Jake Adams, Corey Julks Power Astros; Albert Almora Jr. Leads Cubs Past Mariners

Players of the Day for Monday, February 24, 2020

Grapefruit League

Either the Houston Astros have found a new, undetectable way of stealing signs or they've got a couple of heavy-handed rookies on their 2020 roster.

Jake Adams socked a ninth-inning, three-run homer in his only official at-bat after walking with the bases loaded in the seventh inning as the Houston Astros dropped the Detroit Tigers like a sack of flour Monday, in an 11-1 blowout.

Prior to Adams blowing up the scoreboard, Corey Julks ripped a seventh-inning grand slam, scoring Adams and two more of his new teammates. Julks finished 2-for-3. Like Adams, he drove in four runs.

Almora Jr. 3-3, HR, 4RBI

Cactus League

After a sub-par year in 2019, Cubs' shortstop Albert Almora, Jr. is showing signs that it was a one-off and 2020 will be much improved as he fights for the starting center field position with the Cubs in Florida.

Almora singled twice and homered in three at-bats, driving in four runs and scoring twice as the Cubs outlasted the Mariners, 16-12.

Last season, Almora hit just .232, well off his .286 from 2018 and the .298 average he posted in 2017.

The Cubs improved to 2-1 in Grapefruit League standings, while the Mariners dropped their second straight in as many tries.

5,265 fans attended the game in Peoria, Arizona.

MLB Pitchers, Catchers, Full Squad Reporting Dates

Baseball season isn't as far away as some people might think.

The Sporting News has information on reporting dates for all MLB teams, broken down by dates for pitchers and catchers, and then, full squad.

All major league teams will have pitchers and catchers report on either February 12 or 13, and full squads have their first scheduled practices on either the 17th or 18th.

The Royals and Rangers will open the exhibition season with the first spring training game, played February 21st at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. That game starts the Cactus League schedule.

Florida's Grapefruit League opens the following day with eight games on the slate.

Schedule of Posts for Feb. and March

With Spring Training well underway, it's time to start thinking about the 2010 season in earnest. The two leagues - Grapefruit in Florida and Cactus in Arizona - don't begin actual games until March 2 and 3, respectively. At that time, Baseball on Deck will begin awarding Player of the Day in each League through the end of Spring Training and then switch to AL and NL POTD on opening day, April 5. Beginning March 2, we'll offer individual team breakdowns in addition to POTD reports, so by April 1, we'll have covered all 31 MLB teams.

PLAY BALL! Grapefruit, Cactus Leagues Begin Today

It's been a long four months, but baseball fans are about to be rewarded. Spring training games begin today in the Grapefruit (Florida) and Cactus (Arizona) Leagues. Two teams - - the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers - have made the move from East to West, joining the Cactus League and making Arizona now home to 14 major league spring training sites. That still leaves 16 teams in Florida's Grapefruit League, a more than ample supply of players and games to sate the appetite of fans too hungry to wait for the actual start of the MLB season. So, here's to baseball, the great American game. With any luck, players have gotten the message: play fair, without drugs. It's what the people expect and demand. Play Ball!

Spring in the South: Pitchers and Catchers Report

It's finally that time of year! Spring Training has begun, with pitchers and catchers reporting on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for all of Major League Baseball teams. That means that Baseball On Deck is back for our second full season with regular, daily postings, beginning today. Google News Search for Spring Training