Baseball and Stuff

• Tampa Bay CF B J Upton reports that e still isn’t ready to resume play after his collision 11 days ago. He’s only had a few ST at-bats, but he says he’ll be ready on opening day. • The Washington Nationals passed out literature to their players on the perils of using spit tobacco. This isn’t known by now? This should be an easy one to put on the banned list.

 • The St. Louis Cardinals have released IF Alex Cora. • The Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros played an exhibition game on Sunday at Disney World. The cheapest ticket was $31. 

 • Alfredo Aceves, Aaron Cook, Daniel Bard, and Felix Doubront are all fighting for the last two slots in the Boston Red Sox Rotation.

 • CF Rick Ankiel continues to get treatment on his injured quad but the Nats have hopes that he will return to the starting ST lineup this week. 

 • Spring Stats: 

 o Francisco Liriano - 23 K, 3 BB, 18 IP 

o Madison Bumgarner - 20 K, 3 BB, 20.1 IP 

o Zack Greinke - 20 K, 1 BB, 12.1 IP 

 o Dan Haren - 18 K, 2 BB, 15 IP 

o Vance Worley - 18 K, 2 BB, 16 IP 

 o Felix Hernandez - 17 K, 2 BB, 18 IP 

o James Shields - 17 K, 4 BB, 17.2 IP 

o Justin Verlander - 17 K, 3 BB, 14.2 IP 

o Cliff Lee - 16 K, 2 BB, 15.2 IP 

o Cory Luebke - 16 K, 3 BB, 14 IP 

o Brian Matusz - 16 K, 1 BB, 15 IP 

o Roy Halladay - 15 K, 1 BB, 13.2 IP 

o Luke Hochevar - 15 K , 1 BB, 14 IP 

o Wade LeBlanc - 15 K, 2 BB, 14.2 IP 

o Daniel Hudson - 14 K, 2 BB, 14 IP 

o Ivan Nova - 14 K, 1 BB, 19.2 IP 

o Jon Niese - 13 K, 1 BB, 14.1 IP 

o Luis Mendoza - 12 K, 1 BB, 11.2 IP 

o Chris Sale - 12 K, 1 BB, 13.1 IP 

o Jeff Samardzija - 11 K, 0 BB, 14 IP