Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford came to camp this spring with the goal in mind to get off to a good start at the plate and stay there, because he knows from last year he can do the first part.

There is one vacancy within the Tribe’s starting staff, and the competition appears to be down to right-handers Carlos Carrasco, Josh Tomlin and Aaron Harang. All three have performed well this spring while attempting to balance preparation with production. The Indians wanted a tough decision. It looks like the team will get its wish.

A decision on who the Rays’ fifth starter will be could be made as early as Saturday. Jake Odorizzi, Cesar Ramos, and Erik Bedard are the remaining candidates.

David Price looked sharp in Sunday’s start against the Red Sox when he threw 91 pitches while striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings. That performance set up the next step for the Rays’ Opening Day starter, who will now pitch in a simulated game on Friday before finishing out his spring the following Wednesday against the Orioles.

Wil Myers entered Tuesday night’s game against the Twins hitting .154 with one RBI and no extra-base hits this spring. While the Rays aren’t making a big deal about the reigning American League Rookie of the Year’s hitting — or lack thereof — they did employ a little twist by using him in the leadoff spot.

Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez has acknowledged he’d like to be a starter this season, and his performance on the mound has spoken volumes to support his case. He continues his quest for a rotation spot against the Twins today on MLB.TV.

Michael Choice hit a walkoff RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning Tuesday to lift the Rangers to a 7-6 victory over the Cubs.

Yes, the White Sox lost 99 games last season and finished 30 games out of first place in the American League Central standings. But based on moves that the Sox have made since last summer, significant improvement in the standings would seem to be a question of when, not if.

Less than two weeks from Opening Day and Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke is still experimenting with the leadoff spot. Not that he’s worried. What is there for Roenicke to worry about with a lineup that will feature a 3-4 punch of Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez?

For the first time this spring, third baseman Chase Headley will take part in a game on Wednesday. Headley, who sustained a strained right calf on Feb. 22, doesn’t care that the game is a Minor League game, while the rest of his teammates enjoy their only day off of the spring. Headley just wants to play.

Time moves fast for Mike Trout these days. That’s what happens when you’re a back-to-back runner-up for the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award, and you’re widely considered the best all-around player, and you’re clean-cut and 22 years old. You become a poster boy for the sport you play, a guy many want to brand as the new face of baseball. But few make it seem easier than Trout.

The challenge may no longer be for Michael Pineda to win the Yankees’ fifth rotation spot. With two weeks to go until Opening Day, it might be a greater accomplishment for someone to steal the job from him.

Matt Kemp took another step down the road to recovery on Tuesday at Camelback Ranch. The Dodgers outfielder went 0-for-3 with a walk in a Minor League game against the Mariners but walked away from the field feeling optimistic.

While Dave Dombrowski and his team scour the league for shortstops, Brad Ausmus will be watching the options in camp, a group that includes Hernan Perez.

Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford was removed for an unknown reason in the second inning of a Triple-A game against the Mariners on Tuesday at Camelback Ranch.

All-Star right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma finally received some good health news on Tuesday as doctors cleared him to remove the splint from his sprained middle right finger for the first time since camp opened five weeks ago.

Jacoby Ellsbury is going to see a lot of his former team over the next several seasons, but Tuesday marked his first reunion with the Red Sox since the World Series parade back in November.