Griffey Jr. finally gets in lineup
Ken Griffey Jr. was in the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup for the first time Saturday in Sarasota, Fla., giving him little more than a week to learn a new position and get ready for opening day.
Griffey broke his left hand while wrestling with his children in December and has been limited to taking batting practice and catching fly balls during workouts. With eight exhibition games left in spring training, he told manager Jerry Narron that he felt good enough to play.
“I asked him if he was ready,” Narron said. “He said he was ready.”
Narron had indicated earlier that if Griffey, 37, didn’t play this week, he could be headed for the disabled list.
The outfielder is moving to right field for the first time at the team’s request. Narron plans to use Ryan Freel, who is faster than Griffey, in center field. Narron thinks Griffey will have an easy time making the adjustment.
“I’ve never been an outfielder, so I really can’t say, but if you can play, you can play,” Narron said.
Griffey has declined to talk about his injury or the position change this spring, other than to make it clear that it wasn’t his idea to move to right field.
Berroa sent down
The Kansas City Royals optioned shortstop Angel Berroa, the 2003 American League Rookie of the Year, to Triple-A Omaha.
The demotion came one day after the Royals acquired Tony Pena Jr. in a trade with the Atlanta Braves. Manager Buddy Bell said Pena would be his starting shortstop.
Berroa, 29, has struggled since his rookie season and showed little sign of improvement in spring training.
Good news for Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies got encouraging medical reports on sore-armed pitcher Freddy Garcia and catcher Carlos Ruiz, one day after losing pitcher Jon Lieber indefinitely with a strained abdominal muscle.
Lieber strained his right oblique muscle Friday and has begun treatments, the team said. There is no immediate timetable for his return.
Garcia and Ruiz were diagnosed with mild biceps tendinitis by team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti.
Marlins’ Hermida ails
Florida Marlins right fielder Jeremy Hermida might miss opening day because of a deep bone bruise on his right knee.
An MRI led to the diagnosis of the injury, which occurred when Hermida fouled a ball off his knee March 17. There’s no timetable for his return.
Joe Borchard or Cody Ross likely will start in right field if Hermida is unavailable for the opener April 2.
Ex-Reds catcher dies
Ed Bailey, an All-Star catcher with the Cincinnati Reds in the 1950s, died of throat cancer Friday in Knoxville, Tenn. He was 75.
Bailey was an All-Star three times as a Red and twice as a San Francisco Giant. He also played for the Milwaukee Braves, the Chicago Cubs and the California Angels, appearing in his final game in 1966.
Pirates demote pitchers
Left-hander Sean Burnett, nearly three years removed from reconstructive elbow surgery, was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis by the Pittsburgh Pirates along with right-hander Shane Youman. Reliever Kevin Gryboski was also reassigned to the minor league camp.