RYAN RETURNING TO FORM (11:55 p.m. ET)
Reliever B.J. Ryan threw a bullpen session Thursday in the Blue Jays' spring training camp in Dunedin, Fla., according to MLB.com.
He didn't experience any discomfort in his left forearm and has been tentatively slated to rejoin Toronto as soon as April 11-13.
The Jays plan to give Ryan two days of rest between his next three mound sessions, MLB.com said. He is expected to start the season on the 15-day disabled list as he concludes his rehab program and prepares for his possible return against the Texas Rangers.
Ryan has been sidelined 10 months after having Tommy John elbow surgery last May. Thursday's outing followed a scoreless inning on Monday in which he reported minor soreness in his biceps and forearm.
Jeremy Accardo, who saved 30 games last season, will serve as Toronto's closer until Ryan returns.
GOTAY PUT ON WAIVERS (9:13 p.m. ET)
The Mets placed infielder Ruben Gotay on waivers Thursday.
That means Gotay, out of minor league options, will have to wait until Friday to see whether he will resume his career with the Mets. If Gotay clears waivers, the Mets would be free to reassign him to Triple-A New Orleans. If he is claimed by another team, the Mets could pull him back off waivers and try to make a trade to fill a need.
"I thought I did a good job last year. I didn't think I deserved this," the 25-year-old Gotay said with tears in his eyes as he sat in front of his locker.
-- The Associated Press
KARSTENS INJURES GROIN (8:51 p.m. ET)
Right-hander Jeff Karstens injured his groin pitching in the fifth inning of the Yankees' 5-2 loss to the Pirates and will not be ready to start the regular season.
"He felt something," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He didn't feel a pop, which is a good thing."
Karstens, who broke his right leg in a game against Boston last season, will undergo an MRI exam Friday.
-- The Associated PressM'S, PADRES PLAY TO TIE (8:10 p.m. ET)
After allowing two home runs in his last spring start, Felix Hernandez is not worried heading into the regular season. Seattle's right-hander gave up three runs and nine hits in five innings as a Mariners split squad tied the Padres 10-10 on Thursday.
Hernandez, No. 2 in Seattle's rotation behind ace Erik Bedard, struck out five but allowed the two home runs, including Scott Hairston's solo shot to left-center on Hernandez's second pitch. Khalil Greene homered leading off the fourth for San Diego.
The teams combined for 32 hits and six errors. San Diego used five of its starters in the game while Seattle used only two: catcher Kenji Johjima and utility player Willie Bloomquist. The rest of the starters from both teams were en route to their final spring training games.
Also Thursday, the Mariners assigned catcher Wei Wang to Class A High Desert, making him the first player from China to make a minor league roster. Wang, who was signed as a undrafted free agent on June 20, played professionally in China for 10 years.
-- The Associated PressROLEN COULD MISS SIX WEEKS (7:49 p.m. ET)
Blue Jays third baseman Scott Rolen said his broken right middle finger could sideline him for six weeks.
Acquired from St. Louis in an offseason trade, Rolen was injured when he was hit on the hand by a ball during a fielding drill Sunday on a back field. A screw was inserted in his finger during surgery Monday.
"The doctor gave a four- to six-week window from the time of surgery," said Rolen, whose team beat the Astros 8-3 in a spring game Thursday.
-- The Associated Press
ROYALS SEND MAROTH TO TRIPLE-A (7:46 p.m. ET)
Royals left-hander Mike Maroth was assigned to minor league camp after giving up five runs and six hits in three innings in an 8-5 loss to the Rangers.
Maroth, who was a non-roster invitee, allowed back-to-back home runs to Hank Blalock and Milton Bradley. He was 2-1 with a 9.00 ERA in four spring training games. He didn't appear in a game until March 13 because of shoulder tightness.
The Royals also assigned outfielder Damon Hollins, who hit .340 in 23 games, to minor league camp. Hollins played last year in Japan and has played in the majors with the Braves, Dodgers and Rays.
Maroth and Hollins will open the season with the Royals' Triple-A Omaha affiliate in the Pacific Coast League.
-- The Associated PressDUKES LEAVES NATS (7:41 p.m. ET)
Outfielder Elijah Dukes missed the Nationals' final Florida exhibition game Thursday because he had to deal with some nonbaseball matters that the team did not specify.
Dukes, who had sat out recent games because of a hamstring injury, was to travel separately from the team up to Washington later Thursday.
"Dukes is finishing some off-the-field stuff that he had to get taken care of that were on the schedule before he got traded over here," manager Manny Acta said. "So we're killing two birds with one shot -- we're resting his hammy and he's taking care of his off-the-field stuff."
The Nationals acquired Dukes from Tampa Bay in the offseason for a minor league pitcher. He had various arrests and suspensions during his time with the Rays.
-- The Associated PressCUBS, BREWERS WRAP UP SPRING (7:37 p.m. ET)
Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run homer for Chicago, Mike Cameron homered for Milwaukee and the Cubs and Brewers wrapped up their Arizona spring schedules with a 10-10 tie in 10 innings.
"It's time to go," Soriano said. "We're ready now to play some real games."
On Thursday, both teams sent mostly minor leaguers to the mound, and the Brewers started pulling their position players in the third inning.
The Brewers' J.J. Hardy seemed fine after being sidelined since March 17 by a bacterial infection. He had two hits, including a double, and scored twice.
"I feel normal," Hardy said.
-- The Associated PressPRIOR FACES LIVE HITTERS (5:05 p.m. ET)
Mark Prior said he felt strong after facing live hitters for the first time in a year on Thursday.
The Padres right-hander, who had shoulder surgery in April while with the Chicago Cubs, threw 25 pitches during an eight-minute session.
"It was good," Prior said. "It was nice to see their reaction to how I'm throwing even though they're way ahead of me as far as being prepared. It was good to get in there and see where you're at."
Prior signed a $1 million deal with his hometown Padres in December, with the chance to make more in incentives. He'll start the season on the 60-day disabled list and is expected to be ready to pitch in the big leagues around June 1.
The next step, manager Bud Black said, is for Prior to throw a bullpen session on Saturday before facing hitters again on Tuesday. He is expected to throw to hitters three more times in Peoria before participating in a simulated game.
-- The Associated Press
SMOLTZ THROWS, CONFIDENT FOR 2008 (12:39 p.m. ET)
John Smoltz threw in the bullpen for about 20 minutes on Thursday, as if preparing for a game, and called the session his best day of the spring.
Smoltz said he is on track to make his first start on April 6 and said he had no recurrence of the shoulder stiffness he suffered last Friday, forcing him to be held out of a scheduled start.
"I've got a lot of pitching left," Smoltz told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, addressing concerns about his health. "You can sometimes get caught up in things you have to explain."
Smoltz is expected to start the season on the disabled list, but because he hasn't appeared in a major league game since March 15, his time on the disabled list can be backdated nine days.
Smoltz played catch in the outfield when he tested the shoulder for the first time on Tuesday, but he threw with normal effort on Thursday.
"I just needed some time for it to settle down," the 40-year-old hurler said of his shoulder. "It has settled down."
PETTITTE TO THROW SUNDAY (12:34 p.m. ET)
Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte is scheduled to pitch in a minor league game Sunday.
Pettitte, originally slated to start the Yankees' second game of the regular season on Wednesday, has been slowed by back spasms. If all goes well, he likely will make his first start of the season next Friday or Saturday.
"We're going to see how it feels and try and stretch it out," Pettitte said. "Then figure out what I'm going to do after that game."
--The Associated Press
MARTE MAKES INDIANS
(10:09 a.m. ET)
The Cleveland Indians optioned outfielder Ben Francisco to Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday, giving infielder Andy Marte the final spot on their 25-man roster.
The Indians still have one more move to make before opening the season Monday in Cleveland against the Chicago White Sox. They are expected to place outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, recovering from surgery on his left elbow in September, on the disabled list.
The demotion of Francisco was expected since he had an option remaining and Marte did not, but it came as a disappointment to the 26-year-old, who had an outstanding spring camp. If the Indians had tried to send Marte down, another team could have claimed him off waivers.
Francisco hit .362 with three homers and nine RBIs in 16 games. It wasn't enough to crack Cleveland's outfield, which includes All-Star Grady Sizemore in center, developing talent Franklin Gutierrez in right and the platoon of veterans Jason Michaels and David Dellucci in left. Starting third baseman Casey Blake also can play the outfield, giving manager Eric Wedge additional roster flexibility.
-- The Associated Press
IT'S ABOUT TIME
(7 a.m. ET)
The Red Sox landed in Los Angeles seven hours before they flew out of Tokyo -- give or take a day.
Confused? So was manager Terry Francona. Before the second regular-season game against Oakland in Japan, the manager who is more comfortable with baselines than international datelines was baffled.
"So we throw our first pitch at 7:07 [p.m.] and we land at 6 [p.m.]. I'm still trying to figure that out," he said. "I have no chance."
Boston's charter flight across the Pacific Ocean left at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Tokyo time, after that game and landed at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Los Angeles time.
Manny Ramirez played well against Oakland with a pair of two-run doubles and a solo homer. He also ate well.
"I can't see any sushi anymore," the slugger said. "I've been eating sushi every day."
