Roy Halladay allowed four runs on five hits in the first inning against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. He then struck out four straight batters and retired the final seven men he faced. Halladay spent his first 12 seasons in Toronto before being traded to Philadelphia in December. The Blue Jays topped the Phillies 5-2 in the game.

The Cubs will honor Hall of Famer Billy Williams with a statue outside Wrigley Field. It will be unveiled Sept. 7. "It's one of the greatest tributes to a player," Williams said Wednesday. "When this happens, you're so elated because it's a statue erected in front of Wrigley Field where I've performed for so many years. "It's a great honor. It's great for me, it's great for the family, because the kids, the grandkids, the great-great grandkids can go see it and take their friends, and it'll be there forever."

Minnesota's Denard Span struck his own mother in the chest with a foul ball during Wednesday's game. She was treated by paramedics and back in the stands minutes later. "My mom is feeling ok right now!" Span posted on his Twitter account. Wanda Wilson was sitting with about 20 family members and friends near the third-base dugout. Span took a defensive swing in the first inning and sent a liner into the low box seats, hitting her near the shoulder.

The Mets will start Johan Santana on Opening Day, but the remainder of their starting rotation is in flux. John Maine and Jon Niese will face the Marlins in the other two games of the season-opening series, April 7-8, at Citi Field. Mike Pelfrey and Oliver Perez will follow.

Dontrelle Willis will be the No. 3 starter for the Tigers this season. He struggled on Tuesday against the Orioles, but his spot was solidified when Detroit traded left-hander Nate Robertson to the Marlins earlier in the day. "I thought he was very good today. I don't think that was anything like we've seen in the past," manager Jim Leyland said. "He was missing down, he was missing close." "I was actually very pleased with it. I was very encouraged," he said. Willis has won only one game over two seasons while battling injuries, inconsistency and an anxiety disorder.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen isn't going to stop speaking his mind on his personal Twitter page. "I think the people from Twitter owe me money, I make them so famous," Guillen said. Chicago isn't happy with Guillen's outspoken comments, but he doesn't plan to change.

The ageless Jamie Moyer will begin the season as the fifth starter for the Phillies. Kyle Kendrick will come out of the bullpen. "He's on the team but he's going to the bullpen," manager Charlie Manuel said of Kendrick. "I've seen a lot of improvement in his pitching this last year. He had a real good spring and I'm sure he's going to get to pitch quite a bit this year." Moyer had three offseason surgeries (knee, groin and abdominal), but he'll once again be a starter in his 24th big league season.

Pat Venditte showed off both arms for the Yankees against the Braves on Tuesday, allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings. "I understand where it's coming from," said Venditte, acknowledging why people are intrigued by him. "And it's my job to go out there and prove that I can pitch." Venditte switched back and forth, depending on whether he was facing a righty or lefty. "I think I have to," he said. "I don't have overpowering stuff from either side, so I think I really need this."

The Twins have named Francisco Liriano their fifth starter heading into the 2010 season. Liriano struck out eight in six innings on Tuesday as Minnesota's defeated Pittburgh 4-1.

The Dodgers have sold left-hander Eric Stults to the Hiroshima Carp of the Japanese Central League. Joe Bick, Stults' agent, confirmed that the deal was complete and that pitcher had agreed to terms with his new team on a one-year contract with a club option for 2011.