Hey, any win over the Dodgers is good news, even in the Spring.  That said, it wasn’t the best day for the prospects in general…except one, on his birthday.

Chadwick Tromp was celebrating his birthday, coming in to take over the backstop after Buster Posey left.  He came up with the bases loaded in his second at-bat, and Mike Krukow made a joke on the broadcast about having to hit a birthday grand slam.  Well, guess what he did?

On the other side of things, the two teams combined for 31 strikeouts, which means the pitchers put up some nice numbers, and the hitters…not so much.  Was it just one of those days, or an umpire who helped the pitchers?  Who knows, but it was definitely one of those days.

Onto the notes!

Impressions

James Sherfy – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO – Sherfy led off the inning by getting a strikeout looking.  He struck out the next batter swinging on a fastball high and on the hands.  He finished off the inning with another strikeout swinging, this time on a low slider.

Tromp got the headlines, but the best overall performance came from Sherfy, who came in and just mowed down the Dodgers.  This was part of a string where 8 straight Dodger outs came via strikeouts, but Sherfy was definitely on.  Sherfy was hit hard in one game, but he now has 12 strikeouts in 6.2 innings this spring.

Chadwick Tromp – 1-3, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 2 SO – Struck out swinging at a curveball in his first at-bat.  His second time up, he got a changeup down the heart of the plate, and hit a grand slam to left.  His third time up, he struck out swinging on a low fastball.

Happy birthday, Chadwick!

Zack Littell – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO – He struck out the first batter he faced swinging on a high fastball.  The next batter lined a single over the shortstop to left.  He struck out the next batter looking with a slider on the inside corner.  Littell finished things off with a swinging strikeout on a low slider.

Like others, Littell was showing his strikeout stuff.  He shrugged off the single to give him nine total strikeouts in 7.0 innings this spring.

Nick Tropeano – 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1 WP – He got a strikeout swinging on a failed check swing at a pitch in the dirt from the first batter he faced.  The second batter he faced struck out looking at a fastball inside.  He gave up a single just past the shortstop to left to the next batter.  He threw a wild pitch to the next batter, letting the runner go to second, and ended up walking the batter.  He finished off the inning on a strikeout looking with a changeup on the outside corner.  

He stayed in for a second inning, getting a hard grounder to first for the first out.  The next batter lined a single to left center.  He got a strikeout swinging from the next batter, as they couldn’t check their swing on a curveball in the dirt.  He finished off the inning with a strikeout swinging on an outside fastball.

Tropeano was not sharp, allowing three baserunners and that wild pitch.  But five strikeouts in six outs is very notable.  Tropeano now has 11 strikeouts in 8.0 innings this spring.

Top Prospects

Marco Luciano – 0-1 – Hit a ground ball down the line to third, but got on base due to an errant throw.

The Luciano watch continues, and although today’s only at-bat resulted in an out, it’s clear that Luciano is making contact, and hard contact, in a very different way than only a week ago.

Heliot Ramos – 0-1, 1 SO – His first time up, struck out on three pitches, swinging on a high fastball.

Will Wilson – 0-2, 2 SO – He struck out in his first at-bat swinging at a low fastball.  His second at-bat ended in a strikeout at a low fastball.

Others

Scott Kazmir – 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO, 1 HR – Got a one pitch out to lead off the game.  The second batter, Corey Seager, hit a deep fly ball to right center that landed maybe 25 feet beyond the wall.  The next batter flew out to center field on an 0-2 count.  He struck out the fourth batter on a low fastball swinging.  For his second inning, he led things off with a walk.  He followed that up with a strikeout on a high 90 MPH fastball swinging.  The next batter hit a ball up the middle that turned into a fielder’s choice to get the runner at first.  He then gave up a single to left that scored the runner on second.  

For the third inning, he led off the inning with a strikeout looking at the knees on the inside corner.  The next batter grounded out sharply to first.  The final batter popped out to second base to end the inning.  Fastball: 91 MPH; Changeup: 80 MPH

Austin Slater -1-3, 1 R, 1 SO, 1 SB – In his first at-bat, Slater took a 2-seam fastball on the outside corner looking for a strikeout.  His second time up, he lined a single to right.  While on second with a runner behind him, they got a double steal, with Slater taking third.  Slater scored on Yaz’s triple.  His third time up, he grounded sharply to shortstop, leading to a double play.

Silvino Bracho – 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO – His first batter hit a very high fly to deep right, but it came down 10 feet in front of the track for an out.  The next batter walked.  He struck out the next batter looking with a changeup on the outside corner.  The next batter lined a double to right-center.  He then gave up a single up the middle, allowing a pair of runs.  He was able to get out of it with the pitcher batting, he popped it up to shortstop.

Logan Wyatt – 0-1, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO – His first time at the plate, he drew a walk.  His second time up, he struck out on three pitches, on a foul tip on a curveball.

Jaylin Davis – 0-2, 2 SO – In his first at-bat, he struck out swinging at a breaking pitch in the dirt.  He did the same thing in his second time up.

Jason Krizan – 0-1 – In his first time up, he grounded sharply out to first.

Joe McCarthy – 0-0, 1 BB – Worked a walk in his first time up.

Trevor Gott – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO – Struck out the first batter he faced on an outside strikeout.  The next batter hit a Texas leaguer to shallow center field.  The next batter hit a deep fly to right field that was caught in front of the warning track.  He ended with a soft grounder to second base.