Mariners OF Ichiro Suzuki is giving 100 million yen, equivalent to $1.25 million, towards the relief effort for the earthquake and tsunami which devastated northeastern Japan a week ago.

ByTom

Mariners OF Ichiro Suzuki is giving 100 million yen, equivalent to $1.25 million, towards the relief effort for the earthquake and tsunami which devastated northeastern Japan a week ago.

2011 – Injured Philles All-Star 2B Chase Utley is absent from spring training today, visiting a specialist to look at his injured right knee, which has kept him off the playing field since the beginning of camp. As the knee is apparently not healing, surgery is becoming more likely, and no one in the Phillies’ front office dares to set a timetable for Utley’s return to the line-up. He will only play his first game on May 23rd.

ByTom

2011 – Injured Philles All-Star 2B Chase Utley is absent from spring training today, visiting a specialist to look at his injured right knee, which has kept him off the playing field since the beginning of camp. As the knee is apparently not healing, surgery is becoming more likely, and no one in the Phillies’ front office dares to set a timetable for Utley’s return to the line-up. He will only play his first game on May 23rd.

Commissioner Bud Selig forms a twelve-person committee to study the origins of baseball, with newly-appointed official historian John Thorn as its chair. The issue has been rekindled with the publication this week of Thorn’s book, Baseball in the Garden of Eden, which casts doubt on the role of Alexander Cartwright in laying down the fundamental principles of the game. Ironically, Cartwright was promoted as the “real” founder of the game to counteract the unfounded legend that Abner Doubleday had laid down the first baseball diamond in Cooperstown, NY in 1839. Thorn argues that the game is in fact much older than once thought, with traces found in 18th century records.

ByTom

Commissioner Bud Selig forms a twelve-person committee to study the origins of baseball, with newly-appointed official historian John Thorn as its chair. The issue has been rekindled with the publication this week of Thorn’s book, Baseball in the Garden of Eden, which casts doubt on the role of Alexander Cartwright in laying down the fundamental principles of the game. Ironically, Cartwright was promoted as the “real” founder of the game to counteract the unfounded legend that Abner Doubleday had laid down the first baseball diamond in Cooperstown, NY in 1839. Thorn argues that the game is in fact much older than once thought, with traces found in 18th century records.

2011 – A’s closer Andrew Bailey leaves a game after experiencing discomfort while throwing. The team announces that he is headed to visit Dr. James Andrews in Alabama with what is described as “tightness in the forearm”. Bailey already underwent Tommy John surgery after tearing a ligament in his elbow in 2005, and missed the second half of last season with an elbow injury. The A’s will get some good news a day later when Dr. Andrews confirms that the injury is indeed only a strained forearm.

ByTom

2011 – A’s closer Andrew Bailey leaves a game after experiencing discomfort while throwing. The team announces that he is headed to visit Dr. James Andrews in Alabama with what is described as “tightness in the forearm”. Bailey already underwent Tommy John surgery after tearing a ligament in his elbow in 2005, and missed the second half of last season with an elbow injury. The A’s will get some good news a day later when Dr. Andrews confirms that the injury is indeed only a strained forearm.

2011 – Marlins P Ricky Nolasco, usually known for his outstanding control, goes wild in a spring training start against the Nationals in his first outing since August 28th, when his season ended with a knee injury. He gives up 4 runs on 4 hits, a walk, a wild pitch and two hit batsmen in 1 2/3 innings of work. After he is plucked, the game’s leadoff batter, Nyjer Morgan, claims Nolasco is throwing at him, but the Marlin hurler’s further performance is proof that he is simply out of form.

ByTom

2011 – Marlins P Ricky Nolasco, usually known for his outstanding control, goes wild in a spring training start against the Nationals in his first outing since August 28th, when his season ended with a knee injury. He gives up 4 runs on 4 hits, a walk, a wild pitch and two hit batsmen in 1 2/3 innings of work. After he is plucked, the game’s leadoff batter, Nyjer Morgan, claims Nolasco is throwing at him, but the Marlin hurler’s further performance is proof that he is simply out of form.

The pitching hand of Diamondbacks left-hander Zach Duke is brakes two bones in pitching hand

ByThis Day in Baseball

2011 – The pitching hand of Diamondbacks left-hander Zach Duke is struck by a line drive off the bat of the Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon. X-rays taken the next day will reveal two broken bones, putting Duke on the shelf until mid-May.

A coup in the front office of the Texas Rangers results in Chuck Greenberg, who masterminded the team’s purchase from bankruptcy court last summer, resigning as Chief Executive Officer and managing partner in favor of Nolan Ryan. Other members of the ownership group cite philosophical differences as the cause of the rift that pushed Greenberg aside.

ByTom

A coup in the front office of the Texas Rangers results in Chuck Greenberg, who masterminded the team’s purchase from bankruptcy court last summer, resigning as Chief Executive Officer and managing partner in favor of Nolan Ryan. Other members of the ownership group cite philosophical differences as the cause of the rift that pushed Greenberg aside.

In Glendale, AZ, Dodgers P Jon Garland leaves the game in the second inning with a strained oblique muscle. He is likely to miss the beginning of the season as a result.

ByTom

In Glendale, AZ, Dodgers P Jon Garland leaves the game in the second inning with a strained oblique muscle. He is likely to miss the beginning of the season as a result.

At a spring training game in Kissimmee, FL, Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar is hit in the face by a foul ball off the bat of Brian McCann while standing in the dugout. Salazar immediately collapses and passes out and, bleeding abundantly, is transported by helicopter to a medical facility in Orlando, FL as trainers fear for his life. He regains consciousness in hospital, but has several facial fractures and will lose an eye as a result of the accident.

ByTom

At a spring training game in Kissimmee, FL, Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar is hit in the face by a foul ball off the bat of Brian McCann while standing in the dugout. Salazar immediately collapses and passes out and, bleeding abundantly, is transported by helicopter to a medical facility in Orlando, FL as trainers fear for his life. He regains consciousness in hospital, but has several facial fractures and will lose an eye as a result of the accident.