More running appears to be one aspect of the American game that Masahiro Tanaka will have to adjust to, David Waldstein of The New York Times writes. The Yankees' $155MM man handled a short bullpen session in practice this morning, but "gasped for breath as if he were an amateur runner nearing the end of his first marathon" after a 1-mile jog with other Yankees pitchers, according to Waldstein. "I didn’t know that I was going to run this much," he told reporters. "I’m a little bit of a slow runner." A Spring Training's worth of runs will presumably bring Tanaka up to speed. Here's more from around the AL East:
- Some within the Yankees organization pushed the idea of a trade for a starting shortstop in Spring Training in 1996, when rookie Derek Jeter was struggling, Joe Torre told ESPN New York in a radio interview. Torre said he backed Jeter for the Opening Day job, however, as the Yankees were already committed to him in that role.
- Suk-Min Yoon should be able to join the Orioles in Sarasota, Fla., for Spring Training workouts after he passes his physical and completes his $5.575MM, three-year deal with the club, sources tell Eduardo Encina of The Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Yoon will still have to have his work visa processed, however.
- O's starter Chris Tillman has finally blossomed into the rotation leader the club was expecting when they brought him over in the 2008 Erik Bedard trade, Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun writes. Prospects Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy say they look up to Tillman as a mentor figure.
