Minor League Spring Training – March 18

March 18, 2008

Jordan Renz is congratulated by Travs manager Bobby Magallanes after homering in today’s spring training game against the Oakland A’s Double-A squad.

Beginning with the rumor du jour …

I spoke with Hank Conger this morning about the rumors that appeared in yesterday’s Orange County Register and Rotoworld.com suggesting he faced surgery and a season lost if his labrum injury doesn’t improve in the next couple weeks.

Hank’s physical condition is his business — that’s not my opinion, it’s the law — so I won’t discuss in public what Hank said. But in summary, it boils down to Hank’s situation is not as dire as reported.

I’ll refer you to this article on MLB.com, which concludes:

"You have to be excited about his upside," Scioscia said. "His shoulder has him a little behind, but he should be fine. He’s very intelligent, and he’s come a long way behind the plate. He has terrific power from both sides."

That about sums it up. He’s a little behind, but he should be fine.

On to today’s exhibition games.

I wrote down the lineups for the Triple-A and Double-A games, but those turned out to be bupkis when Robb Quinlan walked up. The Angels sent over Robb and Reggie Willits to play in the Triple-A game, and Bobby Wilson to catch scheduled starting pitcher Joe Saunders.

Saunders was scheduled to pitch the first five innings, followed by Jason Bulger, but when Joe was done it was Rich Thompson who pitched the next two innings. We never saw Bulger.

So this was the starting lineup, I think:

SALT LAKE

1. Reggie Willits CF
2. Gary Patchett SS
3. Sean Rodriguez DH
4. Matt Brown 1B
5. Robb Quinlan 3B
6. Bobby Wilson C
7. Adam Pavkovich 2B
8. Raymi Dicent LF
9. Aaron Peel RF

The Double-A lineup was something like this:

ARKANSAS

1. Cody Fuller CF
2. Nate Sutton 2B
3. Pat Reilly DH
4. Jesse Hoorelbeke 1B
5. Jordan Renz RF
6. Cliff Remole 1B
7. Tim Duff C
8. Matt Pali RF
9. Larry Infante SS

Flint Wipke was listed as the starting catcher, but Duff took the field. Wipke played in the later innings.

Miguel Gonzalez was the starting pitcher, followed by Francisco M. Rodriguez (not the big-league Frankie, last year’s Rancho pitcher), David Austen, Baron Short, Von Stertzbach and Kevin Jepsen. Or at least that was the list before the game.

Click Here to watch video highlights of the day. You need Windows Media Player and a broadband Internet connection (cable modem, DSL) to watch.

Among the highlights, you’ll see Reggie Willits’ leadoff double, then he steals third, and later scores on a triple by Matt Brown. You’ll also see Joe Saunders strike out two batters.

I was shooting still photography when Jordan Renz homered for the Double-A lineup. It was an impressive shot to left-center field.

I head home in the morning with plenty of video and photography in storage. Eventually they’ll appear on-line at www.futureangels.com.

Written by Stephen C. Smith Posted in Dailies Tagged with Spring Training