Baseball and Stuff

• The recent “reasonable” extension (3-yrs, club option 2015) of San Diego Padres catcher Nick Hundley’s contract seems to be setting up a future positional confrontation with prospect Yasmani Grandal. Hundley is 28, Grandal is 24. We’ll keep an eye on this one. 

 • Houston optioned 3B Jimmy Paredes, OF Fernando Martinez, and P Aneury Rodriguez to Triple-A Oklahoma City. P Xavier Cedeno, P Jose Valdez, and OF Brad Snyder were reassigned to the minor league camp. 

 • The Cubs optioned Anthony Rizzo to AAA Iowa. 

 • Ron Erhardt, the offensive architect of the New York Giants' two Super Bowl titles under Bill Parcells, has died. He was 80. 

 • Surprisingly, the Philadelphia Phillies optioned Domonic Brown out this morning.

 • LAD designated Ramon Troncoso for assignment and reinstated Ronald Belisario from the restricted list

 • There is An Ichiro Museum in Japan. 

 • Philadelphia Phillies Ryan Howard did show up on the field today without a boot, but he’s still a long way from being 100%. 

 • Texas has somebody named Rougned Odor playing second base. 

 • Panama, Germany, Taiwan and Florida were chose to be qualifying venues for the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

 • The Cubs outrighted right-hander Andy Sonnanstine to Triple-A Iowa 

 • “The Situation” is in rehab for drugs and alcohol addiction. 

 • Two weeks until opening day.