Sports | Rays

Blue Jays ace untouchable

Roy Halladay retired 12 batters in four innings, striking out two.

Compiled by Times Staff
Published March 12, 2007

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DUNEDIN - Roy Halladay was simply perfect.

In four innings Sunday against Minnesota, Halladay retired all 12 batters he faced, striking out two. It took the ace of the Blue Jays staff 36 pitches, 23 for strikes, to accomplish the deed.

In nine innings over three spring outings, the right-hander has allowed one run on four hits.

In Halladay's first two outings he threw just his two-seam fastball and changeup. Sunday, he mixed in four curveballs.

After his stint, Halladay threw another 20-25 pitches in the bullpen.

Halladay has yet to throw a cutter in a game this spring.

"The location was better with my fastball and changeup and to get the curveball going, I just feel like it's another step to getting everything back," Halladay said.

BULLPEN BLUES: Closer B.J. Ryan, who has been battling the flu bug the past few days, was roughed up for the first time this spring as he gave up three runs and four hits in an inning.

"He's been as sick as a dog the past couple of days," manager John Gibbons said. "There's a couple of guys you don't worry about, and he's one of them."

The Jays, 8-5 losers, have lost five in a row.

ON THE MEND: Reliever Brandon League, who has yet to throw in a spring game because of back muscle problems, threw on the side in the morning. "He threw very well," pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said. "He's still on line" to appear in a minor-league game Saturday.

TROOP MOVEMENTS: The Blue Jays optioned RHPs Josh Banks and Ismael Ramirez and INF Sergio Santos to Triple-A Syracuse. RHP Beau Kemp was also returned to minor-league camp.

Toronto Sun

Phils: NCAA tips a call away

CLEARWATER - The early favorite to take the pot in the Phillies' NCAA pool has to be veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer, who married into an unfair advantage. His father-in-law is former Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps, a long-time college basketball analyst for ESPN.

"I didn't know that," slugging first baseman Ryan Howard said after a 5-3 loss to the Tigers. "We're going to have to put an asterisk beside his selections."

Moyer said he'll probably make a phone call for tips but joked that Digger's advice usually doesn't help.

"I usually find that what he tells me, if I do the opposite I'm usually doing pretty well," said Moyer, who pitched five shutout innings against Detroit. "He knows it."

SHE'S OKAY: Lynn McDonough, wife of Clearwater Threshers assistant general manager Dan McDonough, was struck in the head by a bat accidentally thrown by Tigers catcher Mike Rabello in the seventh. After having her head wrapped to treat a gash that would require stitches, the woman walked away without help, laughing all the way. "She's a tough woman," Dan McDonough said.

PHIL-INS: The Phillies had VUK patches on the right sleeves of their jerseys for the first time Sunday. The patches, black with white lettering, will be worn all season in honor of long-time Phillies coach John Vukovich, who died last week at age 59. ... Lefty pitching prospect J.A. Happ starts today's home game against Houston. RHP Brett Myers will get in his work in a minor-league game.

Randy Miller, Bucks County (Pa.) Courier Times

Yanks: Giambi gets a rest

TAMPA - DH Jason Giambi on Sunday was a late scratch from the Yankees lineup with cramps in his calves but is still scheduled to play tonight.

"Since he's making that trip" today to Fort Myers to face Boston, manager Joe Torre said, "I said, 'I'll give you off today.' "

Also, Wil Nieves said his sore right elbow felt fine, but he is scheduled for more tests today because the team was concerned about something it saw on an MRI exam taken Saturday. Todd Pratt, competing with Nieves for the backup catcher job, is expected to start tonight after missing time with a sore left heel.

GAME DETAILS: In the Yankees' 4-3 loss to the Indians, RHP Chien-Ming Wang allowed one run in four innings and struck out four but had just six of 16 first-pitch strikes. Wang said he was bothered by a stiff wrist. RHP Mariano Rivera followed with a 10-pitch inning, including two changeups. But top prospect RHP Philip Hughes struggled to throw his curve for strikes, giving up three runs on four hits and three walks in 11/3 innings.

TONIGHT: The Yankees visit the Red Sox at 7:05 at City of Palms Park, with RHP Carl Pavano scheduled to start against RHP Tim Wakefield. Carl Pavano missed his start Friday to attend to a medical situation involving his girlfriend.

Ed Price, (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger

Getting there

For ticket information and the list of upcoming games, see Next five games, 2C

Phillies vs. Astros, 1:05 today

Bright House Networks Field, 601 Old Coachman Road, Clearwater

Blue Jays at Reds, 1:05 today

Ed Smith Stadium, 12th Street and Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota

Yankees at Red Sox, 7:05 tonight

City of Palms Park, 2201 Edison Ave., Fort Myers

[Last modified March 11, 2007, 23:53:39]

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