2018 Spring Training Thread

[AZ_]

Yonder kicked off the spring with a bomb on the first pitch he saw.

 

[Real Deal]

Is Kipnis and Brantley in the lineup?

Better yet, is JD Martinez in the lineup?

 

[Ohio]

 

[Chris]

YONDER BABY

Just bought his jersey

 

[Real Deal]

Danny Oterrible already in mid season form, Carlos Torres will give him a run for his money.

 

[PIP]

Will probably be the highlight of Yonder’s season

 

[Huber.]

"1, Nothing Cleveland"


Rick and Matt still have jobs in 2018

 

[Stark]

Would love for Alonso to replicate last season's success:

Roughly .260/.360/.500 with 25 HR, 70 RBI, 25 2B would be good production out of him and a solid replacement to Santana.

 

[3 Ball...GOT IT]

Highlight of the game was Matt Underwood on the first ball in play of the season...

"Fly ball to shallow right", Melvin Upton catches it on the warning track seconds later.

 

[Huber.]

Highlight of the game was Matt Underwood on the first ball in play of the season...

"Fly ball to shallow right", Melvin Upton catches it on the warning track seconds later.

One of these days he will be able to read a fly ball. Until then, he is the simpleton that hogs the arm rest and gets exited over every can of corn at the ballpark.

 

[PIP]

Highlight of the game was Matt Underwood on the first ball in play of the season...

"Fly ball to shallow right", Melvin Upton catches it on the warning track seconds later.

GPS is never gonna find souvenir city with this type of irresponsibility...

 

[sportscoach]

I actually like Underwood overall and it is Arizona they are in so the ball does carry a bit.

I am debating whether or not to get MLB.tv this year. My issue is I live in an area where there is 4 teams blacked out (Reds, Tigers, White Soxs and Cubs) That’s like 40 something Indians games I cannot watch live.

 

[thestatman]

Tyler Naquin was 2 for 3 today with a double and homer. Means very little since it is just a spring training game. But it does make me shake my head thinking about how this pure hitter got screwed by Tito last season.

Third in ROY voting. Led the team in on base percentage as a rookie. Had the highest slugging percentage on the team by a whopping 45 percentage points. Hit the third most homers per plate appearance. Was third on the team in batting average. All this on an offense that scored the second most runs in 2016 in the AL. Naquin was hitting 330 entering September that year only to fall victim to hitting a rookie wall over the final month.

But because he let a ball fall in in the first inning if game 6 of the World Series, Francona gave Tyler a 1 way ticket to Columbus for the whole 2017 season. Meanwhile, PED using cheater and his 230 batting average (Almonte) took Naquin's place on the roster. Incredible. To Naquin's credit. he continued his strong hitting. He ended up the season at Columbus hitting 299.

I'm sure Tito will figure out a way to screw this kid again this year. With Brantley and Lonnie likely walking after the season, Tyler will finally make his mark in 2019.

 

[OptimusPrime]

But because he let a ball fall in in the first inning if game 6 of the World Series, Francona gave Tyler a 1 way ticket to Columbus for the whole 2017 season.

Actually, it's because he can't hit big league fastballs. When pitchers stopped throwing him breaking stuff, he fell off a cliff. He'll be making his mark on someone else's AAA affiliate in 2019.

 

[AZ_]

Naquin only manages 80 games at AAA last year because of the back injury.

Obviously he’s not a .300 big league guy, that small sample was never going to stick.

Way too exposed in certain spots. But he’s a guy who should be a good platoon player long term.