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Baseball Spring Training: Cactus League

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San Diego Padres

Spring site: Peoria

Last year: 76-86 (fourth NL West)

First workouts: Pitchers and catchers (Wednesday); full squad (Saturday)

Who's in: OF Travis Buck (Houston), INF Cody Ransom (Milwaukee), C Rene Rivera (Minnesota), RHP Tyson Ross (Oakland).

Who's out: RHP Cory Burns (Texas), RHP Micah Owings (Washington), INF Andy Parrino (Oakland), LHP Andrew Werner (Oakland), RHP Dustin Moseley.

Spring outlook: They re-signed Jason Marquis this off-season, and also return outfielder Carlos Quentin and closer Huston Street. But it's hard to see the Padres making a serious run in the NL West with the Giants and Dodgers favored.

San Francisco Giants

Spring site: Scottsdale

Last year: 94-68 (first, NL West; won World Series)

First workouts: Pitchers and catchers (Wednesday); full squad (Saturday)

Who's in: RHP Chad Gaudin (Miami), OF Andres Torres (New York Mets), INF Wilson Valdez (Cincinnati).

Who's out: OF Melky Cabrera (Toronto), OF Xavier Nady (Kansas City), INF Ryan Theriot, RHP Brian Wilson, RHP Clay Hensley, 1B Aubrey Huff, RHP Brad Penny.

Spring outlook: Fresh off their second World Series victory in three years, the Giants are one of the top -- if not the top -- franchises in the game. They re-signed outfielder Angel Pagan, infielder Marco Scutaro and reliever Jeremy Affeldt and still have one of the top rotations in the league.

Seattle Mariners

Spring site: Peoria

Last year: 75-87 (fourth, AL West)

First workouts: Pitchers and catchers (Wednesday); full squad (Saturday)

Who's in: OF Jason Bay (New York Mets), OF Raul Ibanez (New York Yankees), 1B Kendrys Morales (LA Angels), C Kelly Shoppach (New York Mets), OF/1B Michael Morse (Washington), LHP Joe Saunders (Baltimore).

Who's out: C Miguel Olivo (Cincinnati), LHP Jason Vargas (LA Angels), C John Jaso (Oakland), INF Chone Figgins, RHP Kevin Millwood (retired).

Spring outlook: The Mariners were rumored to be interested in Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli, but then settled for aging players Jason Bay and Raul Ibanez. They landed Michael Morse and Kendrys Morales in trades, and moving the outfield fences in should help the offense. Seattle's pitching staff remains strong behind ace Felix Hernandez, who signed a long-term extension, and reliever Hisashi Iwakuma, who signed a two-year extension.

Texas Rangers

Spring site: Surprise

Last year: 93-69 (second, AL West; lost wild card round)

First workouts: Pitchers and catchers (Wednesday); full squad (Saturday)

Who's in: C A.J. Pierzynski (Chicago White Sox), DH/1B Lance Berkman (St. Louis), RHP Jason Frasor (Toronto), RHP Josh Lindblom (Philadelphia), RHP Joakim Soria (Kansas City), INF/OF Jeff Baker (Atlanta).

Who's out: RHP Mike Adams (Philadelphia), INF Michael Young (Philadelphia), OF Josh Hamilton (LA Angels), C Mike Napoli (Boston), RHP Scott Feldman (Chicago Cubs), RHP Ryan Dempster (Boston), RHP Koji Uehara (Boston), RHP Roy Oswalt, RHP Mark Lowe (LA Dodgers).

Spring outlook: Everything that could go wrong went wrong in the first part of the off-season for the Rangers. They missed out on Zack Greinke and James Shields, didn't complete a trade for Justin Upton, traded away clubhouse leader Michael Young and saw Josh Hamilton bolt for the Angels. But they rebounded with nice, less significant additions in catcher A.J. Pierzynski, designated hitter Lance Berkman and reliever Jason Frasor.



Distributed by MCT Information Services



Source: (c) 2013 the Fort Worth Star-Telegram


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