Mar 1, 2016; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (19) bats during the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
SURPRISE, Ariz.– Take a spin around the Cactus League with “Three Up, Three Down,” an inside look at what is coming up and what went down on Monday.
THREE UP
1. Ian Desmond is playing left field for the first time in his professional career after signing with the Texas Rangers. Desmond played predominantly shortstop with the Washington Nationals. Through three exhibition games in left field with the Rangers, Desmond has yet to catch a fly ball in 15 innings. There were ground-ball singles to the left side that he fielded cleanly and a homer far over the left field fence, but nothing catchable in the air.
“It’s going to work out until I don’t get a fly ball until Opening Day,” Desmond said. “I’ve had plays. There are always more things of playing the position than just catching fly balls. In those situations, I’ve felt like I’ve done well. I just keep on checking boxes.”
Desmond acknowledges he would like to see a fly ball hit his direction in March.
“I’m going to get a fly ball before this is over,” he said. “I’m going to find one. I don’t care if I’ve got to go to a Little League field; I’m going to find a fly ball in left field.”
2. Will it be a year of Weeks? Second baseman Jemile Weeks, who is in the Padres’ camp, went 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs, an RBI and a stolen base in San Diego’s 8-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Older brother Rickie, who is trying to land a job with the Arizona Diamondbacks, went 1-for-4 against the Seattle Mariners.
Rickie Weeks spent most of his career with the Brewers, but he hit .167 in 37 games last season with the Mariners. He had only three extra-base hits in 84 at-bats. Rickie Weeks, who has been limited to 262 games the past three years, signed a minor league contract with Arizona.
3. Cincinnati Reds sluggers Joey Votto and Jay Bruce are more known for hitting the ball out of the park, not playing little ball, which is what they did Monday.
While Votto homered against the Los Angeles Angels, he also put down a bunt single in the first inning that led to a run. Bruce contributed a bunt single in the third. Both have been working overtime on bunting this spring to beat the shifts utilized against them.
“It has been a focus,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “The way teams want to defend them is with shifts. It is nice to see their hard work rewarded.”
THREE DOWN
1. The Diamondbacks scratched left fielder Yasmany Tomas from the lineup against the Mariners due to a sore left knee. Manager Chip Hale also said Tomes would not play Tuesday, although the ailment is not believed to be serious.
Tomas, a 25-year-old Cuban, hit .273 with nine home runs and 48 RBIs last season as a rookie. He is signed to a six-year, $68 million contract through 2020. Outfield coach Dave McKay continues to work with Tomas to improve his fielding, which ranked way below average in defensive metrics last year.
2. Omar Infante, who had offseason right elbow surgery to shave a bone spur, made his spring training debut for the Kansas City Royals. Serving as the designated hitter in a split-squad, 3-2 victory over the Cubs, Infante went 0-for-4 with three groundouts and a fly ball to right field.
Infante has had throwing restrictions early in camp, but it is anticipated he will play second base later this week.
After batting .220 with a .234 on-base percentage and a .318 slugging percentage in 124 games last year, Infante is competing with Christian Colon for the starting second base job this month. Colon is 0-for-11 in spring training, though he did draw a walk Monday in the Royals’ 6-4 split-squad loss to the Athletics.
3. Hot pitching was not contagious for Mariners left-hander James Paxton. In the first five spring games, Seattle starters permitted one earned run in 10 innings, a 0.90 ERA. Paxton, however, was roughed up for four runs on seven hits, including a home run to catcher Welington Castillo, in three innings in a 10-8 loss to the Diamondbacks.
“The results obviously are not what I’m looking for,” Paxton said. “I felt like I threw the ball really well. Early on, I was not getting ahead of guys as much as I would like, but I did a better job with that the second and third inning. The homer was probably not a homer in a lot of places.”
