Autumn Dreamin

Small sample sizes only matter when they confirm your priors, naturally.

Cannon gave up a solo shot to lead off his 4th inning of work, so the game ends as a 3-3 tie. He finished with 4IP, 4H, 1ER, 0BB, 4K. Nastrini also went 4IP (0ER), and pitched out of a jam after a leadoff walk and single in his last inning.

Sheets with a late entry to the 3HR club to give the Sox the lead in the 9th.

Both A's radio and the gameday feed say Nakawake is pitching...which I'm almost certain is not happening. They just corrected it to Jonathan Cannon which makes infinitely more sense.

So there's maybe one spot up for grabs after the guys we can be certain (Brebbia, Hill, Kopech, Wilson) and reasonably confident (Banks, Garcia, Leasure) are making the cut? Maybe not even that depending on where Crochet slots in, unless they run with 4 SP for the first week.

Korey Lee with his 3rd HR of the spring, tied with DeJong for the team lead.

There's A's radio for this one. It's actually interesting hearing their broadcast say "the Sox really struggled with [thing]" last year and then have to admit that the A's were, in fact, worse.

Here's that Burke catch: Touki threw a 10 pitch 1-2-3 inning. It was late in the game so not really against the best talent, but the efficiency is progress I guess.

Jacob Burke just made a VERY Jacob Burke catch in LF against the Mariners.

Nishida with a split squad ST appearance today, playing 2B. He played 2B in college, but strictly OF in Kanny last year. Wonder if they'll keep him there or maybe have him in a utility role.

Both the Mariners and Giants are playing split squads too so it's a mixed bag, but I would say Mariners have more of their main guys vs. the Sox. Giants have Chapman, Soler, Conforto, etc. in their other game. I think Shewmake is still in the running for bench IF. His baserunning especially is a plus for him, stole his 6th today.

Hitting 100 on the stadium gun apparently.

Moncada took a Luis Castillo pitch to the top of his back foot. Didn't look fun, but he's staying in the game.

Sox and Orioles with split custody of Burdick.

IIRC in Eloy's last game, he fouled a ball at the plate that sounded like it bounced up and caught him in the junk. He finished the AB after walking it off for a while, but maybe he's got some swelling in a sensitive spot. I imagine they don't see a lot of harm done in him missing a handful of spring ABs with an extra day or two off. He's obviously got his timing at the plate and it's not like he needs field reps to DH. But they also might not want to come out and say his balls are bruised or whatever, lol. He's playing tomorrow.

It's been decent baseball at least. Last 4 games: Sox offense: 37 runs scored, 50 H, 23 XBH (10 HR), 33 K/12 BB Sox pitching: 8 runs allowed, 38 K/14 BB Sox defense: 3 GIDP turned, 3 CS (2 SB allowed), 2 PO, 3 E One imagines the last two might be more typical of how a regular season W might look, but if LRJ wants to throw in a few multi-HR games too I certainly won't complain.

MLB game called early due to rain, Sox with 3-2 for their 4th in a row. Would have liked to see the baby Sox beat the baby Cubs too, but alas. Doesn't sound like they plan to reschedule the prospect game either.

Most starters out of this one early, presumably due to the wet field. Phillips in CF, Shewmake at SS, Sheets at 1B, Mendick at 3B, Ortega in LF. Looks like the tarp is off at Sloan.

Last time they pulled LRJ and Benny to avoid them playing on a wet OF.

Boo.