Today was a pretty good day of Spring Training baseball. Playing in the mythical town of Viera, FL (according to Tom Gage, nowhere to be found on a map!) today's game featured two of the brightest young stars anywhere in the sports world.
Rick Porcello was great. He pitched three shutout innings and induced 7 groundball outs. There is no question that he can become an amazing groundie-machine and that will lead to a lot of success. Over time as he matures and adds to his arsenal his K-rate should blossom a bit as well (remember Game 163 when he let loose a little more and K'd 8 Twins in 5+ IP, the ability is there to blow guys away when he has to). A high groundball%/solid K-rate will be an awesome package to take the hill with.
Stephen Strasburg was as advertised on the mound for the Nationals. He looked great. Two shutout innings striking out 2 batters and inducing some very weak grounders. His two K's showed his range of plus-stuff. He blew a high heater right through Miguel Cabrera's wheelhouse for a swinging strike 3 and then he dropped the hammer on a big curve and buckled Dlugach's knees for a strike 3 looking. The sky is the limit for Strasburg. How great will it be for a transcendent talent like him to emerge and pump new life into the dead baseball scene in Washington D.C. He might be the kind of talent that can turn that entire franchise's fortunes.
Perhaps the best moment for the Tigers' hopes in '10 came when Magglio Ordonez just plain smoked an opposite field 3-run homer. That was a long deep drive we saw very little of last year, especially in the '09's first several months. A revitalized Magglio will be what the doctor ordered. It was hilarious to see how shallow the Nationals' outfield was playing Maggs on that drive. They had to turn and high-tail it for the fence...no question last year's scouting report was in play prior to that shot. Hopefully that's just a harbinger of more and more from Ordonez to follow!
No comments:
Post a Comment