MASH Report (4/2/15)

• No velocity reports again today. Instead, I will go over the past two weeks of available Pitchf/x data and report them in my Quick Takes slot tomorrow afternoon.

• Early this offseason, I notice the Orioles have seen a huge drop in elbow and shoulder related injuries since 2009. Brittany Ghirolli at MLB.com just wrote a nice article on the subject. One key for the Orioles is more rest between starts.

The Orioles, who haven’t had a player on the 25-man roster undergo Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery since manager Buck Showalter took the helm in late 2010, aren’t on to anything new. But perhaps what sets them apart from other organizations is that they are unrelenting in keeping their guys out of harm’s way. The biggest complaint Showalter heard while serving as an ESPN analyst was about the way bullpen guys were managed. To that end, every pitch an O’s reliever throws — be it in warmups or in the game — is tracked by the team, their workouts and exercises adjusted by the trainers based off of that.

• I am a guest on today’s Effectively Wild podcast by Baseball-Prospectus doing an anti-Tommy John surgery draft. Good stuff all around except maybe Sam’s picks.

• Justin Verlander will go on the DL for the first time in his career.

Verlander’s arm has been difficult to judge ever since he left Monday’s outing. The injury was initially called a triceps cramp and team officials said they expected him to make his final Spring Training start.

That would have been today. While Verlander threw on flat ground for a second consecutive day, he has not yet gotten back on a mound.

“It’s still kind of a day-to-day thing,” Ausmus said.

• The Yankees shortstop situation is turning into a mess quickly. Didi Gregorious is dealing with an injured wrist, but will likely be back for Opening Day. While his backup, Brendan Ryan, will for sure go on the DL when the season starts. Here is an explanation of how the playing time situation may work out.

That strongly indicates the Yankees are considering using Drew as Didi Gregorius’ backup to begin the season, and on Wednesday they acquired infielder Gregorio Petit from the Astros for a player to be named or cash. They could also carry a second baseman in Ryan’s place — perhaps Rob Refsnyder, who is ranked as the club’s No. 5 prospect by MLB.com.

If Jose Pirela were healthy, Girardi said that he likely would have had the inside track, but Pirela has not resumed baseball activities after sustaining a concussion on March 22. Pirela said that he could begin swinging a bat on Thursday, but he has been limited to riding an exercise bike.

• Coco Crisp will be out six to eight weeks after having a bone spur and bone chips removed from his right elbow.

• Former All-Star Aaron Crow will have Tommy John surgery. Crow has been less effective as his velocity has dropped.

• David Lough is headed to the DL with a sore hamstring.

• Bruce Rondon will start the season on the DL because of a balky shoulder.

Bruce Rondon was supposed to throw, pitching in back-to-back games, until he woke up with a sore right shoulder that didn’t go away when he tried to stretch out during pregame warmups at Osceola County Stadium. He ended up back in Lakeland for treatment.

It’s different than the elbow issue that cost him last season due to Tommy John surgery, and it’s not believed to be related to the sore neck that sidelined him last weekend. It’s not even severe enough at this point for team officials to order an exam.

With the Tigers bullpen on shaky ground, I liked Rondon a sleeper Saves candidate.

• Ken Giles may not be ready to pitch when the season starts because of back tightness.

Players with Injuries Going into 2015