Recap: Marlins-Cards tie; Frisaro’s observations
Man On Second Baseball was at the Marlins-Cardinals Spring Training game. Neither team scored a run, but there are plenty of topics to cover
By Joe Frisaro @ManOn2nd
JUPITER, Fla. — Seven innings of scoreless baseball was hardly a “nothing to see here” afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
The Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals finished 0-0 in a seven-inning Grapefruit League game on a sweltering afternoon.
MO2 (Man on Second) was on hand, and Joe Frisaro shares what he saw and heard at the ballpark.
What Joe saw:
Marlins RF JJ Bleday:
Getting the start in right field, Bleday made a terrific throw from the edge of the warning track to first to double off Max Moroff. It was a hit-and-run play, and Moroff was beyond second and scrambling to get back. But Bleday’s throw carried to first baseman Garrett Cooper to complete the double play.
What Joe heard:
Bleday was a pitcher in high school, and at a Perfect Game event about six years ago, his fastball was clocked at 89 mph. From the outfield, he threw harder then, clocked at 92 mph.
Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 20 prospect in the sport, Bleday has a chance to advance quickly in 2020. Don’t be surprised if he makes his big league debut later in the season.
What Joe saw:
Marlins RHP Pablo Lopez: Projected as the No. 2 starter, Lopez did what he does best — attacks hitters. The right-hander throws strikes, and is not concerned about initiating contact. Of his 28 pitches in two innings, he had 22 strikes. Lopez gave up a pair of two-out singles to Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, but got out of the inning without further damage. His fastball velocity in the frame was 93-95 mph, which is just right. Last year, his four-season fastball average, per Statcast, was 93.9 mph.
Lopez is mostly a fastball/changeup pitcher. Something to pay attention to this spring is whether he mixes in more curveballs. He threw them just seven percent of the time last year. His changeup today was 85-86 mph, which is right on track.
What Joe heard:
Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara: The Marlins’ projected Opening Day starter, Sandy Alcantara didn’t pitch today, but he clearly impressed in his spring debut on Monday. Alcantara gave up no runs on two hits with one walk, and no strikeouts.
Don’t pay much attention to Grapefruit League stats, they don’t say much. What’s catching the attention of evaluators is how much Alcantara has developed the past few seasons. The 25-year-old right-hander is emerging as a legitimate top of the rotation starter. Yes, he’s the Marlins’ ace. But right now, he’s at the level of a legitimate No. 2 starter on a championship-caliber club, and he’s trending on being a legitimate ace.
Why? His fastball command has vastly improved, and he’s able to pitch to both sides of the plate better than a few years ago.
What Joe saw:
Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright: At 39, Wainwright relies on the art of pitching, not overpowering. Wainwright on Tuesday tossed two scoreless innings against the Marlins, didn’t allow a hit. He struck out one. He threw 20 pitches, 14 strikes.
Wainwright’s fastball was 89-90 mph on Tuesday. A year ago, his velocity was 89.2 mph.
Wainwright keeps finding a way to get outs, and it’s fun to see.
What Joe heard:
Cardinals LHP Matthew Liberatore: Ranked 37th on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list, Liberatore is a promising 21-year-old lefty. He worked the fifth inning today, and showed a little rust. Liberatore started the inning by striking out Brian Navarreto with a fastball, and he retired Monte Harrison on a grounder to second on a pitch that appeared to be a cut fastball.
Jose Devers and Victor Victor Mesa each drew two-out walks, as Liberatore had to battle throwing strikes. He got out of a potential jam by getting Magneuris Sierra on a fly ball to left. Liberatore threw 19 pitches, with 10 strikes.
Big picture, the outing was fine for the lefty to get back to game action. Keep in mind, his last Minor League game came in 2019 at High A ball when he was in the Rays’ system.
Liberatore was traded to St. Louis in the trade for outfielder Randy Arozarena, who was a playoff hero for Tampa Bay.
What Joe heard:
Marlins outfield prospect Peyton Burdick, the organization’s third round pick in 2019, is getting some playing time in his first big league spring training. A potential power threat, Burdick’s name frequently comes up in potential trade discussions. The Marlins is telling teams he’s not available.