Red Robins Bobbing 2024-3 (Spring musings)

[Fat Nige]

Spring Training was soon here and was over almost as soon as it arrived. The Robins gave a few of their upcoming players a look during the first two weeks but the final two weeks saw the squad trimmed to just 32 as the battle for a 27-man spot began in earnest. Not that there was really much to battle for, most slots were already filled and it was just the utility and back-up slots up for grabs, perhaps a contributing factor as Brooklyn finished Spring at 14-14.

New centrefielder Victor Talboom played most of the games as he got used to his new team finishing Spring with .303/.370/.485 batting averages plus a pair of homers while swiping three bags in five attempts. Brian Whitten who will spend 2024 in the DH role only hit one homer during spring but certainly was seeing the ball as he hit .423. First base slugger Rob Childers was straight back on his mark hitting five homers, a figure that was matched surprisingly by back-up third baseman Larry Petty who had a team leading 13 RBI as well. Regular third baseman Davis Locke knows now that he has to produce to keep his job. Rookie Sam Adams clinched first shot at the back-up catcher role while Doriano Petito, a Rule 5 draft pick from Huntsville, will at least break camp still with Brooklyn. Miguel Carrasco and Larry Petty will start 2024 as utility players but could well pretty soon become trade bait as Robins attempt to upgrade their bullpen.

Mario Mendez, who was 8-4 in 16 starts in his rookie season, led the team in Spring with two wins in four starts and 21-yr-old Rick Ward did enough to remain in the rotation which he broke into last year. Joey Budding failed to win a game in his five starts going 0-1 but with a reasonable ERA of 2.70 with opponents hitting just .183 off of him. In the bullpen Mark Totten who pitched 95 innings in relief and his 11 starts last year took the brunt of it in Spring too pitching 22 innings. Without a recognised closer it seems the job will be Jose Castro's to lose as Robins open 2024. With the 'pen looking the weakest link in Brooklyn two veteran arms in Silas Thompson (727 appearances for Calgary & Montreal) and Jose Aicon (362 appearances for Madison, Indy & Louisville) were recruited on one-year cheap deals as the team broke camp in an attempt to shore up the creaking 'pen. The only lefty in the bullpen, 25-yr-old Jose Garcia, may well be first into the rotation if young Rick Ward or anyone else doesn't live up to expectations

[scottsdale_joe]

Spring training is so predictive of . . . . . .
nothing.