Last year I came to Spring Training for a little over a week. There were so many players I didn’t see while I was down here that I made it a goal to come down for the entire time this year. We’re getting towards the end of Spring Training this year. I’ve been here for five weeks, going on six. And yet that might not be enough time.
For example, Aaron Poreda is starting in today’s Double-A game. That game is on the road. The only time I saw Poreda pitch was in a bullpen back in the start of camp. Since that point, he’s been pitching on the road. Because of the home/road schedules, there’s other guys I either haven’t seen, or guys who I’ve only seen once. Take Hunter Strickland. I saw him at the start of camp. Watched one inning of his start. If I would have known that he’d be on the road the rest of camp, I would have watched the entire start.
I guess that’s mostly because there’s so many players in camp. It’s hard to keep track of them all. I’d say there needs to be more time in Spring Training, but then again Spring Training already feels way too long as is.
Fortunately today Gerrit Cole will be on the mound, and he’ll be at home. This will mark the second start I’ve seen from Cole in actual game situations. Here are the rest of the starters today.
AAA (Road Game): Rudy Owens (Starter), Doug Slaten, Bryan Morris, Tim Wood
AA (Road Game): Aaron Poreda (Starter), Kris Johnson, Mike Loree, Duke Welker, Kris Harvey
A: Gerrit Cole (Starter), Quinton Miller, Jason Townsend, Zach Foster
A: Zac Fuesser (Starter), Matt Benedict, Jordan Cooper, Kevin Kleis
Intrasquad Game
Team 1: Zack Dodson (Starter), Alex Lukashevich, David Jagoditsh, Andy Otamendi, Logan Pevny
Team 2: Bryton Trepagnier, Wilson Lee, Jackson Lodge, Luis Campos, Roberto Espinosa, Dovydas Neverauskas
Ryan Hafner will throw a live BP/simulated game to start things off for team 2. Hafner is recovering from a hamstring injury.