baseball roundup News and notes

Mets: New York ace Johan Santana is set to throw off a mound, hoping his left elbow has recovered from surgery late last season. Santana is scheduled to pitch today during the Mets’ three-day minicamp at their spring training complex. He expects to ready for opening day after having bone chips removed Sept. 1. “I’m feeling good. Time will tell, but I am feeling good,” the two-time Cy Young winner said Monday. “We did a pretty good job with the offseason, working out and doing all the rehab, and I’m feeling good. Everything is on schedule.” Santana went 13-9 with a 3.13 ERA in 25 starts. He struggled after June, going 6-7 with a 4.02 ERA before the Mets shut him down in late August. Pitcher Oliver Perez, who had scar tissue removed from his right knee last season, also was optimistic. “Right now I don’t feel anything,” Perez said of his knee. “I think that’s why I’m really happy.” Mets general manager Omar Minaya said the team’s health was the key to this season. Depleted by injuries, the Mets went 70-92 last year.

Royals: Kansas City is reshaping its entire outfield and making Jose Guillen its full-time designated hitter. While introducing newcomer Rick Ankiel on Monday, general manager Dayton Moore said the injury-prone Guillen would be replaced in right field by David DeJesus, last year’s left fielder. Ankiel will play center and Scott Podsednik, another newcomer, will be in left. The Royals opened last year with Coco Crisp in center field but he got hurt and the position mostly belonged to Mitch Maier after that. “We feel that right now, going into spring training, this is the best way to position our outfield defense,” Moore said. “These three guys are all capable of playing center field. We felt Rick’s best use is to put him in center field at this time.” Guillen is slated to make $13 million this season. He was bothered by leg injuries much of last year and has been a streaky, spotty hitter since signing a $36 million free agent contract two years ago. Ankiel agreed to a free agent contract last week after a novel career in St. Louis, where he came up as a pitcher but converted to the outfield in 2006. He was doing well until running into an outfield wall last May, and his production declined.

Angels: Infielder Maicer Izturis and the Los Angeles Angels have reached agreement on a $10 million, three-year contract and avoided going to arbitration. The 29-year-old Izturis set career highs last season by hitting .300 with eight home runs and 65 RBIs. He has mostly split his time between shortstop and second base. Izturis made $1.6 million last year with the AL West champions.

Associated Press