Dice-K plans aggressiveness

Daisuke Matsuzaka has decided to make 2011 an intensely aggressive season. In his first spring training game, he attempted to work on better command of his fastball. It worked, sort of. Yesterday, he worked on his junk pitches- his curveball, cutter and changeup. Of course, it was a day of experiments for the budding pitcher, so he wasn't upset when he lost 11-2, giving up six runs in three innings. Jeez, finally. Four years with Boston, and he just starts working now? He's just trying to control his stuff now? Come on, dude. Couldn't you have started that a few years ago to actually win the Cy? Or pumped up the heat last year to pass the Yanks? Honestly. But hopefully, 2011 will be a great season for Dice-K with his new "control."

In other baseball news, Phillies second baseman Chase Utley's patellar tendonitis is not disappearing. In fact, he had to take a shot today to dull the pain and attempt to fix it. Luckily for the Phils, Utley and his doctors believe that the knee is not hurt. "Just a little wear and tear," says Utley. However, the star is worried. He has had patellar tendonitis before, but never, he says, for this long. Chase appears to be sliding, dropping his BA last year to .275, so maybe this tendonitis is but an omen of things yet to come.

Trivia
Utley's slugging percentage last year was his second-lowest in his career. The lowest was in his half-season as a rookie.