2012 MLB Spring Training Discussion

[Miamarlin21]

The Reds are paying Ryan Madson $8.5 to never throw a pitch for them. He's gonna undergo Tommy John surgery.
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Also, former Marlin first rounder Aaron Thompson was suspended 50 games.
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It wasn't PEDS, so likely weed.

[Metes]

That 2005 draft continues to pay off

[Fritz]

Cetop draft.

[HUGG]

[Miamarlin21]

That is so awesome, yet So bad at the same time.

[Valid]

Curious to see what Utley's press conference is all about today.

[Ramp]

probably him needing another surgery
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the announcement is that nothing has changed... he won't be ready for the start of the season

[Metes]

I thought he was going to have a catch with Mac

[FishFF]

Cantu's bat just shattered and took a fan out. She's being stretchered off now.

[MiamiHomer]

Bluejays-Pirates lineup card for their game today:

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Surprised no one mentioned this. There was a benches clearing incident in today's Rockies-Indians game.

SCOTTSDALE — Saying he has lost all respect for his former ace, manager Jim Tracy unloaded on Indians pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez on Sunday, calling his plunking of all-star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki “a gutless act.”

Tracy demanded that Jimenez be suspended, saying the right-hander intentionally hit Tulowitzki on the first pitch of his first at-bat at Salt River Fields. Major League Baseball is expected to investigate, with Jimenez likely facing discipline. There’s no video of the incident, but commissioner Bud Selig was in attendance at Salt River Fields.

“It’s the most gutless act I have seen in 35 years of professional baseball. I have lost all respect for him. To do something like that and walk down off the mound, and if there’s any suggestion whatsoever that the ball got away, I don’t want to hear any of that (expletive). He intentionally threw at him. He should be suspended. I am going to be very disappointed if he doesn’t get suspended. He deserves to be,” Tracy said, his voice rising in anger.


“Are you kidding me? Five days before opening day and you are going to take a potshot like that? It was the worst I have seen. I have lost respect for him and that’s a very difficult thing for me to say.”

After walking Marco Scutaro on four pitches and striking out Tyler Colvin, Jimenez hit Tulowitzki with a fastball in the left elbow. He’s expected to miss a few days, but insisted opening day wasn’t in jeopardy. Jimenez raced down off the mound motioning for Tulo, saying it was because the shortstop called him “a chicken.’’

“I wasn’t happy about being hit. There was some back and forth,” Tulowitzki said.

Indians manager Manny Acta said he was unaware of the media sniping between Jimenez and Tulowitzki this spring, most recently in The Denver Post.

“I don’t know if they have any history. They were teammates forever. Ubaldo hasn’t been the master of his command,” Acta said. “I don’t know if there’s anything behind it. I have no knowledge of that.”

Jimenez insisted that the pitch got away from him. But Tracy didn’t believe it, citing how the right-hander threw his glove down and was walking toward home plate almost as soon as he released the ball.

“It’s (expletive). I watched exactly took place,” Tracy said. “I give our player all the credit in the world because he looked out at him and asked him what the (expletive) he was doing? And that’s exactly what I would have said to him. Now this guy starts marching down off the mound. And you don’t think there was some intent when we were warming up to pitch this afternoon’s game? That’s intent right there. That’s intent.”

Tracy explained that he didn’t believe Jimenez wouldn’t hit anyone, so that’s why never considered sitting Tulowitzki today. Tulowitzki said “it’s not my nature to avoid” confrontations or challenges.

“I live by what I said, and I stand up for this organization,” Tulowitzki said. “If I feel like anybody takes shot at this organization — and how much pride I take being a Rockie — I would say the same things I said before.”

While Jimenez insisted there was no intent, the Rockies manager placed all blame squarely on Jimenez’s shoulders. He cited Jimenez’s spring comments about being unhappy in Colorado last season because of lack of a contract extension and other issues he refused to discuss. Those comments combined with Jimenez’s performance last season clearly struck a raw nerve with Tracy.

“Knowing what I know, knowing what took place last year, and where this team was at going into the second month of the season and doing what we did (in April) and he was nowhere to be found. I have lost all respect for him,” Tracy said.

“Look at where we were at last spring. At what took place after the 2010 season and what we did in the beginning of the 2011 season without him. Waiting for him. Taking bullets for him. All the different things. And to pull that (expletive). Out of line. Out of character. As I have said, the most unprofessional thing I have ever seen since I started in professional baseball.”

Denver Post

[Swifty]

No video of it.

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Supposedly there is. The Rockies were taping it. ESPN apparently got a hold of it and will show it on Sportscenter.

@Buster_ESPN: Heard from someone on ESPN desk that they now have video of Tulo/Ubaldo incident, and intend to have it on SportsCenter.

[Mainge]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7763956

Video

[Blackout Pact]

That's really odd. Jimenez just immediately starts towards Tulo to instigate a fight.