D-backs Spring Training Notes: February 28
Ahead of the Diamondbacks' Spring game against the Cleveland Guardians, manager Torey Lovullo met with the media to give the most recent updates on D-backs baseball.
Slow Start
The D-backs are 2-3, coming off back-to-back sloppy showings from both their pitching staff and offensive production.
While it is Spring Training, and final scores are not by any means the focus, Lovullo still has to deal with his share of frustration over sloppy play, and the expectation of excellence remains the norm.
"I’m human, I have the same emotions everyone else does. I evaluate it, get frustrated by the things that I expect us to do, then have to pull back, and then I jump in the pool of ‘we've got to get it done now,'" Lovullo said.
"So I'm back and forth on feeling like we've got to force it and push it, and then coaches around me are like ‘we've got plenty of time,’ and it works vice versa."
The D-backs poor record in Spring thus far might not be a legitimate cause for concern, but it hasn't yet reflected the standard that Arizona's magical World Series run has set. Lovullo noted the importance of staying true to the identity the team has already played with, and how they're not wasting any time in working out the early Spring kinks.
"I expect us to play good baseball, we’ve talked about it, they know what it looks like because they've done it. And when we don't do the things that I'm looking for, of course that's what we do, we don't waste a day trying to play the role of ‘let’s teach them, and dig in with them,’ and that's what we ended up doing today,” Lovullo said.
RHP Zac Gallen
After D-backs ace Zac Gallen had been originally slated to start on March 1st, Lovullo said they had decided to save him a trip to Goodyear and instead allow him to pitch a simulated game on the back fields.
Lovullo said that Gallen's first start will likely be on March 6th. Since there is no scheduled contest on the 6th, the right-hander will likely be given the start in either March 5th's game against the San Diego Padres, or March 7th's rematch with the Texas Rangers.
The ace's change in schedule is not a reason for concern, as the skipper emphasized that everything is going according to plan for the right-hander.
"I saw a bullpen today, he looks great, he’s going to throw a simulated game on Friday, time to-be-determined, and everything’s falling in line for him, he's in a good spot." Lovullo said.
Lovullo said that both Gallen and co-ace Merrill Kelly will pitch five spring outings--a relatively high number for established starters.
Veterans vs Young Players
Many of the young D-backs are coming into this Spring with a new opportunity. Rather than desperately fighting for a spot on the big league roster, they're coming in with an incumbent job--albeit theirs to lose.
With veterans, like left-handed starter Eduardo Rodríguez, a little more leeway might be given for rocky outings. Rodríguez was touched up for four earned runs, off two home runs in just over one full inning against the Rangers yesterday, but Lovullo said that the concern is "minimal."
"The veteran I give a little bit more wiggle room, I know that [Rodríguez] has stood on the mound before, and he's competed at a very high level, and he’s done it for a long time, said Lovullo, "I know he knows what he needs, and then he asks questions about some of the needs that he currently wants from us."
But, despite the difference between a veteran like E-Rod and a younger arm like RHP Brandon Pfaadt, Lovullo isn't taking shaky results as an automatic verdict. Lovullo noted that the minimal level of concern for a shaky start from Rodríguez also applies to a rough start from Pfaadt.
"I feel like he’s going to come out here today and he’s going to make pitches. someone's going to maybe clip and bang him around a bit, but it's about what he's going to do when he comes back in the dugout, the conversations he’s going to have anoint how he's going to push forward."
Ultimately, Spring Training serves as a chance to get a look at younger player while also letting the veterans and incumbent starters get back into a rhythm. While fans may be disappointed to not see their favorite stars on the field regularly, there will be a time to start ramping back up to regular season shape.
"The early days of Spring Training are mostly about getting guys onto the field, getting them comfortable, and we’ve got to have days off in between, because there’s a natural build up," said Lovullo, "But at some point, probably two weeks from now, we’re going to start to get [starters] back to back, and get that team pushing through the way we want to to prep for the year…"
The D-backs will be back in action again tomorrow at 1:10 PM, facing off against their NL West rival San Francisco Giants.
