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Recap disclaimer – this may be more a random observations list than a specific blow-by-blow of the game. Spring training results are unimportant, right? It’s the process, after all.
Game Summary
With the weather starting out hot and humid, and turning soggy, the St. Louis Cardinals bang out 10 runs on 18 hits, Prieto, Crooks, Walker, Wetherholt and Winn collecting 2 hits each. Prieto leads the fireworks with a 2-run HR. Final score 10-2.
Pre-Game Notes
From my wanderings around the back fields and looking at the daily schedule:
- The venue remains unchanged. Roger Dean Stadium. Cardinals are visitors today.
- McGreevy to start, followed by Svanson, Graceffo, Rajcic, Stanek, Naughton.
- MiLB guys expected to see action are: Gurevitch, Jesus Baez, McGee, Weingartner, Cho on the player side; Saladin, Watson, Burns, Picone on the pitching side.
- Representative line-up today: Winn, Scott, Burleson, Wetherholt, Walker, Crooks, Prieto, Baez, Torres
- Eury Perez for the Marlins.
Manager’s Corner (pre-game)
- Talked about the approach for filling in for Nootbaar in LF.
- It was brought up that eight games in, no one guy has played more than twice.
- Discussed Torres a bit … getting more comfortable being in the group. His versatility is “real”. Takes a professional AB.
- There is no certainty with Nootbaar – not a solid timeline yet that might guide a decision.
- Prioritizing someone who can take a good AB and defend the baseball. Won’t hurt if he hits RH.
- Burleson is the first baseman.
- Talked about Dobbins
- Still progressing, will be under controlled “sim” conditions to allow him to not do things like cover first quite yet.
- Talked about the group of guys being prepped for starting
- Still plenty of innings left to get all the guys work
- May will start in Bradenton on Thursday
- Talked about getting offense
- Looking for corner guys to provide thump, preferably. If not, the D better be solid.
- Sees pitching as the strength of the team.
- Acknowledged that the guys in competition have VERY different profiles
- Thinks Winn is “spot on” with his approach to improving offensively
- Planning an execution game today between the two MLB groups
- Noot picks the teams
Game Observations
- McGreevy mostly workmanlike. Appeared to be trying to work a cutter in to the LH hitters. Saladin came in to get one batter in the 2nd when McG’s pitch count got a bit hit (38). McG came back out for the 3rd, but Watson finished, getting the last batter to ground out.
- The Cardinals put up a six-spot against Perez in the second, featuring a 2-run oppo HR by Prieto. Walker and Crooks with RBI singles. Crooks has been stinging the ball. Wetherholt with a 2-run bloop out of the four-hole. Cards up 6-1 after 3.
- Storm clouds gathering. Literally.
- In 4th Winn got on for the third time (2 hits, 1 BB) and Wetherholt drives him in with a solid single. Cards up 7-1 after 4.
- Anyone notice the ABS dashboard on Statcast? Our HP umpire is 0-5 (I believe) today on challenges, halfway through the game. All borderline pitches.
- Stanek carries the 4th with 2k. Svanson gives up a solo HR in a showery 5th. Graceffo followed in the sixth with a steady, light rain falling. He got a K with 98 at the bottom of the zone and another on a curveball. I’ve seen him twice nice and he seems sharper.
- McGee singles in Mendoze to put Cardinals up 8-2. Packy Naughton gets a scoreless inning in, 1 K. Rajcic gets the 8th (and 9th) and comes through cleanly, except for a couple of wet balls making the backstop on the fly.
- Umpire streak on ABS ends in the bottom of the ninth of a 10-2 rain-soaked game. Call upheld. That is karma right there. Who challenges there?
Manager’s Corner – post-game
- Pleased to see McGreevy tick up velocity, thinks his slider has better depth, which will play.
- Graceffo seems to have closed the gap on velo between wind-up and stretch, and maintained through his outing.
- Stanek looked sharp.