Drew unlikely to be ready for Opening Day
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The Diamondbacks have yet to say it and might never, but Stephen Drew came close to admitting Tuesday that he will not be ready for the start of the regular season on April 6. The opener is 24 days away, and Drew has not slid, run the bases hard or faced much live pitching.
“For me, you have to run bases, and you have to feel really comfortable doing those type of things, because at game speed it is fast," Drew said Tuesday when questioned about his availability for Opening Day. "People don’t realize it. I haven’t even played in a spring training game, so right now I don’t know.
“It’s one of those things that it would have to happen really fast, progress-wise, running and things like that, where I haven’t even done it yet.”
General Kevin Towers was less cryptic, telling reporters: "I'd still say we're a ways off before he plays in a game, so you guys can probably figure it out."
Manager Kirk Gibson kidded Drew on Tuesday, saying he planned to play put the shortstop in the lineup for Thursday’s exhibition game against the Cubs. That will not happen, but there is no question the D-backs want Drew back as soon as possible.
“He teases me. We talk. He knows where I’m at,” said Drew, who was injured last season on July 20.
“Mentally I’m ready. Physically I’m not yet. That’s the part that can be frustrating at times, but at the same time I know once I’m back, I’ll be back. I won’t have any question with that.”
Drew is on a schedule where he works three days and takes the fourth day off. The D-backs plan to increase Drew’s activity this week. He will run the bases and do live hitting on a minor league field.
“We’re going to push him pretty good this week to see how he does. He seems to be recovering quicker, doing more,” Gibson said.
KEEPING IN TOUCH
Dan Haren said he had fun following the D-backs’ run to the NL West title last season. He said he exchanged text messages with Ian Kennedy and Miguel Montero, among others, all year, and called Kennedy to congratulate him on his 21-4 season after the playoffs ended.
“Watching Ian was the coolest part for me. I was impressed with the way he worked,” said Haren, always willing to help Kennedy and the other starters during his time in Arizona.
“I like the way he pitched. It’s kind of like me. We don’t throw 95. He changed speeds. He used the sinker and the slow curveball. He always had a really good change-up. He learned what worked for himself, and he was able to stay healthy and put up the numbers he did.”
Haren allowed just one hit and struck out seven of the 10 D-backs he faced in the Angels’ 3-0 exhibition victory Tuesday. It was Haren’s first appearance against Arizona since being traded on July 25, 2010. He struck out the side in the third inning on 10 pitches. In his two spring starts, he’s allowed just that one hit — a leadoff single to Willie Bloomquist — and has 10 strikeouts in five innings.
“I still know quite a few guys over there, so it is fun,” Haren said.
GETTING TO KNOW CAHILL
Newcomer Trevor Cahill started slowly again Tuesday, giving up hits to four of the five batters he faced in the first inning. Helped by a pickoff and a double play, he yielded just one run in the first before serving up a solo homer to Alexi Amarista in the second.
The D-backs are less concerned about the early results — five innings, five runs, three homers — than learning how to play behind him. A sinkerballer, Cahill gave up two groundball singles through the infield in his first three innings. Miguel Montero told Gibson he wants to catch Cahill’s next start Sunday.
“He’s a groundball guy," Gibson said. "Where do we play the infield? How do we defend? That is one of the things we will try to figure out this spring. Miggy, what pitches should he call? What pitch can he get where we want it?
“We want to find out what he likes to do so we can execute.”
WEDNESDAY PROBABLES
Left-hander Patrick Corbin and right-hander Josh Collmenter are scheduled to start in the D-backs’ split-squad doubleheader Wednesday. Corbin is to face San Diego’s Joe Wieland at Salt River Fields at 1:10 p.m., and Collmenter is to face Colorado’s Juan Nicasio at Salt River Fields at 7:10 pm. Nicasio is making his first appearance since Aug. 5, when he suffered a broken neck when struck by a line drive.
Corbin is scheduled to pitch three innings, and Trevor Bauer is scheduled to follow with three innings.
NOTES
The D-backs have scored one, eight, two and zero runs in their last four games. They had two hits and struck out 14 times against the Angels on Tuesday.
“I don’t like it," Gibson said. "Why? I would be lying if I don’t think why. If I didn’t care about it, I wouldn’t be going to run up and down Camelback (Mountain) in about 10 minutes. I take everything personally. We know we can swing the bats. It’s spring, but you want to get them going.”
Joe Saunders does not expect to miss a turn in the rotation after X-rays on his lower left leg on Tuesday showed a deep bone bruise, nothing more. Saunders threw a dozen pitches Monday before being struck by a Carlos Santana line drive, which hit more the meaty part of his leg than the shin. Saunders is expected to start Saturday, on his normal four days’ rest.
Reliever Sam Demel (forearm) has made only one appearance but is scheduled for a bullpen session later this week.
General manager Kevin Towers has heard from his scouts that teams are interested in Gerardo Parra, but Towers said he has had no trade discussions regarding Parra this spring and expects the outfielder to be part of the D-backs this year.
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