Hodgepodge of Notes

I’m in a state where I don’t have lineups to review before the weekend but Spring Training is over, all the roster speculation is over. I’m going to go over some pieces of information that could be useful from Spring Training and yesterday’s games.

• First, here are the strikeout minus walk leaders from Spring Training. Besides news of velocity and arsenal changes, I find this information the most useful. It shows that the pitcher is being productive while throwing quite a few innings.

Spring Training leaders in total K-BB. pic.twitter.com/UClP07rsno

— Jeff Zimmerman (@jeffwzimmerman) April 7, 2022

• The next tweet is the mid-week FAAB bids from three mixed industry leagues. It’s just a reference point going into this weekend’s FAAB run.

Here are some FAAB from some industry leagues that ran last night. pic.twitter.com/Q5ipifDZb1

— Jeff Zimmerman (@jeffwzimmerman) April 7, 2022

• Farhan Zaidi gave his insights on how projections can be off.

“What those projection systems have a tougher time at is processing and identifying what are true breakthroughs for players who are coming off strong seasons versus just performance flukes,” Zaidi said. “And that’s where you get this notion of a regression to the mean. If a player just gets happens to get lucky with a bunch of hits falling in or a pitcher gets a lot of at-’em balls over the course of the season, you’d expect some regression in their performance if they’re coming off a strong season. But for players that made a swing change, that made a meaningful adjustment, that picked up velocity, that’s one that projection systems struggle a little bit more (with).

American League

Angels

• Noah Syndergaard will not have an innings limit.

Maddon said the Angels will not employ an innings limit of any kind on starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who only pitched two innings each of the last two seasons. Maddon said the way Ohtani was used successfully in 2021 is a good blueprint for how Syndergaard can be handled successfully.

Orioles

• Jorge López will be used in high leverage and Save situations.

López is likely the top candidate to get the most save opportunities, but Hyde said he will use him in high-leverage situations from the sixth to the ninth. Tate, who was dealing with an illness, should be ready to go Friday, Hyde said. Several of these pitchers have never been on an Opening Day roster.

Rangers

• Mitch Garver will see some time at first base and as the DH.

While admitting it would “absolutely kill me” to keep Mitch Garver out of the lineup on certain days, Woodward said the tentative plan is for Garver to catch about 90 to 100 games and also spend some time at DH and possibly first base.

Garver’s injury history factors into that. He sustained groin and back injuries with Minnesota in 2021, a season that in his words was “wrecked by injuries.”

“If there is any kind of injury history, you want to protect that,” Woodward said. “He’s definitely one that I look at as being a priority to keep on the field. We just have to be disciplined with him.”

National League

Cardinals

• Tommy Edman hit a ball at 112.6 mph.

His career-best was 112.9 mph last season.

Phillies

• Alec Bohm’s swing/approach is still not ready.

What about Alec Bohm’s improvement in that area? Last year, he was susceptible to the fastball.

He’s getting there. The one who needed the most at-bats was Bohm. And deeper into spring, he’s been a lot better. He needed a full spring training. He didn’t get it. But I feel like he’s in a pretty good spot right now. There’s still minor adjustments and tweaks we’re still getting to; he’s got his contact point where it needs to be. He’s still hitting too many ground balls. He knows that. So we may change his focus a little bit more to being in the air. And I’m not talking straight up in the air. Just line drives and balls that get into the outfield. But you’re 6-5 and you weigh 230. You can work a little bit more in the air than most people.

Pirates

• Diego Castillo will not be a full-time starter.

A day removed from hitting two home runs against the Twins, Diego Castillo hit another Thursday, his fourth home run of the spring. Shelton noted that Castillo would not have to be a full-time starter in order for him to make the roster, noting that he could come off the bench and provide versatility.

Reds

• Tyler Mahle added a slider as seen by it breaking differently than his cutter

Comparing its shape to similar sliders, it should be a decent addition to his repertoire.

Additionally, he is now using two separate release points.

Mahle is universally rostered, but if he takes a step forward, the slider might be why.