Colon still throwing strikes in spring debut
Yankees look at Stanton as occasional left fielder
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister remembers the first time he saw Bartolo Colon pitch was in Class A ball in 1995.
“He was young and throwing a million it seemed like,” Banister said. “Hitters didn’t really enjoy getting into the batter’s box.”
Colon is no longer throwing a mid-90s fastball, but at age 44 he is still throwing and retiring hitters. He is in the Rangers camp on a minor league contract with a fastball that averaged 87.8 mph last season.
In his spring training debut Thursday, Colon threw 23 of 32 pitches for strikes in two innings against the San Diego Padres. He struck out Chase Headley looking, walked none and yielded a solo homer by Wil Myers and a double by Luis Urias. His fastball worked mostly in the mid-80s range.
“I think Bartolo has really a good small window percentage, putting pitches where he wants to put them,” Banister said. “He was most efficient at small-window targets.”
Colon went a combined 7-14 with a 6.48 ERA in 28 starts last season with Atlanta and Minnesota. One victory was a complete-game on Aug. 4 against the Rangers. At age 44 years and 72 days, Colon was the oldest pitcher to throw a complete-game victory since Nolan Ryan, who was 45 years, 155 days, on July 4, 1992.
While with the New York Mets on May 26, 2016, Colon became the oldest player to hit his first major league home run at 42 years, 349 days. Signing with an American League club, Colon will not get many chances to pick up the bat.
“The American League is where I want to be because I don’t have to hit or run,” the portly pitcher said, laughing.
Colon is listed at 5-foot-11 and 280 pounds, not the type of body one would associate to a long baseball career.
“There are a lot of Christmas and birthday presents you unwrap that maybe the packaging doesn’t look great, but inside there’s a tremendous gift that is waiting to be opened,” Banister said.
YANKEES: Giancarlo Stanton will be getting a chance to play left field as the team seeks options for when starter Brett Gardner gets the day off. Stanton worked out extensively in left Thursday. Acquired in December from Miami, he and Aaron Judge are right fielders.
MARINERS: Seattle is hopeful Felix Hernandez will miss only one spring training start due to a bruised right forearm sustained when hit by a line drive.
CUBS: Yu Darvish was scratched from his spring debut Thursday because of an illness. The right-hander remains on track to make his next start Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers — his former team.
Spring highlights
Charlie Morton pitched two shutout ■ innings in his first action since closing out Game 7 of the World Series for the Astros in a 10-5 win over Boston. Cleveland High grad Blake Swihart doubled and is hitting .400 (6-for-15) this spring for the Red Sox.
Tampa Bay reliever Jonny Venters ■ pitched his second scoreless inning of the spring in a 5-2 loss to Baltimore. The 32-year-old lefty has been out of the majors since 2012 while recovering from three Tommy John surgeries.
Bryan Harper struck out two in a ■ shutout inning for the Nationals, who beat Atlanta’s split squad 6-2. His younger brother, Nats star Bryce, had surgery to remove an ingrown toenail Wednesday and he is expected to return to the lineup Saturday.
DJ LeMahieu had two hits for Colorado ■ in a 2-2, 9-inning tie with the Cubs. Slimmed-up slugger Kyle Schwarber was 0 for 3 and struck out twice for Chicago.