By Larry Millson, The Sports Xchange
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Take a spin around the Grapefruit League with “Three Up, Three Down,” an inside look at what is coming up and what went down on Friday.
THREE UP
1. Left fielder Desmond Jennings was the only Tampa Bay Rays’ player to appear in the first two games, which indicates that his left knee has responded well to offseason rest.
Jennings hit three doubles in four at-bats in the two games. He was off Friday and will be off again Saturday. Manager Kevin Cash said Jennings will be monitored during the regular season when the Rays play their games on the artificial turf at Tropicana Field.
“We have to be smart,” Cash said. “I don’t think cautious is the right word. We have to take into account how he’s feeling, but we want him to tell us, and Dez has been phenomenal this spring as far as communicating. You know what? With our roster, we talk about the versatility, maybe it allows us to get him a blow off his feet one day, maybe DH a day. Whatever it is. We’re all in agreement — we’re a better club when Desmond is healthy and on the field for us.”
2. Detroit Tigers center fielder Anthony Gose feels that he is one or the best at his position defensively in the game, even if defensive statistics might indicate otherwise.
“I think the whole analytics thing is a big scam,” Gose said Friday.
Coaches and scouts rank Gose as a better-than-average defensive center fielder but in most defensive metrics, he ranks as below average.
“I feel I am one of the best center fielders in the game, and I couldn’t care less what some analytics say, some guy putting numbers into a computer,” Gose said. “Things are a lot different when you are out there playing as opposed to sitting down behind a computer. … It’s just a scam, just a way to make money.”
“I do think there is some subjectivity to defensive analytics that makes them not as hard and fast as some of the offensive numbers,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “Somebody has to determine where he’s playing and it’s subjective because there is somebody who’s looking at the video. But I don’t think anyone is trying to scam anybody. Defensive metrics are just a little more subjective and therefore less accurate.”
3. St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez, who is progressing slowly after having a shoulder issue last September, was impressive Friday when he faced some minor-league hitters.
“It was a very productive day,” said catcher Brayan Pena, who caught Martinez in the 25-pitching outing that included fastballs and sliders. “He was impressive. This is a guy who has that special talent it only takes time to explode. He’s got talent that I haven’t seen in a while. Hopefully, this year will be the year where the sky is going to be the limit.”
Martinez will either have another live batting-practice session or an extended bullpen session before appearing in his first spring training game.
THREE DOWN
1. Left-hander Aaron Loup will be shut down for two weeks. The Toronto Blue Jays reliever has been experiencing pain in his elbow, although it is not considered serious. An MRI exam on Thursday showed a flexor strain.
“There’s no tear in there but it’s still pretty sore, I guess,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Friday. “They’ll shut him down and hopefully that’s enough to knock it out and he’ll be fine. You look back in the three years I’ve (managed Loup), he’s probably been the most durable guy. A lot of guys are beat up and he’s still available. He would always take the ball.”
Loup could resume throwing on about March 18, leaving his status for Opening Day in doubt. “It’ll be kind of tough, I don’t want to say no but it would be a rush job,” Gibbons said. “That might be stretching it a little bit.”
Loup hopes to be ready. “That’s what I’m shooting for,” he said. “It’ll probably be decided when the two weeks is up, whether it’s going to take any more time.”
2. An MRI exam on Friday revealed a bone bruise in the right wrist of Baltimore Orioles infielder/outfielder Jimmy Paredes. He was injured diving for a fly ball Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
“When that happened, I knew it was pretty bad because I couldn’t feel my hand [or] wrist. I was scared a little bit,” Paredes said. “But after a couple of seconds I could feel my hand and feel like everything is good Now, I feel a little better.”
Paredes is out indefinitely. “It’s going to be a while,” manager Buck Showalter said.
3. New York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom believes he should be paid more than the $607,000 contract he was offered so he declined to sign. The Mets renewed the contract for the $607,000 on Friday, which is their right until deGrom becomes eligible for arbitration, which could be next year if he has accumulated three years of service.
“It was a business decision we decided to make,” deGrom said. “We have great respect for the Mets and the system that they have and I feel like I have a great relationship with them. As I’ve said before, I love playing here and I want to be in this uniform a long time. It was just a decision based on the business side of the game.”
The major-league minimum for 2016 is $507,500. DeGrom earned $556,875 in 2015.