Spring Training Blog: Sunday

Greetings from Jupiter, Florida! I am currently in a Courtyard Marriott after traveling the majority of the day (flight at 8:35, driving 1 hour to Viera, another hour after the game to Jupiter) and am exhausted. I have some pictures from today's Nationals-Tigers game that can be found here.

Here are some of my favorites:








Pete "Warrior" Orr before his bunt single.










Ronnie Belliard after his bare-handed throw to first.




















Steven Shell warms up after relieving Gustavo Chacin.















Huntington Beach's very own Collin Balester delivers a pitch in the second inning.











Some notes from the game:

• Anderson Hernandez should be the opening-day second baseman. He had 2 hits today, both of which were well hit, and played real good defense. Him and Guzman work well on double-play balls and a combination of Hernandez + Johnson (who had some nice snags of his own at first) on the right side of the infield will be real good (until, of course, Johnson gets hurt).
• Collin Balester was a little wild today, despite not giving up any runs. He got hit hard and had a lot of pitches in the dirt (I joked to my dad that they told him to test Valentin's defensive work to see how he could do as Flores' backup). He ended up with 3 walks and 2 hits against, but his pitch count was high; I can't remember him being ahead 0-2...ever. And this is against a lineup of minor-leaguers.
• The offense was...abysmal. I can't expect the offense to be on everyday, but I only recognized one pitcher (Rodney) for the Tigers. Lastings Milledge was particularly bad. He swung at everything. Everything. He had some real ugly swings. About the only player who showed up offensively was the aforementioned Hernandez.
• Steven Shell actually showed up and pitched well. Sure, he let two inherited runners score (after coming in with the bases loaded), but it was on a ground ball to third base that would've at least been one out had Ryan Zimmerman been playing the position. Minor leaguer Jose Castillo is certainly not the talent Zimmerman is. Shell then got ahead of hitters and got mostly ground balls. It was good to see a reliever actually pitch well.
  
• I'm REALLY excited for tomorrow. I get to see my boy Shawn Hill (though he's very close to being cut for his "issues") AND Jordan Zimmermann. I'm stoked. I'll definitely have to watch the game much closer tomorrow to see how Hill and Zimmermann do. Hill is only scheduled for 25 pitches/1 inning, but I hope he can go 2 strong innings and then let Zimmermann go 4-5. Hopefully the offense (depending on who actually travels...it should be a good mix of starters/bench players, because the second round of cuts is tomorrow) shows up to score some runs and make the games more than a three-hour sunburn party.
  
• Pete "Warrior" Orr had a beautiful bunt single. He showed his blazing speed as he beat out what was supposed to be a sacrifice. Unfortunately, the team couldn't convert, as Milledge and Freddie Bynum struck out, and Kory Casto lined out at the wall.
  

That's all for today. I'm sure Tony will have an extended post on Maryland playing California in Kansas City as well as the NCAA Tournament as a whole. I should have more pictures tomorrow night and should be able to post pictures/thoughts every night this week up until I leave Friday.