Associated Press
The baseball notebook …
ATLANTA ó The Atlanta Braves will honor former pitcher Greg Maddux by retiring his number and inducting the four-time National League Cy Young Award winner into the team’s Hall of Fame.
Braves president John Schuerholz says the July 17 honors are the organization’s way of thanking Maddux for the immeasurable contributions he’s made to the team.
Maddux’s No. 31 will be the sixth Braves number to be retired.
The recent retiree spent 11 seasons with the Braves beginning in 1993 and was a member of the 1995 world championship team. He is the first pitcher to win the NL Cy Young in four consecutive seasons.
Maddux’s career 355 wins rank him eighth on Major League Baseball’s all-time list. He won a Gold Glove a record 18 times, most recently in 2008.
GIANTS BEAT DODGERS
SAN FRANCISCO ó Jonathan Sanchez struck out six in 42/3 innings and the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 Sunday in this year’s final spring training game.
Sanchez gave up one run on six hits in his third start since pitching for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. The lefty will pitch Saturday in San Diego
Dodgers starter James McDonald went four innings, giving up three runs and six hits. He’ll make his first major league start Friday at Arizona.
BAD DEBUT IN JAPAN
SAPPORO, Japan ó Former New York Yankees pitcher Darrell Rasner had a rough outing in his debut in Japan on Sunday.
Making his first start for the Rakuten Eagles, Rasner coasted through the first three innings against the Nippon Ham Fighters, retiring nine of 10 batters as his team took a 4-0 lead.
But in the fourth, former San Diego outfielder Terrmel Sledge hit a two-run homer. Rasner gave up six straight hits, and was taken out after allowing six runs in 31/3 innings.
Rasner was 5-10 last season with a 5.40 ERA in 24 games and 20 starts for the Yankees. He was spared the loss however as the Eagles rallied to win 9-6 in 11 innings.
POSTPONED
CHICAGO ó The season opener between the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox scheduled for Monday has been postponed because snow is in the forecast.
The game will be played Tuesday at 1:05 p.m. Opening day festivities will be held before the first pitch.
The decision to postpone this opener was made Sunday. Snow, cold and high winds are in the forecast.
This was the first time since 1982 that the opener for the White Sox was postponed because of bad weather.
TRADE
BOSTON ó Tampa Bay traded pitcher Jason Hammel to the Colorado Rockies for minor league pitcher Aneury Rodriguez on Sunday, meaning Jeff Niemann becomes the Rays’ fifth starter.
Niemann, who is 6-foot-9, was the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2004.
Hammel went 4-4 with two saves and a 4.60 ERA in 40 games last season. The 26-year-old righty made five starts in April for the AL champions while Scott Kazmir was on the DL.
JOBA’S PROGRESS
TAMPA, Fla. ó Joba Chamberlain has worked out at the Yankees’ minor league complex Saturday, one day before his final spring training start.
New York’s No. 5 starter threw five innings in Sunday’s game between Triple-A Scranton/Wikes-Barre and Double-A Trenton.