Cain gets Opening Day call as Bochy sets rotation

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The regular-season starting rotation that Giants manager Bruce Bochy named Friday is just a sequence. With the possible exception of Matt Cain, it's not a pecking order, a ranking or a show of favoritism.

Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito and Ryan Vogelsong will follow Cain, who'll start the April 1 season opener at Los Angeles. As is the case with most elite staffs -- the Giants' 3.45 ERA since 2009 is the best in the Major Leagues -- each pitcher is considered the No. 1 starter whenever he performs.

"Each of the guys gives us a chance to win," Bochy said. "I don't want to get caught in [the rotation's order] and I don't want them to dwell on it, either."

Bochy repeated that he could tweak the rotation before Opening Day. If that were to happen, Vogelsong probably would move closer to the front of the line. He led the National League last year in ERA as late as Aug. 12, finished 14-9 with a 3.37 ERA and emerged as San Francisco's winningest postseason pitcher with a 3-0 mark and a 1.09 ERA.

Even if Vogelsong remains in the fifth spot, he's likely to receive as many starts as the others in the rotation. Mindful of their pitching depth and the need to give their starters extra rest, the Giants never skipped anybody's turn last year. Lincecum made 33 starts, Bumgarner, Cain and Zito started 32 games apiece and Vogelsong had 31.

Vogelsong, who's headed for the World Baseball Classic to play for Team USA, will start Saturday's Cactus League opener against the Los Angeles Angels.

As has often been the case in recent years, the Giants will alternate right-handers with left-handers, except when righties Vogelsong and Cain pitch back-to-back games.

Zito's presence in the No. 4 spot was significant, since he'll receive the assignment for the home opener against St. Louis at AT&T Park on April 5 -- when the celebration of the Giants' 2012 World Series triumph is guaranteed to generate plenty of hoopla.

"It's going to be exciting," Zito said. "It's going to be a great vibe with the fans."

Echoes of last year will resonate as Zito faces the Cardinals. His 7 2/3 shutout innings against them in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series launched the Giants' rally from a 3-1 series deficit. Zito's triumph was widely considered the year's biggest game, in retrospect.

"It's a good jump-start to the season, going against one of the best teams in the National League," said Zito, 15-8 with a 4.15 ERA a year ago.

Zito also wouldn't mind duplicating his initial start of 2012. After the Giants were swept in their season-opening three-game series at Arizona, Zito restored order by allowing just four hits in a 7-0 shutout of Colorado.

Attempting to rebound from last year's 10-15 finish, Lincecum relished the opportunity to begin his resurgence against the Giants' archrivals, who have spent a small fortune in hopes of shaping a winning roster.

"Teams are always making pushes," Lincecum said. "The Dodgers have made moves this offseason to better their chances and that'll make it a lot more exciting."

Rivera faces hitters in first test of knee

TAMPA, Fla. -- Mariano Rivera was excited -- not nervous -- to face his first hitters since last April 30, three days before he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament while shagging fly balls in Kansas City.

On Friday, nearly 10 months after inducing a ground-ball double play from Baltimore's Chris Davis and picking up the save, Rivera took the mound at George M. Steinbrenner Field and tossed a 20-pitch batting-practice session to Rob Segedin and Kyle Roller, the first time he's thrown to hitters since undergoing surgery on his knee last year.

There's only so much that can be determined from a 20-pitch batting-practice session, of course, but Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader looked like his old self and reported feeling good about how it went.

"[It was] the first BP that I threw in almost a year, so I'm real happy with the results," Rivera said. "It will get better. The longer I keep throwing, it will get better. ... It's good, man. I feel real good. I feel real good with the results."

Manager Joe Girardi watched Rivera from behind the mound and said that the 43-year-old closer looked "great ... like what you expect him to look like, which is a good thing.

"Delivery, the ball movement, the strikes he's throwing, he's throwing it where he wants to, not taking a lot of time in between pitches -- he looked normal to me. I'm not sure what he's going to say, but I don't see anything different, for me."

Or, as former Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who was in camp on Friday as a guest instructor, put it, "The cutter's still cutting."

Not that those results were unexpected. Rivera has been throwing in the bullpen and has given positive reports after each of those sessions.

The real test of Rivera's surgically repaired knee will come in game situations, when he might have to field a bunt or cover first base in a less controlled environment than the back fields of the Yankees' Spring Training complex. He has been doing those drills since pitchers and catchers reported, but he stressed that practice can't replicate the real thing.

"The one thing that I want to do is go out there in a real game," he said. "That's my goal, to go out there in a real game and see how everything responds."

Exactly when that will take place, however, has yet to be determined.

Rivera will probably throw one or two more batting-practice sessions to build up his endurance before trying to get in a game. Girardi trusts that Rivera will know when he's physically ready to do so but doesn't expect that to be any time soon. Before taking that step, Girardi said, Rivera will pitch a few simulated games.

"We have a long time," Rivera said, drawing out the second-to-last word. "I don't try to rush at all."

But Friday was no less important to Rivera, as he got a chance to see how hitters are reacting to his stuff, how his pitches are moving and how his command is progressing. Turns out his command is pretty much exactly what one would expect out of the most accomplished closer of all time.

When he stepped on the mound, Rivera told Segedin and Roller to swing, because they were going to see plenty of strikes. Segedin took the first two pitches from Rivera, who called each one a strike, before knocking the third offering into center field.

"That's one thing that, thank God, I never worry about -- the command," Rivera said. "It took no vacation. It's still there. Hasn't gone nowhere, guys. Still there. So that's good."

Rivera didn't expect that his pinpoint command had deserted him, nor did he allow himself to worry about it. That's why he was eager, not scared, to throw 20 pitches to a couple of Minor League hitters, and that's why it didn't take a potentially career-threatening injury to make him grateful that he was able to throw an ordinary batting-practice session.

"I always appreciate it. That's why I love the game of baseball. You don't know when will be the last day for you to play," he said. "I'm thankful and always appreciate what I do. Don't take it for granted."

Indians continue offseason upgrade

Among the last free agents to find work, outfielder Michael Bourn has agreed to terms with theCleveland Indians on a four-year, $48 million contract, according to baseball sources. A fifth-year option that vests with 550 plate appearances in 2017 could make the contract worth another $12 million.

Michael Bourn hit .274 and stole 42 bases for the Braves last season. (AP)The Indians have added Nick Swisher, Mark Reynolds,Brett Myers, Trevor Bauer, Mike Aviles, Drew Stubbs and Bourn, and hired Terry Francona to manage them. In the AL Central, where second place appears up for grabs behind the Detroit Tigers, the Indians just might have gotten interesting again.

The signing of Bourn, first reported by CBS Sports, brings a defense-first center fielder and leadoff hitter who has stolen 216 bases in the past four seasons. In recent weeks Bourn had appeared to have fallen into the arms of the New York Mets, who also offered a four-year contract. On the day many pitchers and catchers reported for spring training, however, the Indians made a bold move for the third-best free agent available, behind Josh Hamilton and Zack Greinke.

The Indians were slipping again toward irrelevance and perhaps in all-out freefall. They'd lost at least 93 games for the third time in four seasons. So little was working for a franchise that seems to get it together just often enough that its irrelevance, on the national landscape, is somewhat relevant.

An aggressive offseason was necessary, and general manager Chris Antonetti, backed by owner Larry Dolan, has improved a club that folded in the second half of 2012. The Indians have committed $104 million over the next four years to Swisher and Bourn alone, acquired a potential ace by trading Shin-Soo Choo for Trevor Bauer, and took one-year shots on veterans Reynolds and Myers.

The Indians still aren't the Tigers, and might not be close. But, they're better. A solid winter makes them so. And Bourn makes them so, particularly at what is a very reasonable price.

Liriano guaranteed $1M, could earn $13.75M

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Left-hander Francisco Liriano is guaranteed $1 million under his contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates and can earn up to $13.75 million plus award bonuses over two years if he pitches regularly and an injury to his non-throwing arm doesn't land him on the disabled list.

Liriano and the Pirates agreed in December to a two-year contract pending a physical but he injured his right arm during the holidays and it took until Friday to finalize the reworked agreement. He can make $5.25 million this year and $8.5 million in 2014 if he pitches 200 innings a season.

Liriano has $3.75 million in available roster bonuses this year under the deal based on days on the active big league roster or the disabled list, not including days on the DL as the result of the pre-existing injury to his right arm. He would get $250,000 each for 60 and 75 days, $750,000 apiece for 90, 120, 150 and 180 days and $125,000 each for 135 and 165 days.

The deal includes a 2014 option that would become guaranteed at $5 million if he has 90-119 days on the active 25-man big league roster or DL this year, not including days on the DL because of the right-arm injury. It would become guaranteed at $6 million if he has 120-149 days and at $8 million if he has at least 150 days.

If the 2014 salary is $5 million, he would earn $600,000 each for five, 10, 15, 20 and 25 games started. If the 2014 salary is $6 million, he would earn $400,000 for each of those levels,

In addition, he can earn $500,000 a year in performance bonuses: $150,000 each for 180 and 200 innings, and $200,000 for 190 innings.

Liriano also would get $325,000 for winning the Cy Young Award, $150,000 for finishing second in voting and $100,000 for third. He would get $50,000 if he's an All-Star, $50,000 if he's the World Series MVP, $25,000 for winning a Gold Glove and $25,000 if he's league championship series MVP.

The 29-year-old is 53-54 with a 4.40 ERA in seven major league seasons. He went 6-12 with a 5.34 ERA in 2012 while splitting the season between the Twins and White Sox.

He pitched a no-hitter for Minnesota against the White Sox on May 3, 2011.

2/9 NCAAB Plays

I've only put out  a select few NCAAB plays this year but have done ok so far. Really hope all the work i put into these pay off. Good Luck

3 units on all plays

[575] NORTHEASTERN -2½-110
[593] TROY +18-110
[600] NOTRE DAME +6-120
[601] SAINT LOUIS -3½-110
[622] ARIZONA STATE -2-110


8-4-1 and +8.20 units

No. 1 recruit Nkemdiche picks Mississippi

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) -- Mississippi's stunning recruiting class included the nation's consensus No. 1 overall recruit, one of the top receivers and one of the best offensive tackles.

The Rebels had such a good day that even LeBron James was impressed.

''Ole Miss ain't messing around today,'' the Miami Heat star wrote on Twitter.

Yes, it was quite a day for a Southeastern Conference program that's usually an also-ran on the field and in the recruiting rankings. But on Wednesday, second-year coach Hugh Freeze and the rest of the Rebels were the talk of the college football world.

The 28-player class centers around Robert Nkemdiche, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound defensive end from Loganville, Ga., who was the No. 1 recruit in the country according to Rivals.com, Scout.com, ESPN, CBS Sports and 247Sports.

He'll be joined at Ole Miss by receiver Laquon Treadwell (Crete, Ill.) and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (Lake City, Fla.), forming the foundation for a consensus top 10 class nationally.

''The biggest vision we have is to do something new and fresh,'' Freeze said during Tuesday's press conference at the school. ''To convince a group of young men to come together, want to be different, and to do something different and fresh at a place that might not be the norm. To upset the apple cart, so to speak.''

Nkemdiche, Tunsil and Treadwell are all 5-star recruits according to Rivals.com. The Rebels also landed nine 4-star recruits, including safety Antonio Conner (Batesville, Miss.) and offensive tackle Austin Golson (Prattville, Ala.).

Nkemdiche had been on several programs' wish list for more than a year, but family ties gave Ole Miss the inside track. His brotherDenzel Nkemdiche plays for the Rebels and led Mississippi's defense with 82 tackles, including 13 for a loss last season.

''I do think (this class) has the possibility of being a program changer,'' Freeze said. ''But it's all on paper right now. We'll have to start managing expectations right now because we're still in the second year of our journey, but I do think we took a huge step forward today toward getting to where we all want to get, and that's competing for an SEC West championship.''

Robert Nkemdiche went on an official visit to LSU last week, but when it was all said and done, he signed with the Rebels, donning a red Ole Miss hat after he made the announcement.

''I feel like it's the right place for me,'' Robert Nkemdiche said during his press conference. ''I feel like they can do special things and they're on the rise. I feel like going to play with my brother, we can do something special.''

Freeze led Ole Miss to a 7-6 record last season, improving from a 2-10 mark in 2011.

When Nkemdiche, Treadwell and Tunsil announced their decisions, the Ole Miss coaching staff celebrated. Freeze credited his assistant coaches and players for doing a great job selling the program throughout the year.

Ole Miss doesn't have the pedigree to usually recruit toe-to-toe with the likes of Alabama, LSU and other Southeastern Conference powerhouse programs. But at least on paper, the Rebels have a class that measures up quite well with the nation's best.

''I feel like he's a good man, he's special,'' Robert Nkemdiche said of Freeze. ''I feel like he's a man of his word. I respect him a lot and I feel like he has good things coming.''

Denzel Nkemdiche said he and his mother pushed hard for Robert to choose Ole Miss, but ultimately the decision was his. Denzel said his individual success at Ole Miss - along with the big improvement for the program this season - were important factors in Robert's choice.

''The feeling right now is unreal,'' Denzel Nkemdiche said from Robert's signing. ''It's real hard to explain. I'm glad it's over. I wanted him to make the right decision that he wanted to make and I wanted him to feel comfortable with the decision he made because he's going to be where he's going to be for the next three years. I'm glad he's going to be there with me. I'll be able to look after him and take some care of him and we'll be able to win the national championship together.''

Ex-NASCAR driver leads police on 2-state chase

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) -- Police say a man who led authorities on a chase in Nevada and Utah is a former NASCAR driver.

The Spectrum of St. George reports (http://bit.ly/WHMBeE ) that police stopped Timothy Tyler Andrew Walker on Wednesday in southern Utah following a chase that began in Nevada. Authorities say Walker had marijuana, pills and open containers of alcohol in his luxury BMW sedan.

They also arrested a female passenger.

Walker competed in 28 NASCAR races before the association suspended him in 2007 for violating its drug policy. He drove in 19 NASCAR Nationwide series and nine Camping World Truck Series races during his career.

Walker stopped the black BMW after he drove over spike strips on the road, then ran away before being arrested.