Monday’s game at the Blue Jays’ Englebert Complex was moved up 10:00am to beat the weather.  Unfortunately, I was unaware of the change and missed the game. Tuesday’s game against the Yankees at Bright House Field was played at the scheduled time. It’s not about the result, but the Phillies did win 5-1.

Pitchers

• Victor Arano started and threw 2 clean innings. He needed only 17 pitches to dispatch all 6 Yankees’ batters he faced. He had a 13:4 strike-to-ball ratio. He recorded 2 strike outs, one swinging. The 2 four-pitch strike outs were his longest at bats. His eleven fastballs were in the 90-91 mph range, but he hit 89, 92, and 93 mph once each. His six off speed pitches were of various velocities – 78, 76, 77, 80, 80, 80. He only missed one bat but recorded one of his Ks with the pitch.
• Elniery Garcia followed with 2 workmanlike innings. He threw 32 pitches to the 8 batters he faced, 21/11 strike-to-ball ratio. He started the third inning with a 7-pitch walk. After two more balls to the next batter, Chace Numata walked out to the mound for a quick conference. Garcia retired the next 3 batters throwing 7 consecutive strikes and recording his first of two strike outs. Garcia quickly retired the first two batters in the fourth inning, but hung a 1-1 change up (?) that was lifted over the right field fence. He responded with his second strike out, both swinging. His 23 fastballs were consistently in the 89-91 mph range. His 8 curve balls were in the 71-73 mph range. The home run came on an 84 mph pitch, the only pitch not within the previously stated ranges. His curve ball is a real nice looking pitch.
• Tanner Kiest pitched 2 innings. He faced 7 batters. Six of the at bats were well-pitched, the seventh was a 6-pitch walk where he fell behind 3-0. All pitches in that at bat were fastballs in the 91-93 mph range. He recorded a 3-pitch strike out of the first batter he faced, looking on a 77 mph curve after fastballs of 89 and 92 mph. He allowed a single in his second inning, but induced a double play ball to end the inning. He threw 18 pitches to 7 batters, 12:6 strike-to-ball ratio. Sixteen of his pitches fell within an 89-93 mph range. Four of the 6 pitches he threw in the sixth inning (his second inning) were fastballs at 89 mph, the other two were at 91 and 92 mph. He threw the one 77 mph curve to his first batter, and one pitch at 86 mph (2-seamer?).
• Jose Tavares pitched the seventh inning. He faced 4 batters and gave up a line drive single to center. Eleven of his 13 pitches were 89-90 mph. He threw an off-speed pitch at 78 mph that resulted in a passed ball or wild pitch, and something else at 84 mph that induced a swinging strike. He had a 10:3 strike-to-ball ratio and induced a swinging strike out on an 89 mph fastball.
• Ranger Suarez pitched the eighth inning. He was the only pitcher to NOT record a swinging strike or a strike out, he had the lowest strike-to-ball ratio of the day, and his fastest pitch was one 87 mph fastball. However, he only needed 9 pitches (5:4, strike-to-ball) to record 3 outs in a clean inning. The 6’1, 19-year old had velocities of 86 (called strike), 86 (F9), 86 (ball), 86 (6-3), 77 (ball), 87 (ball), 85 (ball), 86 (called strike), 85 (4-3).
• Calvin Rayburn pitched an 11-pitch ninth inning with a 9:2 strike-to-ball ratio. He faced 4 batters and allowed a ground ball single up the middle. He threw 7 pitches in the 90-92 range. His 4 off-speed pitches were at 78, 78, 79, and 80 mph. The last 2 resulted in 2 swinging strikes and his one strike out.

The two days I’ve seen constitute a very small sample, but I’m encouraged by how well the kids are pitching.  I apoligize for the redundancy, but I just have to insert the pitchers’ box score.

•                        IP    H     R     ER   BB   SO
• Arano           2      0      0      0      0      2
• Garcia          2      1      1      1      1      2
• Kiest             2      1      0      0      1      1
• Tavares       1      1      0      0      0      1
• Suarez         1      0      0      0      0      0
• Rayburn      1      1      0      0      0      1

Hitters

• Venn Biter, LF: 1-4, double, 2 strike outs.
• Jesmuel Valentin, 2B: 1-4, bunt single, run scored, 3 strike outs.
• Cord Sandberg, CF: 2-4, triple, bunt single, 1 strike out.
• Damek Tomscha, DH: 0-3, reached on a fielding error and a throwing error on a fielder’s choice.
• Luis Encarnacion, 1B: 0-3, 2 were fly balls to right field.
• Derek Campbell, 3B: 1-3, double, double play.
• Rhys Hoskins, DH: 3-3, 2 singles, 2-run home run, 3 runs scored, 2 RBIs.
• Chace Numata, C: 1-2, double, RBI.
• Gregori Rivero, C: 0-1
• Christian Palacios, RF: 1-3, single, strike out, caught stealing.
• Emmanuel Marrero, 2B: 0-3

Offense

1. Sandberg tripled off the fence above the wall in right centerfield with 2 outs. Crushed it. Stranded.   Score 0-0.
2. Hoskins singled into the hole between first and second. Scored when Numata gapped a double into left centerfield. Drive split the outfielders and bounced to the wall.   Score – Phillies, 1-0.
3. Biter doubled on a ground ball down the leftfield line and beat the throw into second. With one out. Stranded.   Score – Phillies, 1-0.
4. Nothing.   Score 1-1.
5. Hoskins singled into the 3-4 hole again. The first baseman was way off the bag to cut off the ball, but the pitcher couldn’t beat Hoskins to the bag. Numata grounded into a 1-6-3 double play, BUT the shortstop cheated way too much and Hoskins was ruled safe on the fielder’s choice. Palacios singled up the middle to drive in the run.   Score – Phillies, 2-1.
6. Valentin and Sandberg reached on back-to-back bunts singles with one out. Tomscha grounded a double play ball to short, but the shortstop inexplicably looked to third before throwing to second. With the timing thrown off, the second baseman bounced the throw to first and Tomscha was safe. A heads up Valentin scored while the first baseman retrieved the ball.   Score, Phillies, 3-1.
7. Campbell doubled into the left centerfield gap and scored on a titanic home run by Hopkins off the roof of the Tiki Bar in the left field bleachers.   Really crushed it.   Heard some muted oohs and aahs from the scout section behind home plate.      Score – Phillies 5-1.
8. Three Ks.   Score – Phillies 5-1.

Camp day on Wednesday.