John Means may have started, but Lucas Long was the pitcher who looked like a major league prospect. Also, Austin Wynns has good day at plate and Aderlin Rodriguez shows some ability to hit some breaking stuff.
John Means (BOW) vs John Richy (REA) (89-90, slider, cb)
Means – 1IP, hitters were on his fastball and when he missed, he missed in the middle of the plate. Two hard singles and two-run double were on fastballs in the middle of the plate to RHB, and long flyball to LF by LHB was on a low-middle fastball. Got a swinging strikeout on a 1-2 curveball to RHP, and got one swing and miss on an inside FB to RHB. Batters looked pretty comfortable. 2IP – Quick 2nd inning by keeping ball down. and getting two pop ups and a ground out. 3IP – Nice 1st pitch CB to lefty, missed with next CB, then missed with a fastball up and away that LHB lined into left field. Batters don’t miss his mistakes on FB. Finally threw his first change ups to #3 hitter getting two week fouls. On an inside target on 2-2, he missed in middle of plate with FB and was crushed to CF off top of the fence. 4IP – Broke out a slider a few times but didn’t throw any strikes with pitch. 5IP – Got strikeout on low and in change up on RHP for 2nd out then went up ladder for K on fastball to end his day. Fastball plays up more when he’s effectively using his change.
Fastball – Pretty straight though occasional arm side run and sink. Lot of hard contact on pitch. Command was below average and misses too much in middle of plate.
Curveball – Decent CB at times, but doesn’t command it particularly well. Not a lot of swings and misses on the pitch and he spins it up there high too often,
Changeup – Change has some arm fade and drop. Batters mostly fouled the pitch off into the ground.
Slider – Threw a couple sliders in the 5th inning. Most were buried low and in against righties. Not a left on left slider.
DJ Stewart – 1PA – Took 1st pitch fastball and lined it into LF for single. Eventually picked off first when he started to steal but stopped then tried to get back not in time. 2PA- Pitcher adjusted and threw him a first pitch curveball under his hands that he swung through. Followed with changeup that Stewart rolled over on and grounded out 4-3. 3PA -Grounded out on 2-0 slider 6-3. 4PA- Swung thru high outside 94MPH fastball. Swung at 2-2 slider so far in it broke his bat. Then laid off a high outside 97 MPH FB and High 96 MPH fb for the BB.
Defense in LF: Went back nicely on a hard line drive from left handed hitter and caught ball in front of warning track. Did a good job of setting himself to make a throw to home in shallow left field with runner on third. Throw was not strong and up the 1st base line but runner didn’t go.
Adrian Marin – 1PA – Hammered 1st pitch FB to deep left center but caught on warning track. 2PA – Got robbed when 2B Scott Kingery made an amazing behind the bag jump throw that Marin hit off a 1st pitch curveball. 3PA – Out in front of 0-0 curveball to ground out 6-3. 4PA – Facing hard throwing RHP (94-97) Swung through first pitch slider away. Took a couple balls then watched a 96 MPH fastball down midle of plate for strikeout looking.
Defensively 2B – Appeared to take bad angle on ball hit up middle though it would have been a great play to get to the ball.
Austin Wynns – 1PA – Swung and missed at decent low and away slider. Let another one go then worked a walk. 2PA- Got steady diet of sliders, fouling off some inside ones, and staying off an outside one. Then took up an up and in 2-2 fastball and lined it into left center. 3PA – Laid off an outside curveball in dirt before smacking a 1-0 slider/cutter down and in into left field between 5-6 hole for RBI. 4PA – Facing hard throwing RHP (94-97) foule off two fb, before striking out on low slider away that he tried to check his swing on but didn’t. Good hard late breaking slider though.
Defensively – Does a good job setting up inside and out. Didn’t call changeup until 2nd time through order, but good game caller. Struggled to block ball that bounced right in front. Ball ricocheted to left for wild pitch but should have blocked. Missed another block and ball went out in front, rushed to get to it but threw ball into center field when the ball may have slipped out, of his hand.
Aderlin Rodriguez – 1PA – After popping up a low slider just foul, lined a low middle slider over 2B head for a single into RF. 2PA – Nice job fighting off some sliders and changeups for fouls. Eventually worked a walk. 3PA- facing a RHP reliever, swung over a 0-0 curveball, fouled off 0-1 cb, before grounding out on outside FB back to pitcher. 4PA – Facing hard throwing RHP (94-97), got under his hands with FB to ground out weekly 5-3.
Personal – Seems to have a good time on field. Looks like a good teammate.
Yermin Mercedes – 1PA – Big long swing. Pulls head out and tries to kill pitches early on count. Looks like a dead pull hitter by his swing. Too much movement in his hadns during his load. 2PA – Grounded out hard on 2-2 slider 5-3 for RBI. Can’t get to FB in because of length of swing and susceptible to good sliders away due to pulling off. Hangs in well on CB and served a 2-2 CB for 1B into LF.
Erick Salcedo – 1PA – Swung way over changeup, before rolling over on an outside FB to ground out 4-3. Struck out after swinging over and outside changeup in dirt. Fooled badly.
Defensively SS – Decent job of coming on on slow hit ball and made strong accurate throw to 1B for out.
Lucas Long – Drop and drive RHP with hard sinking fastball with arm-side run, tight late curve, and change with drop and fade. Pitches away to first two LHB, getting both to roll over a and groundout 4-3. Batters looked real uncomfortable. Commanded all three pitches and kept ball down. Could pitch in the major leagues right now with this stuff. Keeps all three pitches down and misses low more times than not when he throws balls. Did a good job of staying out of middle of plate.
Fastball – (94MPH) Decent arm-side run with good sink at times. A lot of quick late movement and batters were not comfortable. Enough movement to miss bats with the sink.
Curveball – Tight late breaking CB. Not a ton of depth , but commands it well.
Change – Saw a couple. Gets fade and some drop. keeps it low and good offset this moving fastball because it has same movement just slower. Nto afriad to throw strikoung a batter on a 3-2 down and in on RHB.
