Wilson makes spring visit

NFL star works out with Rangers, offers encouraging words.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson spent Saturday at spring training with the Texas Rangers, hitting a home run in batting practice and drawing on his recent Super Bowl experience to deliver a message to the team.

A former minor league indielder for the Rockies, Wilson was later acquired by the Rangers and practiced with them last year.

“I think I’m better in baseball than football,” Wilson said, breaking into a laugh.

Wilson took out the lineup card before Texas played San Diego, but wasn’t going to play.

The last time he played in the Phoenix area, Wilson threw an interception at the goal line in the dinal seconds against New England, costing Seattle a chance to win its second straight Super Bowl.

Part of his message to the Texas players, he said, focused on: “How do you get back to that opportunity to where you are there again?”

“It comes back to fundamentals, but it also comes back to that team bonding. It comes back to ‘I have your back’ type of mentality at all costs,” he said. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson takes aim during batting practice before the Rangers’ spring training game against the Padres on Saturday.

Yankees:

Shortstop Didi Gregorius sprained his left wrist going for a ground ball in the second inning against Baltimore and was taken out for precautionary reasons.

He was checked out by trainers, stayed in the game for a while and left after the fourth.

The Yankees said Gregorius would have precautionary X-rays.

Right dielder Carlos Gonzalez left with pain in his surgically repaired left knee in the middle of the fourth inning Friday night against San Diego and walked to the clubhouse with a trainer. A team ofdicial says Gonzalez felt discomfort while catching Will Middlebrooks’ fly

Rockies:

ball an inning earlier.

Reliever Brandon League is expected to be sidelined for a couple of months with shoulder inflammation, manager Don Mattingly said.

The results of League’s recent MRI examination were reviewed Friday by team physician Neal ElAttrache, as well as another doctor. League was diagnosed with posterior shoulder inflammation and prescribed rest.

Newcomer James Shields was picked to start on opening day against the Dodgers.

Ace Felix Hernandez was announced as the opening day starter for the seventh straight year.

Dodgers:

Padres:

Mariners:

Saturday’s Games ■ Predators *, (at) Capitals U: Filip Forsberg scored during a three-goal first period and had two assists as Nashville became the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff berth. ■ Ducks U, (at) Islanders 9: Frederik Andersen made =H saves, and Anaheim used second-period goals by Kyle Palmieri and Andrew Cogliano to beat struggling New York and clinch a Western Conference playoff berth. ■ (At) Penguins U, Coyotes 9: Daniel Winnik, Steve Downie and Sidney Crosby scored in a ,-minute, J-second stretch of the third period. ■ (At) Bruins *, Rangers 9: Milan Lucic scored twice in the first P0 minutes, Carl Soderberg also scored in the first period, and Boston spoiled New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist’s return after a long injury layoff. ■ Sharks U, (at) Flyers 9 (SO): Matt Irwin and Joe Pavelski scored in regulation, and Brent Burns got San Jose’s winning goal in the shootout. ■ (At) Red Wings *, Lightning 0: Petr Mrazek made =^ saves for his fourth career shutout, and Tampa Bay was blanked for the first time this season. ■ (At) Maple Leafs *, Senators U (OT): Eric Brewer scored ^:P> into overtime. Tyler Bozak had a hat trick — all in the third period — and added an assist on Brewer’s winner. ■ (At) Canadiens U, Panthers 9 (OT): Max Pacioretty scored a power-play goal in overtime as Montreal clinched a playoff berth. ■ (At) Hurricanes U, Devils J: Eric Staal and Justin Faulk scored in the third period. ■ Blue Jackets *, (at) Blues 9: Boone Jenner scored the tie-breaking goal late in the second, and Sergei Bobrovsky had =H saves. ■ (At) Wild *, Kings J: Nino Niederreiter and Mikko Koivu each scored two goals, and Devan Dubnyk had ^P saves in his ^]th straight start. ■ Sabres at Avalanche: Late ■ Stars at Canucks: Late

Today’s Games

Monday’s Games