SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Take a spin around the Cactus League with “Three Up, Three Down,” an inside look at what is coming up and what went down on Wednesday.
THREE UP
1. Zack Greinke isn’t just the Arizona Diamondbacks’ new ace. He’s also lending a hand to the team’s scouting department, helping evaluate amateur players. Hey, since the Diamondbacks are paying him $206.5 million, they might as well get their money’s worth, right?
Well, Greinke’s fascination with scouting apparently dates to his early days with the Kansas City Royals.
“We’ve seen a couple of games this year already,” Diamondbacks scouting director Deric Ladnier told azcentral.com sports. “We were down in south Florida; he and his father came out. We were watching two pitchers. We sat there the whole game, talked about them. Talked about this guy and this guy and release points and, ‘This guy us tipping his pitches.’ Those types of things.
“I’m not saying he’s going to help us make decisions because he’s not, but I do like listening to him because he brings a different perspective. Shame on me if I don’t.”
2. Cleveland Indians outfielder Michael Brantley might be back from offseason shoulder surgery a lot quicker than late April or early May. He’s already doing just about everything besides hitting in the cage and that’s next on his rehab schedule.
“He’s kind of flown through this,” manager Terry Francona said Wednesday. “To his credit, he spent a ton of time in Cleveland and instead of going home (to Florida), he came out here. So he’s given himself every chance possible to get better as quickly as possible, which we appreciate. He really understands how much we rely on him. He’s going terrific. It’s really encouraging.”
3. A day after being named the Chicago Cubs’ Opening Day starter by manager Joe Maddon, right-hander Jake Arrieta responded by saying that as much as an honor as it is to pitch the first game of the regular season it’s still only one game.
“After Opening Day, we have 161 games left to play and that’s our concern,” the 2015 National League Cy Young Award winner said. “It is an honor, obviously. I was able to get an Opening Day start early in my career (with the Orioles), during a different point in my career.
“It’s kind of a new chapter not only for myself but everybody here. We’re looking forward to the journey. We’re going to need five guys from start to finish to get to where we want to go and we all know where that is.”
THREE DOWN
1.Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura told reporters on Wednesday that he fully expects veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who signed a minor-league deal with the team last week, to make the Opening Day 25-man roster when the team breaks camp. Rollins will make $2 million if he does.
The starting job at shortstop, however, is still up for grabs and Rollins would have to beat out Tyler Saladino or not mind platooning at the position.
“I expect him to make the team unless something happens physically where it wouldn’t work,” Ventura said of Rollins. “I think both have a complement to a certain lineup and it depends on who you’re facing and what makes sense to put those guys in there. But they both bring something to the table.”
2.Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin visited Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, where the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies officially opened the 2016 Cactus League season. Before the first pitch, Hamlin presented Diamondbacks pitcher Tyler Clippard and Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez with an autographed racing helmet. The players each gave Hamlin autographed No. 11 jerseys in honor of his No. 11 FedEx Toyota.
Hamlin said he loves the area so much that he might move to Arizona.
“Trust me, I’m looking to make it permanent,” Hamlin said. “This is the place where ultimately you’d love to retire. I’m a golfing guy, you’ve got great weather. I mean, it’s a perfect.”
3. Reigning World Series MVP Salvador Perez is donating $1 million to Kansas City’s Urban Youth Academy, a 21-acre development of playing fields and other park amenities near downtown. The news came one day after the Royals extended the contract of their star catcher to the tune of five years and $52.5 million. A baseball field will be named after Perez, who already has one named after him in his native Venezuela.
“But our fields (in Venezuela) are nothing like this will be,” Perez said. “Our field (are) like rocks. This is going to be great. I know a lot of kids are going to play on that field. You know how many kids want to be like us. This will give them motivation.”