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DUNEDIN, Fla. — It was an adventurous afternoon for Brandon Morrow.
The Jays right-hander hit Manny Ramirez in the first inning, was hit in the back of his right shoulder by a line drive in the second inning, had a balk called in the fourth and watched as B.J. Upton stole home in the same inning after catcher J.P. Arencibia threw to first for the out following a Morrow strikeout.
That isn’t your everyday routine at the office. In his four innings, he allowed three hits, two runs (one earned), walked one and struck out six.
“Pretty eventful for a pretty good outing,” Morrow quipped.
It’s almost a night and day difference for Morrow from last year’s camp to this year. A year ago he was re-adjusting to being a starter, had his mechanics tweaked by pitching coach Bruce Walton and following a slow start, finished the year 10-7 with a 4.49 ERA.
Much more is expected this campaign as the probable No. 2 starter.
“(I’m) miles ahead,” Morrow said of this year to the 2010 spring training. “With where I am mechanically and my comfort on the mound, having a game plan, knowing what I’m doing instead of trying to figure things out as I go. I pretty much know what I want to do when I get out there (now) and if things are going a little south I can correct that with what we worked on.”
