OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kendall Graveman will take the ball on opening day for Oakland in a second straight season, eager to be the leader of a young rotation at age 27."It's fun. I feel healthy," Graveman said as he begins his fourth season with the A's. "It's special. It's the longest I've ever been somewhere. ... It just feels like home. This is a special place and I think we've got something really good going on."The right-hander spent a pair of stints on the disabled list last season with soreness in his pitching shoulder. Now, he is thankful for a new year.Slugger Khris Davis will try to keep the baseballs flying out of the ballpark after hitting 85 home runs over the past two seasons.Manager Bob Melvin is counting on the production of both Graveman and Davis.Melvin said of Graveman's spot atop the rotation, "He's ready for it.""It's an honor to be able to go out and kind of set the tone for the season and to be that guy," Graveman said.He will have a new catcher in Jonathan Lucroy... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers' pitching could improve this year better because of two new bats in the lineup: Outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich are just as capable of changing games with their gloves, too.Think fewer bloopers dropping in for hits, or a hard liner into the gap cut off in time to prevent extra bases. Any edge will help the Brewers in what should be a competitive race in the NL Central."We had a great outfield before; I know I benefited from it, too," starter Zach Davies said. "But it's shoring up spots that the front office wanted to. Both guys are great defensively."The offseason acquisitions are each Gold Glove-winning outfielders, in fact. Yelich arrived in a deal with the Miami Marlins on Jan. 25, one day before the Brewers signed former farmhand Cain as a free agent from the Kansas City Royals.The additions led to speculation that Milwaukee might deal one of their quality outfielders to bring in another starter, especially with Jimmy Nelson expected... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres' deep rebuild is starting to come into focus, even if contending for a playoff berth is still a few seasons away.With their farm system fully stocked via the draft, international signings and various deals, the Padres made a bold move by signing 28-year-old first baseman Eric Hosmer to a $144 million, eight-year contract early in spring training.The Padres, who haven't had a winning record since 2010 or been to the playoffs since 2006, figured it was time to start building a culture and an identity, and give their young players someone to look up to.Hosmer was the perfect fit because of his work ethic and what he accomplished in helping the Kansas City Royals win the World Series three seasons ago.Padres owners Ron Fowler and Peter Seidler considered the signing a "significant moment" for a franchise that has had woefully few big moments."Speaking for Ron and myself, when you have to sign a check like that you better have a smile on your face, and we... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Shohei Show is about to begin for the Los Angeles Angels.Mike Trout might be the best player in baseball. Albert Pujols is its most accomplished active slugger. The Angels are loaded with veteran offensive talent around them, and their injury-plagued pitching staff is certainly intriguing.Yet most of the attention in Anaheim this spring will be directed squarely at Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese sensation attempting to become the majors' most accomplished two-way player in decades.Ohtani is expected to start the season in the Angels' specially designed six-man rotation. Los Angeles also plans to use Ohtani as its designated hitter for a couple of days in between his starts, providing ample opportunity for the 23-year-old phenom to adjust to the speed and quirks of the big-league game.It's an unprecedented undertaking, and the Angels realize they've got to do right by both Ohtani and the other 24 players on the roster during a landmark season for a franchise that... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Charlie Blackmon didn't need much baiting: The lure of a fishing contest in the middle of spring training was incentive enough.So the quirky Colorado Rockies outfielder/avid outdoorsman slipped into some waders and grabbed his fishing rod for a game to see which player could most accurately cast at cans set up on the turf.Anything for team bonding.Next on the line is an even more prized catch — reeling in a postseason berth for a second straight season. The Rockies are driven by an 11-8 loss to Arizona in the NL wild card game that halted their season."We have all the pieces that we need to be very competitive," Blackmon said. "We're well positioned to play better than last year."Hard to argue. Manager Bud Black's lineup features an NL batting champion in Blackmon , along with a power-hitting, smooth-fielding third baseman in Nolan Arenado. The team added a veteran catcher in Chris Iannetta and brought back popular clubhouse leader Carlos Gonzalez on a one-year deal.They won't... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Madison Bumgarner learned a tough lesson and he's ready for a do-over. San Francisco's ace is as motivated as ever after the embarrassment of a dirt bike accident that cost him nearly three months and contributed to his club falling out of contention in a hurry.Same goes for all of the Giants, fueled by an uncharacteristic 98-loss, last-place season.The 2014 World Series MVP missed nearly three months after the dirt bike accident on April 20 during an off day in Colorado."Because of what happened to me last year, how we did last year, the whole combination of things and the group of guys that we've got here this year and the new staff ... the players that they brought in, I'm really excited," Bumgarner said. "I feel like we've got a good chance to compete and win some games this year."After six straight seasons with double-digit wins, more than 200 innings and 30-plus starts — the previous three years with 18, 18 and 15 victories — Bumgarner went 4-9 with a 3.32 ERA... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers start a new season with an old burden: they haven't won a World Series since 1988.Winning 104 games and owning baseball's best record last year didn't get it done.However, the Dodgers bring back most of their roster and boast depth in the rotation and up and down the lineup. That should allow them to weather potential injuries and slumps.First baseman Cody Bellinger and shortstop Corey Seager — the last two NL Rookies of the Year — provide a young spark, while outfielder Chris Taylor will be looking to follow up a solid season in which he emerged as an everyday player. Bellinger will get a full season at first after veteran Adrian Gonzalez was traded.Yasiel Puig is coming off a career-high 28 home runs and his defensive excellence in right field remains intact, having salvaged his career in Los Angeles after being demoted to Triple-A in 2016 and nearly traded.Dave Roberts enters his third season as skipper with a 195-130 record and two division titles to his... [More]

SEATTLE (AP) — Robinson Cano has spent enough time now to understand the angst surrounding the Seattle Mariners.The Mariners have the longest playoff drought in the four major sports, meaning there is an urgency to finally end the skid. They also appear to be an average ballclub at a time when the American League is filled with mostly superpowers and rebuilders.It's an odd spot for a club with talent but scant optimism that this is the year the playoff drought ends."We've been close a couple of times. ... That's life, that's part of the game. But I know we have a bunch of great guys here, guys who know how to play this game," Cano said.The Mariners enter the 2018 season with an offense that could score a lot of runs and a pitching staff that could give up just as many. Cano and Nelson Cruz are the anchors of a batting order that with the additions of Dee Gordon and Ryon Healy could be potent enough to keep Seattle in a lot of games. But there's mostly skepticism about the pitching staff.James... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — The Detroit Tigers have reassigned veteran catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to their minor league camp.The Tigers brought back Saltalamacchia on a minor league contract on March 9 to add depth behind James McCann and John Hicks.Saltalamacchia has hit .233 with 110 homers and 381 RBIs over an 11-year big league career. He played in 10 games last season for Toronto and had one hit in 25 at-bats.The 32-year-old played in 93 games with the Tigers in 2016, hitting .171 with 38 RBIs. He began his career in 2007 with Atlanta and has also played for Boston, Miami and Arizona.Also sent Thursday to the minor league camp were catcher Derek Norris, infielders Pete Kozma and Ronny Rodriguez, and outfielders Jim Adduci and Chad Huffman.Left-handers Chad Bell and Blaine Hardy were optioned to Triple-A Toledo.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

The catcher position may be the most frustrating and challenging to deal with, and it has long been that way throughout fantasy baseball history. The position is top-heavy with the best players and then full of risks and guys to settle for. It was seemingly the same in the days when Mike Piazza and Ivan Rodriguez were superior to anyone else at catcher.Gary Sanchez seems to be the modern-day fantasy equivalent of Piazza, as he is clearly unrivaled as the best pick at the position. He has hit 53 home runs in 672 major league at-bats in his first two years and has a National Fantasy Baseball Championship average draft position of 19.3. Considering he delivers a solid average and above-average power comparable with many top players at other positions, he is worth the early round pick because of the depth scarcity at catcher. This is especially true in two-catcher leagues.Willson Contreras is the No. 2 catcher off the board at about pick No. 51, but that number indicates the gap between Sanchez... [More]

The outfield used to be a prime destination for the fantasy needs of every baseball shopper. Times have changed.Other positions are more fruitful and stolen bases are more valuable than ever because they're not as readily available.In 2017, outfielders accounted for 38 percent of all plate appearance in Major League Baseball, and accordingly represented 38.9 percent of home runs and 37.9 percent of all RBIs. Looking at other standard categories, outfielders accounted for 41 percent of runs scored and 54.9 percent of stolen bases. They hit an average of .260 versus the typical .255 batting average. They were even better with on-base percentage, earning a .332 mark compared to baseball's average OBP of .324.Combine those numbers with the reality that HRs overall are up 45.8 percent since 2014, and RBIs increased by just 15 percent - but stolen bases are down 29.8 percent from their peak this decade.The takeaway: You can get power anywhere, but steals are at a premium and the outfield is a... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Twin Cities were the place to be this winter with the Super Bowl in town.The Twins, meanwhile, have worked hard to make Minnesota more of a long-term destination."I wanted to go somewhere where they had a chance to win no matter what," said right-hander Lance Lynn, the last in a series of shrewd moves made to upgrade a team that was already well on the upswing after reaching the American League wild card game with a collection of 25-and-under contributors.That outlook seemed unfathomable when the Twins lost a club-record 103 games in 2016 and chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine barely touched the roster for 2017 upon taking over the front office. But that's what is happening: Players seeking a stable, successful environment have eagerly picked Minnesota."I think we can sense that," manager Paul Molitor said. "Everyone is, with good reason, excited about what lies ahead. I think this is an attractive place to come to right now, given... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Ron Gardenhire and the Detroit Tigers understand the challenge ahead.After about a decade of consistent contention, of high hopes and big payrolls, the Tigers finished tied for the worst record in baseball last year — and that was only the start of what could be a difficult rebuilding process. Gone are Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez, Justin Upton and Ian Kinsler, all of whom have been traded since the start of the 2017 season. In October, Gardenhire was brought in as the team's new manager, and it could be a while before this group threatens the top teams in the AL Central again."We all know the expectations, what everybody's saying about us, but we can't let anybody affect us," Gardenhire said at the start of spring training. "We have to put our little bubble on, we have to go about our business and plan to try to win baseball games."At the beginning of 2017, it seemed clear that the Tigers would be trimming payroll soon, but they still entered the season with enough big... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Oakland right-hander Jharel Cotton has had Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament his pitching elbow.The Athletics say Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister operated Wednesday at Arlington, Texas. Cotton is to remain in Arlington until Saturday.Cotton was 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA in four spring training appearances. The 26-year-old was 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA in 24 starts last year.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

HOUSTON (AP) — Not long after the Houston Astros won the World Series, third baseman Alex Bregman got another big reason to smile.Justin Verlander wasn't simply a late-season rental. He was under contract with the team for two more seasons. Bregman's reaction, caught on a teammate's Instagram Live account, was one of pure joy, filled with shrieks and yelling.The Astros could have more grins in store this season: Manager A.J. Hinch will not only have the ace right-hander for the whole year, he will have a loaded rotation and pretty much every key player who helped Houston win it all last fall, from American League MVP Jose Altuve to World Series MVP George Springer and All-Star Carlos Correa.Acquired in an Aug. 31 trade from Detroit, Verlander was 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA and 43 strikeouts in five regular-season starts for Houston before going 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA and making his first career relief appearance in the postseason to help the Astros to their first title.The 2011 American League MVP... [More]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The young Tampa Bay Rays feel they have a chance to be more competitive than an offseason of trimming salary might suggest.Proving it in the rugged AL East figures to be difficult, however manager Kevin Cash likes the idea that some people are already counting his team out."I think it's great," Cash said of the general reaction to a winter of change that's included the departure of Evan Longoria, the face of the franchise for nearly a decade."But the expectations are not any lower from my point of view, or the players, who have taken time to sit down and think about what's gone on," Cash added. "Yes, there have been subtractions, but there's also been some really good additions."In addition to trading Longoria to the San Francisco Giants in December, the Rays lost pitcher Alex Cobb to free agency before unloading a second starting pitcher, Jake Odorizzi, and sluggers Corey Dickerson and Steven Souza, Jr., during spring training.Outside of acquiring veteran outfielder... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Once again, albeit maybe for the last time, the Washington Nationals enter a season counting on Bryce Harper to lead their offense, with Anthony Rendon, Daniel Murphy, Ryan Zimmerman and Trea Turner expected to do some heavy lifting, too.Once again, the Nationals figure they have among the best starting rotations in baseball, led by three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.And once again, the team in the nation's capital is not only coming off an NL East title but an opening-round playoff exit. So once again, the Nationals have a new manager, this time rookie Dave Martinez, charged with finally creating some postseason success."My message to them is, 'Hey, when we get there, it's just: Play one more game. It'll be Game 163, 164, 165.' That's it. We're good enough to finish this out. They know that," Martinez said at the start of his first spring training as a skipper after serving as Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon's right-hand man.Martinez,... [More]

CINCINNATI (AP) — The disappointment showed in manager Bryan Price's expression and his words. The Cincinnati Reds had just lost their top starter during spring training for the third year in a row, and that was only the half of it.Not only was Anthony DeSclafani headed to the disabled list with another oblique injury, left-hander Brandon Finnegan had to stop throwing because of a sore forearm.The Reds have lost 90 games and finished last in the NL Central each of the last three seasons as their rebuilding plods along, their worst such streak since the 1930s. The biggest problem is the rotation, which has been gutted by injuries the last two years. This season is starting ominously."I say that with nothing but frustration for Anthony and our club," Price said while revealing DeSclafani's injury.The injuries to DeSclafani and Finnegan left the Reds with one healthy veteran starter as the got ready to open the season — Homer Bailey, who missed time each of the last four seasons because of... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The swagger is back.The New York Yankees reached Game 7 of last year's AL Championship Series behind Baby Bombers Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird and young ace Luis Severino. Then they added the mightiest slugger in the major leagues, Giancarlo Stanton, and brought in a new manager they think will lead them to World Series title No. 28."We already had a great team," Judge said, "but adding Stanton and a couple other pieces, we're going to be great. It's going to be a fun thing we have here."New York was second in the AL East to Boston last year at 91-71, up seven wins from 2016 and the Yankees' best record since 2012. They scored 858 runs, an increase of 178, and led the major leagues with 241 homers — including a rookie-record 52 by Judge.The major changes were signing Neil Walker to replace Starlin Castro at second and acquiring Brandon Drury from Arizona to take over from Todd Frazier at third."It's just a question of it being a long season and can everybody stay... [More]

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Before the 2016 season, Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski added former Cy Young winner David Price and closer Craig Kimbrel to help win the World Series. It didn't happen.Before last season, he got Chris Sale to help win the World Series. It didn't happen.In February he gave slugger J.D. Martinez $110 million over five seasons to help his team win the World Series. Is this the year it happens?For the last two seasons, the Red Sox finished with identical 93-69 records, winning the American League East both years. All they have to show for that was getting bounced in the first-round of the playoffs both times with just one combined win.ROOKIE DRIVERWith those four, a crop of homegrown burgeoning stars, and a mix of solid veterans the Red Sox are poised as well as any team to win the World Series this season. Rookie manager Alex Cora has been given the keys to a baseball Cadillac. His only directives — as with any new driver — don't crack it up... [More]