Spring Training Game Thread: March 2026

[moonslav59]

No game today, but the WBC begins.

We play the Yanks, tomorrow and should see Crochet vs Gil.

[mvp 78]

 

[mvp 78]

ST Game? WBC Game? IDK.

 

[mvp 78]

Rafaela's first two AB's: 103.5 mph, 102.3 mph

Rafaela is batting 2nd. Xander is batting 3rd. 

Others of note:

Ozzie Albies

Didi Gregorius

Druw Jones 

[moonslav59]

Line-up...

1. KC CF

2. Story SS

3. Mayer 2B

4. Durbin 3B

5. IKF 1B

6. Hickey DH

7. Wong C

8. Ward RF

9. Castro LF

[drewski6]

18 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Rafaela's first two AB's: 103.5 mph, 102.3 mph

Rafaela is batting 2nd. Xander is batting 3rd. 

Others of note:

Ozzie Albies

Didi Gregorius

Druw Jones 

Is Andruw Jones the manager? Or dadager, I guess

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

First day for their WBC teams: Yoshida, Rafaela and Anthony go deep.

(Ohtani, Schwarber and Judge toe the shallows). 

Only 17 more homers before the Red Sox hit 20.

[mvp 78]

 

[mvp 78]

 

[mvp 78]

TalkSox fave Tayron Guerrero now in to pitch.

[JoeBrady]

Tolle is fun to watch.

[mvp 78]

8 minutes ago, JoeBrady said:

Tolle is fun to watch.

Lots of balls today. Not enough strikes. Not sure that would play as a starter. 

[mvp 78]

2nd inning was much much better for Tolle. More of that please!

[JoeBrady]

6 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Lots of balls today. Not enough strikes. Not sure that would play as a starter. 

He has to develop, but there was kind of a low-level Gooden vibe, imvho.  The FB comes in strong, with the extension.  It forces the batter to speed up his decision-making a fraction.  That makes the off-speed stuff very difficult to hit.

[mvp 78]

10 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

He has to develop, but there was kind of a low-level Gooden vibe, imvho.  The FB comes in strong, with the extension.  It forces the batter to speed up his decision-making a fraction.  That makes the off-speed stuff very difficult to hit.

No, Doc mixed a 4 seamer with a 12-6 curve. That's definitely not what Tolle has. 

[mvp 78]

 

[mvp 78]

Looks like Bleis will be getting some action today.

[Old Red]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Looks like Bleis will be getting some action today.

I would think KC would be playing everyday.

[mvp 78]

10 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I would think KC would be playing everyday.

Probably staying back at the Fort to continue to work on his swing. I think completely revamping his swing mechanics is going to take a lot out of him and add a lot of work early on. He's had some good EV's here and there, but his XBH's have all been 80ish mph and the overall results haven't been great. A lot of people are rooting for him, but it's going to take time. 

[JoeBrady]

3 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

No, Doc mixed a 4 seamer with a 12-6 curve. That's definitely not what Tolle has. 

The other off-speed pitches work well off of his FB.  No one is going to be like Gooden.  

[drewski6]

14 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

He has to develop, but there was kind of a low-level Gooden vibe, imvho.  The FB comes in strong, with the extension.  It forces the batter to speed up his decision-making a fraction.  That makes the off-speed stuff very difficult to hit.

well, you had me at (in my) "very" (honest opinion).  You had me at "very"

[drewski6]

4 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

No, Doc mixed a 4 seamer with a 12-6 curve. That's definitely not what Tolle has. 

I have trouble locating a 12-6 in the show.  I also cant tell if i even want to throw it for a strike catching the corner low and away or bury it in the dirt.  That pitch gives me trouble with its utilization.  I do love backdooring a more standard curveball (or slurve or sweeper) to lefties to start the count 0-1.

[drewski6]

4 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

No, Doc mixed a 4 seamer with a 12-6 curve. That's definitely not what Tolle has. 

How dare you. He said "very"

[mvp 78]

3 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Looks like Bleis will be getting some action today.

Or not? IDK

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Or not? IDK

HAHAHA, does he get a ring now if we win?

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

HAHAHA, does he get a ring now if we win?

No, all the ST players who appear in games get added to the BOS roster. 

[drewski6]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

No, all the ST players who appear in games get added to the BOS roster. 

If his lifelong dream was to make it to the majors, and his name was added then removed from a major league spring training roster without an appearance....And thats the closest hes ever come to the majors (to date).  Is his lifelong dream now fulfilled?

These questions NEED answers.

[mvp 78]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Or not? IDK

Well, he is playing.

[JoeBrady]

8 hours ago, drewski6 said:

well, you had me at (in my) "very" (honest opinion).  You had me at "very"

I like to use the letters as kind of a gradation.  IMO is strongest, often near-certain, but I like to show how humble I am.  I also use 'p' to indicate something that is more a personal opinion, rather than a researched opinion.

And I am happy you picked up on the 'v'.  

[JoeBrady]

8 hours ago, drewski6 said:

I have trouble locating a 12-6 in the show. 

When Gooden first showed up, the Mets were coming off a bad season.  One of my friend's girlfriend worked for a dentist that had season tickets.  I use to get all the afternoon games.  I saw him early throw a few 98 mph FBs to Hundley, who was a professional hitter.  Then he threw that lollipop curve.  Hundley wasn't even close to the pitch.  He was so badly beaten that I started to laugh.  He was unhittable.

Until the NYMs thought the right move was to let a 21 year old pitcher throw 16 CG and 276.2 IPs.