Mormon Baseball

Even though spring training numbers favor hitters, and don’t really mean much, its hard not to be impressed with the batting performances of several Mormon players. In particular the exploits of the Oakland A’s Eric Sogard are stunning. Sogard has hit .600 or more for two weeks in a row, and has an average for the spring of .525. Sogard’s exploits are closely matched by the National’s Bryce Harper, who hit .500 last week and has a .431 average for the Spring. But unlike Sogard, Harper has nothing to prove.

While Harper is assured of a place on the Nationals’ opening day roster (his performance only raises expectations for how well he will hit during the coming season), Sogard is trying hard to make the A’s opening day roster at 2nd base, battling with probable starter Scott Sizemore and fellow Mormon (and last year’s backup infielder) Adam Rosales (who has also performed well at the plate this spring). Both Sogard and Rosales can also play other positions—Sogard 3rd base and Rosales plays short stop.

Among pitchers, the strongest of those who pitched this past week was probably Kyle Farnsworth, who kept a relatively low 1.69 era for the spring despite a bad outing. Farnsworth is expected to be the Ray’s set-up man for their closer, Fernando Rodney. In contrast, relievers Matt Lindstrom and Brandon Lyon both had bad outings this past week, recording eras over 20 for the week, leaving them both with spring era’s over 5.

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Current Roster Players:

• Darwin Barney—second base—Chicago Cubs
  4 for 16 (.250), 4 runs, 3 rbi, 2 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 4 so.
  YTD: .224, 8 runs, 9 rbi, 2 hr, 4 bb, 0 sb, 7 so in 58 at bats.
• John Buck — starting catcher — New York Mets
  2 for 8 (.250), 3 runs, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .310, 8 runs, 7 rbi, 2 hr, 5 bb, 0 sb, 10 so in 29 at bats.
• Jacoby Ellsbury — starting outfielder — Boston Red Sox
  3 for 10 (.300), 1 runs, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .250, 6 runs, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 6 bb, 0 sb, 5 so in 44 at bats.
• Kyle Farnsworth — closer — Tampa Bay Rays
  0-0, 3.86 era, 4 hits, 1 er, 0 bb, and 0 k in 2.1 innings
  YTD: 0-0, era 1.69 5 hits, 1 er, 0 bb and 2 k in 5.1 innings
• Jeremy Guthrie — starting pitcher (right handed) — Kansas City Royals
  1-1, 3.75 era, 14 hits, 5 er, 1 bb, and 10 k in 12.0 innings
  YTD: 2-1, era 4.50 23 hits, 9 er, 3 bb and 14 k in 18.0 innings
• Roy Halladay— starting pitcher (right handed) — Philadelphia Phillies
  Did not pitch this week – ill
  YTD: 2-1, era 6.75, 13 hits, 9 er, 7 bb, 10 k in 12.0 innings.
• Bryce Harper — left field — Washington Nationals
  7 for 14 (.500), 2 runs, 4 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 3 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .431, 10 runs, 12 rbi, 3 hr, 3 bb, 4 sb, 12 so in 58 at bats.
• Elliot Johnson — infielder — Kansas City Royals
  4 for 10 (.400), 4 runs, 3 rbi, 1 hr, 0 bb, 2 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .295, 8 runs, 7 rbi, 1 hr, 2 bb, 4 sb, 10 so in 44 at bats.
• Josh Johnson — starting pitcher (right handed) – Toronto Blue Jays
  Did not pitch this week
  YTD: 3-0, 1.69 era, 4 hits, 2 er, 13 k, 0 bb in 10.2 innings.
• Matt Lindstrom — right handed bullpen pitcher – Chicago White Sox
  0-0, 20.25 era, 3 hits, 3 er, 0 k, 4 bb in 1.1 innings
  YTD: 0-0, 5.06 era, 3 hits, 3 er, 4 k, 6 bb in 5.1 innings.
• Brandon Lyon — right handed bullpen pitcher — New York Mets
  0-1, 23.14 era, 9 hits, 6 er, 1 k, 1 bb in 2.1 innings
  YTD: 0-1, 7.88 era, 12 hits, 7 er, 5 k, 2 bb in 8.0 innings.
• Mitch Maier — outfielder — Boston Red Sox
  Did not play this week – injured
  YTD: .320, 5 runs, 3 rbi, 0 hr, 4 bb, 2 sb, 3 so in 25 at bats.
• Clayton Mortensen — right handed bullpen pitcher —Boston Red Sox
  0-0, 0.00 era, 0 hits, 0 er, 0 k, 0 bb, 0 hr in 1.0 innings
  YTD: 0-1, 3.24 era, 5 hits, 3 er, 4 k, 3 bb, 0 hr in 8.1 innings
• Shane Peterson — outfielder — Oakland A’s
  2 for 8 (.250) 0 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 5 so
  YTD : .408, 9 run, 7 rbi, 1 hr, 5 bb, 0 sb, 11 so in 49 at bats
• Adam Rosales — 2B — Oakland A’s
  9 for 13 (.308) 2 run, 3 rbi, 1 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 1 so
  YTD: .343, 12 run, 9 rbi, 3 hr, 8 bb, 1 sb, 5 so in 35 at bats
• Eric Sogard — infielder — Oakland A’s
  6 for 10 (.600) 4 run, 2 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 1 so
  YTD: .525, 9 run, 6 rbi, 1 hr, 6 bb, 1 sb, 2 so in 40 at bats
• Mitch Talbot — starting pitcher (right handed) — Miami Marlins
  Did not pitch — reassigned to AAA New Orleans
  YTD: 0-0, 4.50 era, 9 h, 4 er, 2 hr, 5 k, 0 bb in 8.0 innings
• Nik Turley — starting pitcher (right handed) — New York Yankees
  reassigned
  YTD: 0-1, 27.00 era, 4 h, 4 er, 0 hr, 2 k, 1 bb in 1.1 innings