Notes

REDS Price wants neat

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - No bushy bonding in Cincinnati this season. The Reds want players to keep their beards and their locks in check.

First-year Manager Bryan Price says players need to keep their hair “under control.” A few of them have long hair and beards. Price says that’s fine, so long as they’re neat.

The Boston Red Sox made long, scraggly beards their identity last season on their way to a World Series championship. Players shaved them off after the season.

Price said he’ll discuss other rules with the team’s leaders when position players report next week for workouts. The Reds were known in the 1980s for their restrictive rules on facial hair. Price said he’s not trying to turn back the clock to those days.

TIGERS

Verlander throws 41

LAKELAND, Fla. - Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander threw 41 pitches in his first official bullpen session of spring training.

Verlander is recovering from surgery on his abdomen in early January. He’s trying to tone it down this spring and Tigers rookie Manager Brad Ausmus said Verlander is mostly setting his own pace.

Verlander said: “I feel really good. I don’t feel any pain but I am just taking everything in stride. Everything is on track for Opening Day.”

Verlander was slated to throw 40 pitches Saturday, but instead threw 41.

It’s the third time Verlander has thrown off the mound since coming in ahead of the official pitchers and catchers reporting date, but it is the longest stint he’s had.

INDIANS

Tomlin salary settled

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Cleveland Indians have improved to 2-0 in salary arbitration cases this year, defeating pitcher Josh Tomlin.

The 29-year-old right-hander will receive $800,000 this year rather than his request for $975,000. Arbitrators John Sands, Dennis Archer and Marlene Gold made the decision Saturday, a day after hearing arguments.

Cleveland defeated pitcher Vinnie Pestano last weekend in the Indians’ first arbitration hearing since 1991.Indians right-hander Justin Masterson is one of seven players left in arbitration from among the 146 who filed last month. Hearings are scheduled through Feb. 20.

In the only decision not involving the Indians, pitcher Andrew Cashner defeated the San Diego Padres.

Tomlin had elbow ligament-replacement surgery in August 2012 and returned to make one big league appearance last season, pitching two scoreless innings at the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 12. He made $501,800 last year.

Teams have a 293-215 advantage in decisions since arbitration began in 1974.

Others slated for hearings next week include Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel, Boston left-hander Andrew Miller, Cincinnati right-hander Homer Bailey, Oakland outfielder Josh Reddick, San Francisco first baseman Brandon Belt and Seattle first baseman Justin Smoak.

BRAVES Aaron recovering

ATLANTA - Hall of Famer Hank Aaron is recovering from a partial left hip replacement.

The Atlanta Braves said Saturday the 80-year-old Aaron fell on ice onFriday and had the procedure later in the day.

The Braves say Dr. Scott Gillogly, who performed the procedure, says a full recovery is expected and Aaron should return to his routine activities within six to eight weeks.

The team plans to honor the 40th anniversary of Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run on April 8 before their home opener against the Mets.

Braves President John Schuerholz said in a statement the Braves have Aaron “in our thoughts and prayers and wish him a complete and speedy recovery.” NATIONALS Monitoring Harper

VIERA, Fla. - Washington Nationals Manager Matt Williams says he expects Bryce Harper to be fully recovered from offseason knee surgery when the slugger reports to spring training next week.

Said Williams: “As far as I know, he is full-go for spring training.”

Williams said Saturday the Nationals will monitor Harper’s knee to see how it reacts. The staff will modify Harper’s workout program if it acts up.

Harper was bothered by his left knee for much of last season, especially after two collisions with outfield walls. He played in 118 games and had surgery in October.

Nationals position players are scheduled to report to spring training Tuesday.

CARDINALS

Pingpong diplomacy

JUPITER, Fla. - Peter Bourjos figured a friendly game or two of pingpong would be a good way to introduce himself to the guys on his new team, the St. Louis Cardinals.

He didn’t necessarily want to win them all.

“I really didn’t want to do that,” the smiling Bourjos said. “I was hoping somebody would beat me.”

The right-handed hitting centerfielder was acquired by the National League champions as part of a four-player trade that sent 2011 World Series MVP and hometown favorite David Freese to Anaheim. He’ll compete for playing time with - or complement - left-handed hitting Jon Jay, who hit .276 last season but only .220 against lefties.

“Any time you walk into a new clubhouse you don’t know what to expect,” said Bourjos, who spent some time in the batting cage and fielded fly balls. “Everybody’s treated me extremely well. They kind of welcomed me right in. I feel like I’ve been here a couple years.”

A .251 career hitter, Bourjos brings the kind of speed to the outfield the Cardinals haven’t had lately. That could prove a necessity with less-nimble sluggers Matt Holliday and Alan Craig manning left and right fields, respectively.

“I’m looking forward to seeing that type of player on this club,” St. Louis General Manager John Mozeliak said. “If you think about the elite defense and pure speed element of what he brings, that is something that we are not used to seeing day in and day out.”

Manager Mike Matheny prefers to give position players, many of whom come from the north and haven’t hit outside of a cage in months, some time to acclimate to their new surroundings prior to forming opinions.

“He’s going to want to impress,” Matheny said of Bourjos. “He’s going to want to show what he can do. I’m excited to give him a couple days and once everybody gets here we are going to watch closely.”MARINERS Smoak settles

PEORIA, Ariz. - The Seattle Mariners and first baseman Justin Smoak have avoided arbitration by agreeing on a contract for the 2014 season with a club option for 2015.

The Mariners announced Smoak’s new deal on Saturday. Smoak will earn $2,637,500 this season and $3.65 million next season if the option is picked up. He was Seattle’s last arbitration eligible player.

With the moves to acquire Corey Hart and Logan Morrison in the offseason, Smoak’s time at first base could be significantly reduced if he isn’t a consistent performer at the plate.

Smoak, 27, hit a career-high 20 home runs last season, but batted just .238. He improved after a stint on the disabled list in June, raising his average to .274 in early August before a swoon over the final six weeks of the season.

Smoak ranked fifth among American League first basemen with a .995 fielding percentage.

ANGELS

Mulder’s season over

TEMPE, Ariz. - Mark Mulder’s comeback attempt from a five-year retirement went from heartwarming to heartbreaking Saturday when the Angels pitcher sustained a ruptured Achilles’ tendon in his left foot. The 36-year-old left-hander will undergo surgery and is expected to miss the season.

Mulder, who hadn’t pitched in the major leagues since 2008, was scheduled to throw his first bullpen session of the spring Saturday morning. He was injured doing a side-to-side agility drill and never made it to the mound.

Mulder’s career was derailed by a pair of shoulder surgeries in 2006 and 2007. Then last October, as he watched the playoffs, he was intrigued by the way Dodgers reliever Paco Rodriguez separated his hands near the top of his delivery. Mulder mimicked the motion in his living room and was surprised how natural it felt.