Adam Wainwright Goes Six in Cardinal Win; Jordan Danks, Dayan Viciedo Power 15-3 White Sox Victory

Players of the Day for Friday, March 15, 2013

Grapefruit League

Adam Wainwright

While it appears that the Cardinals won't have Chris Carpenter for the 2013 season, they can pin their pitching hopes on veteran hurler Adam Wainwright, who improved to 3-1 with his longest outing of the Spring in a 5-1 win over the Nationals.

Wainwright got the win by going six solid innings, giving up three hits and a walk while fanning two, not giving up the nationals' only run of the game until his final inning of work, by which time the Cards had established a comfortable lead.

In 2009, Wainwright led the league in starts (34), innings (233) and wins (19), and is expected to give the Cardinals plenty of innings this season.

10-8 St. Louis moved into a tie for fourth with Boston in the Grapefruit standings while the Nats dropped to 9-9.

National League

Viciedo: GS, 6 RBI

Judging by the 15-3 beatdown it would appear that the White Sox are the team to beat in Chicago this year, as they topped the crosstown rival Cubs for the second time in exhibition play.

Danks: 3-4, 5 RBI

The Sox hammered out 15 hits - eight of them for extra bases. Left fielder, Dayan Viciedo, nicknamed "the Tank," socked an opposite field grand slam in the fourth inning and drove in two more with a double to give him a game-high six RBI.

Fellow outfielder Jordan Danks also doubled and homered, and added a single in four at-bats, driving in five runs in the rout. Danks has spent the majority of the past three years with Charlotte in the International Leauge (AAA), while Viciedo - also a product of the White Sox farm system - smashed 25 homers and drove in 83 runs for Chicago in 147 games last season.

The 9-7 White Sox have outscored opponents by 26 runs this Spring and are looking to challenge the Tigers in the AL Central throughout the regular season.

Maicer Iztuis, Melky Cabrera Lead Toronto's Rout of Yankees; Mike Trout Tuning Up for Angels

Players of the Day for Thursday, March 14, 2013

Grapefruit League

Melky Cabrera

Despite their 8-10 exhibition record, the Toronto Blue Jays are looking like the class of the AL East, especially after bashing the Yankees, 17-5, at their Spring home in Dunedin, Florida.

Maicer Izturis

Leadoff batter, Maicer Izturis was 2-for-3 with three runs and five RBI to pace the Jays. Further down the order, Melky Cabrera singled and doubled twice in three at-bats, driving in four runs and scoring twice.

Izturis was acquired from the LA Angels in the off-season. Cabrera came to the Jays via Oakland.

The Blue Jays totaled 13 hits in the rout, but were helped by nine walks by Yankee pitchers and three errors by New York infielders.

Cactus League

Mike Trout

LA's Mike Trout was the talk of the baseball universe last season, taking home rookie of the year and silver slugger honors after posting incredible numbers (.326, 30 HR, 83 RBI) in his inaugural season as a major leaguer.

Trout is tuning up for another season atop the Angels' lineup, already boasting a .407 average, despite LA's struggling 4-11 start.

In Thursday's 12-5 clobbering of the White Sox, Trout had one of his better days at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a homer (his first) a double, a stolen base, two RBI and three runs.

Prospects Anthony Rendon, Johnny Monell Star for Nationals, Giants

Players of the Day for Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Grapefruit League

Anthony Rendon

Anthony Rendon, a prospect who's never played a major league game, is making a splash in Washington's Spring camp, crashing his fourth home run of the exhibition season and going 4-for-5 with three RBI in the Nationals' 9-7 win over the Astros.

Rendon, a third baseman, is getting a good look by the Nats, though he'll likely need more seasoning before attaching to the big club. His only AA experience was 21 games in the Eastern League in 2012.

Washington improved to 8-8 with the win, while Houston dropped to 7-9.

Cactus League

San Francisco improved to 7-8 with a 9-5 road win over Cincinnati, getting a 3-for-4 effort from catching prospect Johnny Monell.

Monell delivered a pair of doubles and a single, driving in three runs and scoring three times in four at-bats for the Giants, boosting his average to a stratospheric .600 (9-for-15).

After playing a full season of AA ball with Richmond in the Eastern League, Monell is being scrutinized by San Francisco coaches this Spring but has not made the official roster.

Ramon Santiago Slams, Tigers Rough Up Halladay; Mark Teahen Leads Arizona over Seattle

Players of the Day for Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Grapefruit League

Santiago: Slammer

Ramon Santiago socked a rare grand slam off Philly starter Roy Halladay - who also surrendered a homer to Don Kelly - as the Detroit Tigers routed the Phillies, 10-6.

Halladay, who surrendered seven runs on six hits and four walks, lasted only 2 2/3 innings, taking his first pre-season loss against two winning outings.

Known more for his defensive skills at second base than his hitting prowess, Santiago has played part-time in the Detroit infield for the past six seasons, batting just .206 last year. He has 27 homers lifetime, but victimized Halladay on Tuesday, also collecting a single later in the game. Catcher Alex Avila had two doubles and a single in four at-bats and drove in a run for the 10-8 Tigers.

Cactus League

Mark Teahen

Mark Teahen had just one at-bat, but made it worthwhile, sending a pitch from Seattle's Hector Noesi out of Peoria Sports Complex for a three-run homer, helping Arizona to a 5-4 win over the Mariners.

Teahen's shot came in the fourth inning and put the Diamondbacks up, 4-0. Arizona added another run n the fifth, and their bullpen barely held on for the win, the seventh for Arizona against nine exhibition losses.

The well-traveled Teahen has played with Kansas City, the White Sox and Toronto, but spent last season in AAA with Syracuse of the International League. The Diamondbacks are giving him a go at third base, where he's batting .318 with seven RBI. The homer was his first of the Spring.