Speedy Biagini starts Blue Jays off on the right foot
DUNEDIN — Blue Jays swing man Joe Biagini swung into spring training on a high note on Friday afternoon at Dunedin Stadium.
The Jays have been working with the big right- hander to pick up the pace between pitches and to get rid of a hitch he used to do between each pitch, when he would stand on the mound and sort of subtly bounce up and down. Manager John Gibbons thinks speeding up his delivery will help Biagini gain more consistency.
On Friday that seemed to work as the Jays’ so- called sixth starter opened up Grapefruit League play by pitching two solid innings, giving up one hit with no runs, no walks and two strikeouts, in a 2- 1 Toronto victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I thought he threw the ball very well,” said Gibbons. “He was just real deliberate last year, slow working. You never noticed it much as a reliever. I thought he looked much better and he threw the ball very good.”
After Biagini, Gibbons brought in three straight lefties — Tim Mayza, Matt Dermody and newcomer Craig Breslow. Mayza and Dermody didn’t give up a hit in an inning’s work apiece. Both are vying for jobs in the big team’s bullpen this season.
“They all did a nice job,” said Gibbons. “Mayza’s got a dynamite arm, it’s just honing everything in. Dermody’s got a little bit different style, but he’s been working on getting some pitches to get the righthanders out. I thought he’s looked very, very good this spring, even on the side and things like that. They showed us a lot last year and I think they’re going to be valuable to us.”
Biagini said he worked on speeding up and simplifying his delivery in the off- season and was happy with the result.
“Just trying to kind of make things a little bit more streamlined in my motion, especially in my windup,” said Biagini. “I had a couple of checks in mid wind- up last year that helped me get into the right posture. But this year I worked on a way that I could do that kind of within the natural setup so I don’t need those movements anymore, and I think that kind of helps. And another thing is just coming set and ready with the ball in my glove, kind of pitch with a little more urgency, keeping things simple so all you do is think about the next pitch,” he added.
GRANDY WAS JUST DANDY
Outfielder Curtis Granderson led off the first inning for the Jays with a home run to right centre on a 1- 1 hanging curve by Nick Pivetta. It was his first at- bat as a Blue Jay.
“I’m sure he won some fans over in his first at bat, he’s probably already a legend in Canada,” said Gibbons.
Another newcomer, Aledmys Diaz made a sparking play at short in the second inning, starting a double play by fielding the high chopper hit by Will Middlebrooks and tossing it while the ball was still in the glove to Yangervis Solarte at second.
“I thought it was just a good day,” said Gibbons.
PITCHER PITCHING IN
Former Blue Jays pitcher Scott Richmond, a native of North Vancouver, will work the FAN 590 Grapefruit League broadcasts for five games in spring training as a colour analyst beside play- by- play man Mike Wilner.
The Jays need to find a full time radio guy with long- time broadcaster Jerry Howarth retiring just before the start of spring training. Rogers has yet to announce a replacement for studio analyst Gregg Zaun whose employment was terminated in November allegations of improper conduct in the workplace.
LEADING OFF THE DEBATE
Last year at spring training, one of the big story lines was who would be the lead off hitter. The Jays tried centre fielder Kevin Pillar for a time, and that didn’t work out that well.
They tried other hitters, including Jose Bautista and Ezequiel Carrera. In the first day of spring training on Friday, Gibbons led off his line up with veteran outfielder Granderson, who has speed but is also 36- years old.
“( Devon) Travis will be a good one,” said Gibbons when asked who might lead off this season. “Other than that I couldn’t tell ya. We’ll see.”