Marlins Manage to Beat Orioles 6-4 in "B" Game Despite Wild, Wild West

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Meanwhile, the Marlins B team beat the Orioles 6-4 this morning up I-75 in Sarasota — sort of a makeup game to Friday’s rain out.

Lefty Sean West went 1 2/3 innings, allowing one run on one hit and three strikeouts but he issued seven (SEVEN) walks.

Catcher John Baker returned to action as the designated hitter, going 1 for 3 with 2 RBI.

Mike Stanton went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout and a run.

Capozzi's blog (I'll post the link later).

[FishFF]

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/marli...n-in-sarasota/

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Per Juan Rodriguez's Twitter.

JCRMarlinsbeat: Sean West in 'B' game at Sarasota: 1.2 innings, 7 walks. 60 pitches, 24 strikes. #Marlins

60 pitches in less than 2 innings? Yuck!
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Per Juan's blog...

Left-hander Sean West has plenty of ground to make up if he hopes to start the season in the Marlins’ rotation. His first inning in Saturday’s ‘B’ game against*the Orioles in Sarasota was so bad the*Marlins called it after just five batters,*four of which West walked.

In all, West faced 13 batters and walked seven of them. He also gave up a single and struck out three. In his only official Grapefruit League outing, West walked three of the eight hitters he faced in allowing a run on one hit through two innings.

The Marlins would admit that they rushed West, 23, to the big leagues last season. He was serviceable,*going 8-6 with a 4.79 ERA in 20 starts, but*his 1.6-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio was unspectacular. John Herold at the Marlin Maniac blog recently put together a nice breakdown of West’s 2009 season. For some reason, his fly ball percentage has jumped since he reached Double-A in 2009. With his height (6-8) and ability to throw downhill, West should be able to keep more batted balls on the ground, which as Herold points out will make sticking in the majors that much easier.

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

A clarification of West's start.

Among the benefits of a Spring Training "B" game is the ability to manipulate the rules. If the teams want to play seven innings instead of nine, they can do that. If they feel the need to end an inning before three outs are made, they can do that, too.

Begrudgingly, at least.

Such was the case Saturday morning in Sarasota, when Marlins lefty Sean West issued seven -- yes, seven -- walks in a performance that may have severely dampened his bid to win the fifth starter's job. Though West technically pitched three innings against the Orioles, he recorded only five outs in total.

The Marlins requested to put an end to the first inning after West walked in a run. Then they did the same in the third inning after he walked the bases loaded.

"He had issues not throwing the ball over the plate," manager Fredi Gonzalez said, noting that the team would work with West this week "to get him right."

To win the fifth starter's job, West needs an extremely clean and efficient spring. But he was neither clean nor efficient Saturday, throwing just 24 of his 60 pitches for strikes and letting out a yelp of frustration as he walked off the mound. West threw first-pitch balls to 10 of the 13 batters he faced.

Though he has thrown just two Grapefruit League innings, West has also splashed three walks onto that stat line. Hardly inspiring numbers for a guy aiming to make the team.

"I don't know if it's a mechanics thing," Gonzalez said. "Maybe he just hasn't pitched enough. You saw some good pitches coming out of his hand."

Miller, West struggling on mound

[Chewford]

I don't want to see West with a slot in the rotation on opening day. Plz to learn how to throw a strike before starting games for my team. ktx.

It's demoralizing for a team to go out and play but it's almost meaningless because they're starter threw 5 walk in the first inning or something. Ain't that right, Andrew Miller?

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Here's a little more of the specifics of West's outing.

West walked seven batters -- yes, SEVEN -- in only 1 2/3 innings. And they weren't exactly your typical 1 2/3, either. The first inning was "stopped" after West went walk, walk, walk, strikeout, walk to the first five batters.

He pitched a relatively clean second inning, but ran into more trouble in the third, which transpired as follows: walk, strikeout, walk, walk. Cut. No mas. Get off the mound. Inning over. West threw 60 pitches, only 24 of them for strikes.

West also encountered control problems, though not to this degree, in his previous spring outing when he issued three walks over a two-inning span. That means West has now walked 10 batters in only 3 2/3 innings.

Sean West Out of Control, Gets F Grade in B Game

[Party]

Bright side: Atleast Miller and West have above average stuff. We're just waiting for everything to come together (especially Miller). Atleast we're not faced with throwing out a hopeless option like Ismael Valdez and Darren Oliver and hoping he sticks. I'd be more concerned if we went into the season with a situation like that.
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Also, off the top of my head Miller and West have up 11 walks in 3 innings(?) of work today.

[Swifty]

If it ever clicks for Miller he's going to be scary good. Remember that game 2 years ago at home against Hamels and Philadelphia? He's electric in the zone, he's just not in there all that often.

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Also, off the top of my head Miller and West have up 11 walks in 3 innings(?) of work today.

Adding their walks from today? It would be 11 in 4.2 IP combined. West walked 7 in 1.2 IP and Miller walked 4 in 3 IP.

So far this spring training, here are their walks per innings pitched.

West: 10 walks in 3.2 IP
Miller: 7 walks in 5 IP

Combined: 17 walks in 8.2 IP

[Mike Stanton]

Andrew Miller was at his best from May 16th to June 23rd, with some really good games in some of those starts.

However, he has always walked a ton of pitchers because of always changing mechanics. He'll never be a fixture in the rotation until he can find the strike zone.

[Party]

Blog titles for B game from the major newspapers:

JCR: Florida Marlins: LHP Sean West doesn’t have his ‘A’ game in ‘B’ game
CS: Sean West Out of Control, Gets F Grade in B Game

Clever!

[Chewford]

I see what they did there.

[Namaste]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this but West got sent down