Spring Training Games Thread 2021

[Brock Beauchamp]

The strategy appears to be to wear down the Red Sox players’ legs so they cannot run down balls in later innings.

[Danchat]

Wow... 8 runs in an inning without an out. Now that's impressive!

[Sielk]

I know it's early but I have already seen enough of Sparkman and Shepherd...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

A baseball equivalent of the rope-a-dope?

 

Let's take note how that works, so we know if we can safely implement it later in the season...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Did we just have an example of inning called on account of pitch count?

[jun]

 

Oof the bullpen is not looking sharp so far this spring 

Not a surprise.

[Sielk]

 

Did we just have an example of inning called on account of pitch count?

Yes. Apparently Rocco had enough after 8 runs.

[adjacent]

 

I know it's early but I have already seen enough of Sparkman and Shepherd...

Something tells me that for Sparkman and Shepherd, this spring training game will matter.

[Sielk]

Well, at least one reliever who looks sharp. Very sharp in Stashak's case and encouraging to see after his first outing also went less than ideal.

[MNT1996]

Well on a positive note Garlick is looking pretty decent. If he keeps it up I wouldn't be surprised to see him on the starting 26 man roster. 

[Sielk]

CRUZ BOMBA!

 

Also, Luis Arraez' walks are pure entertainment.

[Squirrel]

If anyone is watching/listening ... here are the lineups for today.

 

TAMPA

1. Ji-Man Choi (L) 1B
2. Randy Arozarena ® LF
3. Francisco Mejia (S) C
4. Yandy Diaz ® 3B
5. Willy Adames ® SS
6. Manuel Margot ® CF
7. Vidal Brujan (S) 2B
8. Josh Lowe (L) DH
9. Ryan Boldt (L) RF

 

TWINS
1. Max Kepler (L) RF
2. Byron Buxton ® CF
3. Jorge Polanco (S) 2B
4. Miguel Sano ® 1B
5. Ryan Jeffers ® C
6. Alex Kirilloff (L) DH
7. Brent Rooker ® LF
8. JT Riddle (L) SS
9. Tzu-Wei Lin (L) 3B

[Vanimal46]

 

This looks niiiiice

[MNT1996]

Bullpen, defense...man the team needs to take full advantage of spring training this year

[Sielk]

And now the Rays start committing errors... It's really not a pretty game on defense. But that's what spring training is for.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Yeah, i saw that we had 2 errors in the first inning, and Maeda pitched around them.

 

Glad we got a him a few more pitches in to work on things...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Broxton up with bases loaded, down 3 w/ 2 outs in the final inning!

[sampleSizeOfOne]

In play, out(s)

 

Oh well.

 

Tampa Bay claims victory, 5-2.

[rdehring]

Our starter, Maeda, and two valuable relievers, Alcala and Duffey, were sharp, sharp, sharp. Our newly acquired late inning guy, not so much.

 

But during the first week of ST most important was that guys were getting their work in.

[Dman]

Robles got dinked and dunked and committed an error.  Tough inning and he didn't look horrible. Hopefully a few adjustments and things work out better next time out.

Rogers decided to dance around the zone until Wes came out and told him to throw strikes and then things went better.  Those are the two guys that gave up runs.  The two guys we are supposed to be depending on, so would have been nice to see them be more dominant. Everyone else did their job pitching wise.

 

Since I called Minaya out last time, I was happy to see no walks this time out and surprise things worked out better for him.  No K's either but they didn't square his stuff up so progress made today.

 

Broxton is making contact so he is holding up his end to this point.  If he keeps the K's down he will be an option for the Twins or if he opts out another team.

 

Only hitter really worth mentioning today is Kirilloff who had two hits.  The stroke is nice if he keeps it up I believe left field is his unless Rooker or Garlick have huge springs.

 

Pretty ugly game defensively but it is spring.  There is still a bunch of games to get in shape for the regular season.

[DocBauer]

My only comment is this: we take away the positives we've seen thus far. We're a week in. Some guys, pitchers in particular, have barely played. Veterans are simply working on things and getting time. There is nothing to get too excited about or worry about at this point.

[Brock Beauchamp]

My only comment is this: we take away the positives we've seen thus far. We're a week in. Some guys, pitchers in particular, have barely played. Veterans are simply working on things and getting time. There is nothing to get too excited about or worry about at this point.

I put zero stock in literally anything that has happened beyond the physical health of the player (or lack thereof). The last two weeks of ST barely matter. The first two weeks don’t matter *at all*. It’s practice and blowing the rust off.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

What i miss today?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Today (noonish, Saturday 3/6) we face the vaunted line up of the East Coast juggernot known for the covering of their feet.

But, like Twins, socks are identical, meaning they can't start off on the wrong foot.

 

Wait.. Twins don't have to be identical... What else couldi be wrong about.

 

Twins:

 

0. Michael Pineda (R ) P
1. Max Kepler ( L) RF
2. Mitch Garver (R ) C
3. Nelson Cruz (R ) DH
4. Miguel Sano (R ) 1B
5. Byron Buxton (R ) CF
6. Willians Astudillo (R ) 3B
7. Brent Rooker (R ) LF
8. JT Riddle ( L) 2B
9. Tzu-Wei Lin ( L) SS

 

Red Sox:

 

0. Ryan Weber (R ) P
1. Enrique Hernandez (R ) SS
2. Jarren Duran ( L) CF
3. J.D. Martinez (R ) DH
4. Rafael Devers ( L) 3B
5. Hunter Renfroe (R ) RF
6. Marwin Gonzalez ( S ) 2B
7. Bobby Dalbec (R ) 1B
8. Kevin Plawecki (R ) C
9. Yairo Munoz (R ) LF

 

Curious... Twins have 6 right handed batters followed by 3 left handed batters. Discuss.

[Nine of twelve]

Today's game will only last 5 innings. Both teams agreed to this in advance. It's due to a shortage of minor league players available.

[MNT1996]

I've really been impressed by Lin so far

[Linus]

Good day for Rocco to let the boys rest. It’s been a grueling week and a half.

[Otwins]

Did they play? It says postponed on the scoreboard

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Yeah, i remember seeing we were up 2-0 after 2 due to Buxton and Lin singles round a Riddle triple, and that Cruz also had singled in the first, but i got distracted and didn't check in. 

 

What else happened?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

TA:

Sorry i am late.

 

TB:

0. Collin McHugh (R ) P
1. Willy Adames (R ) SS
2. Austin Meadows ( L) LF
3. Randy Arozarena (R ) RF
4. Brandon Lowe ( L) 2B
5. Ji-Man Choi ( L) 1B
6. Manuel Margot (R ) CF
7. Yoshi Tsutsugo ( L) 3B
8. Francisco Mejia ( S ) C
9. Mike Brosseau (R ) DH

 

TC:

0. Lewis Thorpe ( L) P
1. Luis Arraez ( L) 2B
2. Josh Donaldson (R ) 3B
3. Jorge Polanco ( S ) SS
4. Nelson Cruz (R ) DH
5. Byron Buxton (R ) CF
6. Ryan Jeffers (R ) C
7. Jake Cave ( L) RF
8. Alex Kirilloff ( L) 1B
9. Rob Refsnyder (R ) LF