GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE Westbrook strong as Cleveland wins; Pirates top Phillies

Sean Casey had three hits for Pittsburgh.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- John Smoltz showed off a new slider he's been working on, tossing six innings of one-run ball in Atlanta's 4-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.
Smoltz allowed five hits and struck out five for the Braves, lowering his spring ERA to 2.00. He said hitters can expect a different look from him this season.
"I'm working on that hard slider, but I am also going to use my changeup as a weapon," Smoltz said. "It won't just be a pitch I use. It will be a big factor."
Smoltz returned to the starting rotation last year after three years as Atlanta's closer, going 14-7 with a 3.06 ERA.
"I feel so good right now it's like I am playing catch and throwing to a glove," Smoltz said.
Cleveland starter Jake Westbrook pitched six innings and allowed only one earned run, striking out five while walking four. Scott Sauerbeck also tossed a scoreless inning for the Indians.
Ronnie Belliard had two RBI singles for Cleveland. Belliard and Casey Blake each drove in a run with a base hit off Braves reliever Brian O'Connor in the eighth to help the Indians take a 4-2 lead.
Chuck James, a candidate to open the season in Atlanta's bullpen, pitched a scoreless inning.
"We got more great pitching again today," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "Smoltz has been outstanding again. He just makes it look easy."
Pirates 8, Phillies 3
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Neither Brandon Duckworth nor Victor Santos pitched himself into the Pittsburgh Pirates' rotation Saturday. Just as importantly to the two right-handers, neither pitched his way out of it.
Duckworth and Santos, each trying to replace the injured Kip Wells as a Pirates starter, pitched effectively to help Pittsburgh beat Philadelphia. Jose Hernandez drove in four runs, Sean Casey had three hits and Jose Bautista kept a strong spring going with a solo home run.
Santos, coming off a 4-13 season with the Milwaukee Brewers, allowed two runs on solo homers by Bobby Abreu and Jimmy Rollins in 42/3 innings, and has a spring ERA of 5.02. Duckworth, a former top prospect with the Phillies, has a 2.08 ERA after giving up a run and three hits over the final four innings.
Duckworth would seem to have the edge, but manager Jim Tracy isn't ready to make the call yet. Tracy said both pitchers may work again Thursday against Minnesota before a choice is made.
"They didn't make the decision any easier," Tracy said. "And that's what you hope for. You want to have to make tough choices. This is not easy."
Neither is the waiting. Duckworth has pitched better than any of the Pirates' starters, but still doesn't know if he will make the rotation.
"Obviously, you would be disappointed," Duckworth said of possibly not making the team. "At the same time, you've gone out and pitched your tail off."
While a No. 5 starter often works sporadically early in the season, due to rainouts and off days, the Pirates are scheduled to play the first 17 days of the season.
Starter needed
With only one other experienced starter in their rotation, Oliver Perez, they badly need someone who can reliably give them effective innings as young starters Zach Duke, Paul Maholm and Ian Snell settle in.
The right-handed Santos has tried and failed to win jobs with the Tigers, Rangers, Rockies and Brewers and has a 17-33 record with a 4.99 ERA in 125 career games. The right-handed Duckworth is 16-21 with a 5.34 ERA in 91 games.
"What you hope is everybody throws well, and let them make the decision," Santos said. "I wanted to throw as well as I can and I wasn't thinking about anything else."
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