Glendale, Ariz .- For the first time in a doseers uniform, 23-year-old right-handed Rocky Sasaki on Wednesday threw hits in front of a huge crowd of spectators, of which the choice rarely gather for such a regular ingredient of baseball. Are. Spring practice session.
A year ago, it was Shohi Ohitani’s first live batting practice, with Cameback Winch Baujing, as curious fans who filled the backfields got their first glimpse of the superstar in the action action. Should Ohtani cope with elbow surgery as part of its progression as a pitcher, which can provoke Sasaki’s opening live batting practice as the main attraction of spring training of Los Angeles as the main attraction of spring training of Los Angeles. . But so far, Sasaki’s first chance to face the hits represents the high-water mark for conspiracy at the Dozers Camp.
There was some additional expectation on Wednesday after the team’s daily workout agenda listed Freddy Freeman and Max Munsi, as two of the two hits faced Sasaki, but their enemies had faced Sasaki, but their enemies had Tommy Edman and Miguel Rosas, Plus two veteran non -Roster Invits were finished in Eddie Rosario. And David Boat. Sasaki threw 27 pitches in two simulated innings, with nine plate demonstrations out of four opposing batsmen. He hit the boat with a fastball and caressed some ugly whites from Rosario on Splitter. On the way, he allowed the boat and the adman to some tough contact.
Overall, the results were infallible in any direction, but Sasaki was encouraged about how this happened, especially relative to his first spring training bulk.
“I was not nervous, but for the first time in the atmosphere of using a major league ball and for the first time in the sports environment, I was facing hits like pitching for the first time, I was just feeling how it would go and use how it would go and use Being being done to come back to the flow of the game, ”Sasaki later said through an interpreter.
Although Sasaki did not know where his velocity was at all, he said that he thought that he threw him on a hard Wednesday during his bull, and he said that he had a real, living opponent in front of him to step on a mound in front of him. Was helpful.
He said, “Despite being a hitter in the box, even though I threw a good amount of balls, I felt my command was the way I was usually targeting,” he said.
Sasaki leaned heavily on her highly touched fastball-splitter combo on Wednesday, but also mixed it in a slider. Both his heater and splitter were both the heads during their NPB career, their slider’s progress would be important for their development as he transitions to MLB. High-octaine aces such as Spencer Storer and new team partner Tyler Glasso have performed in recent years, it is not impossible to succeed as a starter with two pitches. He Good.
But to reach her full capacity to Sasaki, the expansion of her arsenal will be required through enlarged slider use – and she is committed to pursue such changes.
On the mound, there is a lot of space for the young pitcher to improve. Away from this, Sasaki is still learning what is a main character on the team that the manager Dave Roberts has repeatedly referred to as “Epiken of Baseball”, as well as a new culture and country and the country and Adjusting daily responsibilities of. A big pitcher. This certainly helps to keep two fellow countrymen, whose locker Sandwich in Sasaki Dozers Club House: Ohtani, who has managed the pressure and expectations of being the biggest celebrity of the game for almost a decade, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who NPB has jumped from MLB A. Relatively young years ago.
“From the first day of the camp, they have really been helpful in guiding me through all the things I do not know,” Sasaki said. “And as the games begin, there will be more and more things that I do not know, so be able to talk to them about things will be really helpful.”
While the depth chart loaded by the doseers should, in principle, should reduce the pressure on Sasaki, which is immediately to perform like an ace, the promotion around his crook season will never be reduced soon. For example, each step towards their big leg will be completed with growing investigation and curiosity.
On Wednesday, the Sasaki mound and its catcher, Wil Smith managed to focus their focus, despite the shocking number of the people present in and around the area, who were in herd to see the pitch. Hundreds of fans filled the grass behind the chainlink backstop of the Dozers backfield, with several jockey closing a pitch to capture Sasaki’s photos or videos. Dozens of team companions including dozens of team partners, including Ohthani, Yamamoto and Black Snell, with a cheek of members of the high-ranked front office, including Andrew Freedman and Brandon Gomes for an up-close view of Sasaki’s early throw, dozens of team companions, homes, homes, homes Standing behind the plate. Below the left-field line, Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolf looked away from a distance, as his famous customer created his first competitive pitches as a dose.
The boat said that he never saw that many people – fans and members of an organization gather to see some fake innings in February. But he saw the crowd behind the mesh as evidence that Sasaki’s companions were not only eager to see her pitch; They are also eager to help him succeed.
“The cool part, also, are all team companions … here the support of the group, the hitter, the pitchers, given what the stop can do,” the boat said. “To come out and with that group of people, and to throw a live BP with 50 people, really behind you – which takes courage.”
It was an abnormal amount of attention to a common element of unintentionally spring practice – and it expanded to the clubhouse after the workout.
“I have never seen many people here to see me talk about A live BP, ”said a happy Edman. “It was definitely a fun atmosphere. Everyone is excited to see it.
“I am excited to play behind him in some sports this year.”
