A nice 18-hit performance kept our perfect record intact after two games, as Arizona rolled to a 13-6 victory over the White Sox [who are now 0-4 in spring training, but are still expected to rule, so don't get too excited]. We scored in each of the first five innings, capped off with a 6-run fifth. Drew, Snyder, Byrnes and Andy Green all hit home runs, though Green made his third error of this young season. Jackson went 2-for-2 with a couple of runs scored, Drew, Snyder and Ball all also went 2-for-2, while DaVanon had a couple of hits as well.
On the mound, Webb walked one and allowed no hits in the first two frames. Less effective was Brad Halsey, whose campaign to snag the #5 spot in the rotation did not get off to the best of starts: three runs on four hits, including two homers, in two innings. Said D'backs pitching coach, Bryan Price, "My goals with these guys the first time or two they touch the ball is to throw the ball over the plate, and he did that." I suspect that if this had been in an email, an emoticon of some kind might have followed...
In his defense, the breeze was definitely helping the hitters. As noted above, we hit four homers, and those who did so are not exactly noted power threats most of the time. Of the rest of the pitchers, a sigh of relief can be heard, as Felix Heredia allows four hits and two runs in an inning of work, diminishing his already-slight chances of making the roster. Valverde and Aquino looked good in their innings, though the A-players were largely gone by that point.
No Easley in the lineup: he had a mild concussion after colliding with the White Sox catcher on the basepaths in Thursday's opener. Though I'm not sure "mild" is the word. According to Easley, "I remember catching the ball and then the next thing you know, I'm up here in the training room. That was only the second out, I guess? They said I was still out there for the third one." Should be okay for today: maybe the bump on the head will have turned him into the second coming of Ozzie Smith?
[Which gives me today's wacky movie idea: Adam Sandler in Heads You Lose, a zany laff-fest about a journeyman baseball player who gets knocked on the head and becomes an All-Star. But the effect is only temporary, so his agent has to continually manafacture ways by which his client gets bonked. Co-starring Joe Pesci as the agent, and Cameron Diaz as a comedic slut.]
And, better late than never: Tony Pena finally arrived at camp Friday, after having his arrival from the Dominican Republic delayed by that favourite excuse of Latin players, "visa problems." Let's just think, for a moment, shall we? #1. It's not like spring training should come as a surprise. #2 You already got tossed out of the country for pretending to be your cousin. #3 Given #1+2, I would be inclined to get my visa sorted out early. Like, starting the day I came back to the freakin' homeland. Sigh.
Split-squad game today, with El Duque starting in the opener versus the Sox this afternoon, while the early-evening game has Halsey's chief rival, Claudio Vargas playing against Team Mexico. As noted, the former is on TV, so I'm going to get ready for work now, thereby maximizing the viewing time. My, the last time I watched baseball seems so long ago. Do you think it will remember me? :-)