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Just in sound-byte mode here.  As y'know, we live ta serve :- )

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Justin Smoak

First time up, batting right ... he got a low-in fastball.  Pulled the hands in, Screen Drill Style, and barrelled a hard liner into right field.

He's palpably less shrill at the plate; I think even his grimace has eased.  It says here that his strike zone numbers will also benefit.  

Eyes slideways.

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Abraham Almonte

Smoked a home run, right handed, and it was a really nice 3-1 tater that he loaded up on.  It wasn't a fly ball that happened to go over the fence; he looked to hit a home run, loaded up to hit a home run, and did hit a home run.  Like we sez, a leadoff hitter with 12 homers does draw a good bit more free passes.

I've got to admit, much of his slow spring has been due to BABIP.  We ain't counting him out.

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Logan Morrison

His weight transfer, back leg to front leg, was radically better, I thought.  He didn't look nearly as static or kludgy as he did last week.

You understand that SSI ain't solving the problems of the world on March 15th spring training games.  :- )  We're just chatting about what is going on in Arizona.  Morrison has looked awkward early, but today and yesterday seemed to be smoothing it out some.

Or not.

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Kyle Seager

A 191-MPH line shot off his ankle, hopped literally 2 feet in front of him... Seager caught it.

Somebody asked Blowers, how did he do that?  How did he become an above-average third baseman so quickly, when he is actually a second baseman?  Blowers was instant:  he's a tireless worker.

James once pointed out that nice guys are good defenders; the common denominator is unselfishness, lack of ego, and delayed gratification.

....

Later in the game, Seager fouled a ball off and hit somebody.  Cindy, sitting next to me, said "It looks like he's got tears in his eyes.  He's really rattled."  Blowers followed with a story about how Seager hit somebody last year, came back to the park, spent time with them, and so forth.

Kyle Seager can play third for my ball club any time.

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Nick Franklin

Dove to sssnnnnnnare a one-hop shot up the middle, took just a TICK too long flicking it to 2B from his stomach, and they just missed the double play.  He handled a sky-high popup with confidence and authority.  There were no plays that looked nervy.

Franklin is completely comfortable at short.  He just ain't going to be Omar Vizquel, that's all.  There's such a thing as a bat-first shortstop.

He ain't gonna play in Seattle, though, because Brad Miller is going to be playing there for quite some time.  Tip o' the kelly to Gordon and Spectator, who have seen Miller coming a mile away.  This one's fer you, Spec.

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BABVA,

Dr D