Bryce Harper is about to have a monstrous season, and remember you heard it here first. You haven’t forgotten Bryce Harper, have you?

Kris Medlen has not escaped the danger zone. But for now, he can at least continue hoping to avoid undergoing Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery for the second time in four years.

The window of opportunity for Oscar Taveras to play his way onto the Opening Day roster appears to have closed after his latest setback with a hamstring injury.

Admittedly achy but no longer dealing with the fever that led the Cardinals to send him home early in recent days, Adam Wainwright threw 52 pitches in his second of what will be five spring starts.

As expected, the A’s optioned top pitching prospect Michael Ynoa to Class A Advanced Stockton on Monday, marking an end to the 22-year-old right-hander’s spring in the Major League camp.

The path to success keeps getting longer and harder for Erik Bedard, but he’s doggedly staying on it as long as he can. Bedard, in camp with the Rays, is attempting to overcome a litany of shoulder injuries and reestablish himself as a starting pitcher.

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg had Ryan Howard hit fifth against Braves right-hander Brandon Beachy on Monday. Marlon Byrd hit fourth.

With 10 extra-base hits, including two home runs by Miguel Cabrera and four RBIs from Steven Moya and Nick Castellanos, the Tigers thrashed the Cardinals, 17-5, on Monday at Roger Dean Stadium.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez left Monday’s game against the Mariners after two innings with a bruised left palm.

Looking primed for the regular season, Matt Cain threw five perfect innings in Monday’s exhibition against the Chicago Cubs. Cain, who pitched a perfect game against Houston on June 13, 2012, struck out at least one batter in each inning to finish with seven.

Josh Hamilton did agility drills on the field Sunday, planned to do straight-ahead sprints on Monday and could make his spring debut as early as Thursday, though the Angels’ outfielder doesn’t want to put a precise time frame on his recovery.

Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday at Bright House Field, his first in 11 days.

The Rockies value outfielder Corey Dickerson’s bat, and the left-handed hitter used the offseason to work on his speed, strength and defense in an effort to earn a big league spot in 2014.

Maybe Barry Bonds’ stint as a guest instructor in Giants camp will serve as some small reminder of the unique talent that existed beyond the hints and shouts and court dates and public persecution and, yes, beyond the general jerkiness, too.

Having had a big day at Kauffman Stadium as a visitor for the Twins, Danny Valencia is now hoping to make memories there with the home club. But the third baseman has to make the team first.

Before coming to the A’s, Stephen Vogt was floundering in the status quo that had become his career as a Minor League utility man. Everyone saw he possessed a nice swing, but Vogt craved a sense of permanence on the diamond, an aspect of his game to focus on besides his bat.

Jake Odorizzi doesn’t care what you call his new offspeed pitch. He just hope it helps him get outs. Odorizzi, who’s firmly in the competition for Tampa Bay’s fifth slot in the rotation, is working on a split-finger pitch this spring that he and Alex Cobb jokingly call “The Thing.”