Dustin Pedroia will undergo an MRI on his left ankle and knee on Monday, Red Sox manager John Farrell told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Jen McCaffrey and The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham). After suffering the injury on a hard slide from Manny Machado on Friday, Pedroia sat out Saturday’s game and is also not in Sunday’s lineup, as Farrell said the swelling around Pedroia’s lower leg area hasn’t yet subsided. While the MRI is being performed “just to rule anything out,” according to Farrell, it’s worth noting that Pedroia underwent surgery on that same knee to remove part of his meniscus last October.
Here’s more from around the baseball world…
- J.D. Martinez could return from the DL in late April or early May, Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jason Beck). This is the latest in a series of positive reports on Martinez, who suffered a lisfranc sprain in his left foot during Spring Training. The original timeline had Martinez not even beginning baseball activities until mid-April, though the slugging outfielder has been ahead of schedule, including feeling better than expected during light running drills on Friday. The Tigers will reportedly be cautious with Martinez, which isn’t any surprise given the tricky nature of lisfranc injuries and Martinez’s importance to Detroit’s lineup.
- “The rumors of [Hunter Greene] and his family attempting to maneuver his way to the No. 3 pick with the Padres are a poorly kept secret,” Baseball America’s John Manuel writes as part of a mock draft. Greene, a high school pitcher/shortstop, reportedly wants to be a Padre for geographical (Greene is from Los Angeles) and baseball-related reasons, as the Padres’ throwing program more closely matches Greene’s own throwing program. Interestingly, Greene is believed to be shutting down as a pitcher, perhaps in part to lower his draft stock so that Minnesota and Cincinnati pass on him with the first two picks and Greene winds up in San Diego. Then again, the Reds “aren’t afraid to call Greene’s bluff,” Manuel writes.
- Manuel’s piece is well worth a full read, as he details potential needs, leanings, and first-round draft picks for all 30 teams. Sticking with the top of the draft, the Reds “covet” Brendan McKay, the Louisville two-way star who Manuel projects will be taken first overall by the Twins as a pitcher. Then again, Minnesota is also reportedly exploring deals with several players for the first pick, including high school position player Royce Lewis and Virginia first baseman Pavin Smith.
- Teams showed an increased willingness to pay for pitch-framing ability and defense this winter (such as the Twins and Jason Castro) on the catching market, though as Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com notes, there are so many facets to the position that “catching cannot be quantified” no matter how hard teams try. The same could technically be said of any position, though a catcher’s true value is particularly difficult to pin down since the human element of the pitcher/catcher relationship is so important.
Isn’t it Brendan McKay? Not Dylan?
Yeah it is. Dylan McKay is the character on 90210
Lol that’s hilarious.
He’s playing very well for the Peach Pits
Haha
I love that Greene wants to be a Padre, but I’m not too keen on how they are going about it. Reminds me a bit of Elway. Just do your best, be happy to be drafted and go with the team that picks you. Then again, I’m a Padres fan and would love to have him, but with all the scrutiny that the Pads have been getting the past year, we don’t need another scandal.
Being a Padre fan as well, I could not agree more with you. Adding Greene’s potential to an ever improving farm system would be great. I am not sure this would constitute a scandal and to be honest, who cares? The national media seems to have it out for Preller and Co. any way, so adding another log to the fire won’t hurt as long as ownership is happy with the work he and his scouts are doing. I didn’t think I would ever see a top prospect wanting to be a Padre, things they are a changing in San Diego.
I agree. It’s not often that you see a highly touted amateur player actually wanting to go to a San Diego sports team. There’s always the chance that he gets picked before the Padres are in the board however. I imagine that he will still sign regardless, at least if the money is good enough.
Tigers really need JD back healthy as soon as he’s ready.
I hope Cincinnati calls his bluff. The entitlement gets old.
Have to wonder if he would opt to play for UCLA or a JUCO then, a la Brady Aiken.
He should go play for them if he is selected 1 or 2
Brendan McKay not Dylan
Never seen a kid expected to go that high in the MLB draft basically, say I won’t play for your team if you draft me. He does have options because he can go to college and it’s got to make the Padres and their fans feel good that he wants to go there that much. Still a very weird situation.
I don’t think he’s saying he won’t play for them, I think he’s just trying to fall so he can play for SD. The risk is too high to not go to whoever picks him, just based on the money. So he doesnt go to Cinn, goes to JUCO and then blows out his arm. Bye bye $5 million.
Reminds me a bit of Karston Winston who the Pads picked and he decided to go to college instead. Cost him about $2 million or so. He got drafted 2-3 years later in later round. Something that actually worked out well for the Padres.
Todd Van Poppel told the Braves to not bother drafting him first overall. So they went with Larry “Chipper” Jones, high school shortstop. Now it’s Chipper HOF material and Todd Van who? Pitchers are such a crap shoot, it’s real hard to waste an early pick on one… I hope my Reds draft a hitter, but I suppose if some can’t miss ace is there, take the high risk.
Some times it’s best to AVOID these kinds of kids. Talent aside, the head games already starting are a BAD sign (even for the Padres) of someone less interested in their team and more interested in themselves. This rarely turns out well.
Then again, IF he is a knock out hard worker with great mechanics, you just hope he has his head screwed on right. I would interview him a few times to get a good feel for his true mental makeup before considering drafting him.
I’ve always wondered why more players don’t want to play in San Diego with that perfect weather.
because historically they have been a bad and cheap team
Oh ok got it now. Thank you.
Yeah, having a job that’s in a great location doesn’t really matter when your bosses, your co-workers, and the entire work environment itself is horrible.
Honestly, I think it has a lot to do with the damn California taxes.
as a minnesota fan i hope greene falls and the padres pay above the slot cause the history of high school pitchers going in the top 5 picks the last 5 years….. not very good sure you have tailion and bundy but you also have stewart, aiken, kolek and hobgood. still to early to say anything about anderson and pint from last year. give me brendan mckay for lower slot then greene will be asking for and ill see him at target field in 2 years
I don’t think they’ll have to pay above slot to get him. If he truly wants to play for SD, I’m sure they will get something done beforehand. SD seems to be in the driver’s seat in this situation.
The Manuel piece is a must-read. If just for the Marlins commentary.
let the pink go to San Diego. Hope the reds don’t pick him
why would any team want a guy like that