EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2004 Well, Spring Training kicked off today, as the St. Louis Cardinals battled the college team of Florida Atlantic, winning 10-1. Looking over the boxscore, I did a double take upon seeing Pagnozzi, catcher, but its not Tom. The Cardinals didn't throw any name pitchers out on the mound. When viewing spring training games, remember that they are just exhibitions. Pitchers in particular can be quite erratic. Don't panic. Spring training performances usually don't carry over into the regular season. The best part of viewing spring training games is catching a glimpse at some upcoming prospects your team may have. No serious analysis needed, just sit back and enjoy the action. Tomorrow, 1pm, ESPN: Mets v Dodgers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Young 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2004 I'll definitely be tuning in to ESPN for that game. Although I'm not as big of a baseball fan as I am of basketball and football, I still love the sport and I am looking forward to this season even more so than usual after the incredible 2003 playoffs. There's also this warm, fuzzy feeling I get when spring training begins, because it signals the end of winter and the beginning of many months of warm weather where you can get some friends together, cook some food on the grill, drink some beers, and watch the ballgame. It truly is the American way. I also have a special interest in seeing the Dodgers play, because now that I'm in southern Cali, I won't be able to go to anymore Cardinals, Cubs, or White Sox games, so I'll have to get used to the Angels and the Dodgers since they both play close by. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spaceman Spiff 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2004 I'm *SO* excited about the upcoming season. There should be no excuses for the Phillies not winning the NL East. New park, exciting team, this is gonna be a great summer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest OctoberBlood Report post Posted March 3, 2004 Very excited as well, even though my Reds aren't really destined to finish above 3rd place, but anything can happen. ESPN is broadcasting ST games Today, tomorrow, friday and I think Saturday. So that's is great. I'm gonna order Extra Innings in a few days, so I can live the dream of watching any team, any game, any day. Gonna be great again. I was planning on going to opening day, but the Reds sold out in a record 16 minutes! Great to hear, but bad for me. I'll be getting tickets for some other games. I'm hella pumped to see Dunn, Kearns, Larson, Acevedo, Wagner, Claussen, Mattox, and all the other youngsters play this year. Gonna be a great fun season again. Only sport worth caring about baby! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2004 I'm *SO* excited about the upcoming season. There should be no excuses for the Phillies not winning the NL East. The Marlins say hi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spaceman Spiff 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2004 "Squish the Fish" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Your Paragon of Virtue 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2004 "Squish the Fish" Even Dolphins fans think it's catchy. Jays are gonna finish in the cellar. YAY! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slovakia 0 Report post Posted March 4, 2004 Jays will finish 2nd or 3rd when the Yankees implode. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted March 4, 2004 Jays are gonna finish in the cellar. YAY! Dream along with me... Jays have a better chance of winning 95 games than finishing last. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted March 4, 2004 The D-Rays are the cellar-dwellers. Although, if things go wrong in Baltimore, they could finish far off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted March 4, 2004 I'm exited has well. However I don't give a flying fart about Spring Training . The only thing that really matters is staying healthy for the season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the pinjockey 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2004 In his first big league inning Cole Hamels strikes out the side including Arod and Jeter on nasty changeups. Screw the 440 Million Dollar tandem. Cole > 440 Million Dollars. Shut up, let me bask in this for a bit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2004 In his first big league inning Cole Hamels strikes out the side including Arod and Jeter on nasty changeups. Screw the 440 Million Dollar tandem. Cole > 440 Million Dollars. Shut up, let me bask in this for a bit. Good game but will he make the team or be called up mid-season? The announcers like the pitcher and had only good things to say about him but the manager did not give a straight answer if Cole Hamels made it or not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the pinjockey 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2004 No, he is going to start the season in high A. I think they are targeting 2006, but he may pressure them into 2005 if he dominates the minors and they lose both Milton and Millwood without replacing them this offseason. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the pinjockey 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2004 And Bowa won't get too excited over him, because the front office has already told him he isn't getting him. So there is no reason to start controversy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C Dubya 04 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2004 Plus, the Phils have 5 solid starters already this year. No need to rush up the young guys. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2004 But like the announcers said about the uniform number jokes, how is he going to get experience if he does not play? It looks like he is ready but only needs to play some innings to get used to the major league. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the pinjockey 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2004 Damn you for making me think logically and ruining my basking. So far Hamels has only dominated A ball hitting, he has not even touched AA yet. If he has a dominant month in A ball, he would probably jump to AA. They need to see him against better competition over the course of a season and not jump him up to the majors due to a big ST inning. Plus like C Dubya said they don't need him yet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C Dubya 04 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2004 Has Gavin Floyd thrown yet? Is he even at ST? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the pinjockey 0 Report post Posted March 5, 2004 IIRC, he throws tomorrow Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted March 6, 2004 Notes: Arnold impressive Tosses two shutout innings against Reds By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com Ticket information Jason Arnold needed 10 pitches to retire the side in the first inning Friday. (Al Behrman/AP) • Blue Jays blank Reds DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Jason Arnold's interior monologue didn't do him justice. In the first Spring Training start of his young career, Arnold found himself in awe of some of his opponents -- until he retired them. "I struck out the first guy, and then I was walking around the mound, getting the ball back," he said, relaying his thought process. "They said, 'Now batting, Barry Larkin.' I thought: 'Oh man -- that's the same Barry Larkin from when I was growing up." Indeed it was, but that knowledge didn't stop Arnold from pitching to the best of his abilities. The right-hander retired Larkin on four pitches, including the only ball he threw all inning. After that, he got Ken Griffey Jr. Arnold said the apprehension was gone when Griffey approached the plate, but it was replaced by a nervous awareness. "Don't hit him, don't walk him. I just want to see what he does against me," Arnold said, describing his thought process."I don't want to give anything away. I'm sure it will be a little different a couple months from now, when he's swinging more often." By any measurement, it was a good outing. The first inning was impressive: Arnold faced three of Cincy's regulars and retired the side on just 10 pitches, nine strikes. The second inning brought more of the same results. He retired two more Major League starters and one prospect, ending his day on a positive note. After his outing, standing in front of his locker, he tried to put it all in perspective. "It was exciting. I've been excited for the last few days," he said during the middle innings of Toronto's 4-0 win. "I didn't want to walk the house. I didn't want to be out there for 30 pitches in the first inning because I couldn't throw strikes. I was trying to attack the zone with my pitches. Hit it if you want, if it's there." As Arnold held court with the assembled media, Toronto's pitching coach walked by and gave the secret of his success. Gil Patterson called over and said, "He didn't know who he was facing. I told him they were all naked and they didn't have any numbers." In a more serious moment, Toronto manager Carlos Tosca reflected on what Arnold did right. "That's as good as I've seen him," he said. "The fastball had some lateness to it. Sharp breaking ball, located some pitches real well. Elevated one time on a 1-2 pitch to strike a guy out. He looked real good." For Arnold, it was a study in contrasts to his last Spring Training. Last year, he struggled in a short stint against Philadelphia. Twelve months later, he looked like a completely different pitcher. "I was very tentative that day. I pitched in the ninth inning and don't think I saw one big-league regular," he said. "I was a little more overwhelmed. Triple-A isn't the big leagues by any means, but at least you've got some guys in the lineup that you know their names. Coming back to big-league camp for the second time, being around the guys again, makes you feel like you belong a little more." As far as Patterson is concerned, that's exactly how the natural progression is supposed to work. "Another year of experience -- that's what pitching and experience are supposed to do for you," he said. "Get you to relax, stay calm and know that your job is to make pitches. Nothing else matters." Good wood: Chris Woodward doubled in each of his at-bats on Friday, accounting for half of Toronto's runs. The shortstop said that it felt good to start that way, but he put everything in perspective. "I just wanted to hit the ball hard. I just wanted to feel the ball come off my bat good," he said. "I didn't care if I lined out or not. Fortunately, I found some holes." Woodward has been one of the main stories this spring, as he tries to nail down the full-time job at short. He was the regular for half of the season last year, but ultimately lost his spot to Mike Bordick. Tosca has told Woodward that it's still his job, and the infielder said he appreciated that sentiment. "It meant a lot to me that they showed confidence in me. That means a lot to a player," he said. "That makes me not only want to show them what I can do, it gives me a lot more confidence. They told me to just go out and play. That's all you can ask for." On the money: Kerry Ligtenberg made his first appearance as a Blue Jay on Friday, tossing one scoreless inning and allowing one of Cincy's three hits. The right-handed reliever said it was good to get his Toronto debut out of the way, to show his teammates what he's all about. "I think you want to go out there and make sure you're working hard, doing a good job," he said. "You're trying to win the respect of these guys. At the same time, it's Spring Training, and everybody's rusty. You're just trying to get back into it." Ligtenberg said he threw mostly fastballs, that his slider hasn't been reliable thus far. He said that's a good thing, though -- he needs something to work on over the next few weeks. "I always want to make sure, when the games start, that I'm not on top of my game right away," he said. "Usually, it goes downhill from there." Quotable: "I need a no-hitter tomorrow to keep this going. They hit a couple balls hard, but instead of going in the hole, they're right at somebody. We all know how baseball goes. That's why, with us, we keep making our pitches. You keep making quality pitches, usually the results will end up like they were today." -- Patterson, talking about his team's pitching performance. Coming up: The Jays play their second game of the spring season on Saturday at Tampa's Legends Field against the Yankees. The pitching matchup should seem familiar to any Canadians who happen to watch the game: Toronto will send Pat Hentgen to the hill, while the Yankees will counter with former Expo Javier Vazquez. Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...4news&fext=.jsp Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted March 6, 2004 Gavin Floyd and Cole Hamels are absolute dynamite, and the only possible thing that would keep them from stardom are injuries. I would assume we'll see them tearing up AA Reading this season, and AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre the next (and you bet your ass I'm getting their autographs). The scary thing is, if they do make the majors, they'll cost $600,000 TOTAL a year for three seasons. Combined with Brett Myers, that's one hell of a cheap, dominating pitching staff. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
treble 0 Report post Posted March 8, 2004 I wish I was able to watch some of the Jays games, since I really want to get a look at Alexis Rios. They may call him up after the all-star break if he does well in AAA and I've heard a lot of good things about him. I think he hit a HR already today against Pittsburgh, too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted March 8, 2004 I wish I could see these games too. Rios did really well today (3 Hits, 3 RBIs, 1 HR) in Toronto's 6-5 victory. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest OctoberBlood Report post Posted March 8, 2004 Pena and Smitherman with 3 hits each. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted March 12, 2004 For those of you with the YES Network, the Yankees are playing the Astros tonight (Friday) at 7pm. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted March 16, 2004 Listening to Yankees/Phillies replay via the internet.....Gary Sheffield hit a monster home run off Roberto Hernandez. Obviously, SHeffield's injury doesn't seem like a big concern. In addition, Roberto Hernandez is indeed the second coming of Jose Mesa. Those 98mph fastballs come towards the plate in a straight line, and make an awfully cool image as they sail over the outfield roof. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoCalMike 0 Report post Posted March 19, 2004 The A's extended Eric Chavez.......WHOO Now it is possible that the big three may actually want to stick around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted March 20, 2004 Cuts: The Jays made several cuts Friday, sending most of their top prospects to the minor leagues. Six players were optioned to Triple-A Syracuse: Right-handed pitchers Jason Arnold and Dustin McGowan, catcher Guillermo Quiroz, infielder Jorge Sequea, and outfielders Alexis Rios and Gabe Gross. Tosca said that wave of players made a big impression but that it was simply time to give more at-bats to his projected starters. http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...4news&fext=.jsp McGowan & Rios, especially, are future stars. ------------------------------------------ Listening to Yankees/Phillies replay via the internet.....Gary Sheffield hit a monster home run off Roberto Hernandez. Obviously, SHeffield's injury doesn't seem like a big concern. It never was a concern about how it would affect his ability to play. The concern was that it would be re-injured fairly easily, and that would be a big problem to the Yankees. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted March 20, 2004 Guillermo Quiroz is worth keeping an eye on as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
