Last spring start for our number 2 starter Brian Tallet (now there is a sentence I never figured on typing). Actually to be honest, I had my feelings that Tallet wasn't going to be the number 5 guy that would make two or three starts then get sent to the pen when someone better was ready to join the staff. Cito likes him way too much too much. It will take an act of God to get him out of the rotation.
Pitching:
- Brian Tallet: 5 innings, 8 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned, no walks, 1 K. 8 ground outs, 5 fly outs. I really don't see him as the inning eater others do. But we'll see. Finishes the spring with a 4.71 ERA.
- Jeremy Accardo: 1 inning, 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned, 1 walk, 2 K. 6.14 ERA. I'm sort of surprised he's made the team. He's not a favorite of Cito's and he didn't have a great spring. I can see him being buried in the back of the pen.
- Casey Janssen: 1 perfect inning, 2 K. A zero ERA on the spring. In 7.1 spring innings, he only gave up 1 hit and walked 1, with 6 strikeouts. I could really see him becoming a favorite of Cito's or maybe I'm hoping he will.
- Kevin Gregg: 1 inning, 1 hit, 1 walk, 2 K. 3.86 ERA. Only has the one home run against.
- Bubbie Buzachero: 1 perfect inning with a K.
Offense:
- Jose Bautista: 1 for 3, homer, his 5th of the spring. .440. I'm not sure I'm ready to believe he's become a great hitter but he has had a terrific spring.
- Aaron Hill: 0 for 2, walk, steal, his third steal of the spring. Walks and stolen bases are new features to his game. .421.
- Mike McCoy: 0 for 1. .421.
- Adam Lind: 1 for 3, double. .222.
- Vernon Wells: 1 for 3, steal. .244.
- Lyle Overbay: 0 for 3, 2 K. ..344.
- Randy Ruiz: 0 for 1, K. .358.
- Edwin Encarnacion: 0 for 3, 2 errors, giving him 4 in a shortened spring. .091.
- Travis Snider: 1 for 2, double, walk and a couple of nice plays in the field. .240.
- Jose Molina: 0 for 2. .172.
- John McDonald: 1 for 2, K. .323. Mac seems to have had a hit every game he has played in. I know there is little chance he's suddenly learned to hit but, I'd let him share time at short with Gonzalez to see which one gives us a little more offense. Cito does have some hitting coach magic with some hitters, maybe John is one of them.
The last couple of spring games are on TV. Friday's game is on RSN Ontario. Saturday's game is on TSN2. Both are from Houston's Minute Maid Park against the Astros.
Encarnacion looks like he is going to test our patience, I don't know what we are going to do there.