MLB Player News

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons hinted that Danny Valencia and Chris Colabello will see some time at left field this spring, according to Sportsnet.ca. Toronto is hoping to fill a void at left field after the team announced Thursday that Michael Saunders will be sidelined until July with a torn meniscus in his left knee.

In his career, Valencia played left field in only five games in the minors. Colabello has logged 30 career games in the majors at left field.

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said Wednesday he has been impressed with veteran first baseman Ryan Howard following the team's first two full-squad workouts, per MLB.com.

"Ryno looks like, his body looks like right now, he's going to allow himself to be more productive," Sandberg said. "Just running the bases he looks better, a much better chance of scoring from second base. Much better getting to the cutoff spots playing first base. There should be more range there with the way that he looks from the waist down."

Howard has declined to talk to reporters since arriving for camp Monday. Some feel he could be playing with a chip on his shoulder after an interesting offseason, which included settling a nasty legal battle with his family, dealing with trade rumors and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. saying the Phillies would be better off without him.

"He doesn't act like he has a chip on his shoulder," Sandberg said. "He acts like he's a teammate here and he's a veteran guy helping the young players. So I like the attitude and the fact that he's getting after it and doing extra work with Charlie [Manuel], but with [Larry] Bowa in the mornings and sometimes afterwards on the defensive side of things. That'll go a long way with getting the most out of Ryno, really getting back to the ability and where he needs to be on the field."

Reds manager Bryan Price gave reporters positive reviews of first baseman Joey Votto through Cincinnati's first couple of workouts in Arizona, per MLB.com.

"He looks good," Price said. "The only thing he missed that the healthier players had the advantage of doing was really being able to immediately engage in baseball activity. He had to spend the first two-thirds of his offseason really focused on his continued rehab and strengthening. He hasn't had as much baseball activity as some of the guys who finished the year healthier.

"I'm really pleased with how he's moving around, how he looked in the cage, how he looked at first base. He was throwing the ball well, looked spry. I was happy to see that for sure."

Votto struggled with a left quadriceps injury in 2014 and did not play again after July 5. He hit .255/.390/.409 over 220 at-bats last season.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto fired back at some recent comments made about the team's lack of leadership in 2014, according to MLB.com.

Votto gathered a group of local beat writers, and said the criticisms lobbed by former Reds pitcher Mat Latos were off-base. Votto didn't directly address Latos, but the pitcher brought the issue to the public recently. "The thing that upsets me the most is the people that are talking about leadership and talking about our clubhouse are not in our clubhouse," Votto said. 

Votto went on to say that he believes the only reason there were negative stories about the team's leadership is due to their poor 2014 season. 

The 31-year-old Votto struggled with injuries last year, hitting .255/.390/.409 over 220 at-bats. 

There's no denying White Sox slugger Jose Abreu had a pretty impressive rookie season in 2014. He was named AL Rookie of the Year after he hit .317 with 35 doubles, 36 home runs and 107 RBI in 145 games. He made the All-Star team. He won a Silver Slugger award. He also finished fourth in the AL MVP race.

While Abreu likely has personal goals set aside, he contends his focus is all about helping the team.

"I cannot say that I will put up the same numbers or be better," said Abreu through translator and White Sox Spanish-language broadcaster Billy Russo, per MLB.com. "I just can say that I will try to do the best every day to help the team win games.

"If the numbers are the same as last year, it's good for me. But my main focus right now is to try to be the best player possible and help the team. [The front office] gave us the opportunity to be better this year and to compete this year. That is the most important thing for us in baseball."

It hasn't been a secret the Phillies have tried this offseason to trade first baseman Ryan Howard. Although unsuccessful in their attempts to trade the veteran slugger, it appears Howard will be the team's starting first baseman, barring any injuries or spring training moves.

Despite facing some criticism from Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., manager Ryne Sandberg believes Howard can help the team in 2015, per MLB.com.

"It's a new season, a fresh year for him," Sandberg said. "I had a good talk with him about working on his complete game, defensively, running and getting all that in, and I think that will help him with his whole game as well as his offense. It's not about working on one thing and being one dimensional, it's about working on his whole game. And so with the way that he looks, it should be a good camp for him."

Sandberg added he doesn't believe the speculation about Howard's future will affect the veteran first baseman.

"He's a professional and like everyone," Sandberg said. "He's in camp to get ready for a season, get in the best shape possible and get ready to go to help us win. Whatever else happens is on the business side of things and there's nothing you can do about that."

Although Rays infielder Asdrubal Cabrera has primarily played shortstop in his career, manager Kevin Cash is open to the idea of having Cabrera play at both shortstop and second base in 2015, per MLB.com.

"I think coming in right now, we're going to be versatile," Cash said. "And he's going to be versatile going back and forth, getting his work in at both spots. I know that we would like to have the [decision made]. [The] earlier the better. Because it gives the guys a better sense going into the season. That doesn't always play out that way. But Cabby, his conversations in the offseason with everybody, he's been very open minded. We're ecstatic to have him in there every day."

Cabrera, who fielded grounders at second and short Monday, said he would prefer to play one position instead of constantly bouncing back and forth.

"Yeah, I would like to stay at one position," Cabrera said. "I think it's hard for anyone to play short then come back at second. It's not the same."

Although Mets infielder Wilmer Flores is viewed as the favorite to win the starting job at shortstop, he is taking nothing for granted.

"I'm just here like the years before, fighting for a job," he said, per NJ.com. "I got nothing secure so I'm just fighting for it.

"Everybody has their own opinion about every guy and about every player. Just wait until I play, until I play the season. We'll see how it goes. I'm ready to take this job and I'm ready to fight."

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. apologized to first baseman Ryan Howard for his offseason comments, according to philly.com.

Early in the offseason, Amaro told reporters that the team would be better off without Howard moving forward. Once camp started, however, Amaro reversed course. "Frankly, I apologized for those comments that I made that were public," Amaro said. "And I think he appreciated that." 

Amaro went out of his way to stress that Howard has always been a positive force with the club, and has never been a distraction. "This is a guy who’s always been a very positive person," he said." Great teammate. Good person for the younger players to be around."

The 35-year-old Howard hit .223/.310/.380 over 569 at-bats last year. He's set to make $25 million in 2015. 

Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Chris Carter will begin spring training starting at first base, according to the Houston Chronicle.

“(Carter will) start coming into camp … at first base, on the team fundamentals, the individualized defense, things like that,” Hinch said. “We’ll have him work a little bit early with some outfield stuff.”

In 2014, Carter hit .227 with a single-season best 37 home runs.