February 6, 2010
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March 10, 2010
Wednesday wrapup
Here's a link to today's story in which Stephen Drew opens up about some of the off-field struggles he went through in 2009. It's early in spring, but he's really swung the bat well thus far.
Also did a short story on the debut of first-round pick A.J. Pollock.
-- Bizarre happening during today's game when there was a snafu with the Dodgers lineup. You can read Doug Miller's story about it.
-- Dan Haren was pleased with his outing today against the Dodgers. The right-hander gave up four hits over 2 2/3 innings and wanted to finish the third, but he had reached his pitch count so manager A.J. Hinch took him out in favor of Bob Howry.
Haren threw his first split-finger fastballs of the spring during the outing.
"Last time out I felt OK but I didn't feel great," said Haren, who threw 49 pitches. "I felt the ball was coming out of my hand a little better today. I used more off-speed stuff. And my fastball felt like it had a little bit of life to it. I'm still not out there max effort but overall I felt really good."
-- Another positive was the performance of closer Chad Qualls, who thus far this spring has not shown any ill effects from last season's knee injury/surgery.
Qualls got all three batters he faced in the fifth to ground out.
"When Qualls is getting groundballs he's right where he needs to be," Hinch said.
-- Hinch said before the game that he plans on having Chris Snyder and Miguel Montero catch back-to-back games over in Minor League camp before they do it in Cactus League games.
For right now, Hinch has alternated using the pair behind the plate and at the DH spot so that they can keep sharp at the plate without being taxed behind it.
-- Gerardo Parra started in center against the Dodgers, something you could see a lot of this spring. Depending on who wins the final bench spot, Parra could wind up being the lone backup to Chris Young at that position.
Two players battling for the final roster spot -- Drew Macias and Cole Gillespie -- can both play center.
Also did a short story on the debut of first-round pick A.J. Pollock.
-- Bizarre happening during today's game when there was a snafu with the Dodgers lineup. You can read Doug Miller's story about it.
-- Dan Haren was pleased with his outing today against the Dodgers. The right-hander gave up four hits over 2 2/3 innings and wanted to finish the third, but he had reached his pitch count so manager A.J. Hinch took him out in favor of Bob Howry.
Haren threw his first split-finger fastballs of the spring during the outing.
"Last time out I felt OK but I didn't feel great," said Haren, who threw 49 pitches. "I felt the ball was coming out of my hand a little better today. I used more off-speed stuff. And my fastball felt like it had a little bit of life to it. I'm still not out there max effort but overall I felt really good."
-- Another positive was the performance of closer Chad Qualls, who thus far this spring has not shown any ill effects from last season's knee injury/surgery.
Qualls got all three batters he faced in the fifth to ground out.
"When Qualls is getting groundballs he's right where he needs to be," Hinch said.
-- Hinch said before the game that he plans on having Chris Snyder and Miguel Montero catch back-to-back games over in Minor League camp before they do it in Cactus League games.
For right now, Hinch has alternated using the pair behind the plate and at the DH spot so that they can keep sharp at the plate without being taxed behind it.
-- Gerardo Parra started in center against the Dodgers, something you could see a lot of this spring. Depending on who wins the final bench spot, Parra could wind up being the lone backup to Chris Young at that position.
Two players battling for the final roster spot -- Drew Macias and Cole Gillespie -- can both play center.
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ryan Roberts sees proof that he belongs
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Kelly Johnson sees early improvement
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Pollock makes D-backs debut
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- A.J. Hinch thought it was best not to give A.J. Pollock too much time to think about his first taste of Major League baseball.
Pollock, who was Arizona's second pick in the first round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft (17th overall), was brought over from Minor League camp as an extra player for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.
"We only gave him about 10 hours notice," Hinch said. "We called him last night at about 9 and told him to be on the bus at 7 a.m."
Pollock was going to play Sunday, but both split-squad games that day were shortened by rain.
In the seventh, Pollock entered the game in center and got his first at-bat in the ninth. And when I say first at-bat I mean not just the first of the game, but the first time he has faced live pitching this year.
He laced a double to left-center and advanced to third on a groundout. Hinch put the contact play on -- meaning that Pollock was to run when contact was made by hitter Jake Wald. Wald hit a grounder to short and as Pollock slid home safely with the game-tying run when shortstop Ivan DeJesus Jr. threw low to plate.
"He laid into that ball he hit it as squarely as you can hit it," Hinch said.
Pollock said he was nervous, but not in the way you would think.
"I was just ready to go," Pollock said. "I wanted to stay as relaxed as I could [at the plate]. I was a little nervous going in there mostly for the field, the hitting I was like whatever. You know you go into your first at-bat of the year if you don't perform you get back out there and get going again. I didn't want to misplay a fly ball, I didn't care if popped up."
Judging by the impression he made, it seems safe to say we haven't seen the last of Pollock this spring.
"He's not too far removed from being a camp invite or moving up the chain," Hinch said. "He's an exciting player."
Pollock, who was Arizona's second pick in the first round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft (17th overall), was brought over from Minor League camp as an extra player for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.
"We only gave him about 10 hours notice," Hinch said. "We called him last night at about 9 and told him to be on the bus at 7 a.m."
Pollock was going to play Sunday, but both split-squad games that day were shortened by rain.
In the seventh, Pollock entered the game in center and got his first at-bat in the ninth. And when I say first at-bat I mean not just the first of the game, but the first time he has faced live pitching this year.
He laced a double to left-center and advanced to third on a groundout. Hinch put the contact play on -- meaning that Pollock was to run when contact was made by hitter Jake Wald. Wald hit a grounder to short and as Pollock slid home safely with the game-tying run when shortstop Ivan DeJesus Jr. threw low to plate.
"He laid into that ball he hit it as squarely as you can hit it," Hinch said.
Pollock said he was nervous, but not in the way you would think.
"I was just ready to go," Pollock said. "I wanted to stay as relaxed as I could [at the plate]. I was a little nervous going in there mostly for the field, the hitting I was like whatever. You know you go into your first at-bat of the year if you don't perform you get back out there and get going again. I didn't want to misplay a fly ball, I didn't care if popped up."
Judging by the impression he made, it seems safe to say we haven't seen the last of Pollock this spring.
"He's not too far removed from being a camp invite or moving up the chain," Hinch said. "He's an exciting player."
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Notes: Haren, Qualls look sharp on hill
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