The 2012 MLB regular season is well underway with a full month of baseball already in the books. It is still a long road to October baseball but paths are already starting to take shape and many surprises have already occurred along the way. The beginning of the year brings promise but at this point in the season anything can still happen.

The highlight of the day will be when the New York Yankees visit the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park in Baltimore, Md.

CC Sabathia (5-0, 3.51 ERA) will take the mound for the Yankees facing off against the Orioles’ Wei-Yin Chen (3-0, 2.68 ERA). Sabathia was phenomenal in his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays earning 10 strikeouts and allowing no runs. Chen was impressive in his own right holding the powerful Texas Rangers offense to just two runs in 7 2/3 innings in his last start.

With a number of great games to be played on the day, this will be one of the better ones.

Check your local listings for game times and channel listings in your area. With MLB.TV all games are also available nationwide (local blackouts apply).

Note: All start times Eastern

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Houston Astros at Philadelphia Phillies, 1:05 p.m.

San Diego Padres at Washington Nationals, 1:05 p.m.

Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins, 1:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals, 1:45 p.m.

Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox, 2:10 p.m.

Seattle Mariners at Boston Red Sox, 4:05 p.m.

New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles, 7:05 p.m.

Oakland Athletics at Los Angeles Angels, 7:05 p.m.

Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m.

Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves, 7:10 p.m.

Milwaukee Brewers at New York Mets, 7:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins, 7:10 p.m.

Kansas City Royals at Texas Rangers, 8:05 p.m.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants, 10:15 p.m.

Sources:

All data provided by MLB.com

Paul Rados is a Cleveland based freelance sportswriter and Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook.

Spring training is winding down and rosters are beginning to take shape. In less than two weeks, teams will return to their respective cities and begin the grueling process to October baseball.

Highlighting the matchups for Wednesday, March 28 is the New York Yankees at Atlanta Braves. The Yankees are traditionally one of the strongest teams in the American League and this year will be no different despite the fact they play in the strong AL East.

The Braves are another team big things are expected from this season. They will have a tough division schedule with the strong Philadelphia Phillies but also with the up-and-coming Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals. As both teams are putting the finishing touches on their opening day rosters, this game will surely be a battle.

Check your local listings for game times and channel listings in your area. With MLB.TV select games are also available nationwide.

Note: All start times Eastern

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays, 1:05 p.m. (Dunedin, Fla.)

Detroit Tigers at St. Louis Cardinals, 1:05 p.m. (Jupiter, Fla.)

Miami Marlins at Houston Astros, 1:05 p.m. (Kissimmee, Fla.)

New York Yankees at Atlanta Braves, 1:05 p.m. (Lake Buena Vista, Fla.)

Philadelphia Phillies at Minnesota Twins, 1:05 p.m. (Lee County, Fla.)

Washington Nationals at New York Mets, 1:10 p.m. (Port St. Lucie, Fla.)

Los Angeles Angels at Cincinnati Reds, 4:05 p.m. (Goodyear, Ariz.)

Arizona Diamondbacks at Milwaukee Brewers, 4:05 p.m. (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Cleveland Indians at Chicago Cubs, 4:05 p.m. (Mesa, Ariz.)

Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants, 4:05 p.m. (Scottsdale, Ariz.)

San Diego Padres at Chicago White Sox (SS), 4:05 p.m. (Glendale, Ariz.)

Chicago White Sox (SS) at Colorado Rockies, 4:10 p.m. (Scottsdale, Ariz.)

Pittsburgh Pirates at Tampa Bay Rays, 7:05 p.m. (Port Charlotte, Fla.)

Texas Rangers at Kansas City Royals, 9:05 p.m. (Surprise, Ariz.)

Sources:

All data provided by MLB.com

Paul Rados is a Cleveland based freelance sportswriter and Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook.

Read More: Chase Utley (2B – PHI), Manny Delcarmen (P – NYY), Colin Curtis (LF – NYY), Kevin Whelan (P – NYY), Jose Gil (C – NYY), Ramiro Pena (SS – NYY), New York Yankees

The New York Yankees cut six players from their Spring Training camp roster on Sunday (via LoHud.com).

Here’s the list of the six players:

SS Ramiro Pena
OF Colin Curtis
RHP Manny Delcarmen
OF Cole Garner
C Jose Gil
RHP Kevin Whelan

The Yankees reassigned all of the above players except for Ramiro Pena. Pena was optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Pena has reportedly drawn interest from the Philadelphia Phillies which have had a very bad string of luck when it comes to keep their infielders healthy. The injury to Chase Utley is what reportedly got Philadelphia interested in Pena (via New York Post).

Pena made 23 at-bats in Spring Training games in 2012 and hit .261 with one home run, one RBI and five strikeouts. However, the main attraction for the Phillies is likely that Pena is able to play second base, third base and shortstop.

For more on the Yankees, be sure to check out Pinstripe Alley and SB Nation New York for all your needs.

TAMPA, Fla. — Now that the exclamation point has settled in — Andy Pettitte is back! — here come the question marks.

As he is approaching 40 and re-emerging after a year and a half away from baseball, can he be a front-line pitcher again? If so, who goes? CC Sabathia is locked into his recurring role as ace of the New York Yankees’ pitching staff. And Hiroki Kuroda, despite a so-so spring, is penciled in at No. 2.

And then what?

Even before Pettitte’s thunderclap announcement Friday that he was un-retiring, the Yankees were already sorting through four starters — Freddy Garcia, Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes and Michael Pineda — for three rotation spots. And now, if all goes according to plan, the left-handed Pettitte, 39, is expected to join the Yankees at the start of May.

It is an embarrassment of riches, though that has never embarrassed the Yankees before.

It still did not prevent Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine from tweaking Pettitte and the Pinstripes on Friday, telling reporters in Fort Myers, Fla.: “Is he going to be a starter or just pick people off? I thought they had too much pitching before. Now what do they have? Too, too much pitching.”

Derek Jeter sensed that Pettitte might return.

“I knew he was itching … thinking about it, but a lot of people say that,” Jeter said.

The New York shortstop was a little surprised Pettitte decided to come back after not pitching last season.

“He retired, mainly, because he wanted to spend time with his family, but maybe momma got tired of him a little bit,” Jeter said with a smile. “He didn’t talk about it at all last year, and then he started talking about it this year.”

Notes

• Chase Utley is so private about his injuries that players on other teams ask reporters for updates on the five-time All-Star. Good luck with that.

Utley still hasn’t played in a game for the Philadelphia Phillies this spring because of a chronic knee condition that forced him to miss the first 46 games last year. He’s not participating in team fielding drills or taking grounders during batting practice, but is hitting.

Utley, however, may be getting closer to seeing action, though he wouldn’t use those words.

“I’d like to play in a game next week,” Utley said.

• San Diego outfielder Carlos Quentin is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks after he undergoes arthroscopic knee surgery on Monday.

The 29-year-old Quentin says he began to experience inflammation in his right knee after reporting to spring training, and the team’s medical staff has been monitoring the situation since.

General manager Josh Byrnes expects Quentin to miss at least the first two weeks of the regular season.

• Yankees closer Mariano Rivera threw his third consecutive scoreless inning in New York’s 6-3 win over the Houston Astros.

Rivera needed just eight pitches to extend his spring-training stretch of not giving up an earned run to 24 innings. The last earned run that the right-hander allowed came on March 15, 2008, against Tampa Bay.

New York’s Hiroki Kuroda allowed one run and three hits in four innings, throwing 49 of 59 pitches for strikes.

• Barry Bonds has been given a 30-day extension until April 20 to file written arguments in his appeal to overturn his obstruction of justice conviction. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the extension after it was not opposed by federal prosecutors.

Under the new schedule, the government will have until May 21 to respond.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Right-hander Joe Blanton threw two shutout innings and third baseman Placido Polanco drove home the game’s first run as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Yankees 9-3 in exhibition play on Monday.

For both Blanton and Polanco, it was their first chance to get on the field in 2012 after injury-plagued 2011 seasons.

The 31-year-old Blanton, who had averaged 32 starts in his first six big league seasons, made just eight in 2011 while battling elbow soreness. On Monday, Blanton allowed two hits, struck out one and recorded five groundball outs.

The Yankees had their first look at offseason acquisition Michael Pineda. The 23-year-old right-hander, traded from Seattle in a deal that included catching prospect Jesus Montero, held the Phillies to one hit in two shutout innings. Pineda made the All-Star team as a rookie with the Mariners last season.

For Blanton, Monday was another step forward after he returned in late September and pitched a scoreless inning in the National League Division Series against St. Louis.

“I’m confident in how I feel,” he said. “Really, really confident. I feel good.”

Although he made the All-Star team and was awarded a Gold Glove last season, Polanco was limited to 122 games with an assortment of injuries, including elbow pain and lower back inflammation. Polanco, 36, had double hernia surgery in October.

“I’m very happy. I dove for a ball and didn’t feel anything,” Polanco said. “I didn’t expect anything because I’ve been here for a while and I’ve done a lot of stuff. But game situations are a little bit different when you’re out there. But I felt really good.”

Polanco finished his first game of the spring 2 for 3. Although Polanco sat out the first three exhibition games, Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said he planned to work Polanco in slowly in the beginning of spring training.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins (2 for 2 with a walk) and designated hitter Jim Thome (2 for 3 with a double) also enjoyed multiple-hit games for the Phillies. Thome came a few feet away from his first home run of the spring when he doubled high off the center field wall in the fourth. Second baseman Michael Martinez rebounded from a two-error game on Sunday by hitting a two-run home run in the seventh.

Pineda ended the first inning of his Yankees debut with back-to-back strikeouts of Shane Victorino and Thome.

“I’m very excited today,” Pineda said at his locker stall, which was surrounded by a group of 20 reporters. “It’s a little different because in Seattle, you don’t have a lot of media at spring training.”

Pineda credited Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild for helping his first start. Rothschild has been working with Pineda on a new grip for his changeup. Pineda responded by throwing eight changeups Monday.

“Right now, I feel a little more comfortable with my changeup,” Pineda said. “It’s a good pitch for me, because I’m (using) the same mechanics for the fastball.”

Yankees catcher Russell Martin was pleased.

“I’m not surprised because when I caught him in the (bull)pen, he already had a good idea of it,” he said. “I don’t see why it couldn’t be a good pitch for him.”

• NOTES: Yankees closer Mariano Rivera could make his spring training debut on Sunday. The 42-year-old, who will throw around eight innings overall during the exhibition season, made 30 pitches during his first batting practice session. “It went great,” Rivera said. “I feel good.” … New York reliever Rafael Soriano threw batting practice, making 28 pitches. . Yankees shortstop Eduardo Nunez left the game with a right hand contusion in the fifth inning after getting hit by an Austin Hyatt pitch. X-rays came back negative. … Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has missed the first four games and isn’t likely to play any time soon, according to Manuel. “It’s going to be a while yet,” he said. Utley sat out the first seven weeks of the 2011 season with right knee tendinitis. … Philadelphia right-hander Justin De Fratus began his throwing program after resting a sore elbow. De Fratus threw 40 balls from 60 feet. . Phillies outfielder Laynce Nix is battling a mild hamstring strain and did not play. Nix, who signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract, has been limited to designated hitter and pinch-hitting duties. . Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee will make his spring debut on Tuesday against the Blue Jays.

Read More: Jim Thome (1B – PHI), Jimmy Rollins (SS – PHI), Shane Victorino (CF – PHI), Jesus Montero (C – SEA), Eduardo Nunez (3B – NYY), Michael Pineda (P – NYY), Austin Hyatt (P – PHI), Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees

Three games into spring training, the New York Yankees finally got a look at their biggest offseason acquisition.

Michael Pineda held the Philadelphia Phillies to just one hit over two shutout innings, but the Phillies (1-2) beat the Yankees (2-1) 9-3 (box score here) in exhibition play Monday afternoon in Clearwater, Fla.

Pineda, the 23-year-old right-hander acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners for top catching prospect Jesus Montero and two other players, allowed a lead-off ground-ball single to shortstop Jimmy Rollins but struck out Shane Victorino and Jim Thome back-to-back to end the first inning. According to ESPN New York’s Wallace Matthews, Pineda used the brief stint to experiment with his new changeup.

Pineda also appeared to try out his new changeup a couple of times, including once to Thome, resulting in a softly hit foul grounder on an awkward swing.

Scouts sitting behind home plate clocked Pineda’s cutter at between 90-91 mph, his splitter at 86 and his curve ranging from 79-82.

Aside from Pineda, who seemed to be the main source of positive news for the Yankees Monday, the biggest news of the day came in the fifth inning. Yankees utility man Eduardo Nunez was hit near the pinky on his right hand by a pitch from Phillies reliever Austin Hyatt, forcing him out of the game in obvious pain. X-rays ultimately came back negative, and the Yankees are calling the injury a contusion.

“He said he was going to play tomorrow,” Joe Girardi said. “When you get hit in the hand, you’re always a little bit nervous about that. We’ll see what happens.”

Though Nunez appears likely to see most of his playing time coming off the bench, The Star-Ledger’s Marc Carig writes that Girardi doesn’t necessarily agree.

“He has a chance to play a real important role for us,” said manager Joe Girardi, who called Nunez “more than just a utility guy.”

For more Yankees and Spring Training coverage, be sure to check out Pinstripe Alley and SB Nation New York.