Morning News and
Notes
Alex Cobb
Jersey , Saturday, March 2, 2019"Indians 8 -Dodgers 4Box Score |RecapThe
Indians are saying that Jason Kipnis’ hip injury is no big deal, but I’m feeling
a strong sense of deja vu.Other Indians NewsIndians not concerned with Kipnis’
hip injury - And so it begins...When should the Cleveland Indians consider
trading Francisco Lindor? Hey, Hoynsie | cleveland.com - People have
questions...Tyler Naquin on Cleveland Indians’ success: ‘We’re going to keep
being great’ | cleveland.com- He sat down with reporters last week in Goodyear,
Ariz. to talk about last season’s hip surgery, a gift from manager Terry
Francona and his belief that this year’s team can extend the Tribe’s A.L.
Central dynasty.With Hanley in camp, Bauers sees time in LF - Just over a week
ago, Carlos Santana was the front-runner to be the Indians' designated hitter,
which meant Jake Bauers would get the majority of the playing time at first
base. But the addition of Hanley Ramirez could change everything.Cleveland
Indians pushed hard to get Bryce Harper last year at trade deadline |
cleveland.com - The Nationals wanted some of the Tribe’s prospects. The Tribe
was willing to give them up, but in the end the Nationals hung on to
Harper
Wade Boggs
Jersey , the face of the franchise.Indians pitcher tells hilarious story
about the time Miguel... -Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Mike Clevinger told
a hilarious story about Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera calling his shot
when they faced off in 2016.Around the LeagueMLB.com names top 10 farm
systemsWriter tries out to drive bullpen cartSalvador Perez injured, may need
Tommy John surgeryThe Syracuse Butter Sculptures. I’m not making this upBryce
Harper may already be past his primeBecareful what you ask for... WEST PALM
BEACH, Fla. (AP) — It might seem as if Juan Soto has a big hole to fill in the
Washington Nationals‘ lineup, what with Bryce Harper gone.Soto is not the sort
to worry about that type of thing, though. Last season’s surprise runner-up as
NL Rookie of the Year at age 19, he’s carefree and self-believing as can be, by
all accounts.Which is good, because he could very well be the No. 3 hitter for
Washington, counted on to make the offense go. Everyone around Soto seems to
think he’ll be up for whatever challenges Year 2 brings.“He’s as ready as you
could possibly be at, shoot, 20 years
old
Wilson
Ramos Jersey ,” Nationals closer Sean Doolittle said Thursday, before Soto
homered for the second consecutive exhibition game. “He has a very mature
approach — the way he prepares. He loves doing all the work behind the scenes.
He’s always in the cage or in the weight room. Keeps his head down. He’s a quiet
guy, by nature, and he doesn’t seek out the spotlight.”Young as he is, Soto
sounds like an old soul, speaking about the “process” of spring training during
his first taste of big league camp — he started last season, believe it or not,
at low-A ball — and getting ready for the regular season “step by step, every
day.”Asked whether he can improve on what he showed last year, Soto crossed his
arms and replied: “My approach with that is: just the same.”The Nationals
certainly would take more of the same.Soto made his debut last May after all of
eight games at Double-A and he hit .292 with 22 homers, 25 doubles and 70 RBIs
in only 116 games. He walked a whopping 79
times
http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey ,
helping produce a .406 on-base percentage. His slugging percentage was .517. His
three multihomer games were the most by a teenager in big league history.“I
don’t see any difference from where he was last year to where he is this year.
If I had to say anything, maybe a little bit more confident, that he knows he
belongs here,” manager Dave Martinez said. “And that’s a good feeling.”No one is
too worried about Soto’s hitting. The two key areas that need shoring up:
defense and baserunning.Martinez knows it. So does Soto, who learned left field
on the fly in Washington a year ago, having played only seven games there in the
minors, where he usually was in right or center.Every morning in Florida, Soto
said, he puts in extra work with his glove.“It was almost borderline unfair that
we put him out in left field, but it was by necessity,” general manager Mike
Rizzo said. “What he has shown
us
Blake Snell
Jersey , in so many different ways, is the mental maturity and the
outstanding makeup of a superstar player. And he is not satisfied.”The quality
that stands out to everyone is Soto’s discipline at the plate, something he
began honing at the prompting of a hitting coach in the minors.“He doesn’t swing
unless it’s a strike. That’s pretty impressive. Pretty hard to do at the highest
level when you’re a teenager,” Nationals shortstop Trea Turner said.Turner
thinks that skill will help Soto “counteract” whatever adjustments opposing
pitchers make when facing him this season.“We saw last year that his approach at
the plate is really, really advanced. You don’t see him over-swing and get
outside of his mechanics and try to do too much,” Doolittle said. “You see him
use the whole field. You see him really dial it in with two strikes. It lends
itself to giving himself a good chance to follow up and pick up where he left
off. I’m excited to see what he does next.”