adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Sports

Still finding rhythm, Blue Jays’ Berrios pleased with Spring Training opener – Sportsnet.ca

Published

2 years ago

 on


SARASOTA, Fla. – Even in the first Grapefruit League game of this abbreviated spring, even against a Baltimore Orioles team that still appears to be exceptionally bad, Jose Berrios is looking for any little edge he can find.

So, knowing he’s likely to face the American League East rival several times during the season ahead, the ace Toronto Blue Jays right-hander was careful with what he offered up in his first of four pre-season starts.

AUDIO PLAYER

blair-barker

Play Ball: Blue Jays Baseball Starts Today!

March 18 2022

No matter that he was facing only one, maybe two of the Orioles regulars. Every look counts and the less information a frequent opponent has against him, the better.

“I already have six years at this level, they know my weapons – but team is in the same division, so I don’t want to show all my strengths,” Berrios said after logging two outs in each of the first two innings of a 9-5 victory Friday. “They know me, but I don’t want them to keep seeing me so early. I wanted to feel where we are with the spin, the changeup, fastball we have to throw it over the plate. But I know when the lights go on that things are going to change a little bit.”

Such a strategic outlook coloured the entirety of Berrios’ approach to the 2022 season.

Feeling secure after signing a $131-million, seven-year extension allowed him for the first time to focus his off-season on being “ready for October” rather than gearing up to be ready for the middle of March, he said.

Among his focuses, picking up on a thread from late last year, was concentrating on keeping his weight on his heel rather than his toes on his back foot as he’s driving to the plate. The subtle weight shift allows him to avoid tipping forward and stay better in line throughout his delivery.

An immediate result is that despite a somewhat messy 27-pitch first inning – in which manager Charlie Montoyo pulled him with the intent of having him re-enter the game in the second – plus roughly 10 more in the second, he said there was no fatigue in his arm or elsewhere.

“In past spring trainings, my back hurt, my glutes hurt, like tight,” said Berrios. “Today, I didn’t feel those little things.”

All of which left him pleased with his day’s work. He felt strong though out of rhythm, which is to be expected given that he reported for duty last Sunday and started in a game five days later.

The Orioles got him for two runs on a Tyler Nevin double in the first and Berrios retired the only two batters he faced in the second, a beneficiary of the re-entry rule instituted this spring instead of the ability to roll-out innings employed a year ago.

“It was weird,” Berrios said of coming back into the game. Under different circumstanes, “maybe I’d feel frustrated or something. Now, we know why we came here. We came to work. We’ve got a plan, that’s what we do. Keep following the plan and try to execute.”

NOTES

Kevin Gausman starts Saturday at the Philadelphia Phillies.

Berrios is on pace to start opening day April 8 in Toronto. Is that the plan? “I think I have a chance,” he said with a smile. 

During a meeting with Major League Baseball officials Thursday, manager Charlie Montoyo and his staff were informed about the plan to use the re-entry rule this spring. In this instance, he said, “it worked out great” but when asked if he’d prefer the ability to roll out an inning, he grinned and said, “well, if you want to go by this game … I know how I feel right now because it was a five-hour game. That’s the rule. It worked out for us today.”

Time of game was actually three hours 33 minutes, but his exaggeration is demonstrative of a plodding game in which pitchers from both sides struggled to get out of innings.

Bo Bichette was hit by a pitch in the first and walked twice after before exiting the game. He was replaced by top prospect Orelvis Martinez, who made a couple of loud outs, including one rocket to shortstop that had the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sound off the bat (there was no Statcast data available for the game).

Righty Adrian Hernandez, who struck out 44 batters in 28.2 innings while walking just eight and allowing 12 hits at high-A Vancouver last year, was among those to impress Montoyo. He struck out three in 2.1 scoreless innings. “That changeup is pretty nasty,” said Montoyo.

Cavan Biggio, who didn’t make the trip, will focus his defensive work this spring at second base, right field and first base, said Montoyo. There are no current plans to get either him or Santiago Espinal reps in centre field.

Adblock test (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Sports

Dolphins will bring in another quarterback, while Tagovailoa deals with concussion

Published

38 mins ago

 on

September 13, 2024

By

 

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins will bring in another quarterback while starter Tua Tagovailoa deals with his latest concussion, coach Mike McDaniel said Friday.

For now, Skylar Thompson will be considered the Dolphins’ starter while Tagovailoa is sidelined. Tagovailoa left Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to Buffalo in the third quarter with the third known concussion of his NFL career, all of them coming in the last 24 months.

“The team and the organization are very confident in Skylar,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said the team has not made any decision about whether to place Tagovailoa on injured reserve. Tagovailoa was expected at the team facility on Friday to start the process of being evaluated in earnest.

“We just have to operate in the unknown and be prepared for every situation,” McDaniel said, noting that the only opinions that will matter to the team will be the ones from Tagovailoa and the medical staff.

McDaniel added that he doesn’t see Tagovailoa playing in Miami’s next game at Seattle on Sept. 22.

“I have no idea and I’m not going to all of a sudden start making decisions that I don’t even see myself involved in the most important parts of,” McDaniel added. “All I’m telling Tua is everyone is counting on you to be a dad and be a dad this weekend. And then we’ll move from there. There won’t be any talk about where we’re going in that regard … none of that will happen without doctors’ expertise and the actual player.”

Tagovailoa was 17 for 25 passing for 145 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions — one of which was returned for a Buffalo score — when he got hurt. Thompson completed eight of 14 passes for 80 yards.

Thompson said he feels “fully equipped” to run the Dolphins’ offense.

“What’s going to lie ahead, who knows, but man, I’m confident, though,” Thompson said after Thursday’s game. “I feel like I’m ready for whatever’s to come. I’m going to prepare and work hard and do everything I can to lead this team and do my job.”

___

AP NFL:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Alouettes receiver Philpot announces he’ll be out for the rest of season

Published

10 hours ago

 on

September 13, 2024

By

 

Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.

The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.

“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.

Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.

The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.

Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

David Lipsky shoots 65 to take 1st-round lead at Silverado in FedEx Cup Fall opener

Published

10 hours ago

 on

September 13, 2024

By

 

NAPA, Calif. (AP) — David Lipsky shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday at Silverado Country Club to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Procore Championship.

Winless in 104 events since joining the PGA Tour in 2022, Lipsky went out with the early groups and had eight birdies with one bogey to kick off the FedEx Cup Fall series at the picturesque course in the heart of Napa Valley wine country.

After missing the cut in his three previous tournaments, Lipsky flew from Las Vegas to Arizona to reunite with his college coach at Northwestern to get his focus back. He also spent time playing with some of the Northwestern players, which helped him relax.

“Just being around those guys and seeing how carefree they are, not knowing what’s coming for them yet, it’s sort of nice to see that,” Lipsky said. “I was almost energized by their youthfulness.”

Patton Kizzire and Mark Hubbard were a stroke back. Kizzire started on the back nine and made a late run with three consecutive birdies to move into a tie for first. A bogey on No. 8 dropped him back.

“There was a lot of good stuff out there today,” Kizzire said. “I stayed patient and just went through my routines and played well, one shot at a time. I’ve really bee working hard on my mental game and I think that allowed me to rinse and repeat and reset and keep playing.”

Mark Hubbard was at 67. He had nine birdies but fell off the pace with a bogey and triple bogey on back-to-back holes.

Kevin Dougherty also was in the group at 67. He had two eagles and ended his afternoon by holing out from 41 yards on the 383-yard, par-4 18th.

Defending champion Sahith Theegala had to scramble for much of his round of 69.

Wyndham Clark, who won the U.S. Open in 2023 and the AT&T at Pebble Beach in February, had a 70.

Max Homa shot 71. The two-time tournament champion and a captain’s pick for the President’s Cup in two weeks had two birdies and overcame a bogey on the par-4 first.

Stewart Cink, the 2020 winner, also opened with a 71. He won The Ally Challenge last month for his first PGA Tour Champions title.

Three players from the Presidents Cup International team had mix results. Min Woo Lee shot 68, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., 69 and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., 73. International team captain Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., also had a 69.

Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., had a 68, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., shot 70 and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., had a 71.

Lipsky was a little shaky off the tee for much of the afternoon but made up for it with steady iron play that left him in great shape on the greens. He had one-putts on 11 holes and was in position for a bigger day but left five putts short.

Lipsky’s only real problem came on the par-4 ninth when his approach sailed into a bunker just shy of the green. He bounced back nicely with five birdies on his back nine. After missing a 19-foot putt for birdie on No. 17, Lipsky ended his day with a 12-foot par putt.

That was a big change from last year when Lipsky tied for 30th at Silverado when he drove the ball well but had uneven success on the greens.

“Sometimes you have to realize golf can be fun, and I think I sort of forgot that along the way as I’m grinding it out,” Lipsky said. “You’ve got to put things in perspective, take a step back. Sort of did that and it seems like it’s working out.”

Laird stayed close after beginning his day with a bogey on the par-4 10th. The Scot got out of the sand nicely but pushed his par putt past the hole.

Homa continued to have issues off the tee and missed birdie putts on his final four holes.

___

AP golf:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending