In his third start of the spring Tuesday, J.A. Happ gave up a two-run home run to Baltimore's Alexi Casilla in the second but bookended that inning with two scoreless frames. (Dave Abel/QMI Agency)
J.A. Happ is preparing like the major league starting pitcher that he is, methodically building his pitch counts and innings to be durable enough to handle the job when the need arises.
It really doesn’t matter that he is currently a man without a rotation because if he keeps doing his job in a professional manner, that will take care of itself in the course of a season.
Tuesday, in his third start of the spring, Happ was dinged for his first runs on a wind-blown, two-run home run by Baltimore’s Alexi Casilla in the second inning. Happ bookended that inning with two scoreless frames.
“I thought it went all right,” he said. “I wanted to get through three innings and felt strong in the first and third, building my pitch count. I gave up some hits (six in all) but for the most part they were balls through the infield.
