life stuff, period,” Rickie said. “Obviously, baseball is our common denominator, but in life you’re going to struggle, no matter what.”

Rickie Weeks’ struggles began on July 27, 2011, when he lunged for first base trying to beat out an infield single and severely sprained his left ankle. He returned for the Brewers’ postseason run but was not the same, going 6-for-41 against the D-backs and Cardinals with no multi-hit games.

When he reported the following spring, the ankle still gave him trouble, even if Weeks was loathe to admit it. Tightness and discomfort in the joint led to trouble with his “toe-tap,” which led to some bad habits at the plate, which led to a .190 batting average on July 24, 92 games into Weeks’ season.

Weeks played through it, and manager Ron Roenicke, who’d suffered a similar injury as a Dodgers rookie in 1981 and knew what Weeks was going through, let him play through it.

“I know you come back and play and you’re able to still run good,” Roenicke said, “But it’s not the same. When you push off to steal a base, there’s just something a little different there where you don’t have that explosive speed like you normally do. When you’re at the plate, you’ve got something wrapped up, so instead of landing on your toes a little bit, you’re locked in and you have to land differently. It may not sound like a big deal, but I couldn’t stand being taped up.”

Jemile Weeks watched from afar, knowing his brother was playing through some pain.

Jemile Weeks, 2B, Oakland Athletics
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“That’s what he does,” Jemile said of his brother, four and a half years his elder. “The Brewers know that. He’s going to go out there every day and play hardcore, 100 percent, day in and day out. Even if something’s bothering him, he’s probably going to play. It wasn’t any surprise to me he was running out there, and I don’t think it was a surprise to the Brewers, either.”

Rickie salvaged his season by batting .268 in August and September. He pushed his average for the season to .230, with 21 home runs, 63 RBIs and 85 runs scored. He logged 588 plate appearances, the second-highest total of his career.

And unlike the season before, he went into the winter in good health.

“It was full-go, no rehab, no nothing like that,” Rickie Weeks said.

Today, the strength has returned to the joint, Weeks said, though there are still days when it is a bit stiff. So he goes for treatment, and he moves on. He figures there will be good days and not-so-good days all season.

“I don’t think it’s going to be anything like the extent it was last season,” he said.

Weeks focused on flexibility over the winter at home in Orlando, working with a professional trainer alongside his brother, Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon and Mariners prospect Nick Franklin. At the end of the day, the group would engage in video game tournaments — usually football.

“‘Madden’ is definitely his thing, the most-played game in our house,” Jemile Weeks said, “the most talked about game in our house.”

Now that the 2013 season is underway, they can talk baseball, too.