Arizona lost their sixth straight spring training game in a row yesterday, dropping their overall Cactus League record to 4-8 - even the Rockies, whom we were mocking at the start of the season for their inability to win a game, now have a better record than us, at 6-7. Deep breath though, folks: to avoid fainting, keep repeating, it's only a movie spring training [and, hey, a probably pointless remake opens today, of the film for which that was the original tagline. Sometimes, even by accident, I'm so topical I amaze myself]. You should note that only one of the four NL playoff teams from last year has a winning record - the Dodgers, and only barely, at 7-6. The World Series champion Phillies are right alongside us at 4-8. I am a bit more concerned that our record after five innings - y'know, when players you've heard of are taking part - is now 3-9. but we're still three weeks from Opening Day.
Dan Haren got the start against his old team, and he reckons the thrill of that gave him a bit too much juice in his arm, as he walked three in three innings of work. Otherwise, however, it went well enough, with just one single allowed and he said afterwards, “I felt really good. My arm felt really live. The first couple starts of the spring you are really working the kinks out, but today my arm felt great.” Clay Zavada pitched a scoreless fourth despite inhering a runner from Haren, but Chad Qualls struggled, allowing four hits, albeit all singles, in the fifth. Cesar Valdez then allowed another run, but it was Leo Rosales who ended Arizona hopes four hits and three runs coming as a result of his work in the seventh. Daniel Schlereth ended things with a zero.
Not much happening on the offensive side again, with just one run scored, making only seven in the three games this week. That came in the ninth too, when Guillermo Reyes drove in James Skelton with a single. Not heard of Reyes before, but we bought him off the indie New Jersey Jackals in January 2008, and he played middle-infield down in Double-A Mobile, hitting .251. As he's now 27, I don't really think he can be called a 'prospect' in any meaningful sense. Justin Upton had the only extra-base hit, a double, and added a walk, while Chris Snyder singled and walked. Upton and Evan Frey were both caught stealing: that drops our SB record to 11-5 this spring.
Sympathy to Miguel Montero, whose father died unexpectedly: he's gone back home to Venezuela, and it's not known when he'll rejoin the team. Our thoughts are with him. We did get Tony Peña and Luke Carlin back in camp, their teams having been eliminated from the World Baseball Classic - the Aussie due of Trent Oeltjen and Travis Blackley are likely due to return soon too. And a nice story on 50th-round pick Kyle Newby: being the 1,485th pick has motivated him to succeed, despite having to work as a plumber this off-season. "When I got that call in November about the 40-man [roster spot] I said, 'I quit.' I had enough of the 4:30 a.m. stuff. I gave them at least two-weeks notice, I stuck it out, but man, I was glad when it was over."
Not too much to report. I've got today and Monday off, so am looking forward to a four-day weekend with much vegetating, interrupted largely by bouts of sloth. However, some lethargy has tentatively been scheduled for Sunday afternoon, so I'm looking forward to that. I have books to read, DVDs to watch, and websites to fiddle with. Joy... Finally, if you're going to create a Fanpost, there's a reason these have a 75-word limit. Filling it up with meaningless junk to reach that limit is not acceptable, and will lead to it being rapidly deleted. Either make it a Fanshot, or think about it a bit more.