Union head: PED reports probed
Baseball union head Michael Weiner says reporters should refrain from jumping to conclusions about media reports linking players to a Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.
Starting his annual tour of the 30 spring training camps, Weiner cautioned that Major League Baseball is still investigating Biogenesis of America, a defunct anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables, Fla.
“The players understand that what’s happening in Miami at this point remains to be seen in terms of fairness and judging things on the evidence,” Weiner said Thursday. “But there is a lot of talk in the clubhouse about where we should be on the joint drug program, and that’s a good thing.”
After his one-hour session with the Mets, Weiner also discussed the agreement with management last month to extend blood testing for human growth hormone into the regular season. HGH testing began last year but was limited to spring training.
Hanrahan shines in debut: New closer Joel Hanrahan struck out two hitters in the first inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat Northeastern 3-0 in the first exhibition game of spring training.
The Red Sox routed Boston College 11-1 in the doubleheader’s second game.
Hanrahan was brought in via trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates to anchor the Boston bullpen, but the Red Sox gave him the start against Northeastern. Both games were seven innings.
Schmidt tutoring Howard: Philadelphia Phillies great Mike Schmidt is in spring camp for a month, and is spending quality time with Ryan Howard.
Schmidt is working with the Phillies slugger on making more contact at the plate, especially late in games.
Howard hit only .143 after the sixth inning last year. He struck out 45 times in those 84 at-bats.
Reds block Cueto from pitching: The Cincinnati Reds have blocked ace Johnny Cueto from pitching for the Dominican Republic in next month’s World Baseball Classic.
Cueto strained his right oblique eight pitches into last October’s division series against San Francisco. Because he finished the year with an injury, the Reds had the right to block him from playing in the WBC.
“I wanted to pitch for the Dominican, but the team said no. It’s all right,” Cueto said Thursday. “I am going to work to get ready for the season. I was ready to pitch. I’m 100 percent.”
Cueto was 19-9 with a 2.78 ERA in 33 starts during the regular season.
Indians’ closer promises to shut up: Indians All-Star closer Chris Perez is promising not to run his mouth off the mound anymore.
Perez was embroiled in controversy most of last season, when he knocked Cleveland fans for not supporting the team, criticized ownership for not spending money and irritated some opposing teams with gestures on the field. Perez says he won’t be a distraction this season, and new Indians manager Terry Francona doesn’t expect any problems with the colorful right-hander, who had 39 saves last season.
Perez doesn’t regret much of what he said last year but says he “should have controlled it better.” Perez says most of what he said was driven by wanting to win, and he’s certain the Indians will do more of that this season after spending $117 million on free agents.