GDT: 1st Game of Spring Training 2023! Jays @ Pirates 2/25/23

[John_Havok]

Some really nice sliders from Kikuchi. Fastball was decent but still a bit wild, and dropped a nice changeup on Cutch. So far so good.

[Captain_Obvious]

Kikuchi also midseason form

 

His pitches looked good for his first inning in ST.

[JaysAllMighty]

All star this year for sure!

 

Wouldn't that be something

[John_Havok]

Apparently the Pittsburgh broadcast thinks Varsho is Jansen. LOL

 

Hope Varsho gets on and we can see how the Jays plan to use the stolen base

[John_Havok]

Keller's cutter/slider is really moving. good pitch

[BlueRocky]

Danny Jansen followed by Janny Dansen

[Sammy225]

What’s up with this field. That’s like 3 people who have slipped looks a little sketchy

[John_Havok]

So many players slipping out of the box ... wtf

[BlueRocky]

Nasty Kuchi

[BlueRocky]

Some really nice sliders from Kikuchi. Fastball was decent but still a bit wild, and dropped a nice changeup on Cutch. So far so good.

 

He has good stuff just need to keep the walks down

[John_Havok]

Absolute filth in the 2nd inning from Kikuchi to the first 2 batters. Damn.

 

He really needs that changeup to work for him like this in the regular season.

[Sammy225]

Is that a change out a slider he is throwing

[John_Havok]

Kikuchi so far has 5 strikeouts on 14 swings and misses.

 

Gross

[glory]

Bearded Kikuchi breakout season.

[Captain_Obvious]

Kikuchi's off speed pitches looked good. Hopefully his fastball catches up during the rest of ST.

[G-Snarls]

Nasty Kuchi

 

Yeah

 

Stuff looks great

[John_Havok]

Is that a change out a slider he is throwing

 

He's throwing both a change and a slider along with the fastball so far.

[Solaxys]

Is that a change out a slider he is throwing

 

He didn't throw a change to Suwinski (all Sliders + 1 fastball I think). He did throw 2 change to Andujar and Hedges. Looks like change primarily to righties, slider primarily to lefties.

[Stangstag]

Kikuchi so far has 5 strikeouts on 14 swings and misses.

 

Gross

 

A lot of balls that batters have swung at though.

 

He looks ok, not missing the zone all over the place like before. When he’s missing its close at least.

[BlueRocky]

Our boy Otto Lopez

[Carlos Danger]

Nasty Kuchi

 

I have always tried to avoid that.

 

 

There might have been a few times when I was younger and really drunk.

[John_Havok]

Atta boy Otto

[King]

We fixed Kikuchi

[John_Havok]

Holy god Andujar's arm SUX.

 

That was a shallow pop fly and his throw wasnt even close on line or in time.

[BlueRocky]

Oof Roansy getting smacked

[BlueRocky]

Holy god Andujar's arm SUX.

 

That was a shallow pop fly and his throw wasnt even close on line or in time.

 

[saskjayfan]

He didn't throw a change to Suwinski (all Sliders + 1 fastball I think). He did throw 2 change to Andujar and Hedges. Looks like change primarily to righties, slider primarily to lefties.

 

He missed a few times with the fastball, but not over the plate. If he can just have slightly below average fastball command with that slider he'd be a really good 5th starter. Slightly below average fastball command would be a big improvement over last year though....time will tell. Nice start. Most of his issues are between his ears so the more confidence he gets in spring the better.

[Carlos Danger]

Oof Roansy getting smacked

 

Trade him to me in LOD

[BlueRocky]

I remember Mitch Keller was going for a King’s Randsom in LOD 2 years ago

[John_Havok]

He missed a few times with the fastball, but not over the plate. If he can just have slightly below average fastball command with that slider he'd be a really good 5th starter. Slightly below average fastball command would be a big improvement over last year though....time will tell. Nice start. Most of his issues are between his ears so the more confidence he gets in spring the better.

 

Maybe he just needs to use the fastball less. Keep the slider and change as the primary offerings and then use the fastball as the change of pace. His slider and change average 85 and 87 so ... maybe he just needs to pitch really backwards.