Angels righty and former ace Jered Weaver, who’s coming off a career-worst season in which his fastball velocity sat in the low 80s, made his 2016 debut Sunday and threw six innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 win over Texas. Weaver allowed seven base runners (six hits, one walk), struck out four, and was encouraged afterward. “It makes me look forward to the future in baseball as opposed to thinking about shutting it down,” he told reporters, including Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com (Twitter link). Weaver’s fastball resided in the 82 mph range Sunday and he didn’t generate many grounders (a common career trend), but he effectively used his curveball and changeup to keep Rangers hitters at bay. Whether he can continue to get by that way is up for debate, but Weaver seems confident, saying, “Haters equals motivation for me. I feed off of it.”
More from the American League…
- Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez is recovering well from Tommy John surgery and could rejoin the team by the end of the month, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports. “Everything points to [the 20-day rehab timeline] being more than enough time for him right now,” manager John Farrell said Sunday. Vazquez’s rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket lasts until April 28, at which point the big league club will either have to call up the 25-year-old or option him to the minors. The Red Sox currently employ two capable catchers in Blake Swihart and Ryan Hanigan, though the latter has been mentioned as a trade candidate in the past.
- The Yankees, who opened the season in less-than-ideal weather in the Bronx and then went to frigid Detroit for their second series, have already had two games postponed (one of which was made up). Manager Joe Girardi isn’t pleased with the schedule makers’ decisions, per Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media. “I’m not sure why it happens,” he said in regards to MLB’s choice to start the Yankees in cities prone to poor conditions. “I’d really like to see us start within (the American League East) in the first month as much as you can and I know there’s five teams, and those games you try to go to warmer cities. It didn’t happen and we’ll have to deal with it,” he added.
- Bad weather is also serving as an annoyance to the Indians and slowing right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall’s comeback from a left wrist impingement, writes Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Before beginning his rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Columbus, Chisenhall hadn’t played since March 27 – thanks in part to the postponement of Columbus’ previous three games. Chisenahll, who went hitless in three at-bats Sunday, is eligible to return from the 15-day disabled list early in the upcoming week. However, the Indians might not activate him until Thursday because they face lefty starters Tuesday and Wednesday. Chisenhall owns an uninspiring career line of .241/.288/.371 against lefties.
- Royals southpaw reliever Tim Collins will undergo his second Tommy John surgery since March 2015 on Friday, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com tweets. The news that Collins needed the surgery after his previous elbow graft failed was revealed last month. Collins, 26, posted a 3.54 ERA, 9.4 K/9 and 5.2 BB/9 in 211 relief innings for the Royals from 2011-14.
So they are upset they had to start their season at home?
Yes, Girardi made the outrageous suggestion that the season be started in warmer cities. What a horrible man, what a terrible organization.
I really can’t stand Girardi. He’s almost always whining about something like this.
Not as big a whiner as Buck Showalter
Yeah, you people hate anything that had to do with the Yankees…
Ditto!
Actually, it appears that he suggested that teams start the season in their division at warm weather sites. Considering that the weather here in Baltimore was miserable this past week, that would leave exactly one warm weather site in the AL East. Sorry Joe, but the math doesn’t work on that one. In fact, you could make the argument that there are only nine warm weather teams in MLB (San Diego, LA x2, Houston, Texas, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Miami, Arizona). Toronto could count as they can close the dome. April weather is unpredictable. Even these sites could have bad weather, and it’s possible that Boston could have 75 degrees. These things happen. Girardi may have something resembling a point, but he has such a reputation as a whiner in every other aspect of baseball life that he comes across as whining here as well.
I’d add San Francisco and Oakland to the list of warmish sites.
When has Joe Girardi ever whined? What, to protect his players? Isn’t that what a manager does? There is something to this? Why risk a players health because of extremely cold weather? Why not start the season on the road or in a warmer climate on the east coast? Or even in a domed stadium ? MLB did mess up on the scheduling. The Yankees could have waited to play Detroit until later in the season. Why play them in April? As far as Girardi whining ? I think he has a valid point?
They really need to start the season with as many games in Domes or as south as possible. It makes no sense for them to play games in the 30s of it can be avoided
If the fans are willing to buy tickets and show up, then these professionals need to quit whining and earn their paycheck.
That’s flawed logic. Let’s say a team like the Yankees opens with 5 series in Southern/domed stadiums. It pushes their home opener back to late April or May, which is hardly fair to the fans, and it gives them a huge competitive advantage because the majority of their remaining games will be home games. Until all stadims are domed, which won’t ever happen, this is going to be the new reality as baseball, like everyone else, adjusts to a rapidly-changing climate.
I’m not saying play the first 3-5 weeks in the south I’m saying a week. At least split it up and play 1 of the first 2 in the south. Just using Cleveland as an example but they haven’t played a game yet where it’s been 40 degrees. They’ve had 3 postponed. Open in Cleveland then go to Tampa or vice-versa. Doesn’t have to be as drastic as a month until they play in the north but limit the games played up north the first week or two until the weather breaks.
Girardi needs to understand, it was very important for the two dome teams in the AL East to open the season playing each other. For reasons. I mean the Yankees could have opened the season in Tampa and the Red Sox could have opened the season in Toronto, but that wouldn’t have made sense. I mean what’s baseball without a chance of snow? And there were those ever important Astros/Yankees and Red Sox/Indians rivalry serieses that absolutely had to be played to open up the season. Although maybe, just maybe, the Yankees could have opened up the season in Houston, the Orioles in Tampa and the Red Sox in Toronto, but that’s crazy talk. It makes no sense to try and have games where there is much less chance of weather cancellations.
And then if they do that every year we’d get to hear people complain about the Yankees and Red Sox never opening the season at home.
The Red Sox don’t typically open the season at home. I think we’d all rather have them play the games than open at home in freezing cold weather with snow and lose two games in the first three days. The Red Sox opened the season in Cleveland, I would frankly have rather seen a game, somewhere, anywhere, were it was warm enough to play baseball.
lose the games to weather that is.
Gotta love Jered Weavers sense of pride while throwing a high school fastball. Guy has always been a fierce competitor.
It might go 80 mph but it is far from a high school fastball. The thing has crazy good movement.
thats the one thing you can’t take away from weaver
So, Girardi wants to start the season in warmer cities in the AL East? Does he want back to back series in Tampa or something? Because, last I checked Boston, Baltimore and especially Toronto are not much warmer than New York. I know Toronto has a dome but still, does he think that because they are the Yankees they should open in Tampa then perhaps go to LA then maybe Texas? I am a devout Yankee fan but those comments deeply disturbed me. Spoiled rotten Girardi..
Best of luck Tim. All of us from The Woo are wishing you the best.