Minor Leagues

PHOENIX -- A day after Don Mattingly said Yasiel Puig would start the season in the minor leagues, the manager was awed by the 22-year-old Cuban outfielder's performance in the Dodgers' 8-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night. “I don't think I've seen anybody do something like this,” Mattingly said. “You don't see this kind of package. This is a Bo Jackson-type package you just don't see.” Earlier in the week, Matt Kemp also compared Puig to Jackson . Puig was three for three with a home run, two runs batted in, two runs scored and a stolen base.

PHOENIX -- Carl Crawford is scheduled to hit Thursday in a minor league game against Meiji University of Japan, two days after he took live batting practice. This appears to mark progress for Crawford, who is recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery. The last time Crawford faced live pitching, he had to be shut down for a week. The outfielder has been working out for the last week. Depending on how he feels hitting, Crawford could also resume throwing Thursday. Zack Greinke, who skipped his last start because of elbow inflammation, is still scheduled to play catch on Friday.

Chris Capuano was charged with five runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings Thursday as the Dodgers fell to the Chicago Cubs, 8-1, at Camelback Ranch. “I had a little trouble with the fastball command early in the game today,” Capuano said. Capuano served up a three-run triple to Welington Castillo in the first inning. He gave up three hits and hit a batter in a two-run third inning for the Cubs. Capuano said he felt his command improve as the game progressed. He pitched a perfect fourth inning and retired the only batter he faced in the fifth.

PHOENIX - Outfield prospect Yasiel Puig won't start the season in the major leagues, Manager Don Mattingly said Thursday. Asked if the 22-year-old Cuban was under consideration for a place on the Dodgers' opening day roster, Mattingly replied, “Not really in my mind. If we're going to be realistic about it, it's probably not the best thing for him. He probably doesn't want to hear that, but I don't realistically think that's the best thing. I don't think our organization thinks that the best thing for a guy that has the number of at-bats he's got.” Puig is batting .424 with one home run and six runs batted in 16 spring games.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Angels reassigned one player to minor league camp and optioned two others to minor league teams Monday, reducing the number of players in big-league camp to 50. Reassigned to minor league camp was right-hander A.J. Schugel, who pitched in two games this spring, throwing five innings, allowing four runs and 10 hits. Schugel, 23, was 6-8 with a 2.89 ERA at double A Arkansas in 2012. Optioned to triple-A Salt Lake was left-hander Brandon Sisk. The former Azusa Pacific University pitcher made two appearances this spring, giving up a run and a hit in two innings.

Kansas City 17, Angels 11 AT THE PLATE: Albert Pujols had two hits and hit a home run for the second consecutive day. Vernon Wells also had two hits, including a home run, to raise his average to .467, and Hank Conger hit a home run and scored twice. He is batting .412. ON THE MOUND: Five of the seven batters Ernesto Frieri faced in the fourth inning scored, and four of the five Michael Kohn pitched to in the sixth found their way home. Nonroster invitee Kevin Johnson, who worked the eighth, was the only Angel to retire the Royals in order.

PHOENIX -- Josh Beckett, throwing on a short rest, looked sharp in a four-inning effort against a team of Dodger minor leaguers Thursday. Beckett gave up three hits -- one that never left the infield and another that bounced over the mound and into center field -- and struck out three. He threw 58 pitches and did not allow a run. Beckett's regular pitching day was moved up 24 hours, Manager Don Mattingly said, to get him on a more favorable schedule heading into the season. Beckett, who has been emphasizing his off-speed pitches more this spring, threw a number of sharp breaking pitches.

PHOENIX - The Dodgers did not play a game Monday, but right-hander Aaron Harang threw three innings in a minor league game, giving up only a second-inning double. He threw 45 pitches, getting more efficient each inning. Harang is vying for a rotation position, but barring an injury or blowup, the Dodgers seem to prefer five others and Harang could become trade bait. The Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers each had a scout watching Monday's outing. Extra bases The Dodgers, even without a hit from either Matt Kemp or Carl Crawford , lead all teams with a .398 on-base percentage in spring exhibitions and top National League clubs with a .314 batting average, 45 walks and an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of .853.