Tim Lincecum abandoned the windup and threw out of the stretch hoping that he would throw more strikes. It didn't work. The two-time Cy Young winner lasted just one inning in his spring debut, but the San Francisco Giants beat the Seattle Mariners 8-7 in 10 innings Wednesday. "I had been struggling out of the windup," he said.

Justin Upton has lived with high expectations virtually since the day he picked up a baseball bat. Now at 22, with two full major league seasons already behind him, he says he welcomes the challenge of living up to the $51.25 million, six-year contract he signed on Wednesday with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the second-largest deal in franchise history.

Tim Hudson wasn't taking his first start of the spring too seriously. Hudson allowed only two hits over two shutout innings, facing the minimum six batters in a 9-5 win over the New York Mets on Wednesday, and said he can't wait to take the mound again. "It would be an awesome thing if it were in July," Hudson said.

Just being back on the mound was not enough for Jeremy Bonderman. Bonderman worked two scoreless innings Wednesday in the Detroit Tigers' 7-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays after missing most of the last two seasons because of a blood clot in his right shoulder that required surgery. "I was just all over the place.

Alex Rodriguez was back in his comfort zone: between the white lines. Rodriguez singled, No. 98 Colin Curtis hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 Wednesday with owner George Steinbrenner in attendance to watch the World Series champions in their spring opener.

Miguel Tejada started getting comfortable at his new position, and the Baltimore Orioles broke in their new spring home with a bevy of long balls. Josh Bell and Rhyne Hughes each hit two home runs as the Orioles hit six homers in winning their spring opener, 12-2 Wednesday over the Tampa Bay Rays. Tejada made his first appearance at third base in his 13-season big league career.