MLB Notebook: Cardinals looking at young RHPs for rotation spot
BY Associated Press
Sunday, February 24, 2013
2/24/13 at 7:11 AM
The youth movement for the St. Louis Cardinals is in full swing for the No. 5 spot in the starting rotation.
Ever since St. Louis learned that a shoulder injury will likely keep ace Chris Carpenter from pitching this season, attention has turned to the three young right-handers who have a shot to round out the rotation.
Trevor Rosenthal is locked in a competition with fellow 22-year-old Shelby Miller and 24-year-old Joe Kelly, three prospects with limited major league experience.
The Cardinals on Friday put Carpenter on the 60-day disabled list due to continued irritation in his spine and right shoulder. General manager John Mozeliak, who has said he doesn't expect the 37-year-old Carpenter to pitch at all this season, said the move gave the team roster flexibility.
Sandy Koufax welcomed back to spring training: Even from a distance, the rangy old man in gray uniform pants and a blue hoodie clearly is no ordinary coach. Players pay uncommonly close attention to his advice, and fans crane their necks as he moves easily around the Los Angeles Dodgers' spring training complex.
On another sparkling day in Arizona, the 77-year-old Hall of Famer is in his element - teaching, joking around and relishing baseball's camaraderie during another spring in the sunshine.
"I enjoy it. I've always enjoyed it," Koufax said. "I like talking pitching. It may be the only thing I've ever known, or been good at."
Koufax works with Dodgers pitchers and their regular coaches in the mornings, making small adjustments and suggestions - a change in arm angle out of the windup, or maybe a different foot placement on the rubber out of the stretch. He's modest about his help, claiming no special insight that the pitchers or catchers couldn't get from other sources.
Jeter resumes on-field running drills in Tampa: Yankees captain Derek Jeter practiced on-field running and agility drills for the first time since breaking his ankle last fall.
Jeter worked out at Steinbrenner Field on Saturday with players who didn't travel for the Yankees' spring training opener against Atlanta.
Jeter has been hitting and fielding grounders since the Yankees started full squad workouts last Monday. He had been running and stretching indoors.
"It's really nothing much different than what I was doing," Jeter said. "I was just at a different pace than everyone else. So while they're doing one thing, I don't want to be doing something else."
The 38-year-old broke his left ankle lunging for a grounder in the AL championship series opener against Detroit on Oct. 1 and had surgery a week later. He expects to be ready for opening day against Boston on April 1.
