8 Scorching Spring Training Performances You Shouldn't Believe
When it comes to spring training, we talkin' 'bout practice. And while that's necessary and helpful (right, Mr. Iverson?), especially as players are getting back into the swing of things (pun intended) in March, it doesn't always mean a whole lot going forward.
Put another way: A scorching spring training performance doesn't mean a player is in line for a similar summer.
At this time a year ago, many took note of the sublime statistics put up by, say, Mike Moustakas of the Kansas City Royals (.429 BA, 4 HR, 18 RBI) and Erasmo Ramirez of the Seattle Mariners (1.14 ERA, 0.85 WHIP in 23.2 IP) and considered the possibility that something good was in store for the regular season.
Except both Moustakas and Ramirez proved to be the latest examples of spring studs who turned into summer duds.
With plenty of players off to hot starts already this exhibition season, let's pick up a pail of cold water and get ready to pour it on some of 'em.
To narrow down the field, relevance on Opening Day 2015 should matter. This list considered only those with a reasonable shot to break camp with their club. That primarily eliminates prospects who are still a half-season or full season (or more) away from making it to the majors.
In the case of these eight players, it might not be such a coincidence that the season starts right around April Fool's Day, which is about when the jig will be up.
Other Fool's Gold Starters
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Alexi Amarista, SS, San Diego Padres
John Mayberry, 1B/OF, New York Mets
Randal Grichuk, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Wandy Rodriguez, LHP, Atlanta Braves
Roberto Perez, C, Cleveland Indians
Billy Burns, OF, Oakland Athletics
Rob Wooten, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
Odubel Herrera, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
Tyler Moore, 1B/OF, Washington Nationals
Daniel Fields, OF, Detroit Tigers
Joely Rodriguez, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Jason Marquis, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
2 of 9
In surrendering just one run on three hits against seven strikeouts over nine frames, Jason Marquis already has registered a pair of wins this spring. The non-roster invitee certainly has started things off on the right foot with the Cincinnati Reds, who could use him at the back of their rotation after trading Mat Latos and Alfredo Simon this offseason.
"I'm in a competition," Marquis said, per John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer. "So no runs, no hits are the goal every time you step on the mound."
But let's be real here: Marquis is a 36-year-old who has a career 4.56 ERA and didn't pitch in the majors at all last year after Tommy John surgery in July 2013.
Could he be the 2015 version of Aaron Harang or Chris Young as a not-quite-washed-up arm? Sure, but would you bet on that?
Brennan Boesch, OF, Cincinnati Reds
3 of 9
Our second Cincinnati Reds player in a row, Brennan Boesch is hitting like it's 2011 all over again.
That year, the lefty got off to a great start, slashing .306/.360/.490 in the first half. He followed that up with a .219/.288/.368 line and has been trying to stick in the majors ever since.
Although it's nice to see Boesch, who will be 30 in April, doing his best to resurface with the Reds, thanks to a 9-for-21 (.429) start with a pair of home runs so far, the fact is that the best he could hope for at this stage is a platoon role with Cincy's new left fielder, Marlon Byrd, for whom the Reds traded this winter.
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Kevin Slowey, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
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It's no secret that the Philadelphia Phillies need pitchers, even more so now that Cliff Lee's status for 2015 is entirely up in the air.
Merely being in camp as a healthy arm with an actual big league track record is more than enough to make Kevin Slowey a candidate for a rotation that will be fronted by Cole Hamels (unless he's traded anytime soon) and filled in by a bunch of has-beens (Jerome Williams?), never-wases (David Buchanan??) and injury-recoverers (Chad Billingsley???).
Slowey, 30, has allowed but five baserunners to go with as many strikeouts over six innings while also notching the win in two of his three outings.
That said, the former Minnesota Twin and Miami Marlin now is a season removed from any real action as a starter (14 starts in 2013). Besides, the finesse-style Slowey always has been hittable (10.4 H/9) and homer-prone (1.3 HR/9) in his career.
Jose Pirela, 2B, New York Yankees
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For the New York Yankees, Jose Pirela has a chance to be this year's Yangervis Solarte. You remember Solarte, right? He was the versatile infielder who came from out of nowhere to make the club and then got off to a hot start in April—only to run out of steam before being traded to the San Diego Padres for Chase Headley in July.
For what it's worth, Pirela, who has gone 8-for-18 (.444), is a little more highly regarded within the Yankees organization than Solarte was this time last year. Heck, none other than Reggie Jackson recently called him the best hitter in the system, according to John Harper of the New York Daily News, which likely furthered Yankees fans' excitement.
But general manager Brian Cashman immediately shot that statement down—first base prospect Greg Bird is the organization's top bat, he said, and Jackson clearly was overlooking others, like Aaron Judge—and manager Joe Girardi already has decided that veteran Stephen Drew will be the starting second baseman, per Erik Boland of Newsday.
"We signed [Drew] to be our second baseman," Girardi said.
Pirela, 25, could come north with New York if he stays hot, but he would serve as a backup/utility man type, which is how he profiles best anyway.
Mike Olt, 3B, Chicago Cubs
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Once a top power-hitting prospect with the Texas Rangers, Mike Olt has driven in five and bashed two home runs among his five hits so far. He's also scored six runs, thanks in part to five walks in his first 23 plate appearances.
That's a pretty promising start for the 26-year-old righty slugger, who hit 12 homers in just 225 at-bats as a rookie with the Chicago Cubs in 2014. Of course, Olt also has a ton of swing-and-miss in his game, as he whiffed a whopping 100 times last season and has seven more this spring too.
The power is legit, but the contact concerns are scary, which is why Olt is only keeping the seat at the hot corner warm for Kris Bryant, arguably baseball's top prospect, who already has smashed a spring training-high six long balls.
By May, Olt will be a backup at the infield corners. That is, if he's on the Cubs at all.
Travis Ishikawa, 1B/OF, San Francisco Giants
7 of 9
Travis Ishikawa is a postseason hero for the San Francisco Giants after his memorable walk-off home run sent the Giants to the World Series last October. That certainly can't hurt his chances to make the squad again this year.
Neither could the fact that starting right fielder Hunter Pence will be out until May with a fractured forearm suffered in his first spring training contest. Or that the 31-year-old Ishikawa is 7-for-18 (.389) with five runs, a triple, a homer and four RBI.
In the end, however, Ishikawa has proved—over 444 career games—that he's more or less a 25th man on a roster, one who probably will spend 2015 shuttling back and forth between San Francisco and Triple-A.
Will Middlebrooks, 3B, San Diego Padres
8 of 9
Coming off two disappointing, injury-riddled campaigns with the Boston Red Sox, Will Middlebrooks could be an intriguing bounce-back, change-of-scenery performer now that he's with the San Diego Padres.
So far, so good, as the 26-year-old righty slugger has managed seven hits in his first 18 at-bats (.389) while also scoring five runs and knocking two out of the park.
Alas, with six strikeouts and only one walk, Middlebrooks still is showing the same too-aggressive approach that has hindered him throughout his big league career. In 232 games, he has struck out 26.6 percent of the time and walked just 5.4 percent.
That lends itself to a player who will run extremely hot and cold—and more often cold than hot.
Anthony Gose, OF, Detroit Tigers
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Anthony Gose has been hotter than just about any other player in baseball so far. Acquired by the Detroit Tigers from the Toronto Blue Jays for second base prospect Devon Travis in November, Gose is a scorching 13-for-25 (.520) with nine runs, three doubles, three triples and four stolen bases in nine spring games. Wow.
There's still some hope around the 24-year-old, an athletic player who once was a highly regarded prospect for his big tools (speed, arm, defense), and Gose has made some changes this spring.
As George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press writes: "Gose didn't want to give away too many details about what those changes entail. He said there are multiple differences, including his stance, where his hands are and how he attacks the ball."
"Staying consistent, staying inside the ball, really," Gose said. "There's more to it, but going to back to the basics."
That's a good approach for Gose, who needs to prove he can keep it up, because his biggest obstacle to success in the majors so far—he owns a .234/.301/.332 career slash line in over 600 plate appearances across three seasons—has been his plate discipline. The lefty has struck out in 27.6 percent of his trips to the dish, which is an especially poor rate for someone who should be making contact and using his speed.
Still, Gose has a chance to grab some playing time from Rajai Davis in center because of his glove work, range and arm. But just because Gose's spring stats are sexy right now doesn't mean he should be counted on as more than a spark-plug platoon type once the real games begin.
Statistics are accurate through Saturday, March 14 and courtesy of MLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.
To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11
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