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sports Diasabra 12 Maart 2022

MLB spring camps open, Bieber in Guardians gear, Vlad Jr set

(AP) — Arizona Dia- Bieber, the 2020 AL Cy were at Roger Dean Stadium
mondbacks catcher Car- Young Award winner, and in Jupiter, Florida, where the
son Kelly and manager All-Star third baseman José Cardinals and Miami Mar-
Torey Lovullo shared a Ramírez were among the lins share the complex. Last
hug, a grin and a few slaps players sporting Guardians week, Mets star Max Scher-
on the back under the garb who went through light zer was at the ballpark, too, as
bright blue sky that the workouts following check-in part of the negotiating teams
Cactus League is known physicals. The team formally working on a new labor deal.
for providing. changed its name from Indi-
ans following last season. On this morning, with tem-
The bickering is over. Base- peratures were in the 80s
ball is back. Bo Bichette and José Berríos under partly sunny skies on
were among those joining Florida’s east coast, it was
A day after owners and play- Guerrero in getting busy at time for the talk to turn from
ers reached agreement to end the Blue Jays’ camp in Dune- CBA to ERAs and RBIs.
a 99-day lockout, all 30 spring din, Florida. Sunday is the among a group of a dozen or in the restaurants inside the
training camps opened across mandatory reporting date for “Fans have been through so fans and autograph seek- park.
Arizona and Florida. Now players, but many were eager quite a bit lately,” Texas ers waiting outside the gates,
the four-week sprint begins to get to to work early. Rangers president Jon Dan- hoping to catch a glimpse of Many players also have work
in earnest to get ready for an iels said. anything major league base- to do.
April 7 opening day. Rojas was among a large con- ball.
tingent of Diamondbacks Ron Hoskins and son Shawn Freddie Freeman, Carlos
“We’ve been waiting for this players who reported to camp had made the trek from St. While they didn’t see any big Correa and Clayton Kershaw
for a while,” D-backs infield- in Scottsdale. Like many play- Louis to Jupiter two weeks leaguers, Hoskins and his son were among more than 100
er Josh Rojas said before Fri- ers, he had been attending ago when it appeared Ma- got to meet Marmol, who free agents without a contract
day’s workout. “It’s good we informal workouts at various jor League Baseball and the was promoted from bench as camps opened.
got everything done. I did my fields in Arizona while labor union were close to reaching coach to Cardinals manager
best to stay ready for this day, talks intensified. The union a deal. The settlement came after last season. The Cardinals quickly got
whenever it came. It hap- had even set up a makeshift too late for them to see any in motion, reaching a deal
pened fast.” base in Mesa, Arizona, at a exhibition action — they’re Reaching through the gate, with pitcher Drew VerHagen
multi-purpose sports facility, scheduled to return home on Marmol squatted and reached on a two-year contract. The
Cleveland ace Shane Bieber but that was starting to clear Saturday. his arm through the fence to 31-year-old righty was 10-10
limbered up in Guardians out on Friday as players re- sign the shirt of 37-year-old with a 5.11 ERA in 127 games
gear, Toronto Blue Jays star ported to their regular camps. “Unfortunately, I will not be Shawn. over parts of six seasons with
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. began able to see a spring training Detroit before spending the
taking grounders and new “We did a really good job stay- game here this year,” Hoskins “I liked it,” Shawn said. last two years with the Nip-
St. Louis Cardinals manager ing ready,” Rojas said. “There said. pon Ham Fighters of the Ja-
Oliver Marmol signed auto- were lots of places where 15, At George M. Steinbrenner pan Pacific League.
graphs as spring training for 20, 30 guys were meeting up, The trip wasn’t a complete Field in Tampa, New York
major leaguers finally began. running our own practices. loss for Hoskins. Yankees fans were asking “We believe he will compete
Groundballs, live bullpens, about spring training tickets, for a starting job, but could
At the complex in Goodyear live at-bats, hitting on the Donning his white Yadi- with games set to begin next easily transition to the bull-
that Cleveland shares with field.” er Molina replica jersey, week. Inside the team store, pen if needed,” Cardinals
the Cincinnati Reds, some Hoskins wheeled Shawn, new shirts with “Grapefruit President of Baseball Opera-
big names got loose. St. Louis outfielders Harri- who has Down syndrome, League 22” were in stock and tions John Mozeliak said.
son Bader and Tyler O’Neill to the ballpark. They were new TVs were being put up

More delays at Players Championship as Monday finish looms

(AP) — The Players about 2 1/2 inches of rain in Spieth’s second shot into the
Championship was halt- a 24-hour period, and the 12th was in the middle of a
ed again Friday after only Stadium Course held up re- puddle, and he stood over his
four hours as puddles be- markably well to get in four mark as the squeegee crew
gan to form on the put- hours of play. cleared away the water.
ting surfaces and the TPC
Sawgrass couldn’t hold Tommy Fleetwood and Tom “I don’t want to be high-
any more rain. Hoge finished on Thursday maintenance,” Spieth said
and each posted a 6-under 66. to the crew before asking to
A Monday finish was look- Brice Garnett holed out for make another pass in the area
ing inevitable, which would eagle from the fourth fairway in front of his ball.
be the eighth since The Play- and was at 6 under with five Dustin Johnson had three
ers Championship began in holes to play. birdies in his opening four
1974, all of them in March. holes and went out in 32
Daniel Berger was among before the wet greens twice
Only 96 players from the those at 5 under, and he was fooled him and led to three-
144-man field had finished the first sign the conclusion putt bogeys — a 40-foot putt
the first round when play was of the opening round might he left well short on the 10th,
stopped. have to wait. He was just a downhill putt from 30 feet
short of the par-5 11th green that ran 6 feet by on the 13th.
“We may be in a situation when he called for an official Berger figured them out. He
where, if we don’t get back because of water in the area holed a 40-foot birdie putt
out there today, we’re assured where he wanted to land his from the fringe on No. 12
of a Monday finish,” said pitch. and, just as important, hit a
Gary Young, the chief referee beautiful lag putt from 50
of The Players. Out came the squeegees, and feet on the 13th. He followed
a delay waiting for them to with birdie putts from 18 feet
The TPC Sawgrass received move away the water. Jordan and 15 feet to reach 5 under.