MARCH 8, 2021•THEBIGLEAD.COM
The Ball Just Sounds Different Coming Off the Bat of Bobby Witt Jr.Like everyone else familiar with baseball, the Kansas City Royals are expecting big things from Bobby Witt Jr., a can't-miss infielding pros...
Three Pitchers Poised for a Breakout Season in 2021Who will be this season's Dinelson Lamet or Devin Williams?
MARCH 8, 2021•SI.COM
Impressing in spring playHill has pitched two innings thus far this spring, allowing no runs on two hits and one walk while striking out six.
ImpactHill has improved his K/9 during each of his three big-league campaigns, starting at 8.3 in 2018 and building to 10.0 last season. The southpaw doesn't throw hard -- his fastball velocity averages just over 90 mph -- but he gets enough strikeouts and induces enough groundballs to be viewed as a valuable bullpen piece for the upstart Padres.
MARCH 8, 2021•ROTOWIRE
Enjoying standout springGrisham has gone 3-for-9 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI, a stolen base and four walks thus far in Cactus League play.
ImpactGrisham smacked his first homer of the spring against the Royals on Sunday, and each of his three hits thus far have gone for extra bases. He also leads the club with five runs scored in exhibition action. Grisham is penciled as the Padres' everyday center fielder following last season's strong debut campaign with the club.
MARCH 8, 2021•ROTOWIRE
Sharp in first spring startDarvish tossed two scoreless innings against Kansas City in a Cactus League contest Sunday, allowing one hit and no walks while striking out four.
ImpactDarvish made quite a first impression in his first outing as a Padre, working around a single to strike out the side in the first inning. He then retired the first two batters he faced in the second before finishing his appearance with another strikeout. San Diego has yet to name its Opening Day starter, but Darvish figures to be the early favorite for the honor given his dominant campaign in 2020.
MARCH 8, 2021•ROTOWIRE
Hurls promising sim gameLamet (elbow) threw 20-25 pitches, including some sliders, and hit 98 mph in a simulated game Sunday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
ImpactThis was Lamet's first time throwing sliders since he suffered an elbow injury in September last season. Provided he emerges from Sunday's session without setbacks, the right-hander could soon toe the mound in a Cactus League contest. It remains unclear whether Lamet will be ready to pitch by Opening Day, and the Padres have a deep enough rotation to allow the 28-year-old as much time as necessary to comfortably ease back into action.
MARCH 8, 2021•ROTOWIRE
Making of Manny is no story without YonderThe instructions were simple enough, and the skinny 16-year-old kid from Hialeah, Fla., committed them to memory. Thirteen years later, Mann...
MARCH 8, 2021•MLB.COM
