Credit to MLB.com's editors, which got me to click on a Noah Schultz story because I was confused about the headline saying he was "living up to the early hype." Schultz hasn't yet surfaced in regular-season action, so I didn't think such a thing was possible.
You can be the judge whether striking out all eight batters in a live BP session in extended spring training qualifies as such, but Scott Merkin's article is worthwhile for including a baseline assessment of where Schultz's stuff should be expected to sit whenever he's pitching in front of radar guns.
“He’s been mid-90s with the slider we are accustomed to,” Getz said. “He’s attacking the zone throwing strikes, so things are trending in the right direction. As we continue to stretch him out and get him to an affiliate, get him into greater competition than what he’s experiencing right now, it’ll be very telling. We look forward to how he competes and responds to Kannapolis competition.”
Jacksonville 5, Charlotte 2
- Elvis Andrus went 2-for-4 with a homer.
- Lenyn Sosa wore the collar and silver sombrero.
- Oscar Colás was 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Carlos Pérez went 1-for-4 with ahomer and a strikeout.
Birmingham 9, Tennessee 5
- José Rodríguez went 3-for-5, and was picked off/caught stealing.
- Yoelqui Céspedes was 1-for-4 with an HBP, strikeout and stolen base.
- Alsander Womack went 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Luis Mieses hit his second homer during a 1-for-4 day, striking out twice.
- Adam Hackenberg, 1-for-4.
- Tommy Sommer: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 1 HR, 1 WP
Winston-Salem 2, Brooklyn 1 (10 innings)
- Terrell Tatum struck out once and walked thrice.
- Loidel Chapelli was 0-for-4 with a K.
- DJ Gladney, 1-for-4.
- Wilfred Veras went 2-for-4 with a strikeout at the plate, and 1-for-2 on the basepaths.
- Wes Kath singled, walked and struck out twice.
Kannapolis 3, Augusta 1 (Game 1, 7 innings)
- Jordan Sprinkle singled, walked and struck out twice.
- Bryan Ramos went 1-for-4 with a homer and two strikeouts.
- Jacob Burke, 1-for-3 with a stolen base.
- Brooks Baldwin was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
- Peyton Pallette: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 34 of 57 pitches for strikes.
Highlights:
*Ramos' homer:
Augusta 4, Kannapolis 2 (Game 2, 7 innings)
- Jordan Sprinkle went 0-for-1 with a walk and a sac fly.
- Ethan Hammerberg's A-ball debut: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 18 of 25 pitches for strikes.
