With the major league season set to begin with six games Thursday, two in the American League -- the Tigers at the Yankees and the Angels at the Royals, here are seven of the top stories in the AL entering the 2011 season:
1. Cabrera's off-field issues.
The Tigers' first baseman and cleanup hitter, Miguel Cabrera has been in and out of the news since a DUI arrest in February. The details painted an ugly picture, including a report that he took a swig of scotch in front of his arresting officer.
Cabrera, a former Marlin, has struggled in recent years with his weight, and he had a previous alcohol-related arrest at the end of the 2009 season. He had seemed to clean up his act last summer, when he led the American League in RBIs (126) and on-base percentage (.420), was second in batting average (.328), on-base plus slugging (1.042) and total bases (341), and finished third in home runs (38).
But he showed up for camp 15 pounds overweight and missed the first week following his arrest.
Just when it looked as if his off-the-field woes finally were catching up to him -- Cabrera started spring training by hitting 4-for-23 -- he turned a corner. In the week that followed, Cabrera went 11-for-19 with three home runs and five doubles to raise his spring average to .357, giving an indication he wouldn't be bogged down by his behavior. Through 18 games, he was hitting .309 with six doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs.
Cabrera is 27, considered to be in baseball’s prime. The Tigers are eager to see what happens when he’s focused, trim and playing to his fullest potential.
2. Peavy's recovery.
Remember Jake Peavy and the trade-that-wasn’t with the Braves two offseasons ago?
He has been a bright spot this spring for the White Sox, making a faster-than-expected return from surgery last year to re-attach his latissimus dorsi muscle. He made it through four starts before suffering a setback with rotator-cuff tendinitis after an 83-pitch outing March 19.
An MRI revealed no structural damage, and Peavy remains optimistic about his recovery, though he is unlikely to be ready for the fifth starter’s spot to open the season.
Peavy, the 2007 Cy Young award winner for the Padres, was traded to the White Sox in July 2009 after talks broke down with the Braves because the Padres insisted on getting Tommy Hanson in the deal. Peavy, 29, has made only 20 starts in the past two seasons with the White Sox, going 10-6 with a 4.11 ERA.
He injured his ankle shortly after his arrival. Then last season he underwent season-ending surgery for a torn tendon that held the latissimus dorsi muscle to his right shoulder. The surgery was risky -- and unprecedented for a pitcher.
3. Big offseason in Boston.
While the Phillies claimed the class of the free-agent pitching market last winter by signing Cliff Lee, the Red Sox racked up in position players. They added top-notch speed and power, and two middle-of-the-order hitters in Carl Crawford, whom the Red Sox have batting third, and Adrian Gonzalez, whom they have batting fifth.
Gonzalez has shown no ill-effects of offseason labrum surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, which sets up well for his contract negotiations.
Crawford and Gonzalez have seven All-Star appearances and a potential $296 million between them now, including a seven-year, $154 million extension some are projecting for Gonzalez. A deal is expected to be finalized some time in April.
The last time the Red Sox acquired two players of this caliber over the winter they were ace Curt Schilling and closer Keith Foulke in 2003. The Red Sox ended their 86-year World Series drought the following year.
4. Feliz remains at closer.
The debate that raged for most of Rangers camp this spring was whether Neftali Feliz would start or close.
The power-armed former Braves prospect won AL rookie of the year last year after collecting 40 saves in 43 chances for the World Series-bound Rangers, with an upper 90s/low 100s fastball and a .176 opponents’ batting average.
But with the loss of Cliff Lee, the Rangers needed help in their rotation, with only C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis returning as mainstays. Brandon Webb is not expected back from shoulder surgery until May at best.
So the Rangers’ idea was to move Feliz to a starting role, as they had done with Wilson, a former closer, the year before. The problem was, at least at first, that Feliz’s heart wasn’t in it.
But he started to warm to the idea after working with pitching coach Mike Maddux, brother of former Brave Greg Maddux, to develop a cut fastball. After struggling to get a feel for a change-up as a third pitch, the cutter made him more confident in his secondary pitches to complement a fastball that touches triple digits.
Ultimately, the Rangers decided to keep him at closer -- they didn't have any great alternatives -- but they hope to convert Feliz to the rotation next season.
5. Manny joins the Rays.
Manny Ramirez is back in the AL East, playing nice this spring in Tampa Bay. He and fellow former Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon both signed cut-rate one-year contracts: Ramirez for $2 million and Damon for $5.45 million.
Some observers say they see Ramirez’s swagger again, and in a good way. He hit .350 with a .625 slugging percentage in his first 17 games of spring training. He has been on his best behavior, with his teammates and management, and he actually volunteered to take long trips this spring to play in games in Jupiter and Kissimmee.
So how long will it last? When will Manny started being Manny? Or will the Rays' temperamental designated hitter be on his best behavior because he’s in a free-agent season. The Red Sox and Dodgers will believe it when they see it.
6. Twins health watch.
Catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau, Minnesota’s No. 3 and 4 hitters, both are returning from injury this spring.
Mauer hurt his knee last September and underwent arthroscopic surgery in December. He played in October, but was not himself in the Division Series, failing to drive in a run in a three-game sweep by the Yankees. The three-time AL batting champion and 2009 MVP returned to game action behind the plate March 16 and started his spring by going 4-for-8 with two RBIs.
Morneau is coming back from a concussion, which kept him out of the last three months of last season after he took a knee to the helmet breaking up a double play. He got a late start to spring training as well, and with less success than Mauer. He went 0-for-10 with four strikeouts in his first four games back.
7. Morales suffers setback.
Kendrys Morales’ long-awaited return from a broken ankle has stalled this spring. The Angels’ cleanup hitter has been crushing the ball in batting practice, but recently suffered issues with his left big toe. He is unlikely to be ready for opening day, or for several weeks to follow.
Morale has six permanent screws in his ankle following surgery.
Morales missed 111 games last season after landing awkwardly on home plate in the celebration that followed his walk-off grand slam May 29. It was an injury that former Braves manager Bobby Cox used as an example to encourage his players to temper their own walk-off celebrations.
Morales broke out in 2009, when he hit .306 with 34 home runs and 108 RBIs. Without him in the lineup for most of last season, the Angels failed to make the playoffs for only the second time in seven years.
In a new development this spring, Morales, a native of Cuba, also revealed his first name actually is spelled with an “s” on the end.
Material from wire services was used in this article.
