Diamondbacks Spring Training Round-Up: Don't Mess With Spanky

Post-game quotes

• 'It went all right. 'They just hit my mistakes, I guess. I'm working on getting guys out. I didn't throw any curveballs my last time, so I made sure to throw some today. It was working in the bullpen. It seems my sinker was a little bit up.''
  -- Trevor Cahill
• ''Trevor and Pat both got into deep counts, not enough strikes and they got into trouble. Trevor's ball was all over the place. It didn't seem like he had his command at all.''
  -- Kirk Gibson
• "The Royals are a good team. They're coming in ready to fight and fire. It's nice to see that. It's nice to have a team that's going to come in and try to put it on you. We were a little on our heels. We're going to put our best foot forward and continue to learn everyday. That's the main goal of spring training."
  -- Adam Eaton

Moustakas Gives Eaton Some Lip

The Diamondbacks tried to answer in the bottom half when Adam Eaton singled and reached second on an error, but he got caught in a run-down between second and third. Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas delivered the tag on Eaton, but he got popped in his upper lip in the process and had to seek help from a trainer to stop the bleeding. Moustakas wasn't happy about it, either. "Just a guy who doesn't have a feel for the game," he said tersely.
-- AP Report

Didi's Debut Dawns

It looks like the dawn of the Gregorian Era for the Diamondbacks will take place today over at Maryvale, with Didi Gregorius recovered enough from his elbow issue, to be slotted in the line-up against the Brewers. Said Gibson, "We're going to start integrating him into baseball activities."It’s going very good. At the same time, we're going to stay on the program... He's exactly on schedule with what we predicted he would be right now. He's had no setbacks anywhere along the way." However, if you're looking for the arrival of the next Derek Jeter (insert deadhorse.gif), you'll have to wait to see how Gregorius's range stacks up, because he will be the DH for Arizona.

Around baseball

• Remember how we said the Venezuelan line-up looked potent, but its pitching was suspect? In their final warm-up, they outslugged the Mets 14-10, pounding out 20 hits. Miguel Cabrera homered twice, Gerardo Parra had a three-run shot and four RBI, while Miguel Montero and Martin Prado each had a hit and drove in a run.
  
• Elsewhere in final warm-up action, Canada and Mexico both lost heavily - but not as heavily as Spain, who went down 19-7 to the Orioles. The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico both won, but Team USA allowed six runs in the bottom of the ninth and lost 8-7 to the Rockies, at Salt River Fields. If hardly the most auspicious of results, the lead was actually blown by Colorado pitchers, filling in for the US. #suspiciouslyconvenient
  
• The Yankee injury epidemic continues to spread, with the news that Mark Teixeira will miss 8 to 10 weeks with a wrist strain. That took place while hitting off a tee as he prepared to play for Team USA. He has been replaced by Eric Hosmer but it was clearly the WBC's fault, and the entire tournament should clearly be abandoned, right now, to save the Yankees from further punishment.
• If you're looking for a description of life in the minors, definitely check our Brian Henry's diary. His latest installment covers the trauma of getting to Phoenix, medical exams and the early going at minor-league camp. He may not be the most-highly touted prospect at Salt River, but that doesn't make a view from the inside any less interesting.