Baseball in Fort Wayne

Spring Training is a time for veteran stars to return to form, for rookies and prospects to fine tune their game and impress their skippers and – among many other things – it’s a time for many to battle for a spot with their respective clubs.

So is the case with Luis Rivas and Clay Condrey.

As detailed at here at BaseballinFortWayne.com, Luis Rivas has fought hard this spring for a roster spot with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Once a top prospect of the Minnesota Twins and their Opening Day starter in 2002, Rivas fell on rough times when he broke his wrist and never really regained full form. This spring, he has caught on with the Pittsburgh Pirates and will once again be an Opening Day second baseman. The Pirates purchased Rivas’ contract from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday and plan to start him on Opening Day if Freddy Sanchez’s sore shoulder doesn’t allow him to serve in the role.

And while the security of a roster roster spot for pitcher, Clay Condrey isn’t quite as sure, signs point to him having a role in the Phillies pen once camp breaks and the team heads north.

But unfortunately, the news isn’t quite as good for some other former Wizards, as the Padres cut ties with eight players yesterday. Four of them — Nick Crosta, Kyle Stutes, Brandon Higelin, and Yesid Salazar — are former Wizards. Hope they are able to catch on elsewhere.

[tags]Luis Rivas, Clay Condrey, Nick Crosta, Kyle Stutes, Brandon Higelin, Yesid Salazar, Spring Training, Roster Cuts, Fort Wayne Wizards[/tags]