MLB Bullets Has A Man Down

We have some exclusive video of a training staff responding to yet another major league pitcher getting hurt this spring.

• Let's start with Cliff Lee who was shut down with elbow discomfort and will likely undergo surgery and miss the season. (Not Tommy John surgery, however.) The situation is a little complicated as his MRI isn't showing any new injury, but essentially both Lee and the Phillies are saying, if he's in pain, he's in pain. It doesn't matter what the MRI says.
• Jayson Stark is a lot more diplomatic than my summary of his article, but he calls Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. a fool for not realizing that Cole Hamels trade value could go to zero overnight like Lee's just did. Again, Stark doesn't use the word "fool," but that's pretty much the point he's getting at.
• Matt Snyder is sad because Cliff Lee's career could be over.
• Jon Paul Morosi says Lee will pitch again, he just might not be any good anymore.
• Then there's Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman, who tore his ACL during pitcher's fielding practice. He'll miss the entire season.
• Dayn Perry says that losing Stroman is a huge blow to the Jays postseason hopes, although he thinks they'll still be contenders this season.
• David Schoenfield thinks the Jays should make a trade for Cole Hamels.
• Rob Neyer agrees: The Jays need Hamels.
• Good news for Mike Minor, sort of. He has rotator cuff inflammation and will miss the start of the season, but he won't need surgery.
• Gavin Floyd is out after once again fracturing the elbow that caused him to miss most of last season.
• Jonah Keri talks to Dr. Glenn Fleisig about the possible causes of the epidemic of Tommy John surgery in MLB.
• Russell Carleton studies the proposed six-man rotation and whether or not teams would benefit by trying it.
• Here's something that will cause a lot of discussion around here, even if it's not anything new. Cliff Corcoran looks at the DH-in-the-NL debate. Corcoran is sort-of, kind-of, in favor, although his support is pretty weak by his own admission. He does look at both sides.
• Tom Verducci is firmly against it and says that there are other ways the NL can increase offense without adding the DH.
• Mike Trout is making an adjustment in his swing to better deal with the high fastball that gave him so much trouble last season.
• The Padres are the favorites to land Cuban infielder Hector Olivera, although the Braves, Athletics and Dodgers remain in the bidding.
• Bob Nightengale thinks the Marlins are going to have a special year this season. That can be read in more than one way.
• Some NFL news with possible MLB implications. Tennessee Titans QB Jake Locker has retired at 26. Locker was once a top high school baseball player and there is some speculation he may try baseball now.
• However, the Angels, the team that drafted Locker in 2006 and 2009 and still own his rights, aren't interested in him. They did say they'd release him if another team was interested.
• Former top prospect Michael Taylor has retired at age 29. This is just a reminder that top prospects from teams other than the Cubs flame out from time to time.
• Larry Green, who was a first-round supplemental pick of the Phillies in 2011, has also retired at the ripe old age of 22. While his minor league career was hardly a success, he was not forced into retirement. He just didn't want to play baseball anymore.
• Here's one that we'd all be better off if he retired. Reds prospect Tanner Rahier was arrested for knocking his ex-girlfriend unconscious with a rock. Considering that he hit .238 while repeating the Midwest League last season, he probably won't have a choice. That shouldn't be a factor, but it most likely is.
• Carson Castulli notices that major league second baseman are usually college players whereas shortstops rarely are. I think his explanation is correct. If you're a good enough athlete to play SS at the major league level, teams sign you long before you get to college.
• Commissioner Rob Manfred wants to play games in Cuba and is talking to the US Government about how they can make that happen. The Orioles did play one game there in 1999.
• Pablo Sandoval says he had no interest in re-signing with the Giants because they "disrespected" him. I'm going to guess "disrespected" is code for "talked to me about my weight a lot." Maybe a few other things too.
• The Tigers gave a tryout to an Iraq war amputee. And he still covered more ground than Jeter did last year. But seriously, classy move, Detroit.
• Speaking of the Captain, Tim Healey has a graphic with the last captain of each major league team. Currently, David Wright is the only captain in baseball.
• Jeff Bagwell says he doesn't expect to get elected to the Hall of Fame.
• Reggie Jackson has put the sign for the old Yankee Stadium up for auction.
• Yasiel Puig was his own bobblehead doll on Sunday.
• Alex Skillin has a history of spring training.
• People mock Clark, but he's a trendsetter. The Giants are selling Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey and Hunter Pence dolls without pants. (h/t CBS Eye On Baseball)
• And finally, the Indians Twitter account has come up with the perfect response to fans complaining about spring training lineups.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.