With the exception of one inning, tonight’s televised game was a lot cleaner and fun to watch than the last televised game.  But televised game at home in Scottsdale late in Spring?  That also meant that it was mostly big leaguers until late in the game, so the prospect chances are getting shorter and less often.

The good news, is that there’s a lot more positive stuff to talk about today.

Impressions

Silvino Bracho – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO –  Struck out the first batter he faced looking, at a fastball low and away. The second batter he faced struck out swinging at a fastball.  The third batter also struck out swinging at a fastball.

It’s rare I’d make a 1-inning relief performance the top impression, but Bracho absolutely mowed down the the Mariners in his 8th inning performance.  He started slow, but in his last four appearances, 4.1 IP, he’s struck out 7 while allowing just one hit and no walks.

Joey Bart – 2-2 – In his first at-bat with a runner on first, he hit a ball into the hole between first and second and got an infield hit.  His second at-bat, with runners on first and second, Bart shot a ground ball up the middle for a single.  No runs scored on that hit.  Defensively, got a ball in the dirt in front of him that a runner tried to advance on, and nailed the runner with a very strong throw.

Just two solid, well-hit singles.  Bart may only have one extra-base hit this spring ( a home run), but he’s now 8-for-20, with another two walks on top of it.  Most importantly, he doesn’t look like the Bart that was regularly broken down in 2020.

Marco Luciano – 1-1 – Luciano hit a low pitch off the end of his bat, and looped a single to right field.  Defensively, had a nice play handling a bit of a high throw as a runner tried to steal, and getting the tag down for an out.

This wasn’t officially Luciano’s first hit of the spring, but that was a squibber.  This was Marco’s real hit.  It was still off the end of the bat, but it was a ball into the outfield.  It’s getting late in the spring, and Luciano’s chances will be shorter and shorter, but perhaps this turns him around.

Kervin Castro – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, – Working very fast.  Walked the first batter he faced, but he was caught trying to advance on a wild pitch.  The second batter grounded out to shortstop.  The next batter swung and missed at a slider in the dirt for the final out.

Castro wasn’t the sharpest in this outing, especially early in it.  But he showed off that slider with his final strikeout.  And everyone, especially Manfred, will love the pace at which he works.

Top Prospects

Heliot Ramos – 1-2, 1 SO – His first time up, struck out chasing a high fastball.  His second time up, he lined a single to right.  Defensively, on a double to right, was unable to leap and catch a ball off the wall.  Trying to chase it down, he tried to pick it up and failed, leading to an error and a run scoring.  

A mix of good and bad.  His single was an inside-out single that was sharply hit, but he also had a rough K in his first time up.  The play in right was also tough, as he was trying to rush the play and get the ball in quickly to try and show off his arm.  Just another moment of learning for him.

Will Wilson – 0-2 –  His first time up, he hit a deep fly ball to the warning track in left, but it was caught for the out.  His second time up, he hit a high fly to left-center.

Still a bit snakebit.

Patrick Bailey – 0-0, 1 BB – His first time up, he drew a 4-pitch walk.

Others

Joe McCarthy – 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 SO –  His first time up, McCarthy took a walk from a pitcher in the middle of walking three straight batters.  His second time up, he was called out on strikes..  His third at-bat, he swung at the first pitch and lined a double to the fence in right-center.  With the bases loaded, struck out swinging at a low fastball.

Sam Selman – 0.1 iP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO – Selman walked the first batter he faced, and then struck out the next batter looking with an offspeed pitch that was belt high.  That was followed by a second walk to put two runners on.  Selman then gave up a double, scoring one run and putting runners on second and third.  The next batter hit a single into shallow center, scoring another run and putting runners at the corners.  He was lifted after that.

Daniel Alvarez – 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO Came into the game with two runners on and one out. The first batter he faced hit a double off the wall in right, and on a misplay, letting both runners score.  He struck out the next bater swinging.  The next batter hit a soft bouncer to short to ground out and end the inning.

Dominic Leone – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO – The first batter he faced hit a line drive to left-center, and got a double.  The next batter hit a sharp grounder to second for an out.  He walked the next batter.  With runners on the corners, he struck out the next batter swinging on a breaking ball.  The inning ended with a strikeout swinging on his fastball.

Logan Wyatt – 0-2, 1 SO – Wyatt struck out in his first at-bat, unable to hold on a check swing on a slider in the dirt.  His second time up, he grounded out to shortstop.

Jason Krizan – 0-1 – Grounded out sharply to second in his first at-bat.