Ricky Bo- Not Even a Little Concerned By Wheelers Bad Spring Outing
HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 05: Zack Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies walks off the field after being pulled from the game against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in Game Six of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park on November 05, 2022 in Houston, Texas.
Spring training is a time for young players to impress and veterans to work on their game to get to an optimal level for the regular season. Zack Wheeler, a veteran, had a less-than-stellar performance on Sunday afternoon. In 1.1 innings, the righty gave up 7 hits and 7 er. That on paper looks ugly. I am not even a little concerned. Wheeler said he felt rushed, I’m sure partially due to new rules in place. He also said he will look for results as the Spring moves on.
I have been a part of many Springs, so many times a bad outing means nothing in the first two weeks. Many pitchers are working on different things, whether it is getting velocity to where it should be or an offspeed pitch that just doesn’t feel right at any given time. You may see some bad locations which lead to bad results, or fastballs are flat without finish. This is all part of getting your body in shape to last the entire season.
You never have seen a grapefruit league championship trophy, or a Cy Young award in March, so there really is no reason to judge or stress over a bad outing in the Spring. I have seen players have miserable training camps and go on to have great seasons. Back in the day, I remember an up-and-coming player had one of the best camps ever, hitting home runs at will. That player did not make the opening-day roster! As a matter of fact, was sent to the minors and NEVER saw a day in the major leagues in his career.
This being said, what you see in the Spring is TRAINING, is just that….training. These are professionals, they know what it takes to get to their highest level. So, the panic of one game in the month of March is ridiculous! Health for veterans is the most important thing, if players leave Clearwater, Florida at 100%, that’s what matters!
Bottom line…..enjoy these games…..Nothing counts until the BELL RINGS!
BTW….yesterday’s game….20 runs, 27 hits….two hours and 49 minutes!
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The 8 Phillies Players Participating in the World Baseball Classic
We are a little under a week from the start of the World Baseball Classic. Most of the best players from around the world will take the baseball field for their home country. Festivities kick off on Tuesday, March 7th, and will wrap up on Tuesday March 21st. This of course means any player participating will miss two weeks of Spring Training.
It will feature 20 teams, split up into 4 different groups. The United States are the defending Champions from 2017 and will be in Group C. Joining them are Mexico, Great Britian, Columbia, and Canada. Group A features Cuba, Italy, Netherlands, Chinese Tapei, and Panama. In Group B two time champions Japan, along with Korea, China, Chezch Republic, and Australia. And in Group D will be the 2013 Champions Dominican Republic, along with Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, and Isreal.
It is the 5th edition of the World Baseball Classic. These games were supposed to take place in 2021. But the World Pandemic pushed the qualifying games and the actual World Baseball Classic back to 2023.
Where Do the Games Take Place?
Games will take place across 4 different fields. Two in the United States, 1 in Japan, and 1 in Taiwan. Arizona’s Chase Field and Miami’s Loan Depot Park are the two American Fields hosting games. The Tokyo Dome, obviously from Tokyo, will host the games in Japan. And the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium will host the games played in Taiwan. The United States will play its group-stage games in Arizona. The top 2 teams from each group advance to the tournament. The Quarterfinals games take place in Tokyo or Miami. And then the Semi-Final games and the Finals all take place in Miami.
8 Phillies, and several former Phillies, are competing in the World Baseball Classic. Who are they, and what teams are they playing for? Here are all the Phillies’ connections in the World Baseball Classic.
[Source: Wikapedia.com]
Tyrone Johnson is the host of “The Best Show Ever” on 97.5 The Fanatic. He has been with the station for the past 8 years. Before working at the Fanatic, Tyrone produced political radio, did financial reports, and was assistant chief engineer of another radio station. As a content creator for 97.5 The Fanatic, Tyrone writes articles on the Sixers, Eagles, Phillies, and Flyers.