Pineda Day Gamethread 8/2/10
For those of you that weren’t able to heed Dave’s advice and come out to Cheney Stadium tonight, here’s a gamethread.
First, many of you wondered if Rob Johnson was sent down to catch Pineda in Tacoma, but that’s not the plan, at least for tonight. Eliezer Alfonzo gets the start tonight.
Second, this will be an interesting opportunity to watch how Pineda faces hitters who’ve faced him before. This isn’t the first time he’s facing an opponent for the second time (he’s faced Fresno twice too), but it should be a decent test. He was sharp in his first game against Reno, but managed only 3 strike-outs in 6 2/3 IP. That’s quite a contrast from his 11 Ks in 5 IP in his next start in Sacramento.
Gametime is 7pm.
–Lineup–
1: Woodward
2: Mangini
3: Smoak
4: Nelson (DH)
5: Halman
6: Carp (LF)
7: Ackley
8: Alfonzo
9: Wilson
-7PM update–
Pineda leads off Doug Deeds with a FB at 92 MPH. Second pitch is an interesting 88 MPH cutter or something, then a 94 MPH FB. Have to find out more about that cutter/2 seamer. Gets a fly out on a high away FB.
Game scoreboard just flashed 101 on a Pineda FB. I’m not sure I buy that. 95 on the next pitch.
Chris Rahl lifts a 94 MPH FB to deep, deep left, but you can do that in Tacoma.
1-2-3 inning capped with a swinging K of Jeff Bailey on a 95 MPH fastball. 97 is the top speed assuming the 101 was a mistake, and he threw 2 sliders at 83/87, the one oddball cutter, and the rest FBs. Lots of them up in the zone, same as his debut. Something to watch.