M’s win in Hernandez’s spring training finale
Felix Hernandez and Clayton Kershaw are excited for the end of spring training.
The two aces each allowed three runs in their final starts in Arizona this March, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-7 Wednesday in Peoria.
Hernandez, facing a lineup of mostly minor leaguers with a couple of Dodgers still competing for a roster spot, gave up nine hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked one, ending camp with a 2.65 ERA over four appearances.
“It was a long spring training. I just want to get out of here and just go on opening day,” Hernandez said. “I feel strong, that’s the bottom line.”
Kershaw yielded five hits with two strikeouts. He threw a hanging slider to Michael Morse, who hit a two-run home run in the first. It was Morse’s eighth home of spring training.
After the game, the Mariners announced that 22-year-old right-hander Brandon Maurer and right-hander Blake Beavan earned the fourth and fifth spots, respectively, in the starting rotation. Right-handers Erasmo Ramirez and Jeremy Bonderman were sent to minor league camp.
Bonderman has not yet announced whether he will accept the minor league assignment or retire.
Forbes list out
Forbes estimated the New York Yankees have the highest value in MLB for the 16th straight year at $2.3 billion, and the average for an MLB team increased by 23 percent in the last year to $744 million. The magazine said the Yankees’ value increased from $1.85 billion last year.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are second in MLB at $1.62 billion — nearly $400 million below the price paid for the team last May.
Forbes valued Boston third at $1.3 billion, followed by the Chicago Cubs ($1 billion), Philadelphia ($893 million), the New York Mets ($811 million), San Francisco ($786 million), Texas ($764 million), the Los Angeles Angels ($718 million) and St. Louis ($716 million).
The bottom five are Tampa Bay ($451 million), Kansas City ($457 million), Oakland ($468 million), Pittsburgh ($479 million) and Miami ($520 million).
The Mariners were 12th at $644 million.
Clearing the bases
Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals have agreed to a new contract that guarantees the ace an additional $97.5 million over five years through 2018. … The D-backs’ Willie Bloomquist will start the season on the disabled list with a right oblique strain. … Jason Hammel was named the Orioles’ opening day starter. … Infielder Yuniesky Betancourt signed a one-year deal with the Brewers. … Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes will start the season on the DL with a bulging disk in his upper back. … Left-hander Jeff Locke will be the Pirates’ No. 5 starter.