Andres Torres Leads Mets Past Cardinals; Alfonso Soriano Blasts a Pair for Cubs

Players of the Day for Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Grapefruit League

The Mets lost speedster and leadoff hitter Jose Reyes to free agency - he ended up in Miami - but they acquired former San Francisco center fielder Andres Torres in the off-season and he may just turn out to be a good fit.

Torres singled and tripled in three at-bats and drove in three runs to lead the Mets to an 8-6 decision over world champion St. Louis.

While he may not possess the Reyes' blazing basepath speed, Torres did manage to swipe 45 bases over the last two seasons with the Giants. The batting average will have to improve if Torres is to become a solid lineup leader. He hit just 221 in 112 games last season, with 95 strikeouts.

Cactus League

Alfonso Soriano

The Chicago Cubs have disappointed their fans for over a century, last winning the World Series in 1908 when they beat the Detroit Tigers for the second straight year.

Well, they're back to try it again, getting their first win of the Spring in three tries with an 11-4 win over Colorado on Tuesday. Alfonso Soriano appeared to have his swing in med-season form, doubling and socking a pair of homers in three at-bats, cashing three RBI and scoring three times.

Soriano, who has been with the Cubs since 2007, was sent from the Yankees to the Rangers after the 2003 season, spent two years there and a year in Washington before arriving in Chicago.

Always a dangerous hitter with extraordinary power in his 6'1" frame, Soriano has hit 20 or more home runs in ten consecutive seasons, his best being 2006 when he blasted 45 for the Nationals.

Elvis Andrus Goes 3-for-3 for Rangers; David Ortiz Doubles, Homers in Red Sox Spring Opener

Players of the Day for Monday, March 5, 2012

David Ortiz

Grapefruit League

David Ortiz doubled and homered for the Boston as the Red Sox pummeled Minnesota, 10-2, in their exhibition opener.

The slugging Ortiz, who will be entering his 10th year in a Boston uniform, drove in a run and scored another, raising hopes that the perennial slow-starter will be in game shape by opening day.

At 36, Ortiz looks to reprise a successful 2011 campaign in which he hit .309 with 29 home runs and 96 RBI.

Cactus League

Elvis Andrus

Elvis Andrus had a triple and a pair of singles in three at-bats for the AL champion Texas Rangers, but his three hits, RBI and three runs scored were not enough to stop the Royals who scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth for the 7-6 victory.

Andrus will be starting his fourth season as the Rangers' regular shortstop after a 2011 campaign in which he batted .279 and stole a career high 37 bases.

The 2009 AL rookie of the year and 2010 all star, Andrus and his Texas teammates will be looking for their third straight world Series appearance. They lost to the Cardinals last year and to the San Francisco Giants in 2009.

Tigers, Ryan Raburn Pound Braves, 18-3; Brandon Allen Slams Cubs with 7 RBI

Players of the Day for Sunday, March 4, 2012

Grapefruit League

Raburn: GS, 5 RBI

Sure, it's just the first week of the exhibition season, but the Atlanta Braves might want to take a serious look at their pitching staff.

For the Detroit Tigers, on the other hand, they should have few issues in the power department after bashing nine home runs and 19 hits off seven Atlanta throwers in an 18-3 blowout. Six of the Tiger homers came off Julio Teheran, who is looking to become a Braves starter.

Prince Fielder got his first homer as a Tiger - a solo shot - and Ryan Raburn socked a pair of bombs, including a grand slam and drove in five runs.

The Tigers were already up 11-1 before Atlanta scored a single run in the fifth. Detroit responded with a six-run outburst in the bottom of the inning.

Rayburn, who has been more or less the Tigers' regular left fielder for the past three years, batted .256 in 2011, with 14 homers and 49 RBI, though he struck out 114 times in 371 at-bats.

Allen, GS, 7 RBI

Cactus League

Oakland chalked up its second win in its first three games, out-slugging the Chicago Cubs in their Spring opener, 12-10.

Brandon Allen, a 6'3", 235-pound first baseman, drove in seven runs with a grand slam and a bases-loaded double in five at-bats.

Allen was traded from the Diamondbacks to the A's during the 2011 campaign after spending 2009 and 2010 with Arizona. The slugger displayed his raw power last season, belting 18 home runs in 52 games between the two clubs.

Despite the solid power stats, Allen still has to work on his approach, having struck out 68 times in 175 at-bats, finishing the year with just a .200 average.

Jemile Weeks Leads A's to 9-2 Win; Brett Lawrie Drives in Four for Blue Jays

Players of the Day for Saturday, March 3, 2012


Grapefruit League

Brett Lawrie

Brett Lawrie socked a pair of two run doubles for the Toronto Blue Jays in a 7-1 Spring training opening day win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Lawrie, who is vying for the 3rd base position with Edwin Encarnacion, drove in four runs - two in the second and two more in the sixth - and stole a base, his first of the Spring.

In 2011, Lawrie played in 46 games for the Jays, batting .293 in 150 at-bats, with nine homers, 25 RBI and seven steals.

Cactus League

Jemile Weeks

After batting .303 and stealing 22 bases in 97 games as a rookie with the Oakland A's last year, Jemile Weeks may be looking forward to a breakout season as the A's regular second baseman and leadoff hitter.

Weeks singled, homered, stole a base, scored twice and drove in two runs as the A's dropped the Mariners, 9-2, in their second Spring game.

Oakland banged out 16 hits against six Mariner hurlers after Hector Noesi pitched two hitless innings. Especially hard hit was Kevin Millwood, who gave up three runs on three hits, working the third and fourth frames.