Latroy Hawkins pitching for the Brevard Manatees on Wednesday April 13 in Tampa
Last Tuesday I read that Brandon Morrow of the Toronto Blue Jays had started a game for the Dunedin Blue Jays. I totally forgot he was on the DL but was more surprised that he was here in Florida doing his rehab and not somewhere else. I then heard that he would be making his last start on Sunday, I looked up the schedule and saw that Dunedin would be playing Lakeland and since I have been to Lakeland so often lately I decided it would be worth my while to make the trip up.
It was weird to go to a game that the Tampa Yankees were not playing in but luckily the TY had just played Lakeland in opening weekend so I was familiar with their players. I went rooting for Dunedin though because Toronto is in the AL East and it just made sense to me, I also like to go against the grain and cheering for the opposition is always fun. I got to the stadium and actually had to pay admission, when the Tampa Yankees are on the road I don't have to pay admission since I am a season ticket holder. It was 5 dollars for general admission, when I went last Saturday night it was $6 so apparently their prices change depending on the day. I went in and sat behind the screen on the home side because I wanted to get some sun(and sun I got, burnt to a crisp too)
Brandon Morrow pitching for Dunedin
I got some decent pics of Morrow pitching, overall he wasn't that sharp. I don't know what I was expecting from him since I only saw him pitch a few times last year but I thought he should be able to handle some high class A hitters, in 4 innings he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits while walking 3 and striking out 5. He got into some pretty deep counts on most of his batters so he probably had too high a pitch count to make it to 6 innings like was hoped for by the Blue Jays.
I also got to see Frank Francisco who is also on a Major League rehab with Dunedin. He pitched 1 inning giving up 1 hit and striking out 2. Both he and Morrow are supposed to rejoin Toronto sometime this week.
Frank Francisco pitching for Dunedin
I was pretty upset with myself for not thinking ahead and bringing a ball with me, in Lakeland their dugouts do not have stairs that lead to a clubhouse, once a pitcher is done he runs across the field and into a clubhouse next to the right field fence, if I had been thinking I would have brought a ball and waited there until he came over and then asked for a signature. C'est La Vie.
Overall I enjoyed the trip, I didn't stay until the end because it was blazing hot and I had seen what I had come to see. Joker Marchant is a very nice stadium, coincidentally it is not the stadium I thought I had been to many years ago, that is another stadium in Lakeland that must have been designed by the same people. Apparently the Tigers have been playing in this field in Lakeland for 45 years. Right next to the end of the right field bleachers is the clubhouse, it is where the players go to workout and get on the bus after a game, next to that clubhouse is where the players park, there was no security and I probably could have parked there if I wanted to.
Well thats all I've got for you. No Tampa baseball until Wednesday when they are back from Brevard county. Today Brett Marshall pitched for the TY and he did a really good job. Allowed an unearned run in the first inning and pitched 3 perfect innings to follow. In the 5th he allowed a lead off walk but retired the next 3 batters. In the 6th he walked a guy, allowed 2 singles and a run to score before he was pulled for Michael Solbach, Solbach allowed one of his runs to score on a sac fly but escaped with no further damage. Brett allowed 3 runs/2 earned on 3 hits while striking out 4 and walking 2 in 5 innings. The TY offense also came to life as Luke Murton and Ziolo Almonte hit home runs and everyone but Taylor Grote and Deangelo Mack had at least one hit. The TY won 11-3 and Brett got his first High A win.
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