The Red Sox announced to reporters, including Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, that catcher Jorge Alfaro has been reassigned to minor league camp while infielder Bobby Dalbec has been optioned. That seemingly paves the way for catcher Connor Wong and infielder Yu Chang to make the club in reserve roles.
Alfaro, 30 in June, signed a minor league deal with the Sox in the offseason and seemed to have a legitimate chance to make the roster. Reese McGuire and Wong are the only two catchers currently on the club’s roster and the latter suffered a hamstring strain early in camp that seemed to open a path for Alfaro. However, Wong has since recovered and will be with the team on Opening Day.
It had been reported this offseason that Alfaro’s deal has an upward mobility clause, which meant that the Sox would have to contact the other 29 teams to see if any of them wanted to give him a roster spot, in the event he didn’t get one from Boston. As Abraham notes, he didn’t get an opportunity elsewhere and will seemingly head to Triple-A Worcester to start the season. He’ll give the club some experienced catching depth for the start of the season, though he has further opt-out opportunities on June 1 and July 1.
As for Dalbec, 28 in June, he debuted with a tremendous showing in 2020 but has dropped off since. He hit eight home runs in just 20 games in the shortened season, though with a concerning 42.4% strikeout rate. Those punchouts have continued to be an issue, as he’s posted rates above 33% in each of the past two seasons. His batting line last year ended up at .215/.283/.369 for a wRC+ of 80. The strong debut of Triston Casas last year has knocked Dalbec off the first base gig at Fenway and he’ll now head down to the minors to try to get in a good groove.
Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that Dalbec will move all around the infield for the WooSox, perhaps allowing him to return to the big leagues in a utility role somewhere down the line. Dalbec has played all four infield spots in the majors but mostly at first, followed by some decent time at third and very brief spells in the middle. The club is on firmer ground at the corner, especially with Rafael Devers at third. Casas is inexperienced but will have first base locked down for years to come if he hits major league pitching. But the departure of Xander Bogaerts and the injury to Trevor Story leave the club with Enrique Hernández and Christian Arroyo as their main duo up the middle. Hernández has played a decent amount of shortstop but as a utility guy and not on an everyday basis, while Arroyo has mostly served as a backup to this point in his career. If Dalbec can become a serviceable defender up the middle, that would improve his chances of finding a path back to the club.
For now, the backup infield job will fall to Chang, who is out of options. He has struggled to hit in his major league time thus far but continues to intrigue teams due to his defensive versatility. He bounced around from the Guardians to the Pirates, Rays and Red Sox last year, eventually getting non-tendered by Boston but returning later in the offseason. He hit just .208/.289/.315 between those four clubs but is coming off a strong showing in the World Baseball Classic. He hit .438 while representing Chinese Taipei and won the Most Valuable Player award in Pool A. Adalberto Mondesi will also be in the mix for a backup infield role at some point, though he’s slated to begin the year on the injured list as he’s still recovering from last year’s ACL tear.
Where’s the ‘wow’ guy at?
Meanwhile, although it’s a little surprising Alfaro didn’t see someone else willing to give him a shot, the real news here is not good for dalbec.
Not the sent to the minors, every day ABs is a GOOD thing for him.
Id think things get better for him though if he gets what he needs – stability to work on his hitting, I’m not sure trying at this stage to teach I’m to be an all-over-sub type defender is what his time in AAA ought to be focused on.
Feels akin to them having given up on him as a player and are just looking for some kind of value on what they view as a sunk cost? I dunno.
GASox – Personally I can do without the wow kid. LOL
With Alfaro, there’s a reason he was signed to a minor league deal. His catching skills are flawed, something that doesn’t show up in box scores. I think Bloom will do what he can to try and salvage the Mookie trade by giving Wong every opportunity to develop into a ML catcher.
As for Dalbec, it’s the same old Bloom mistake being made … trying to force a player to be a super-utility guy like Zobrist so that the Sox can carry the maximum number of pitchers and so that Cora can continue to overmanage with constant lineup changes. I think Dalbec is too tall and old to play some positions well, but hopefully he can beat the odds.
Too old and too tall? You’re not much on understanding baseball…and I’m being nice. 6’4″ for up the middle isn’t “too tall” 28 isn’t old either (see Ripken, Jr., A-Roid, DJL, etc.) Dalbec needs to learn patience at the plate. He still has a tremendous upside. Maybe he can’t handle the pressure of the Boston media. Maybe a trade back home to Seattle may work. I’d love to see him work out in Boston though.
I think its more of a way to make themselves feel better. He’s stuck with the Red Sox for a while. He knows that he is unlikely to unseat Casas. Due to his contract, Devers will continue to imitate a cinder block at 3B, regardless of better defensive options. I’m sure the RS checked the trade options, and didn’t find one to their liking. This plan to play him all over, is “busy work”.
LFG Alfaro! Great clubhouse guy, 5 clutch walk-offs last year and decent behind the dish. He was a fan favorite in San Diego!
Made little sense to me either. Not -1- prospective catcher in the system, until get to drafted in 2022 Brooks Bannon catching is so bad at the milb level in the system and old catcher Vazquez, who wanted to return signed for what can only be determined as a pittance with the Twins at 3/30m.
McQuire isn’t a MLB catcher, much less a FT one and Wong.. At best an emergency utility guy for multiple positions.
What was left undone at this position over the winter was as bone headed as giving away Hunter Renfroe last winter for 2 (to me) nothing prospects and paying the washed up jackie bradley’s 10m contract off to return.
It’s getting harder and harder to believe in the current GM when he pulls so many head scratchers.
What’s not hard to believe is how many opening day tickets are still available at face value direct from red sox ticketing.
Fans are voting on this team direction with their pocketbooks.
I’d have to go back a good 30 years or more to remember a time when Opening Day tickets for the red sox were so easy to get, such low demand!!!
Could Opening Day possibly not be a sellout?? That would seem strange. They would probably call it a sellout nonetheless, but the # of empty seats should be telling.
Go visit the website and see how many are available. Even bloom can’t hire enough interns to pack the seats, but, maybe they still have some covid cardboard cutouts….
GASox – I’ve been checking the home opener availability too, it’s both shocking and embarrassing how many empty seats. And that’s with them upping the gimmicks such as numerous promotions and giveaways, which they never needed to do before.
Maybe a huge drop in revenue this year will finally motivate Henry to spend big on stars next offseason? I still can’t picture them giving $500M+ to Ohtani, even if they trade Sale.
Fever – at this point, the answer isn’t to open the wallet for top tier FA. There isn’t a core to build around. That would’ve been the answer in 2020. Or even 2021. Now too many were traded, too many walked away, too many weren’t locked up when cheaper.
You’ve got to commit to a couple years of proper targeted and well allocated spending.
Also, if you watched this last offseason, right now BOS is not a high destination on FA desirability lists. I think a culture change is required in the front office before people want to be a part of what’s going on without receiving drastic overpays
Boston has spent to the threshold. Its not like they haven’t spent. They are not a destination only because they aren’t spending additional capital. They aren’t signing big names only because they are not offering big contracts. It was bad spending that got them to this place. At the time, I’m sure they thought it was properly targeted and well allocated. Is your solution really to spend more?
Spend intelligently. Don’t give a aging short stop with an insane amount of injury history 100 plus mill to degrade to a 2nd basemen…till now where he’s playing where he belongs at home watching on TV.
Tickets for opening day are probably down as well considering like 3 out of the last 4 opening days have been rained out. So they probably want to wait until they have a better idea of the forecast. And so far the forecast doesn’t look very fun for this year either.
Sox fans never let cold, or rain, bother Tham I’m the quick sellouts of years past.
Some drinks and you barely register the cold while packed in the electric atmosphere shoulder to shoulder with mass body heat.
No, this is more protest or disinterest.
GASox – Next year with Casas, Yorke, Mayer, Houk, Bello, Rafaela, Whitlock, and a healthy Sale they could be 2007 all over again as far as young talent and a contender.
But yeah, right now Devers is ranked as the only Red Sox who made the MLB Top-100 list and that’s quite sad. That means on average every other MLB team had 3 or 4 Top-100 players compared to Boston’s one.
With how this team is, honestly, I think the right move is to hold Mayer and Rafaela until 2025. Mayer hasn’t even passed a-ball yet and as talented as ceddane is, it’s best not to make the mistakes of players past.
I’d target Rafaela to start to open 2025. Maybe cup-of-tea late 24. Mayer, IF he even amounts to anything at all, would be a late ’25 promotion.
It’s there own fault .. ever since the last world series they haven’t cared and it shows .. just like u think they would emphasize more on accounting pitching and developing pitching because we haven’t had a great pitcher come up from out farm system in awhile
Groome was on track and finally healthy. That would’ve been a nice power lefty right there.
Bloom made an idiot move and swapped him for hosmer, who, there never was a role for given dalbec and more importantly casas.
Then hosmer was released for nothing, except potential future payroll liability.
GASox – I think you’re underestimating Mayer.
Devers didn’t reach AA until 2017, that same year he got promoted again to AAA and after just 9 games got called up to the Red Sox at the All-Star break. He was just 20 years old at the time.
Mayer is already 20 years old, is a much higher touted prospect than Devers was, and there’s going to be a strong need at the SS position next year. I really think he makes the big league team by July 2024 and gives the midseason added spark that guys like Devers, Ellsbury and Xander did.
GASox – This quote from Barnes says it all:
“I don’t have any animosity toward the Red Sox organization because that organization represents so much more than who’s currently running it.”
As John Sterling would say, “Bern, baby, bern!!”
Not saying there won’t be a need, but, I’m something of an older school mentality that doesn’t rush a prospect.
If the goal is to build a solid core, that’s controllable, there’s no point in pushing anyone further sooner. Save your bullets. If he pans out, which do you rather – call him up in 2024, which is probably a garbage season again given the overall disrepair of the team, or, wait until a few weeks into ’25, and have him locked up for an extra year?
Alfaro had a monster spring and he’s getting sent down to the minors? I guess the Sox really have no interest in even having a half-decent competitive team this year. Oh well.
and all the other 29 teams passed on him when the Sox reached out so there’s something about him the rest of the league doesn’t like.
Ummmmm, didn’t you know that 25 plate appearances in spring training should overrule 7 years of mediocrity????
@lvd2340
Well, if the league is going to be focused so much on character, maybe they should get rid of Tatis Jr., Ozuna, Aroldis Chapman, etc.
lvd – Exactly! Especially when you consider the dearth of quality catchers, for no other team to have interest tells you MLB sees flaws in Alfaro’s game that fans can’t.
Fans need to open there eyes then. How are you really rallying around a Catcher who defensively can’t catch.?
Carl – All the women are rallying around him because he looks like Aquaman.
I can’t speak for the guys though, perhaps they are enamored by his power.
How can the Red Sox assign anyone to the minors when they are fielding a minor league team, to begin with?!
In the Games Back column, they already have 2024 posted for the 2023 Red Sox.
Yankees fans don’t actually root for a team, they root against others.
so when you cheer for your team, it doesn’t occur to you that you are rooting against every one of their opponents…..OK!
Besides I am not telling savvy Red Sox fans something they don’t already know.
If that’s what it would take to turn the page as an organization, so be it.
The quicker they can move on and leave the bloom years behind them the better.
Hey Yankeesforeve, do you use that name because it’s been forever since The Yankees won a World Series? I bet you have a doozy of a party planned for the 15th anniversary of the last Yankees WS next year.
yes I do. Bubbly is on ice, chillin for the thrillin of the expected WS wins.
What will you be doing this season….counting the days to next season?!
“bubbly is on ice”
Hahaha. Yep. It sure is. Has been for a looooong time.
a very long time, which will make it taste all the sweeter.
In comparison to that bitter artichoke drink, Red Sox fans will be nursing all season long during the local bars pre-game unhappy hours.
Yankees forever…always a pleasure ( like a root canal ) I applaud your mockery as I too would come up with stuff after we won division in 86 88 90 . Granted never finishing it but we topped the yanks and that was still cool… while 2009 is not 86 years . It must feel like it for Yankees fans… and while there’s dent/ Boone ect you know deep down 2004 will sting till the day your put in the ground.. play ball!!!
I am sure Red Sox fans after winning a bunch of World Series up 1918 just like today’s Sox fans after winning a bunch up to 2o18 probably tried to zing NY fans back then too….how did that turn out for you?
The parallel is scary.
No matter what else, no Yankee fan will ever have gone to their grave never to have witnessed a championship. But 86 years, my god grandparents who gave their whole life to being a Sox fan, only to see their bucket list left unfulfilled, to murmur on their deathbeds,
“grandson…grandson, sure would have been great to share a WS championship with ya”
“Yeah I know grandpa, if only the Yankees didn’t exist”
“gosh darn Dent and….ick*”
As a Yankee fan, it breaks my heart
The Red Sox have some good prospects, but they are far from competing for a playoff spot. Overall they have to be considered the weakest team in the AL East.
They will lose between 90 to 95 games this season. The Yankees won’t make the playoffs this season. They have to many injuries this early in the season. This is Toronto’s best chance to win the East.
I have it like this,
Tor
TB
Yankees
Orioles
Redsox
I don’t think the Yankees make the playoffs this year.
I think 2 wild card teams come out of the AL west, Mariners and Angles. Rays pitching will get them 90 plus wins.
Yankees and Baltimore are going to battle, might even see Yankees in 4th while still winning 90
I actually think NEXT year may be Toronto’s best shot at winning the East. Not saying odds aren’t good this year, but, look at it like this:
Toronto this year vs next looks to be equally competitive.
NYY will get a year older. They also already have a payroll pushing Hal’s appetite for BIG deals and won’t be a landing spot for ohtani, just don’t see it. You can say they’ll get a boost at SS but everyone else will be a year worse.
BAL is on the rise, but, won’t make the leap to really push for the division quite yet. I see 2025 as a year for them to be much more competitive, BUT, they’ve got a problem. Eventually they need to start forking over MASN money, and they can’t delay that forever. That will hamper some spending to a degree, which is why I say 2025 for youngsters to grow.
TB is on the shakiest ground. They are a direct victim of Bally twice over – they’re an actual bally team, AND, the bally issues are going to hurt the size of revenue sharing funds being collected and passed around. Then you add the third leg of their problems – money to fund some type of stadium whatever… they’ve got to collect and budget because it won’t be 100% free, interest rates on bonds for debt service on redevelopment pla s are much higher. When you’re looking at a $500m project, a 4% rise in debt service is a $20m hike. On a $750m project you’re closer to $30m. It’s not going to be a free ballpark with no rent. So, they’ve got that hanging over their heads. They aren’t going to become a cellar dweller, they WILL compete, but, tight purse strings will grow tighter.
You’re not wrong GA. Anything could happen any given year, over performance, injuries, bad roster construction, bad contracts coming due etc etc etc.
Next year is 100% primed for the Jays to take the AL east based on everything you said. However I feel this year is equally an opportune time for my Jays.
First, I’ll add on to your points.
Tampa is always hurting financially. This isn’t a death blow because MLB will prop then up if necessary. Bally issues aren’t going to be the reason for a team to go belly up. Pardon the pun. MLB won’t like the negative PR
Orioles had a great season last year, have great talent that have already exhibited skill and more on the way. But they didn’t augment their roster for this year. They want to recapture the same magic plus more without any real additions. Not a great plan considering history.
Yankees are already hurt and hurt bad. If anyone that’s not a Yankees fan can name their 4th and 5th starters to start the first month … you win a cookie. But not many cookies will be required. Donaldson (I have his Canada day Jersey) is not who you want to be deploying for a full season at his age, have no LF, are relying on potential at SS plus the other SS’s gotta play somewhere while not producing with the bat. And everyone else is a year older. Including Judge who shouldn’t even hit 40 this year if you believe on regression to the mean
Redsox?? Maybe get an extra pick if the Japanese guy *name escaped me* they grabbed wins ROY. Is about the only highlight they should be trying to attain
Leaves the Jays in great shape to win the AL east for the next 3 years at minimum
Jays are probably #1 or #2 I’m every category in the AL
Hitting. Probably #1.
Defense probably #1.
Pitching 2nd or 3rd at worst.
Speed. 2nd or 3rd at worst.
Youth. 2nd
Prospects 2nd
Good time to be a Jays fan. More worried about Dodgers, SD, ATL and Houston than anyone in the east
I agree with just about everything you said for this year. TOR was my pre-season mlbtr poll pick for this year too. Just next year looks really nice. (Again, assuming health.)
One thing about judge – MLB propped up that HR storyline with the old baseballs if you accept that external scientific study and the forensics of baseballs examined to see they were playing with juiced balls to push the PR of his chase. And I expect to see a rookie SS debut in NY sometime late this year if all goes to their plans.
Of the SD/LAD/ATL side of things, you don’t need to worry about them until a potential WS match up. Everyone else will play them too, so, it’s not a disadvantage yet.
HOU is probably the biggest impediment because TOR is more likely to need to keep pedal to the metal to go after their playoff slot and seeding. HOU will have a tougher time of it than recent years, but, I think end of Sept HOU will again still be coasting to a postseason berth and able to rest regulars, reset the rotation for the matchups they want. And that makes them a more dangerous team.
Hate them for their past, and distrust them because the guy who wanted and green-lit the egregious behavior is still in charge, but, they’re well-run from a competitive standpoint for now. Awaits to be seen how their GM situation goes in the future, that was a raw deal. (And id trade bloom for him in a minute)
As for the sox… best thing that could happen to them is a last place finish. Another $210+m payroll and bust, perhaps Henry cleans house. It’d take a 2-3 year real rebuild after that to get back to prominence, but that’s the case no matter what after how badly the team has been handled from a personnel side.
GASoxFan & JaysFan1981 Don’t forget about Seattle you guys…they will be no pushover with that starting rotation. I can foresee another Jays/Mariners clash in the postseason, which is turning out to be a great natural rivalry (also with both teams coming into the league the same year.) (You should see the Canadians come down to invade T-mobile Park in the summer over a 3-day weekend when Toronto shows up, epic battles!) Additionally one thing that pops out to me in regards to the Jays, I am feeling a bit leery about that offense. Possibility there they might be a little punchless after Springer/Bo/Vlad. Their catchers are due for a regression and you may not get much out of second base. Looking over their last few Spring games, the offense was a bit tepid.
Other than those minor quibbles, I appreciate and generally agree with the analysis you two proffered. Gonna be a fun season!
Appreciate the comment and agree to disagree with the offense in Toronto being iffy after the top 3. But that’s why we play the games. Time will tell
May I add, I certainly added Seattle to my playoff teams in my first post. Gotta give respect to the team that fed my team their lunch. The SP is going to carry the team even if the offense falters, but there’s too much talent on that team to hold them down all season
I’m happy if a rematch insues come playoffs.
Best of luck and best of health
SOB – the one thing that has come out of the bloom years debacle is its made me more of a fan of 28 other teams again. I’ve always been a boston fan, and, when I’ve moved around the country I’ve always supported the local team as well. Luckily there’s usually a NL team nearby, last 2 decades it’s the Braves. (The one exception was late 1990s, I spent 2 years in NJ and the whiteplains/bridgeport areas for work… as you can suspect, I did NOT support the geographically closer team LOL.)
But, yes, since at this point there’s not much to root for from the Sox, I get more invested in rooting for the turnarounds of other teams emerging from their rebuilds. That, and, anyone who plays against the Yankees or Astros on a given night.
Yes! Health will determine so much and let’s hope the injury bug is kind to both of our teams !! Very excited for the season, cheers.
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
GASoxFan & JaysFan1981 Don’t forget about Seattle you guys…
===========================
Seattle should be the fly in the ointment. I think everyone in the ALE can win 87 games, but Seattle can easily knock one of them out with 90.
Bloom is an idiot and hopefully this spells his doom this year.
Georgie as he was called by Fans in SD deserves a MLB uniform. Super Hussle running out grounder, adequate OF player and Catcher. Look at his Stats in Miami.
No wonder the Marlins are where they are. The returns they got for Yelich, Realmuto and Stanton have added up to zippo.
Only the haul for Ozuna worked out (Alcantara).
Fish got Zac Gallen in that deal too, and traded him to Arizona for Jazz Chisholm. that’s a win-win for both teams as both players have done well..
Gallen and Alcantara for all three of the Marlins guys would’ve been a steal.
Stanton has 9.1 bWAR for $135M with the NYY. A trade of Stanton, Realmuto & Ozuna for a good hot dog vendor would’ve been okay.
And Jazz/Gallen is the type of trade I like seeing. The sad part is that they made the the trade because they needed offense. They added Chisholm and still have no offense.
Phillies should call about Dalbec. Could be a solid platoon vs LHP with Hall vs RHP
I’d bet they’re talking. The RS have the leverage here since they can keep Dalbec in the minors for as long as they want.
Wonder if the rule 5 Noah Song thing stings too much to make a deal?
That won’t stop anything. I see about a -0- chance that Philly keeps Song on the roster for 90 days. That’s the equivalent of going with a 25-man roster, and Philly already has some minor pitching issues.
I like Yu Chang, I’ve seen him at various minor league stops and in Cleveland. I’m happy he gets to continue his journey. Loved seeing him in the WBC.
I do not understand what teams see in him. When he was coming up the idea was “he’s young for the level, hitting well, and plays SS”. But in the majors he neither hits well nor plays SS. Defensive metrics actually aren’t bad for him at SS, but the bulk of his playing time has been at 1B. And it doesn’t make sense to make a guy with a career wRC+ of 77 a 1B.
I’m hoping the Sox at least use him more at 2B/SS, where at least his defense can carry him a bit maybe.
I am a Guardians fan and I’ve always felt Yu Chang could hit if given enough regular at bats. The guy I went to the most games with disagrees with me. I am interested to see how well Yu does this season, and much of a chance he gets.
Red Sox – A hodgepodge of nothingness.
As is your comment.
Should be a long season in Boston, a better one in Baltimore, another good one in New York and Toronto and an unpredictable one in Tampa.
The good news is the team looks like the 2020 team that got us Mayer.
Red Sox fans gone are the days of the steady old reliable back up catcher.Bob Montgomery,Gary Allenson,’Jeff Newman come to mind.With the Topps Red Sox prospect cards of Mike O,Berry,Andy Merchant waiting in the wings. I,d take Roger LaFrancois and Marc Sullivan right now.Maybe even Haywood Sullivan.Thank you for letting an old Red Sox fan vent.
Mrbarky, I remember all of the catchers you mentioned and none of them were very good. If you mentioned Gedman and Varitek then you had catchers who contributed offense as well as defense. They also contributed to World Series teams (Gedman 1986 against the Mets and Varitek 2004 and 2007).
Alfaro can hit, but from ALL the numerous websites I have read is that he is a terrible defensive catcher. He is clearly a third catcher for the Red Sox.
I remember those days. Now we threw the reigns of catching to a backup and a rookie. What a mess this clown Bloom created.
Mrbarky… you brought me down memory lane… but my personal favorite… John Marzano…Gary allenson close second.. again none of above will ever be mistaken for Fisk/ tek.. hell vaz for that matter but what a fun time… if by fun time…. we had to wait till 2004
olmtiant – For me it’s “Olympic Hero John Marzano”.
He was loved for his leading the 1984 Olympic Team to a silver medal.
He was loved for slugging Paul O’Neill.
And his tragic death, falling down the stairs at Age 45, couldn’t be any more sad.
Despite never being a ML star, he was a very memorable guy.
Fever.. wow didn’t know about Olympics or the Paul o Neill slugging… I was at a game with baseball tour and he had a walk off double to win a game vs Seattle!! Funny thing is only other thing I remember is Dave Valle ( batting like 120) took Clemens deep..
I’m surprised at the decision, as well as the fact that no one else wanted him. I still like him as our #3.
IRT Dalbec, it’s probably the right move. Dalbec is fun to watch, but we need a legit UIF. And another season in AAA will allow Dalbec to time to work on selectivity. I’m still not giving up on him.
I look back on swihart and wonder what mightve been if he wasn’t rushed for his bat, and, when he was sent down had he just been left to focus on being a great catcher than ‘make him versatile’… and he’s not the only one. There’s been plenty of guys in mlb who, in the name of ‘versatility’ got tripped up by the pressures of playing out of position and never got it back.
Chang has yet to play in a Grapefruit League game. McGuire is a backup catcher now starting. Wong is a Triple AAA player who has little major league experience. That is just the catching. The pitching staff is composed of injured player some have not pitched Sale (a few innings) and Paxton in almost two years, Kluber should be marked fragile handle with care. Pivetta is a 4th starter at best. Mondesi the shortstop is hurt. There is no power at first base. Yeah the bullpen is better but there are not going to be many games to save. This team is going to be a train wreck. They are picking us for last place in the division too. Bloom must have sold John Henry some line of BS to get the job. The only positive is that after another last place finish we can get rid of Chaim Bloom and his reign of incompetence and get a real GM in there who knows what he is doing.
“Chang has yet to play in a Grapefruit League game.”
And?