2010 Spring Training Rotation Thread

[Ralph]

As long as Hayden starts I'm good because I believe in Hayden Penn.

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

I told you guys, I'm done arguing about this.
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joecapMARLINS: Andrew Miller & Clay Hensley will start minor leagues game Monday in Jupiter for the #Marlins .. #Marlins have off-day Monday

via Twitter

[emkayseven]

Monday is the beginning of the week. Clean slate.

[Metes]

I told you guys, I'm done arguing about this.

Well, I think I'm still going to make logic-based statements in hopes of drumming up some discussion. Whether you choose to participate or not is up to you.

[McLevin]

Do you think Volstad should be entitled to a spot in the rotation after his performance last season?

Let's hear it

[Bucklin12]

This place sucks.

[emkayseven]

i agree

[Bobbob1313]

Well, I think I'm still going to make logic-based statements in hopes of drumming up some discussion. Whether you choose to participate or not is up to you.

I don't think you understand how things work around here.

[Metes]

I'd hope Marlinchat could be a lil different than the geopolitical battleground over there

[Beef]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh

[Metes]

I said Marlinchat, not Marlincat

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Maybe it wasn't exactly a sense of urgency, but Marlins right-hander Chris Volstad certainly understood the importance of his start on Saturday afternoon.

Shaky at times in Spring Training, Volstad knew he had to show more if he hopes to secure a rotation spot.

"I would never say I was really concerned," the 23-year-old right-hander said. "I don't really get caught up in ERA, or anything like that. It's a lot of how you perform this. If I could prove to them in this game right here that I'm myself, then things should take care of themselves."

Volstad did his part.

In the Marlins' 5-3 win over the Nationals at Space Coast Stadium, the 6-foot-8 right-hander stepped up with a solid five-inning performance.

Entering with a 9.82 ERA in three Grapefruit League starts, Volstad allowed one run on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

In hopes of moving forward, the Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., native reverted back to the pitch that has long been his bread and butter. Of Volstad's 71 pitches, he estimates 80 percent were sinkers. By keeping the ball down, he induced three double-play grounders and recorded nine ground-ball outs, compared to two flyouts.

"A lot of sinkers," catcher John Baker said. "That's what got him to the Major Leagues, and that's what's going to keep him in the Major Leagues -- throwing that pitch and having guys hit ground balls."

Rebounding from a rocky first inning, Volstad made a compelling case to win a rotation spot.

"He still has to go out and pitch, but the way he pitched today was very good," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "It was a big improvement. The life on his fastball was the best I've seen from him. It was a very good start."

As his outing progressed, so did Volstad's ability to throw strikes. After a rough first, he was pretty much on the mark in his final four innings. Over that span, he threw 46 pitches, with 28 strikes. For the game, Volstad built up to 71 pitches, with 43 strikes.

Before Saturday, Volstad has had an up-and-down Grapefruit League season. Now, in 12 1/3 innings, he has walked seven and struck out five. The outing lowered his ERA to 6.57.

Volstad had his work cut out for him in the first inning, as Washington induced 28 pitches and scored a run. Volstad did minimize the damage when he got Mike Morse to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play.

The Nats pushed across a run on Ryan Zimmerman's RBI double, scoring Roger Bernadina, who singled and stole second to open the inning.

Volstad issued two walks in the first, and the inning was looking like it was slipping away from him until the double play.

All afternoon, Volstad was able to get ground balls to stay out of trouble.

In the second inning, Volstad again was helped by a double-play ground ball. After Alberto Gonzalez singled to open the inning, Wil Nieves bounced into a 1-4-3 double play. The play created an easier inning, as he threw eight pitches, with six strikes.

Baker said Volstad looked like he did as a rookie in 2008, when he was 6-4 with a 2.88 ERA.

In recent weeks, Volstad has been working on a slider, a new pitch. But on Saturday, he said he threw about five sliders, opting instead to go with his sinker.

"I feel like I'm back to being me. That's my game," he said. "That's what I need to do. I want to go out and attack guys. In my last start, I had a lot of 2-0 counts and balls off the plate. I wanted to attack guys and let them hit it, pretty much."

Florida is looking to round out two rotation spots. Anibal Sanchez is expected to pitch the third game. But the fourth and fifth spots will come from among Volstad, Rick VandenHurk, Clay Hensley and Andrew Miller.

"He was very good," Gonzalez said. "I counted 11 ground balls. With a sinker-ball pitcher, that's what you want. His first-pitch strikes against hitters were outstanding."

Seeking rotation spot, Volstad delivers

[Metes]

He was listening to this thread, I am certain of it

[McLevin]

Unless he totally blows up in his next starts, I think Volstad is in

yay mba
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Johnson
Nolasco
Sanchez
Volstad
RVH

if I'm a betting man, that's what's happening

maybe Hensley makes a run at RVH's spot but that's about it

[Swifty]

Sim Game in the Rain
They started off throwing in a light drizzle. About 30 minutes later, when the conditions worsened under a steady rain, they were shut down.

Bottom line for Clay Hensley and Andrew Miller is they both got their work in on a day that didn't seem possible.

With the Marlins having their lone off day of Spring Training, Hensley and Miller were scheduled to pitch. Initially, they were called in on Monday to throw in a scrimmage on Field 2 of the Roger Dean Stadium complex.

Because of the rain, the scrimmage didn't take place, and instead, the two threw to batters in a simulated game that lasted about 30 minutes. Batters were hitting under a cage, and the two pitchers dealt with messy conditions. There weren't any fielders.

Hensley, a non-roster invitee, continues to improve his chances of winning a rotation spot. In three innings -- including a four-out inning due to a low pitch count -- he didn't allow a run. Of his 32 pitches, 18 were for strikes.

On a couple of occasions the right-hander slipped after throwing a pitch. A sinker-ball pitcher, Hensley induced nine groundballs out of the 11 batters he faced. He struck out two. His fastball topped out at 88 mph, and he was mainly throwing in the 85-86 mph range. Velocity isn't a major issue with him, as long as his sinker is breaking downward, which it has all camp.

"He commands all his pitches," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He's putting himself into position where he can fill a role easy."

The Marlins are looking for two remaining rotation spots. Miller and Hensley are candidates, along with Chris Volstad, Rick VandenHurk and Hayden Penn.

Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco have been named the Nos. 1 and 2 starters, and Anibal Sanchez is regarded as the No. 3 starter, although that hasn't been announced. Volstad is a frontrunner to be the No. 4 starter.

Gonzalez added that Hensley, if he is not in the rotation, could still win a bullpen spot.

The left-handed Miller threw 43 pitches with 23 strikes, and he had four strikeouts and two walks in the sim game.

Miller's velocity was 92-93 mph in wet conditions on Monday.

When they were done throwing on the field, Miller and Hensley threw some more pitches under a covered bullpen.

Either Henlsey or Miller could start on Saturday against the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium.

http://joefrisaro.mlblogs.com/