March 6, 2017 Page 1 of 18

Clips

(March 6, 2017)

March 6, 2017 Page 2 of 18

Today’s Clips Contents

FROM LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Angels' Yunel Escobar on verge of becoming a U.S. citizen

Jefry Marte, Kole Calhoun homer in Angels' 11-3 loss to Reds

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 5)

Garrett Richards' first test vs. hitters is reassuring

Reds top Angels, 11-3, in Garrett Richards' return

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 8)

Richards' first start 'something to build off of'

Marte, Calhoun homer in Richards' return

Valbuena misses 3rd straight game with leg tightness

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 11)

Angels Infielder Yunel Escobar passes test to become U.S. citizen

Angels right Richards taking alternative path to Tommy John

Votto, Trout talented sluggers on struggling teams

FROM CBS SPORTS (Page 16)

AL West 2017 preview: Astros favored, but Rangers and Mariners will make race tight

March 6, 2017 Page 3 of 18

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES .

Angels' Yunel Escobar on verge of becoming a U.S. citizen

By Pedro Moura

Two months ago, Yunel Escobar said Sunday at Angels camp, he decided he wanted to become an

American citizen. Many of his Cuban countrymen who’d escaped already had completed the process,

and his two children were born citizens.

So he spent the off-season studying this country’s history and scheduled a naturalization test for

Thursday in his adopted hometown of Miami. He passed the exam and now needs to take only the

official oath to become a citizen. That will happen Friday, back in Miami, according to a team

spokesman.

“It’s not an easy process, as people might expect,” Escobar said through broadcaster Jose Mota, who

served as an interpreter. “The time was now. I’m going to be a guy with 10 years in the big leagues. …

We thought it was the appropriate time to take the next step.”

Escobar said he learned a lot of American history. He had not known of the Civil War, or details

regarding the Axis powers within World War II.

Also two months ago, as part of the ongoing efforts to normalize U.S. and Cuban relations, the previous

presidential administration announced an end to the 20-year-old “wet foot, dry foot” policy that had

allowed Cuban immigrants to become legal residents after one year in the United States.

Escobar has lived in the United States since his September 2004 defection. To become an American

citizen, he had to renounce his Cuban citizenship, a decision he called difficult.

“But I also know that this is the country that has provided for me, now and in the future,” he said. “I left

Cuba on a boat. It’s one of those things where I know that the sacrifice I made was the best thing for my

family.”

Escobar, 34, spoke to reporters Sunday for the first time in many months. A free agent at year’s end

after his $7-million club option was exercised as expected in November, he answered questions about

his goals for 2017.

He said he’d like to make more contact on offense, although his 11.8% strikeout rate was well below the

league average and in line with his 2015 mark. And, he said, he’d like to eliminate errors he made a year

ago on defense and on the bases.

“Defensively, I know there were some things that fundamentally, mechanically, I was not very good at

last year,” Escobar said. “I can learn from the mistakes I made last year and move on, but the one thing

is understanding when to take the extra base and when to hold off. Overall, in terms of baserunning, as

a team, we should all be better.”

March 6, 2017 Page 4 of 18

Richards’ debut

On Sunday, Garrett Richards faced major league hitters for the first time since May 1. His fastball

hummed up to 97 mph, and he plopped in sliders and curveballs for strikes, but he struggled to locate

the fastball inside to right-handed hitters and gave up four hits and three runs in two innings.

“It was a good outing to build off of, but most importantly, I came out of it totally fine,” he said. “I’m still

working on a little bit of feel things, but that’s part of spring training, part of this part of the season.”

Richards received a stem-cell injection in his right elbow in May as an alternative to Tommy John

surgery. The injection regenerated the ulnar collateral ligament, and he was back pitching in the

instructional league the day after the regular season.

Perhaps the biggest difference he demonstrated was his use of the curveball, a pitch he had phased out

of his repertoire. He threw several Sunday, including one to strike out Scott Schebler looking to end the

first inning.

“Having a year off and being able to kind of think about how I want to throw that pitch, when I got to

instructs something clicked where I was able to have a better feel for that,” Richards said.

“Mechanically, it’s nothing that I’m doing differently.”

Richards said he is trying to not throw at 100% of his capability right now, so as to keep himself calm and

steady. But rival scouts who watched him Sunday said he seemed like he was using maximum effort, and

Manager Mike Scioscia agreed, comparing his intent to a regular-season game.

“In my mind, I’m trying to go 85%,” Richards said. “My body may not be at 85%.”

Short hops

Infielder Luis Valbuena has not played since Thursday because of leg soreness, but is expected to return

to action in a couple days, Scioscia said. … The Angels optioned three pitchers to minor league camp:

left-hander Kevin Grendell and right-handers Abel De Los Santos and Osmer Morales.

Jefry Marte, Kole Calhoun homer in Angels' 11-3 loss to Reds

By Pedro Moura

e Cincinnati Reds beat the Angels, 11-3, on Sunday at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The Angels are 7-2 this

spring, losers of two consecutive games after snapping their 18-game unbeaten streak spanning two

spring trainings.

AT THE PLATE: Jefry Marte hit a solo home run. Kole Calhoun hit a two-run home run. … The Angels’ only

other hit until the eighth inning was a Yunel Escobar single. … In the eighth, 2016 first-round pick Matt

Thaiss and 2009 first-round pick Tony Sanchez each singled. … Cameron Maybin struck out twice in three

plate appearances.

March 6, 2017 Page 5 of 18

ON THE MOUND: After starter Garrett Richards, the Angels featured several pitchers competing for

roster spots. Left-hander Manny Banuelos yielded a run in two hits in two innings. … Right-handers Jose

Valdez and Deolis Guerra threw scoreless innings. … Left-hander Jose Alvarez gave up a triple and a

double, consecutively, for a run. … Right-hander Vicente Campos gave up two runs in his inning.

EXTRA BASES: Second baseman Danny Espinosa threw a baseball away in the fourth inning, and then

committed another error in the fifth. They were his second and third errors this spring. … Mike Trout

stole his first base of 2017 after walking in the seventh. … Minor league outfielder Michael Hermosillo

twice fell while pursuing fly balls in center field, and caught neither ball. … The Angels were charged with

four errors overall.

UP NEXT: Chicago Cubs at noon Monday at Tempe Diablo Stadium. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 830.

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER .

Garrett Richards' first test vs. hitters is reassuring

By J.P. HOORNSTRA / STAFF WRITER

TEMPE, Ariz. – Angels pitcher Garrett Richards said he woke up Sunday with butterflies in his stomach.

It’s been several months since he emerged from the woods of his remarkable recovery from an elbow

injury, but Sunday marked the first time since May of last year that Richards faced major-league hitters.

So while he was trying to limit himself to 85 percent effort in his Cactus League debut, the butterflies got

the better of Richards. Sometimes his fastball touched 97 mph on the radar gun. Once, his front

shoulder flew open and he hit a batter. In two innings against the Cincinnati Reds, Richards allowed

three runs.

“I got excited on a couple pitches but overall everything was kind of doing what I wanted it to,” he said.

“It’s a good one to build off of.”

Surely Richards is not the only pitcher who will build off his performance Sunday.

Richards is only healthy because an injection of platelet-rich plasma, harvested from stem cells in the

bone marrow of his pelvis, healed his right elbow better than anyone could guarantee.

Three Angels pitchers – Richards, Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano – were diagnosed with torn ulnar

collateral ligaments last year. Only Richards was able to avoid Tommy John surgery, which comes with

the expectation of a 12- to 18-month recovery period.

Richards’ recovery time was reduced dramatically when the stem-cell treatments were deemed

successful.

March 6, 2017 Page 6 of 18

Pitching in instructional league games last autumn, “the ball was coming out of my hand better than it’s

ever come out of my hand,” Richards said. “I got over the mental side of throwing a baseball. For me

right now it’s just about recovering in between, having good work in my bullpens in between, and trying

to fine-tune my mechanics.”

Richards’ health is key to an Angels rotation that would be much weaker without its 28-year-old ace.

After pitching a scoreless first inning against the Reds, he was greeted in the dugout with high-fives from

standing teammates. Richards had already convinced himself he was fully recovered; now his

teammates seem convinced too.

“There’s not really much more I can do, I feel like,” he said. “As long as everything feels good and the

ball is coming out of my hand nice, then I’m not worried about it.:

Some changes emerged Sunday. The changeup Richards began flirting with last season is gone. He’s also

trying to be more aggressive with his curveball, throwing it early in counts and also in strikeout

situations.

But his exceptional velocity – only four starting pitchers this decade have thrown a harder fastball than

Richards, on average – is all but back to normal.

“He’s going the way he would in a regular-season game,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “Maybe in

his mind he’s 85 percent but I think that’s just one way for him to talk about keeping his delivery where

it needs to be so he’s not out there rushing, getting all out of sync.”

ESCOBAR EXPLAINS

For most of his adult life, Angels third baseman Yunel Escobar wasn’t familiar with the American Civil

War, or the United States’ involvement in World War II.

He is now. Escobar took, and passed, a U.S. citizenship test this week in Miami. Doing so required that

he renounce his Cuban citizenship – and brush up on the history of his adopted homeland.

Sunday he explained his reasons.

“The time was now,” Escobar said through an interpreter. “I’m going to be a guy with 10 years in the big

leagues. The time to do it was now. My two kids are U.S. citizens too. We thought it would be an

appropriate time to take that next step.”

Escobar, 34, was born in Havana and defected in 2004. He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2005 and

has played for five teams in 10 major league seasons.

The decision to become a citizen was not influenced by any conversations with teammates or other

Cuban-born players, Escobar said, though he cited the examples of Livan Hernandez and Aroldis

Chapman – two Cuban-born pitchers who eventually became citizens.

March 6, 2017 Page 7 of 18

“I understood what they went through to accommodate their family in their situations going forward,”

Escobar said.

Escobar will take his oath of citizenship Friday in Miami.

ALSO

The Angels’ first round of roster cuts consisted of three pitchers who were re-assigned to minor league

camp: Kevin Grendell, Osmer Morales and Abel De Los Santos. … The Angels don’t play a Cactus League

game Tuesday, and Scioscia said he will give the team a rare day off. … Minor league camp officially

opened Saturday, when pitchers and catchers reported.

Reds top Angels, 11-3, in Garrett Richards' return

By J.P. HOORNSTRA / STAFF WRITER

Reds 11, Angels 3

THE GAME: The Angels lost, 11-3, to the Cincinnati Reds at Tempe Diablo Stadium, their second

consecutive loss after beginning Cactus League play 7-0.

PITCHING REPORT: Garrett Richards allowed four singles and threw two wild pitches in the

second inning as the Reds jumped to a 3-0 lead. … Manuel Banuelos allowed two singles in two

innings. The left-hander hasn’t allowed an earned run in four Cactus League innings in his quest

for the fifth starter’s job. … Right-hander Vicente Campos allowed a two-run home run in the

seventh inning. He’s allowed five earned runs in two innings this spring. … Jose Alvarez and

Deolis Guerra each threw a scoreless inning. … Non-roster invitee Blake Parker allowed four

unearned runs in two-thirds of an inning.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I hope that this kind of gives guys what I went through another avenue to

go down.” - Richards, whose successful platelet-rich plasma injection allowed him to avoid

Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

HITTING REPORT: Jefry Marte and Kole Calhoun hit home runs against left-hander Brandon

Finnegan, the first Cactus League home run for each player. … Serving as the Angels' designated

hitter, Cameron Maybin went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts. He is still searching for his first hit of

spring training. … Prospect Matt Thaiss singled in the eighth inning and now has four hits in his

first eight spring at-bats.

ALSO: Mike Trout stole second base in the sixth inning, his first steal of the spring. … Danny

Espinosa committed two errors at second base in his first game since shaving his beard. … The

Angels committed four errors, and center fielder Michael Hermosillo misplayed a fly ball that

March 6, 2017 Page 8 of 18

fell for a triple. … Non-roster invitee Sherman Johnson played left field in the ninth inning,

something he’s done only six times in five professional seasons.

UP NEXT: Angels (RHP Jesse Chavez) vs. Cubs (RHP Jake Arrieta), noon PT, Tempe Diablo

Stadium. TV/Radio: FSW, KLAA/830.

FROM ANGELS.COM .

Richards' first start 'something to build off of'

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

TEMPE, Ariz. -- It wasn't perfect, but the results were secondary for Garrett Richards.

The 28-year-old right-hander faced Major League hitters on Sunday for the first time since recovering

from a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, giving up three runs on four hits over two innings in the

Angels' 11-3 loss to the Reds at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Richards, who avoided Tommy John surgery by receiving a stem-cell injection in his elbow, said he's still

working to refine his fastball command and mechanics, but overall felt perfectly normal during the

outing.

"There were a couple of counts where I fell behind and overthrew a couple pitches, but for the most

part, the sinker was sinking, the cutter was cutting," said Richards, whose fastball was clocked from 94-

98 mph. "I threw some good sliders, some good curveballs. It's something to build off of. But the most

important thing was that I came out of it good."

Richards struck out two and worked around a hit batsman to post a scoreless first, but he got into some

trouble in the second. He gave up back-to-back singles to Dilson Herrera and Jesse Winker to start the

inning before uncorking a wild pitch during an at-bat against Desmond Jennings. Richards retired

Jennings on a fly ball to record the first out, but he then surrendered a two-run single to Tucker

Barnhart. A basehit by Brandon Dixon brought in another run, but Richards managed to escape further

damage by inducing a 4-6-3 double-play from Jose Peraza.

Few players will be as crucial to the Angels' 2017 success as Richards, the club's ace who made his final

start of 2016 on May 1 due to elbow trouble. The loss of Richards and left-hander Andrew Heaney, who

also tore his UCL last year, depleted the Angels' rotation and played a significant role in their

disappointing 88-loss season.

In an attempt to stay healthy, Richards said he hopes to become more efficient and not throw every

pitch at max effort this year. He said he tried to compete at 85-percent intensity on Sunday, though he

acknowledged that he likely exceeded that threshold at times.

March 6, 2017 Page 9 of 18

"Sometimes you get excited," Richards said. "That's just part of being human. I have to do a good job of

keeping myself under control. In my mind, I'm trying to go 85 percent. My body might not be going 85

percent."

Sunday marked Richards' first time on the mound since October, when he started three instructional

league games as part of his rehab. Richards said that his experience there affirmed his confidence in the

health of his right arm and in the stem-cell treatment that has now emerged as a promising alternative

to ligament-reconstruction surgery for pitchers.

"After I threw in instructs and the ball came out of my hand the best that it's ever come out of my hand,

I got over the mental side of throwing a baseball," Richards said. "For me right now, it's just about

recovering in between and having good work in my bullpens and just continuing to fine-tune my

mechanics. I think if I can keep my mechanics in check and do everything at less effort, I know that's

going to help me in all areas moving forward."

Marte, Calhoun homer in Richards' return

By Maria Guardado and Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Catcher Tucker Barnhart and third baseman Tony Renda drove in two runs apiece to

power the Reds to an 11-3 win over the Angels on Sunday at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Top outfield prospect Jesse Winker went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Brandon Dixon added a run-scoring

single. Designated hitter Dilson Herrera, who is competing for an infield job this spring, finished 2-for-4

with a double and an RBI.

Jefry Marte and Kole Calhoun both hit their first home runs of the spring for the Angels, while Mike

Trout added a walk and a stolen base. Danny Espinosa made two errors over six innings at second base.

Left-hander Brandon Finnegan surrendered three runs on three hits -- two of which were homers --

while walking one and striking out two over three innings for the Reds.

"I thought everything was good," Finnegan said. "I threw a lot of strikes; it's the main thing I'm working

towards in Spring Training. Get ahead of hitters and throw strikes, and I did that today, so I'm happy

with it."

Right-hander Raisel Iglesias took over for Finnegan in the third and faced the minimum over two innings.

Angels right-hander Garrett Richards, coming off stem-cell therapy to treat a partially torn ulnar

collateral ligament, allowed three runs on four hits over two innings in his spring debut. Richards struck

out two and worked around a hit batsman for a scoreless first, but he then gave up a trio of runs in the

second on four singles and a pair of wild pitches. He threw 32 pitches in the outing.

"It's a good feeling," Richards said. "I woke up this morning with a little bit of butterflies in my stomach,

but I think that that's a good thing. Got excited on a couple pitches, but overall, everything was kind of

March 6, 2017 Page 10 of 18

doing what I wanted it to do. It was a good outing to build off of, but most importantly, I came out of it

totally fine."

Reds up next: Monday will be a team off-day with no workout or game scheduled. The Reds will resume

play at 3:05 p.m. ET on Tuesday against the Royals at Goodyear. Joey Votto, Billy Hamilton and Adam

Duvall are expected to be in the lineup, with prospect Sal Romano scheduled to start on the mound. The

game can be heard live on Gameday Audio.

Angels Up Next: Right-hander Jesse Chavez will make his second Cactus League start on Monday when

the Angels host the Cubs at 12:10 p.m. PT at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The game can be seen live on

MLB.TV. Chavez, who is fighting for the fifth spot in the Halos' rotation, pitched two scoreless innings in

his spring debut against the Rangers last week.

Valbuena misses 3rd straight game with leg tightness

By Maria Guardado / MLB.com

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Infielder Luis Valbuena was out of the Angels' lineup for the third straight Cactus League

game due to leg tightness, manager Mike Scioscia said on Sunday.

"He's going through some spring tightness in his legs that we're going to monitor, especially with his

history of what happened last year," Scioscia said. "We're not concerned. He should be out there in a

couple days, probably."

Valbuena dealt with a right hamstring issue in 2016, which eventually led to season-ending surgery in

August to repair a tendon. The 31-year-old veteran signed a two-year, $15 million deal with the Angels

this offseason, and he is slated to see plenty of time at first base this season.

Scioscia also said outfielder Ryan LaMarre tweaked his hip flexor after diving for a ball in right field last

week, though he doesn't expect him to be sidelined for more than a couple of days.

Worth noting

• Left-hander Jose Alvarez and right-hander Deolis Guerra both pitched one inning in the Angels' 11-3

loss to the Reds on Sunday in their final tune-ups before leaving for the World Baseball Classic. Alvarez

allowed an unearned run on two hits, while Guerra walked one over a scoreless frame. Alvarez, Guerra

and right-hander Yusmeiro Petit will all play for Venezuela in the Classic.

• The Angels made their first round of cuts on Sunday, announcing that left-hander Kevin Grendell and

right-handers Osmer Morales and Abel De Los Santos have been assigned to Minor League camp. The

Halos now have 66 players in big league camp.

March 6, 2017 Page 11 of 18

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Angels Infielder Yunel Escobar passes test to become U.S. citizen

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP)-- More than a decade after his harrowing escape from Cuba, Los Angeles Angels third

baseman Yunel Escobar has passed his naturalization test to become a U.S. citizen.

Escobar took the exam earlier in the week in Miami.

"The greatest thing that can happen to you is to be a citizen of this great country," Escobar said Sunday

through a translator.

Escobar fled Cuba in 2004 at age 21, leaving on a boat. He said giving up his Cuban citizenship was

difficult, "but I also know this is the country that is providing for me now and in the future."

Escobar said the toughest part of the process was studying for the test. He said he learned about the

Civil War and World War II in preparation.

"The time was now. I'm going to be a guy with 10 years in the big leagues. My two kids are U.S. citizens,

too. We thought it was the appropriate time to take that next step," he said.

Angels right Richards taking alternative path to Tommy John

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Tommy John surgery might not need to be the answer for pitchers who blow out

their elbows. That's what Garrett Richards is hoping.

The righty who might be the Los Angeles Angels' top starter made his first start this spring on Sunday,

earning high-fives from his teammates after sailing through a scoreless first inning against Cincinnati.

The Reds touched him up for four singles and three runs in the second.

"I felt totally fine," Richards said.

Richards may be the most prominent pitcher to opt against Tommy John surgery, where a tendon from

another part of the body is transplanted to reconstruct the pitcher's elbow. Pitchers usually miss 12 to

18 months.

Instead, Richards used a combination of stem-cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma injections after he

suffered a partial ligament tear in his elbow last May.

Because he figured he would miss the rest of 2016 and all the 2017 season, he had time to explore other

options. So, stem cells from the marrow in Richards' pelvic bone were injected into his elbow.

After 10 days of rest, Richards said his elbow felt "100 percent normal." He didn't try a comeback late

last season, though, because the Angels were going through a down season.

As far as he's concerned, the mental hurdles were cleared last fall when he pitched for the Angels'

instructional league team.

March 6, 2017 Page 12 of 18

"The ball was coming out of my hand the best it's ever come out of my hand," he said.

"I went down an unorthodox avenue. I'm still kind of figuring it out. But everything feels normal. I've

already been checked out by the doctor. It's perfectly fine. I'm just excited to be back out there," he

said.

Richards said he hopes his story can give other pitchers with elbow damage "another avenue to go

down. Any time you can save yourself from getting cut on, I feel that's huge," he said.

The type of injury and the timing during a season are major factors, he said. But in any case, "It worked

for me."

Other paths to Tommy John could become more commonplace, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

"There's no doubt the research is going in that direction, to where there are some alternatives," he said.

"There's been a huge advance in the last five years . (with) very encouraging" results, Scioscia said.

"Although the player most likely will miss time, hopefully it's not going to be as devastating as having to

have the transplant."

Richards has had a normal spring with no limitations, he said. "He's been full go."

But this alternative to Tommy John surgery doesn't work for everyone.

Standing a few feet from Richards' locker Sunday morning was Andrew Heaney, an Angels' starting

pitcher who also tried the stem-cell therapy.

"It just didn't work," Heaney said. "Nothing happened."

Tests, including MRIs and ultrasounds, showed no visible differences after the treatment, he said.

Heaney underwent Tommy John surgery and is likely to return in 2018.

"Medicine is always moving forward," Heaney said. "It would be great, obviously, any time you can get

guys back faster and not have to throw away a season or season-and-a-half. It would be huge."

Then there's Tyler Skaggs, whose locker stands between Richards' and Heaney's.

"It would be great" if stem-cell therapy could replace Tommy John surgery, Skaggs said. "Everybody's

elbow is different, though."

Skaggs underwent the Tommy John elbow reconstruction in 2014. He returned in 2016, going 3-4 with a

4.17 ERA in 10 starts.

Skaggs said he is healthy and ready for the upcoming season.

"I'm excited. It's going to be a good year," he said.

March 6, 2017 Page 13 of 18

Votto, Trout talented sluggers on struggling teams

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Joey Votto fielded grounders over and over again until most of the Cincinnati

Reds were long gone, off to a spring game, weights, or just the rest of the day. He threw home. He

threw to second. He practiced underhand tosses to first, backhands, everything.

A group of coaches hollered in appreciation after one diving stop and crisp throw, and Votto responded

with a simple "Same thing," looking for another grounder in the same spot. Right back to work for one of

baseball's best players on a rebuilding team.

"As long as I'm on the field I feel like I'm one of the guys that going to change the direction and be a part

of a winning atmosphere here," Votto said back at his locker after the fielding session. "So I feel like,

although I do have an individual set of goals and responsibilities I hold myself to, inevitably the No. 1

priority is winning and coming out here every day and looking forward to competing, looking forward to

big and better things in October. That's No. 1 priority in my job."

October has been mostly empty for Cincinnati for the last couple seasons, even with Votto regarded as

one of the game's great hitters, an on-base machine in an era that appreciates his talents more than

ever. The first baseman is one of several sluggers putting up big numbers for losing teams in recent

years.

Votto, Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado and Braves slugger Freddie Freeman placed in the top

seven in NL MVP voting last season, and their teams finished a combined 63 games under .500. Los

Angeles Angels star Mike Trout became the first AL MVP from a losing team since Alex Rodriguez for

Texas in 2003 and just the fifth player ever to accomplish the feat, joining Hall of Famers Ernie Banks

(1958 and 1959), Andre Dawson (1987) and Cal Ripken (1991).

"I absolutely hate it. Losing takes a toll," said Arenado, who had 41 homers and 133 RBIs last season.

"It's not fun. It's hard. I've been fortunate to win Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers. I've won those things

before, and it never gets old, but something I've never won before is a division title or a World Series.

I'm interested in that."

Votto and Trout are the only active members of one of baseball's most exclusive clubs, a list of 23

players with at least a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage with

a minimum of 400 career plate appearances, according to data at baseball-reference.com that dates to

1871.

It just hasn't amounted to much in the standings.

The 25-year-old Trout batted .315 with 29 homers, 100 RBIs and 30 steals, but Los Angeles finished

fourth in the AL West. He scored 17 percent of the Angels' runs, the highest percentage for an AL player

since Rickey Henderson with the 1985 New York Yankees.

March 6, 2017 Page 14 of 18

The center fielder also won the AL MVP award in 2014 and finished second in the voting three times in

his first five years in the majors. But he has played in just one playoff series, with the Royals sweeping

the Angels out of the postseason three years ago.

"It's frustrating, for sure," Trout said. "You want to get to the playoffs. It's fun. You've seen the World

Series last year. You want to be in that atmosphere."

Votto and the Reds got to the playoffs three times in four years from 2010 to 2013, but they had a short

stay each time. They won the first two games in their 2012 division series against San Francisco, but the

Giants rallied on the way to the World Series title.

It has been mostly tough sledding since that success. Cincinnati lost 98 games in 2015 and 94 last year.

"It can be difficult playing games from May on that you know you're fighting an uphill battle," said Votto,

who turns 34 in September. "But every single organization goes through this and I've been with this

team for a good bit of time and it's inevitable that this sort of thing happens."

While the team has floundered, Votto has continued his high level of play. The 2010 NL MVP, who has a

$225 million, 10-year contract that runs through the 2023 season, hit .326 with 29 homers, 97 RBIs and

a .434 on-base percentage last year. It was his highest batting average since he hit .337 in 2012, and he

led the NL in on-base percentage for the fifth time.

He batted .378 over the final 106 games, continuing his torrid surge long after the Reds had fallen off

the pace in the NL Central.

"His bar for himself is so high I don't know if there is an environment you could create where he would

stop caring about his contribution," manager Bryan Price said. "I think from the win-loss, looking at the

standings, seeing where we are, that challenge is there every day, but I don't think — this is just my

perspective — that that ate away or eroded his drive to be outstanding."

When Brandon Phillips was traded to Atlanta on Feb. 12, Votto became the long-tenured Red. He was

selected by Cincinnati in the second round of the 2012 draft and has spent his entire career with the

team, beginning with his major league debut in 2007.

He is surrounded by a ton of youth these days, and it inspires him.

"It's exciting, and the guys, they care about getting better in all facets of the game," he said, "and they're

looking forward to playing together, so that's a really exciting thing."

March 6, 2017 Page 15 of 18

FROM CBS SPORTS

AL West 2017 preview: Astros favored, but Rangers and Mariners will make race tight

By Mike Axisa

The Texas Rangers enter the 2017 season as the two-time defending AL West champs. Unfortunately,

both division titles were followed by disappointing -- and, frankly, embarrassing -- ALDS exits. In 2015

the club blew a 2-0 series lead as Jose Bautista bat-flipped them into the offseason. In 2016, the Rangers

were swept in three games by Bautista’s Blue Jays.

In both years the Rangers overcame long odds to win the division. Two years ago they surged late in the

season to pass the Houston Astros, who sat atop the division most of the summer. Last year Texas

overcame a thoroughly mediocre run differential by posting baseball’s best record in one-run games.

They won 36 one-run contests. No other team won more than 28.

This is now a new season, and what happened last year doesn’t mean a whole lot heading into 2017.

The Rangers and Astros figure to again fight for the division title, along with the Seattle Mariners.

The Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics, the other two AL West clubs, face longer odds. Here’s

what each club did last season:

2016 W-L Record Run Differential Expected W-L Record in 1-Run Games

Rangers 96-67 +8 82-80 36-11

Mariners 86-76 +61 87-75 30-30

Astros 84-78 +23 83-79 28-25

Angels 78-84 -10 80-82 17-20

Athletics 69-93 -108 70-92 25-28

The Astros, Rangers, and Mariners are very clearly win-now teams. Anything less than a postseason

berth will be considered a failed season for all three clubs. The window won’t get any more open. The

Angels will need a few things to go their way, namely health, to have a chance at the postseason, most

March 6, 2017 Page 16 of 18

likely a wild card spot. The Athletics? Well, they’re somewhere between rebuilding and going for it. Not

a great place to be, typically.

Interestingly enough, SportsLine forcasts a very tight AL West race while Westgate sees the Astros as

runaway favorites. (For what it’s worth, FanGraphs sees the Astros as runaway favorites as well.) Here

are the projected win totals and division odds for the five AL West teams:

SportsLine Proj.

Wins

Westgate

Over/Under

SportsLine Div.

Odds

Westgate Div.

Odds

SportsLine Playoff

Odds

Astros 84.8 91.5 42.0% 44.4% 51.7%

Rangers 82.4 84.5 26.8% 27.8% 36.8%

Mariners 80.2 85.5 16.6% 27.8% 24.5%

Angels 76.9 80.5 7.7% 7.7% 11.7%

Athletics 76.6 74.5 6.9% 3.8% 10.6%

Honestly, I could see the case for either scenario being true -- the AL West being a tight three-team race

or the Astros running away with it. Houston very clearly has talent. Their core of Jose Altuve, Carlos

Correa, George Springer, and Alex Bregmanis as good as any four-player core in the game. New veteran

additions like Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann lengthen the lineup and also bring a leadership quality

that was maybe lacking last season.

At the same time, how with the pitching staff hold up? The ‘Stros are essentially bringing back the same

starting rotation, only with Charlie Morton replacing Doug Fister. Collin McHugh and Mike Fiers weren’t

great last year, and even Dallas Keuchel was far from Cy Young caliber before going down with a

shoulder issue. Lance McCullers has a ton of potential, but injuries are a problem. Perhaps the Astros

will score so many runs and get such good bullpen work that an average rotation will carry them to the

AL West title.

The Rangers and Mariners are in similar situations. Both teams figure to have strong offenses, but their

rotations come with some questions. Texas has, by far, the division’s best one-two punch in Yu

Darvish and Cole Hamels. After them the Rangers are counting on guys like Andrew Cashner, Martin

March 6, 2017 Page 17 of 18

Perez, and A.J. Griffin. The Mariners will rely on Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma, both of whom are

showing signs of decline, and talented lefties James Paxton and Drew Smyly. Paxton has had lots of

injury problems in his career, and Smyly was extremely home run prone in 2016.

Squint your eyes and it’s possible to see the Angels in the postseason mix as well. They need some more

help -- again, help in this case means good health -- than the Rangers, Astros, and Mariners, but

contention is not out of the question. Having the game’s best player in Mike Trout is a nice starting

point. As for the Athletics, well, you can never rule out a team making a miracle run, but right now it

appears they’re in line to be one of the league’s worst teams for the third straight year.

Now that we’ve taken an overview look at the division, here’s more on each AL West club individually

going into the 2017 season.

Houston Astros

Gosh, that rotation. The Astros are going to score a ton of runs and their bullpen will protect leads --

don’t sleep on the team defense either -- but after last season, it’s fair to wonder whether Houston’s

rotation is championship caliber . McCullers is their only true bat-misser and he (elbow, shoulder),

Keuchel (shoulder), and Morton (hamstring) are all coming back from injuries. Then again, the

2015 Royals showed you don’t necessarily need a truly great rotation to win the World Series. Chris

Towers looked at the Astros from a Fantasy perspective , specifically what 2017 may hold for Keuchel

and Evan Gattis.

Los Angeles Angels

Does Trout have enough help ? Quality veterans like Yunel Escobar, Luis Valbuena, and Kole

Calhoun give the team some offensive thump, though the bottom of the lineup is quite thin. The Angels

are a pitching and defense team, and their pitching staff will depend a lot on the health of Garrett

Richards and Tyler Skaggs. Skaggs is coming off Tommy John surgery and Richards rehabbed an elbow

ligament tear with a stem cell treatment. Towers has your Fantasy analysis for the Halos .

Oakland Athletics

While expectations are low for the A’s, Jonah Keri thinks they’ll top the meager over/under initially set

by sportsbooks for their season win total. The health and performance of Sonny Gray is the No. 1 issue

facing the A’s in 2017, Dayn Perry writes. A healthy and effective Gray not only improves the club’s

chances of contention, it gives Oakland a top trade chip to peddle for young talent. The A’s have a

history of trading their best players once they start to get expensive, and now that Gray is in his

arbitration years, he could be sent packing, a la Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, Gio Gonzalez, Dan Haren,

and Trevor Cahill. For Fantasy purposes , Towers wonders whether Ryon Healy is for real, and which

other young A’s starters could be worthwhile.

March 6, 2017 Page 18 of 18

Seattle Mariners

As R.J. Anderson explained , the clock is ticking on this group. Hernandez, Iwakuma, Nelson Cruz,

and Robinson Cano are all on the downside of their careers, yet the Mariners are still counting on all

four for big production. The pieces are there for a postseason run this year, no doubt about it, and it

very well may be now or never for this core group of players. Jean Segura’s ability to repeat his breakout

2016 season is Towers’ big question for Fantasy .

Texas Rangers

Dayn Perry looked at last year’s record in one-run games and also noted the Rangers will benefit from a

full season of catcher Jonathan Lucroy. He came over at the trade deadline last year. In addition to being

a solid hitter, Lucroy is an excellent pitch-framer who will make the pitching staff better by getting more

strike calls on borderline pitches. On the Fantasy side , Towers explored the futures of Nomar

Mazara and Joey Gallo.