The reality is Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez had a small chance to make the Opening Day roster. He has not looked ready yet to compete at the big league level.

Forget about the .105 batting average Dustin Pedroia took into Thursday’s game against the Twins. The key is that he is fully recovered from the left thumb surgery he underwent Nov. 13.

Doug Fister played catch for the third straight day, this time from 120 feet. However, Fister felt a little tightness in his elbow, according to manager Matt Williams, who pointed out that Fister played catch for three days in a row. Some tightness was expected after having time off because of inflammation in the elbow.

Major League Baseball has been testing its new expanded instant-replay system in Spring Training for 10 days now, and as expected, there have been glitches. But Braves president John Schuerholz, part of the committee that devised the framework of the system, couldn’t be happier with what he’s seen so far.

Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is doing a really good imitation of the happiest man on earth this spring. “I feel like a rookie again,” he said.

Robinson Cano cracked two doubles to run his spring average over .600, Brad Miller homered and Randy Wolf pitched an effective four innings on Wednesday night, when the Mariners defeated the Cubs in 10 innings.

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was removed in the bottom of the fourth inning against the D-backs on Wednesday night after he was hit in the lower left leg by a Wade Miley pitch.

The days of Spring Training are dwindling to a spare few, and it looks like Matt Kemp will remain at Camelback Ranch, not only when the Dodgers break camp for their season-opening trip to Australia, but well beyond that. Time marches on, and right now the clock is not in Kemp’s favor.

After spending the early portion of the week growing concerned about Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy, the Braves replenished their injury-depleted starting rotation by signing Ervin Santana to a one-year, $14.1 million contract on Wednesday.

After spending the early portion of the week growing concerned about Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy, the Braves replenished their injury-depleted starting rotation by signing Ervin Santana to a one-year, $14.1 million contract on Wednesday.

Cole Hamels threw a 20-pitch bullpen session Wednesday. It was the first time he’d thrown from a mound since March 1, when he suffered a setback following his recovery from inflammation in his left shoulder.

The Marlins have hired Pat Shine as its Major League administrative coach to assist in the instant-replay process. He will also be in uniform pregame, assisting throwing batting practice and helping out in the batting cages.

Former top prospect Brett Wallace, whose offensive success in Triple-A has not translated into production in the big leagues, was given his unconditional release by the Astros on Wednesday.

If all goes well, today’s Spring Training action will feature Zack Greinke’s return to the mound as the Dodgers take on the D-backs in Glendale, Ariz. Greinke, who sustained a mild calf strain in his first Cactus League start on Feb. 27, participated in pitchers’ fielding practice and other drills Tuesday, and he is penciled in to start Los Angeles’ 4:05 p.m. ET contest, which streams live on MLB.TV.

His role as executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association is all about leadership. It’s a quality that former big leaguer Tony Clark has long possessed.

Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax, Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Hank Greenberg and Joe DiMaggio are among the baseball pioneers featured in a new exhibit that opens to the public on Thursday at the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann was in midseason form Tuesday afternoon in a 3-2 victory over the Yankees at Space Coast Stadium. Zimmerman pitched four perfect innings and struck out four batters.