Spring Training Is Here!

 I love spring training.  I have been there a number of times, the last with a media pass so I could see all the minor leaguers play and do their drills.  It was really eye opening and was reinforcing to what I had seen on TV and read in bios and statistics. 

ML spring training under Vogt may turn out to be different under Vogt than it was under Francona.  Under Tito, you kinda knew who was going to make the team from the get go.  Under Vogt, I think it is/will be more of a true competition.  I think guys will get a chance to play their way on (or off) the roster.

So what should we look for this spring training?

• Assuming there are no injuries, the opening day lineup could be telling as I think the guys that start would have to play their way out of the starting lineup.
• The first guys off the bench in the first game will likely be guys who are either competing for platoon spots or are competing for bench spots.
• After the first two waves it will be minor leaguers and NRIs.  Never can tell much from that and garbage/scrub time (what they used to call it when I actually got into a HS basketball game) stats are totally meaningless.
• As far as the pitchers, you can tell absolutely nothing for the first two weeks of so in spring training games.  You are really looking for whether guys look healthy.  I remember 2 years ago McKenzie was getting lit up in a game against Milwaukee and you could see something was not right with him.  The rest is history.  Who starts doesn't matter.  They are just trying to get guys innings and I imagine they might even use their prime relievers in garbage innings becuase they were so overused last year and they might want those guys eased into tougher situations.
• Garbage time guys have a chance to make a good impression.  In most cases these are minor league guys who have done something to get a chance to dress with the Guardians.  Some of this could be need (e.g., bullpen help) or simply a rotation basis to have enough guys to cover all positions in all innings.  In any case it is a reward as those guys will get paid extra because they dress with the big league team as compared to the per diem they get for minor league camp.
• You probably don't but if you DO have access to the daily schedules for the minor leaguers you'll be able to tell both WHO the minor leaguers who will dress with the Guardians in that game in addition to information about which minor league players are injured and only doing rehab or conditioning.

In terms of injuries for players on the ML ST roster (40-man plus non-roster invitees), you are sort of at the mercy of the media unless you have access to the daily ML team reports, if one exists.

It's early, things can change.  But that does not mean that what happens early isn't important, if you know what to believe and that everything else is just circumstance/expedience.