Manny Ramirez’s sore hamstring is slowing him down, while Chase Utley is ahead of schedule after hip surgery.
Playing left field for the first time this spring, Ramirez aggravated his cranky left hamstring Sunday in Phoenix. The Los Angeles Dodgers slugger was hurt in the fourth inning of a 9-5 loss to Colorado while chasing a ball into the corner. He finished the half-inning but was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom half.
“It’s a little frustrating, but you have to be patient,” Ramirez said. “What can you do? We’ll take it day by day again. Today in practice I ran and I felt good. But I have been cautious. This time I pushed it and I could feel it.”
The 36-year-old Ramirez said he didn’t know if the injury was severe enough that it would have kept him out of a regular-season game.
Ramirez sat out games Thursday and Saturday for precautionary reasons after first feeling tightness in the hamstring. He said he felt pain Sunday when he chased Troy Tulowitzki’s double into the corner.
” Ramirez said before reciting a line he’s been using all spring. “Maybe age is catching up with me.”
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said the pain is centered just above the back of the left knee. It’s actually more a tendon issue than a hamstring, so it’s not a major concern for the team at this point.
Ramirez was supposed to play left field again Monday, but he will take the day off. Torre said no tests were planned on Ramirez’s leg.
“If it doesn’t get any better in a couple of days, we probably will,” he said. “We have plenty of time, and he’ll have plenty of at-bats even if he doesn’t play the rest of the week.”
Torre acknowledged, however, that Ramirez is a little concerned.
“That’s why he told us about it, which is the right thing,” the manager said.
Utley sees no reason why he won’t be able to play for the Phillies on opening day.
The All-Star second baseman went 0-for-2 in his first spring training game since offseason hip surgery and Philadelphia beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 in Clearwater, Fla.
Utley led off and played four innings after going 2-for-4 in a minor league intrasquad game at Philadelphia’s training complex on Saturday.
mely hard to get to this point, but I’ve got to continue to work hard to make sure my body cooperates the right way.”
Utley isn’t expected to travel with the Phillies when they face the New York Yankees on Monday. The team plans to slowly work him into game shape.
“There’s no right or wrong,” Utley said. “It’s just based on how I feel.”
At Tampa, Fla., Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and the Yankees had a big day.
Posada caught for the first time since right shoulder surgery last July, and Pettitte threw three scoreless innings in New York’s 5-1 win over the Minnesota Twins.
“It was good to see him back there,” said Pettitte, who allowed two hits. “A good day for me. I got through three innings, got through it healthy and I felt good.”
Posada played four innings behind the plate, but no baserunners attempted a steal against him. He had been limited to designated hitter duties before Sunday.
“I was really looking forward to catching,” Posada said. “I felt surprisingly good. I just hope next time somebody steals and I’ll throw the ball down there and see how it feels.”
In other news:
-Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones will miss the rest of the World Baseball Classic because of a strain in his right side that has bothered him for a week.
r he aggravated the injury. He planned to return to Braves camp for treatment.
-Red Sox lefty Jon Lester finalized a $30 million, five-year contract, a deal that could be worth $42.75 million over six seasons if Boston exercises a club option for 2014.
-Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo is expected to have arthroscopic surgery on his knee Tuesday in Boston.
-Seattle left-hander Erik Bedard will start Monday’s split-squad game against the Dodgers and is expected to pitch one inning. Bedard missed his previous start and postponed two bullpen sessions because of a sore buttocks.
-The Orioles shut down right-hander Jim Johnson for at least a week so they can try to determine the cause of discomfort in his pitching shoulder.
-Arizona outfielder Eric Byrnes, coming back from hamstring injuries that sidelined him nearly all of last season, saw his first game action of the spring in a minor league contest, going 3-for-5 with a walk and a stolen base. He said he felt great and hopes to play for the Diamondbacks against Oakland on Tuesday.
-Relief pitcher Duaner Sanchez agreed to a minor league contract with San Diego, five days after he was released by the New York Mets.
Cubs 10, Diamondbacks 7
At Tucson, Ariz., Brandon Webb and Rich Harden weren’t perfect, just good enough to pronounce themselves on target in preparation for the regular season.
mondbacks, allowing three runs and four hits. Harden gave up three runs and three hits in 2 2-3 innings for Chicago.
White Sox 15, Mariners 5
At Peoria, Ariz., Jose Contreras pitched two shutout innings for Chicago in his Cactus League debut.
Athletics 8, Angels 1
At Tempe, Ariz., Nomar Garciaparra had two hits and scored a run in his debut for Oakland.
Angels outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., who had offseason surgery on his left knee, also played for the first time this spring. He grounded out to second in his only at-bat.
Brewers 6, Indians 3
At Goodyear, Ariz., Kerry Wood worked one scoreless inning for Cleveland before Milwaukee scored four runs in the eighth inning off Kirk Saarloos.
Brewers slugger Prince Fielder and Cleveland’s Kelly Shoppach each hit their third spring homers.
Royals 11, Giants 3
At Scottsdale, Ariz., Mike Jacobs hit his fourth home run of the spring, Mark Teahen went deep twice and Kansas City roughed up Barry Zito.
Zito had another rough outing, yielding six runs and 10 hits in five innings. The left-hander has given up 11 earned runs in 13 2-3 innings over four spring starts.
Braves 3, Astros 2
At Kissimmee, Fla., Houston’s Jose Capellan struck out four in 4 2-3 innings and extended his spring scoreless streak to 12 2-3 innings.
aves. He allowed two runs and four hits, struck out six and walked two.
Mets 10, Marlins 5
At Jupiter, Fla., Florida right-hander Chris Volstad allowed three hits in five scoreless innings pitching on short rest.
Pirates 7, Rays 7, 11 innings
At Port Charlotte, Fla., Pedro Alvarez, one of Pittsburgh’s top prospects, hit a long three-run homer in the ninth inning.
Rangers 10, Padres 7
At Surprise, Ariz., Michael Young, Chris Davis and Joaquin Arias homered for Texas.
Blue Jays 5, Reds 4, 10 innings
At Dunedin, Fla., Johnny Cueto pitched four solid innings for Cincinnati in his first start since he pitched 4 2-3 shutout innings in the Dominican Republic’s only win in the World Baseball Classic.
Orioles 6, Red Sox 2
At Fort Myers, Fla., Chris Waters tossed three scoreless innings and Baltimore completed a four-game Grapefruit League sweep of the Red Sox.
Clay Buchholz struck out six in 3 2-3 innings for Boston. He yielded one run, four hits and two walks.
Tigers 3, Nationals 0
At Viera, Fla., Alfredo Figaro worked three innings and combined with five Detroit relievers on a seven-hitter.
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