NOTEBOOK
Weakened Harang runs out of steam
Reds’ opening-day starter still dealing with stubborn virus
Thursday, March 30, 2006
ASSOCIATED PRESS
<!--PHOTOS--><TABLE class=phototableright align=right border=0><!-- begin large ad code --><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE align=center><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></IMG> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=credit width=200>CHARLES KRUPA | ASSOCIATED PRESS </TD></TR><TR><TD class=cutline width=200>Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell wheels a cart filled with his belongings to a truck for the move back to Boston from Fort Myers, Fla. The Red Sox break camp and leave Florida after today’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Aaron Harang wasn’t feeling good when he took the mound for the last time before his opening-day start.
The right-hander experienced his first subpar performance of spring training yesterday, allowing 10 hits and five runs during the Cincinnati Reds’ 7-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in Sarasota, Fla.
Harang has been fighting a virus for the past few days and had a slight fever before the game. He wanted to pitch anyway, and took an hourlong nap before taking the mound on a sunny, 73-degree afternoon.
He did fine for five innings, holding the Devil Rays to a run and seven hits. When he went out for the sixth, he started feeling the effects of the virus.
"I wanted to make sure I got my work in today," said Harang, scheduled to start Monday against the Chicago Cubs. "I’m happy I got through five. My energy went in that sixth inning. It just seemed like it dropped."
Harang, who had allowed only one run in 14 innings this spring training, gave up Jonny Gomes’ fourth homer, back-to-back doubles by Greg Norton and Travis Lee, then hit Toby Hall before manager Jerry Narron took him out of the game. Matt Belisle relieved and gave up a three-run homer by Ty Wigginton.
Harang’s goal for the next four days is to get healthy.
"I just need to get rid of whatever this is," he said.
Right-hander Seth McClung gave up seven runs in four innings for Tampa Bay, including Adam Dunn’s fifth homer.
McClung started spring training with nine scoreless innings and hadn’t allowed a homer until he gave up a two-run shot by Dunn.
Kent agrees to extension
Second baseman Jeff Kent and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a one-year, $11.5 million contract extension through 2007.
Kent, 38, gets $9.4 million this year under his previous contract, receives a $2 million signing bonus payable in installments and a 2007 salary of $9 million. The deal contains a $9 million team option for 2008 with a $500,000 buyout, and the option would become guaranteed if he has 550 plate appearances in 2007.
With performance bonuses and escalators, the extension could be worth $22.35 million over two years.
"I’m willing to dedicate myself for another couple of years," Kent said. "It’s safe to say I’m proud to be able to retire a Dodger. I’m 99.9 percent sure this is the last contract of my career."
Kent, the 2000 National League MVP with San Francisco, has 331 homers in his 14-year career and is one of just four second basemen to hit 30 or more homers three times. He is the only second baseman to drive in 100 runs in eight seasons.
Kent was signed by the Dodgers as a free agent in December 2004. In his first season with Los Angeles, he led the team in at-bats, hits, homers (29), RBI (105) and slugging percentage (.512).
Finger bothering Eaton again
Adam Eaton left his final spring training start for the Texas Rangers in the second inning in Surprise, Ariz., feeling pain in the same finger that sent him to the disabled list with the San Diego Padres last season.
Eaton, who was trailing his former team 3-1, came out because of discomfort in his right middle finger. He was scheduled to pitch the Rangers’ second game Tuesday against Boston but said he probably would miss several starts.
"Judging by how it was last year, I’d say I’m going to miss more than a few starts," Eaton said.
Before suffering an injury to the finger June 15 in his first loss in two months and shortest start all season, Eaton was 9-1 with a 3.18 ERA for San Diego. Eaton twice went on the disabled list after that, was 2-4 in his last nine starts and didn’t pitch for the Padres in a three-game playoff loss to St. Louis.
"It came on a breaking ball," Eaton said of his discomfort. "I knew something was wrong right away. When they came out to visit me at the mound, they put the ball in my hand, and I couldn’t even squeeze it."
Eaton had to skip a spring training start after getting hit by a line drive March 19 against the Chicago Cubs.
Drag bunts
Tim Hudson prepared for his opening-day start next week by striking out eight in four innings as the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets 4-1. . . . Los Angeles closer Eric Gagne pitched on consecutive days for the first time this year, throwing a scoreless ninth in a 4-3, 10-inning win over the Washington Nationals. . . . Luis Gonzalez singled, doubled and tripled in the first four innings of the Colorado Rockies’ 10-6 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gonzalez is batting .381 (21 for 55) in spring training.
