Here it is Howie
Catctus League Notes
Cubs/Angels
The Angels return to Tempe Diablo Stadium on Monday afternoon for a 1:05 p.m. MT home game against the Cubs, with Escobar taking the ball for the Angels against Cubs right-hander Matt Clement.
Rockies/Giants
Kennedy is scheduled to start for the Rockies against San Francisco at Hi Corbett Field on Monday at 1:05 p.m. PT. Also scheduled are Wendell, left-hander ***** Fuentes and Nunez.Dustin Hermanson will start for the Giants.
Take Dustin Hermanson's 16.71 ERA over his last two games. Ouch. Let's analyze: 17 hits, 13 runs, five walks. On the surface, it appears Dustin is destined for the dust bin. But no. Wrong assumption.
In fact, the 31-year-old right-hander has reasons -- not excuses -- for the two bad innings, not outings.
Against Arizona on March 18 he was sick to his stomach, tried to compensate by being too aggressive and was rocked for five runs in the opening frame.
Then on Wednesday vs. San Diego, the eight-year veteran saw his pitching roof cave in during a seven-run fifth inning.
So why is this man still smiling?
For one thing, he's in a hot race with rookie Kevin Correia and veteran Ryan Jensen for the fifth spot in the Giants rotation, and he could move up if No. 1 starter Jason Schmidt's cranky shoulder excludes him from an Opening Day assignment in Houston on April 5.
For another, he knows precisely what went wrong on Wednesday.
"In Arizona, I tried to do too much and was over-aggressive," explained Hermanson, "so against the Padres I did a lot of shagging to get the energy out of me. Then I went in the bullp en and threw a simulated inning so I could relax."
That strategy worked for a while -- about four whiles to be precise. But then came the ugly fifth, when Hermanson's pre-game activities caught up with him, with a three-run homer the lowlight.
"I was nice and under control for the first four innings, but then I got tired because I did too much," said Hermanson, who suffered his second spring defeat in a 12-4 rout. "I was trying to correct what I did in that first game, get that energy out."
In the bullpen before the contest, Hermanson even warmed up before his fake game, sat down, then did it all over again. So by the time he started the real Cactus League game, it felt like he'd already thrown two frames. Because he had.
"That was my fault, but I was really happy with the way I threw those first four innings," said Hermanson. "Everything was really good and positive. Energy is good but I have to learn to channel it right now. If you don't, you leave the ball up in the zone."
Zona/Brewers
No info available
Oakland/M's
Redman will get the ball Monday for a 1:05 p.m. PT start in Peoria, Ariz., against the Mariners, who will send Ryan Franklin to the mound
K.C./Chicago
On Monday the Royals make their second trip to Tucson, Ariz., in three days. They'll start minor league right-hander Junior Herndon against Chicago White Sox left-hander Neal Cotts.
