Call him Crash

Rookie OF Jason Heyward continues to make news of the kind we see only before exhibition games begin.
He has hit so many balls over the right field fence at the Disney complex that the team is putting a net over that fence to protect cars in the parking lot. The impetus for the net was a shot by Heyward that crashed through the sunroof of an Atlanta executive’s car.
We’ll be more impressed if the Braves have to build a net over a fence at Turner Field. But if Heyward pans out as the Braves hope he will in time, if not this season, this story would become legend.
Injuries, a paean to Mark Prior:
Phillies RHP Brad Lidge figures he is a week or two behind where he normally would be, which means he could begin the season on the 15-day disabled list coming off elbow and knee surgeries. LHP Jamie Moyer had three off-season operations. He threw his first live batting practice Thursday.
Mets OF Jeff Francoeur, who underwent surgery on his left thumb, said he believes it has passed the test of taking repeated swings in batting practice.
Rangers LF Josh Hamilton returned to practice Friday, two days after suffering a bruised left shoulder. RHP Warner Madrigal is Texas’ newest player on the walking wounded list. He cut short his throwing session today because of tightness in his forearm.
Cubs RHP Angel Guzman hasn’t been pitching because of a sore shoulder.
Giants 2B Freddy Sanchez, recovering from off-season surgery, could begin fielding grounders this weekend.
Yankees CF Curtis Granderson had his vision tested during the off-season. That revealed that his vision was 20-30. He since has put on contact lenses, which he hopes will help him hit lefthanders better. Make a note to yourself to check how he does against good southpaws in exhibition games.
For openers:
There’s nothing official, but it appears that LHP Clayton Kershaw will be the Dodgers’ Opening Day starter and RHP Carlos Zambrano would pitch the Cubs’ first game.
The Los Angeles Daily News reported that Kershaw would receive the honor, but manager Joe Torre wouldn’t confirm that. Torre said the rotation for the first five exhibitions, beginning Friday, March 5, would be RHP Vicente Padilla, LHPs Eric Stults and Kershaw and RHPs Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda. Stults is among a large group fighting for the fifth starter’s role with James McDonald, Charlie Haeger, Carlos Monasterios, Russ Ortiz, Ramon Ortiz and Josh Towers. McDonald and perhaps Haeger would seem to be the other top candidates.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he expects Zambrano to start the opener, but hasn’t yet committed to him.
Rotate:
At least while LHP Ted Lilly recovers from shoulder and knee surgery, which could keep him out all of April, the Cubs will have two openings in their rotation. The candidates for numbers four and five are RHPs Jeff Samardzija and Carlos Silva and LHPs Sean Marshall and Tom Gorzelanny, which should have Chicago fans sending Lilly get-well-soon cards.
The Brewers also have two openings in their rotation, with much better options. LHP Randy Wolf and Doug Davis (why?) and RHP Yovani Gallardo are set, with RHPs Jeff Suppan and David Bush and LHPs Manny Parra and Chris Narveson trying to work their way into the rotation.
Reporting:
All but two teams will have their entire roster working out as of today. Hitters from the Blue Jays and Nationals will have their position players hitting, throwing and fielding for the first time in Florida, and the White Sox, Indians, Athletics, Rockies and Dodgers doing the same in Arizona.
News and notes:
The Red Sox might move 2B Dustin Pedroia from second in their lineup to fifth, to give him more opportunities to drive in runs. RF J.D. Drew or SS Marco Scutaro could move into the two hole.
The Cardinals and free-agent 2B Felipe Lopez have agreed on a one-year, $2-million contract, pending his passing a physical exam.