LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Ricky Romero had more trouble battling the gusting winds at Champion Stadium on Saturday than he did the A lineup of the Atlanta Braves.
Romero hadn’t issued a walk in his first two spring appearances but Saturday he issued four free passes over four innings.
“I was effectively wild and I didn’t think the conditions helped. I was just kind of all over the place,” said Romero, who allowed two hits over four scoreless innings. “But you’re going to have days like this and it’s days like this that you have to overcome. Obviously the four walks I’m not happy about.”
Just how bad were the winds?
“I felt like at times when I was coming up on my delivery that I was rocking,” Romero said. “It probably wasn’t but it felt like that.”
A year ago the conditions and the walks would have got the best of the left-hander.
“Take back a year ago and I probably would have folded right away,” he said. “I would have tucked my ears between my tail. But like I said, you kind of learn.”
Romero helped himself out this day by getting three double play ground balls.
“When you can slow the game down that’s when good things happen like ground balls and double plays that get you out of the inning,” he said. “It was a good outing, not my best, but I went out there and battled.”
SECOND STAGE
On Sunday, right-hander Dustin McGowan will throw his second simulated game of spring training as he continues his recovery from shoulder and knee injuries, which wiped out his 2009 season. Pitching coach Bruce Walton said that if McGowan passes that test, the next stage will be a start in a minor-league game this Friday.
So far, McGowan has impressed Walton.
“I’m not worried about how much his slider is breaking, the speed of his changeup or his location, I’m just pleased with how the ball is coming out of his hand,” Walton said.
Which means what?
“It’s crisp, the velocity is there, the ball is coming to the catcher, it’s not dying as it reaches the plate,” Walton said. “There’s late life. His arm speed is good and the ball has nice carry on it.”
GETTING THEIR WORK
Due to the fact that Friday’s game against Houston was rained out, the Jays had five of their relievers throw Saturday in a four-inning game against minor-leaguers back at Dunedin. Getting their work in a day late were Casey Janssen, Jeremy Accardo, Zech Zinicola, Merkin Valdez and Zach Jackson.
The Jays have also scheduled a ‘B’ game at Dunedin for Monday against the Phillies when the team travels to Lakeland to face the Tigers.
