Cactus League action has taken a backseat to the WBC, and for good reason. Even a packed house at Sloan Park doesn\u2019t have a fraction of the energy on display at one of these pool games across the globe, though I suppose it\u2019s possible one of the many games we haven\u2019t been able to see or hear has been bedlam. I\u2019m not knocking it, as the subdued vibe is part of what makes spring training great.<\/p>\n
The WBC, on the other hand, showcases an ebullient version of the game as experienced elsewhere in the world. You\u2019ve got 30-year-old electricians getting outs with fastballs slower than high school JV players, and high school players with electric fastballs<\/a> that shatter Aaron Judge<\/a>\u2018s bat. I\u2019m not sure if it was the camera angle or what, but Judge looked like even more of a hulking monolith than usual last night.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t even bother with the Cubs game, which was on MLB Network for a nice change, but I\u2019ll have the radio on in the background this afternoon. Let\u2019s just hope Sh\u014dta Imanaga<\/a> pitches more like his first start than his second, in which he served up three solo homers. I suspect he\u2019ll be sharper against an A\u2019s lineup that doesn\u2019t appear to be very intimidating.<\/p>\n The Cubs\u2019 bats weren\u2019t active last night, but that should change with more regulars in there today. Michael Busch<\/a> leads off at first, Nico Hoerner<\/a> is at second, Ian Happ<\/a> is in left, and Dansby Swanson<\/a> is at short. Michael Conforto<\/a> draws the assignment in right, Carson Kelly<\/a> is behind the dish, and Kevin Alcantara<\/a> is in center. Pedro Ramirez<\/a> is at third and Josiah Hartshorn rounds things out as the DH.<\/p>\n Going for the visitors is 25-year-old righty Mason Barnett<\/a>, a 2022 third-round draft pick by the Royals. He was dealt to the A\u2019s in 2024 as part of the return for Lucas Erceg<\/a> and was promoted last year in late August. Barnett pitched only 22.1 innings in five MLB starts, getting mediocre results from very spotty command. I\u2019m guessing he\u2019s a supinator from his movement profile, which features the cuttiest four-seam and changeup I\u2019ve ever seen.<\/p>\n His over-the-top delivery also allows him to get a ton of depth on his curveball, though its location was wildly inconsistent in his limited action last year. His sweeper was likewise an adventure, creating a heatmap that looks like a Rorschach test. Barnett put up big strikeout numbers in the minors, so it might just be a matter of getting a little more experience and settling down a bit.<\/p>\n