Still lots of time on who’s in the pen. Many of the young candidates have only faced AAA hitters to now since they’ve pitched the later innings. Don’t forget that. They’re gonna have to do it against majors hitters before they’re on the club. Intersting that Patterson has seemed to appear earlier – seems they want to get a good look at him right away.

Thanks.

And thanks for the comparison to the jump shot. Or a free throw, for that matter. When watching basketball, I often marvel that all these guys do is practice shooting from the foul line, and there are just some players who are not good at it.

If being able to throw strikes consistently is the threshhold for making this team, then you can’t take a guy like Bruney. Farnsworth, well, there’s that contract, so he’ll have every opportunity to re-learn with Eiland. But every other spot should be on ability.

I do feel bad for Bruney because he came into camp ready to go. But sometimes it’s just not enough. There’s still time, though, and I’m looking forward to see who steps up, who’s able to show improvement or progress over time.

Some have done well and kept themselves in the running, but nobady’s blown themselves out of it yet – White wasn’t a real candidate, better as rotation insurance in AAA for now. They will need to thin the field shortly as next go around the starters and secondary starters / long relief guys will soak up even more innings.

The only guys I see likely to shipped this week are White, Jackson, Melancon (only becasue he needs IP to continue rehab). Haven’t even seen Horne, Marquez, or Wright, so they might go soon as well – just not enough innings to go around. Still a crowded field. First significant cuts won’t come until after next Saturday’s split squads. Henn and Bruney will likely stick around til the bitter end unless their performance turns ugly – better chance to sneak them through waivers when players are dropping all over at end of the spring.

Surprising we haven’t had any B games to get more work in – maybe next week. Could have used another split squad set earlier – so many arms in camp to see.

Doreen,

I think people forget at times that throwing strikes is an athletic skill. In some ways its not that much different than velocity.

It’s like a jump shot – some people are great at doing it and some people just can’t, no matter how much they practice.

That’s why I’m so leary of Farnsworth and Bruney. I think both have a track record that shows that they just don’t have that skill. At all. On occasions they do but they don’t have the skill to do it consistently, game to game.

That’s one of the things guys like Ohlendorf, Albaldejo, Hawkins and even Traber and Scott Patterson have going for them – they have shown either in the minors or majors that they can throw strikes consistently.

That’s what really distinguishes Ohlendorf from a guy like Veras. Veras has a better secondary pitch right now and both throw hard.

But Ohlendorf has excellent control – he’s walked less than 2.5/ 9 innings.

That’s a big reason why I hope he can make the team.

So, perhaps this year it could be the reverse – having trouble with location during spring, but finding the groove during the season. I know, there’s no correlation, but it’s just to say one never really knows what’s going to happen until it happens.

One of the things that I’ve been thinking about is this. Girardi is demanding that his pitchers throw strikes, and of course everyone is on board with that, and you’d be crazy not to be. But knowing you’re supposed to throw strikes and actually doing it – well, what happens if they just don’t? I mean, do they get a time out? Or what? Seriously, I know you want to establish a good count, strike one, from the get go. Is it all that easy to do that?