Schilling ahead of schedule
Curt Schilling might be ready for opening day after all.
The Boston Red Sox ace who underwent ankle surgery after the team won the World Series is throwing again, and manager Terry Francona wouldn’t be shocked if Schilling starts against the Yankees and their new pitching star in the season opener April 3 in New York.
“It gives him a target date to shoot for,” Francona said Tuesday. “It’s the Yankees. It’s Randy Johnson. That revs him up even more.”
Schilling told the Associated Press that pitching the opener was still his goal.
“I’m feeling very good about things now,” he said.
Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Boston’s spring training camp in Fort Myers, Fla., on Feb. 17. Schilling, who has spent most of the off-season at his home in Arizona, said he began throwing “a while ago,” but emphasized that it’s too early for him to make a solid prediction about when he can pitch in the regular season.
Rodriguez denies using steroids
Detroit Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez denied accusations by Jose Canseco that he used steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers.
Canseco says in his upcoming book he introduced Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez to steroids after being traded to Texas in 1992, the Daily News of New York reported Sunday.
“I’m in shock,” Rodriguez told San Juan, Puerto Rico’s El Nuevo Dia newspaper. “He is saying things that aren’t true, and it hurts me a lot that he would say things like that because I’ve always had a lot of respect for him, and I’ve even helped him many times when things weren’t going well for him.”
Gonzalez and Palmeiro also have denied using steroids.
Martinez surprises Mets
Pedro Martinez started his first season with the New York Mets earlier than expected.
Martinez surprised the team by showing up early for spring training, 10 days before the first scheduled workout for pitchers, catchers and players coming off injuries. He had said he would arrive on the voluntary reporting date (Feb. 17), but later decided to make the short trip from his home in Miami to Port St. Lucie.
“I’m just here to work out,” Martinez said. “I need to continue working just like I was doing in the Dominican. And there’s no better place to do it since I live so close.”
The former Red Sox ace signed a $53 million, four-year contract with New York and wanted to set an example for his new teammates.
“The new Mets are going to (have) a new attitude,” Martinez said. “It’s going to be a team that went from last place in other years to being a team that’s really going to compete and be in the middle of the race.”
Clearing the bases
New York Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield hit 35 balls off a tee in Tampa, Fla., in his first batting session since undergoing off-season shoulder surgery. Sheffield had surgery on his left shoulder Nov. 30 and is taking part in early workouts at the Yankees’ spring training complex. … Right-hander Carlos Silva and Minnesota avoided arbitration by agreeing to a two-year contract that guarantees him $5.05 million. … Arizona hired former Mets scout Bill Singer, who was fired by New York 15 months ago for racially insensitive conduct with a Chinese reporter. … Milwaukee signed pitchers Jose Capellan, Justin Lehr, Luis Pena and Jorge De La Rosa, and outfielder Corey Hart to one-year contracts. … San Francisco quietly extended the contract of Brian Sabean late last season, keeping the general manager with the club through at least 2006. … Baseball commissioner Bud Selig will be in San Francisco today to announce that the Giants will host the 2007 All-Star game.