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DAILY 03-11-10 MD SU D3 BLACK
THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010
KLMNO S D3
BASEBALL
SPRING TRAINING
NOTEBOOK
Nationals
Garciaparra
Journal
retires with
6
washingtonpost.com/
nationalsjournal
the Red Sox
Record falls to 0-8
after loss to Cardinals
The Nationals fell to 0-8 with a 6-4
Associated Press loss to the Cardinals, but at least
their team ERA dropped to 10.21.
Nomar Garciaparra rejoined the General Manager Mike Rizzo shared
Red Sox for one day and then retired, his view that they shouldn’t even
ending a 14-year career in which he bother keeping stats in spring
won two batting titles with Boston training. The sentiment is rational,
and was once a beloved player in the but you also wonder if the constant
city. losing will have an effect.
The shortstop signed a one-day Matt Capps, the likely closer, failed
contract with his former team for the third consecutive outing to
Wednesday before announcing he’s pitch a scoreless inning. He allowed
leaving baseball at 36 to become an two runs on two hits, and he has
ESPN analyst. allowed five earned runs in three
“From the first day I had the thrill innings this spring. Asked if he was
of putting on a Red Sox uniform and concerned, Manager Jim Riggleman
playing in front of all the great fans at said, “Not really, no.”
Fenway Park, I have felt at home in The leadoff triple Capps allowed
Boston,” Garciaparra said in a state- would have been a routine fly ball if
ment. “While I had the privilege of Justin Maxwell had not lost it off the
playing with other legendary teams, I bat, Riggleman said. But the double
always saw myself retiring in a Red that followed from Allen Craig was
Sox uniform.” blistered. Once Capps got that out of
Garciaparra played parts of nine the way, the inning was smooth,
seasons in Boston. He was a six-time including one strikeout.
all-star who was the 1997 American “He threw strikes,” Riggleman
League rookie of the year award and said. “He threw well.”
won batting crowns in 1999 and With J.D. Martin and Garrett
2000. He also has a place in Red Sox Mock each throwing three innings —
lore for being part of a four-team they each allowed a pair of runs —
trade in 2004 that helped the club the Nationals ran out of innings
win its first World Series in 86 years. before Drew Storen could pitch.
“I felt like I was there,” Garciaparra Instead, he got four free hours of bus
said, referring to the championship riding and will pitch Thursday
celebration. “In Boston there’s some- against Houston. Storen not pitching
thing greater than an individual play- is one good reason the Nationals will
er winning a World Series. When I make some cuts before the starters
was there I realized there’s some-
TONI L. SANDYS/THE WASHINGTON POST
rotate through again.
thing bigger than us winning a World Catcher Jesús Flores practices fielding low pitches during spring training last month, but he did not throw during the drill. Adam Dunn went 2 for 3 with a
Series. It’s winning a World Series for pair of well-hit singles and Maxwell
these people.” hit his first home run of the spring
“His accomplishments on the field on an 0-2 pitch.
and in the community place him
among the greatest players to wear a
Nats’ Flores takes a step back
Rodríguez’s cannon
Red Sox uniform,” owner John Henry As Mock finished speaking with
said. “We are very appreciative that
Spring update
still has not done. He was able to play reporters after his outing, he pointed
Nomar is ending his career where it
In ‘precautionary’ move,
catch at 120 feet this week, but nothing a few lockers over, at this catcher.
began.” DAILY STRASBURG more. The Nationals will restart that “By the way,” Mock said. “Pudge
Garciaparra spent the past five sea-
catcher returns to surgeon
Bentley
throwing program once Flores returns Rodríguez throws harder than I do.”
sons with the Cubs, Dodgers and A’s.
for specialized treatment
from physical therapy. It was hard to tell if Mock, capable
He had a .313 career average with 229
The name of Stephen Strasburg’s Yorkie. His
Flores’s extended time away will not of throwing in the mid-90s, was
home runs and 936 RBI.
college coach, Tony Gywnn, also has a Yorkie
affect the playing time of Iván Rodrí- kidding or not. He was referring to
a71 CUBS: General Manager Jim Hen- by Adam Kilgore
named Bentley, which Strasburg didn’t know
guez, Rizzo said. When the Nationals the play when Iván Rodríguez
dry says OF Milton Bradley should
before owning his dog, his mother, Kathy
signed Rodríguez this offseason, Rizzo noticed Felipe López was drifting a
stop blaming the team, manager and jupiter, fla. — Nine days ago, Jesús
Swett, said.
planned on having him play roughly 100 little too far off second base in the
fans for his failure to produce during Flores didn’t want to even venture a games, depending on how he feels and first inning. Rodríguez caught a
his tumultuous season in Chicago. guess at his rehab schedule, because past
TWITTER
how performs, no matter Flores’s condi- pitch and rifled it to second, where
Hendry said that signing Bradley attempts had led to only more dis-
For more info — in short bites — check out
tion. Willie Harris slapped a tag on López.
to a three-year, $30 million contract appointment. Flores would plan to per-
@NatsJournal and @AdamKilgoreWP.
Flores’s problems began last May 9, Mock said the ball took less time
before last season was “a mistake.” He form a once-fundamental, now-mean- when he took a foul tip off his shoulder traveling from home to second than
said the atmosphere of the organiza- ingful task, such as swinging a bat or
NATS EXTRA
against the Arizona Diamondbacks. his pitch from the mound to home.
tion has improved since the outfield- throwing more than 90 feet. And then he “Baseball stuff.” Flores rehabbed for a stress fracture and “I couldn’t do anything but laugh,”
er was traded to Seattle. couldn’t, his progress stuck on pause. — Chris Duncan on what he and his father, eventually played in the major leagues Mock said. “It felt like a helicopter
“I’m not a lucky guy right now,” he Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, talkeda71 DODGERS: On his first day as again in September, but only as a pinch flying right over my ear.”
Dodgers interim manager, hitting said. about behind the batting cage before the hitter. After three at-bats, he felt more Rodriguez also threw out López
coach Don Mattingly confirmed that In an effort to enhance Flores’s recov- game. Duncan, who went 0 for 5, played discomfort and was examined again. when he tried to steal second in the
the team has made overtures about ery and further protect one of their against his father’s team for the first time. Doctors discovered he had a torn la- third, proving two things we already
him becoming Joe Torre’s permanent brightest young players, the Washington
ONLINE
brum, which may or may not have been knew: López is a bad base runner,
replacement in the future. Nationals on Wednesday sent Flores to
For updates throughout the day, go to
related to the fracture. and Rodríguez, even in his 18th
With Torre en route to Taiwan to Birmingham, Ala., to visit the surgeon
washingtonpost.com/nationalsjournal.
Flores had been flourishing before suf- season, has a cannon for an arm.
manage a split squad for three exhibi- who performed his shoulder surgery last fering the original injury. He had a .371 “I’m always ready all the time to
tion games, Mattingly is in charge of fall, orthopedist James Andrews. That we’re being very cautious with him. on-base percentage and slugged .505 throw the ball to the bases,”
the team in Arizona and will work at name has become perhaps one of the We’re pulling out all our resources to through 106 plate appearances, stellar Rodríguez said. “The second one, it
least five games as manager. most ominous in sports, but the Nation- make sure this guy has the individual at- for any 24-year-old, let alone a catcher. was a good throw. It’s earlier in
Torre’s contract expires after this als said Flores’s stay with Andrews is tention that he needs.” This spring, he had to flip balls to a spring training. I don’t want to
season but both he and owner Frank merely a precaution. Rizzo decided to send Flores to An- coach when catching because he could throw hard. I moved my feet very
McCourt said they are working on a “His arm’s just not feeling good,” Man- drews for more specialized and personal not throw 60 feet back to the mound. nice, perfect. That’s what I’ve been
one-year extension. Mattingly would ager Jim Riggleman said. “Just not feel- treatment than the Nationals could pro- Flores said this spring that he believes working on, and I put my feet in the
then take over the Dodgers in 2012. ing right.” vide. Rizzo said the “massive amounts of the damage to the labrum could have right position there.”
a71 ROCKIES: Manager Jim Tracy Flores will stay with Andrews for 10 people that we have rehabbing with our been prevented or blunted had the
named Ubaldo Jiménez his opening days to two weeks, and once he returns, three trainers” prevented Flores from re- team’s medical staff not allowed him to
Guzmán at home
day starter. Aaron Cook, who started he will have to restart his throwing pro- ceiving the individual physical therapy throw after the injury. Rizzo reiterated Cristian Guzmán is at home with
for the Rockies on opening day in gram. Flores already had said he would he required, which he will receive in Bir- that he understands Flores’s frustration his wife, who is expected to give
2007 and 2009, said he wanted to be not be ready for opening day, and Riggle- mingham. but that he has no concerns that Nation- birth soon. Riggleman expects him
with Tracy when he gave the news to man reasserted that Flores will begin the The Nationals do not believe Flores re- als training staff should have or could back soon.
Jiménez. Tracy said Cook “very un- season on the disabled list. At best, injured his shoulder, which Andrews re- have acted differently. As far as Guzmán’s arm strength
selfishly is handing the torch to him.” Flores could return in mid-April. At paired with a SLAP (superior labrum “Our medical staff, we really investi- following shoulder surgery in
This will be the first opening day worst, the question may become wheth- from anterior to posterior) procedure gated this thing very closely,” Rizzo said. October, the Nationals feel he is
start for Jiménez, 26, who went 15-12 er he will play this season at all. General Sept. 16. The plan is for Andrews to “We followed all the protocols and did progressing fine. “He has cut loose in
last year with a 3.47 ERA, the lowest Manager Mike Rizzo is confident Flores “treat" and “evaluate” Flores, Riggleman everything we were supposed to do. We his throwing programs,” Rizzo said.
in franchise history for a starter. will return. said. did our due diligence on all sides. Ac- “He hasn’t cut loose in a game yet,
a71 PHILLIES: Closer Brad Lidge faced “Flo is going to be back with us some- “Dr. Andrews knows where he should cording to our medical people, who I because he hasn’t had a play that’s
hitters for the first time since off- time in the near future,” Rizzo said. be at this point,” Riggleman said. “I don’t trust, and Dr. Andrews, who I trust, in forced him to cut loose. He’s
season surgeries on his right elbow “There’s no further issues with the sur- think it’s re-injured. I don’t think it’s their opinions, which is the only thing throwing pain-free, which is very
and right knee. Lidge threw 21 pitch- gery or with the tears or anything like coming along as fast as he would like or that matters to me, is that we’ve done ev- good for us. It’s a matter of
es to Ozzie Chavez and Chris Duffy at that. It’s simply precautionary. He felt as fast as the trainers would like.” erything we can here. We’re still on the strengthening it. The no-pain is
Philadelphia’s training complex in discomfort. Because of who he is in our By the first day of March, Flores had right track.” really the happy point for me.”
Clearwater, Fla. organization, the type of player he is, expected to be swinging a bat, which he kilgorea@washpost.com — Adam Kilgore
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL
New addition should help out Haynesworth
redskins from D1 another team the Redskins have added ton area very soon.
since free agency began last Friday, join- “I know right now, he’s doing very ag-
Kemoeatu visited with the Redskins on ing offensive lineman Artis Hicks, who gressive treadmill work,” Vierra said. “I
Tuesday, and the two sides reached an signed last Saturday. Kemoeatu canceled can tell you if everything goes well, he
agreement Wednesday morning. Though visits with the Saints and Seahawks, and should be ready by training camp.”
an exact breakdown of the deal wasn’t Vierra said he also had received interest If that’s the case, it could be a huge re-
available, it’s believed relatively little of from the Jets, Vikings, Ravens and Dol- lief for Haynesworth. One of the reasons
the money is guaranteed. Because he’s re- phins. Haynesworth signed with the Redskins
covering from a severe injury, the con- Kemoeatu has been a regular starter in last year was because he thought he could
tract is loaded with workout and roster the NFL since 2005, when he was with make plays in a 4-3 defense. Since Shana-
bonuses. Baltimore. The questions surrounding han and Haslett took over and it became
Kemoeatu’s agent, Kenneth Vierra, him have more to do with his health than apparent the team would be relying more
said Kemoeatu wouldn’t have agreed to his skill level. Vierra said the possibility heavily on a 3-4 base in 2010, Haynes-
such a deal if he wasn’t confident that he of him starting for the Redskins came up worth’s exact role has been up in the air.
would fully recover and meet those in- while Kemoeatu was meeting with coach- In a 3-4, the nose tackle doesn’t make
centives. es Tuesday. plays or get to the quarterback as much
“For a guy coming off an Achilles’ [in- “There’s no guarantees on that,” Vierra as he clogs holes and takes on double
jury], this is a huge opportunity for him said. “I guarantee you, though, Jim Has- teams.
to rehab and play in a pretty exciting situ- lett is going to play the best player.” If Kemoeatu is ready to handle those
ation with Mike Shanahan, Jim Haslett Vierra said Kemoeatu passed a physi- duties by August, Haynesworth could
and Jacob Burney,” Vierra said, noting cal, which means that his Achilles’ ten- slide over to the defensive end position
that Kemoeatu enjoyed his meetings with don is structurally fine, but he remains where he’d have a better chance of enjoy-
the Redskins’ new coach, defensive coor- several months from being in football ing the kind of success he experienced as
KEITH SRAKOCIC/ASSOCIATED PRESS
dinator and defensive line coach. shape. Kemoeatu is expected to resume a defensive tackle. Maake Kemoeatu, right, became a regular starter in 2005 while in Baltimore. If
Kemoeatu is the second player from his rehabilitation work in the Washing- maeser@washpost.com healthy, Kemoeatu’s play at nose tackle should free Albert Haynesworth to rush.
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