March 25, 2009

Smoltz: 40 Fastballs

John Smoltz threw 40 pitches -- all fastballs -- off a mound in Fort Myers this morning. Beforehand, Terry Francona said:
He's excited, because now it's real. It's scheduled, it's there. He'll start trying to follow the glove a little bit. He was all fired up today. He said, "It's time to reintroduce myself to the strike zone."
The DH-less Red Sox play the Reds at 1 PM:
Jason Bay, LF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
J.D. Drew, RF
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Mike Lowell, 3B
Jason Varitek, C
Chip Ambres, CF
Argenis Diaz, SS
Clay Buchholz, P
Tim Wakefield had a great outing (5.2-4-1-1-5) against the Yankees last night -- though New York ran away with the game 7-1 in the eighth inning. George Kottaras was solid behind the plate:
Just trying not to have the anxiety of letting it go by you. Just taking as it is, like with nobody on, basically. Still trying to catch them all and keep them in front. You can only work on it so much. Once you're in the game, it's a different feel, because you don't know what the ball is going to do.
Wake was pleased:
He showed a little more assertiveness, calling some slow ones and mixing in different speeds - on his call, not mine. He just did a fabulous job.
Jon Lester threw 91 pitches in a minor league game yesterday, allowing 10 hits and four runs over six innings. He struck out three. ... Francona says Mark Kotsay is "progressing real well" with his back surgery rehab and might be swinging a bat next week.

18 comments:

andy said...

and a mule

Jere said...

5 very strong innings for HH today. 2 hits, 0 walks, 0 ER

andy said...

Well all the right things are happening to all the right players. Will it translate?

nick said...

haven't had much opportunity to see spring training baseball, but I got another of those spammy emails from redsox.com.... 11 days until the season starts! I started salivating.

Rob said...

Can't wait to get him back to Fenway and see what's going on inside the noggin.

Jere said...

1-0 Reds in the 8th

Jere said...

down to our last three outs in Cincinnati('s spring training home).

Zenslinger said...

We rally in the ninth to win it, 2-1. Someone named Aaron Reza knocks in two runs...I just knew that guy was going to amount to something. (heh)

Jere said...

Sox win with 2-run rally in ninth.

andy said...

Just how strong is our minor league system. Better then other's systems I would say.

andy said...

Hey does anyone here have an analysis of the Angels for this upcoming year? I live in angel country and I need to have so good stuff for work. I am going to the Angels series here with my pseudo-boss.

Anonymous said...

Andy--the Angels have some established talent in the majors, and they expect big things of Kendry Morales, but Vlad is getting worse as time goes on, their pitching rotation sans Ervin Santana is fairly laughable, and power-hitting catcher Mike Napoli is not going to be ready for the opener. This ain't no 100-win team, even in the weakest division in the AL.

Jere said...

The Halos have Abreu now, too, giving them an All-Star outfield. From the All-Star Game ten years ago.

Gambrinus said...

Just saw that the Brewers released Trot.

andy said...

I don't know who you are vrictare but I would do you. Thank you for the good writeup. Very concise. Answer this though, how is their rotation laughable? Lackey is still in his prime right? Saunders? Their bullpen is pretty good too right?

allan said...

I don't know who you are vrictare but I would do you.

Now don't be scaring the customers away!

These are, I believe, two good Angels blogs:

www.halosheaven.com
6-4-2.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

About Lackey--he might not be there much longer. http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-angels-lackey21-2009mar21,0,5885663.story

Rob said...

www.halosheaven.com

They're good until the Red Sox play the Angels, that's for sure.