Hello! I hope you enjoyed the WBC last night, and Mandy’s stellar write-up of it today. If you missed it, it’s worth seeking out video of Félix and Smyly’s pitching performances, which were both stellar. I think I got a legitimate high from watching.
Unfortunately, that excitement sort of makes today’s spring training tilt against the Royals feel a little...flat. The Mariners are not running out the world’s most exciting lineup:
I admit I’m excited to see imagine in my mind’s eye Taylor Motter again, who I’m becoming a fan of, and Mitch Haniger is back after a day off. I genuinely missed him yesterday—it turns out I’ve been suckered in by John Trupin and I am now a HaniFan. Tyler O’Neill had kind of a rough go in the WBC and it’ll be good to see if he can get back on track. But a lot of this lineup is...well, it’s going to be a tough draw for Chase DeJong to compete with March Madness. Other pitchers available/scheduled: Scrabble, Nick Hagadone, and Cody Martin; in the “who?” division, Blake Perry, Spencer Herrmann, and Joey Strain. LL staff favorite, outfielder Ian Miller is also available from minor-league camp. If you are a Snapchat person, I recommend following Miller (rellimnai8), who is making light of the loneliness/boredom that accompanies minor-league spring training camp with a little stick figure crew chronicling his adventures. It’s an interesting peek into the other side of camp life.
Minor leaguer you’ve never heard of for the day: Spencer Herrmann, LHP. Herrmann (whose middle name is Edward, like the actor who played daddy Gilmore and that’s not at all why I picked him out shut up) has been in the organization since 2014. After a rough go at short-season Everett, in 2016 Herrmann pitched well at A-Clinton and after a few months was bumped up to Bakersfield, where he struggled in a brief stint before being sent back down, only to be called back up again after just a week. Minor league life! Herrmann strikes out a ton of batters (about a 9 K/9), but he also walks a ton of them (about a 4.5 BB/9). If he can get that under control, the lefty reliever could be a valuable bullpen piece.
Game info!
TV: No, which is probably fair.
Radio: 710 ESPN, but they’re busy analyzing Eddie Lacy’s love of Chinese food, so you’ll have to stream through mariners.com or MLB.tv if you can’t wait for 7 PM.