Spring training notes by John Perrotto
Atlanta Braves
The major construction is complete at Sun-Trust Park, and the Braves say everything is on schedule for an exhibition game against the New York Yankees on March 31 that will unveil the new facility in suburban Cumberland, Ga.
The regular-season home opener is April 14 against the San Diego Padres.
While the Braves have received the expected bump in season ticket sales that comes with a new facility, they also know they must improve upon last season’s lastplace finish in the NL East to keep fans interested.
“We have to make sure the baseball environment at this new ballpark has everything to offer,” president of business Derek
Schiller said. “Then we also have to deliver a very good baseball team.” Second- base prospect Ozzie Albies saw his first game action last week since breaking his right elbow in the Class AA Southern League playoffs in September.
Miami Marlins
The Marlins haven’t finished over .500 since moving into Marlins Park at the beginning of the 2012 season. Thus, center fielder Christian
Yelich appreciated the moment March 10 when he scored the winning run in Team USA’s 3-2 victory against Colombia in 10 innings in the first round of the World Baseball Classic at Marlins Park. He came home from second base on a single by the Baltimore Orioles’ Adam Jones.
“That atmosphere was unbelievable,” Yelich said. “I’ve never played in a postseason game, and I imagine it’s something like that. You had the adrenaline going. Everybody was into it. The crowd was unbelievable, both USA and Colombia.
“That’s a game you remember for a long time.”
Yelich was joined in Team USA’s outfield by Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton.
New York Mets
The Mets opted not to show the velocity of Matt Harvey’s pitches on the scoreboard at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie, Fla., during the right-hander’s second start of spring training.
Harvey pitched three innings against the Houston Astros on March 10, giving up one run and two hits. He was limited to 17 starts last season before having thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.
The Mets want Harvey to concentrate more on throwing strikes than his velocity after he went 4-10 with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) last year.
“It’s nice to go up there and throw 97 to 100 (mph), but you’ve got to figure out how to pitch and pitch with what you have that specific day,” Harvey said.
Harvey has been bothered by a stiff neck this spring, but it has not been severe enough to keep him off the mound.
Port St. Lucie police charged a Colorado woman claiming to be in a relationship with minor league outfielder Tim Tebow with trespassing after she went to the Mets spring training facility twice in February to look for the former Denver Broncos quarterback.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies’ current third baseman said he appreciates receiving advice from the greatest third baseman in franchise history.
“This guy did everything in baseball,” Maikel Franco said of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, a special spring training instructor with the organization. “He tells me to get better every single day, and I’m proud to hear him say that. I have to continue to get better, continue to work and continue to prove myself.”
Franco hit .255/.306/.427 (batting average/on-base percentage/ slugging percentage) with 25 homers in his first full big-league season. “I had a lot higher expectations for Maikel,” Schmidt said. “That was mostly from how I saw him hit in spring training, our personal conversations.”
Switch- pitcher Pat Venditte was acquired from the Seattle Mariners on Sunday in a trade for minor league outfielder Joey Curletta and will compete for a bullpen spot. Venditte, 31, had a 5.73 ERA in a combined 15 ap- pearances with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Mariners last season.
Washington Nationals
Catcher Matt Wieters made his first Grapefruit League appearance Sunday, a little more than two weeks after signing a two-year, $21 million contract.
“As hard as you can practice, everything gets turned up about 20%, at least, when you get into the game,” Wieters said.
Wieters’ last two spring trainings were cut short with the Baltimore Orioles. He was still recovering from Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery in 2015 and experienced elbow soreness last year.
Right- hander Max Scherzer pitched a simulated game March 12 as he continued his rehab from a stress fracture in his right ring finger. The Nationals had hoped last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner might be ready for opening day, but he could miss a start or two.