split squads trigger old memory

Sunday was "split squad" day, as 5 teams in Florida and 3 more in Arizona played these games where they essentially break their roster in half and play 2 separate games. I remember as a boy in the 1960s when Sunday almost always was a doubleheader. On some of those days, half the regulars would play one game and the other half would play in the other. It also meant Monday's morning paper would have twice as many box scores to go through. I experienced this deja vu this morning, without having to wash print ink off my hands.

The Phillies were among the split squads Sunday, with part of the team dropping a 3-0 decision to the Yankees in Tampa. Good news here: Kyle Kendrick had 3 more shut out innings, 3 hits, NO walks, 2 K, Austin Hyatt took the loss, but after allowing 2 runs on 2 hits in his first inning, threw 2 more scoreless frames, and Mike Stutes tossed a shut out frame, despite giving up 2 hits. Tuffy Gosewisch made a late appearance and did not get an at bat......Back in Clearwater, the rest of the Phillies played a 10-inning, 4-4 tie with the Tigers. Troy Hanzawa and Jiwan James made their spring debuts for the Phillies, each getting an at bat. Domonic Brown got 2 at bats after relieving Jim Thome as DH. Freddy Galvis continues to impress. Sunday he played second base again, and had an RBI-single and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly. Jacob Diekman, BJ Rosenberg, and Tyson Brummett each threw a shut out inning an allowed no hits at all!!

In Glendale, the Dodgers shut out the Cubs, 5-0. Adrian Cardenas got an at bat for the Cubs, and Will Savage threw an interesting inning for the Dodgers. After walking the lead-off hitter Steve Clevinger on 4 pitches, Savage then retired the side with 2 more. Getting help from Cory Sullivan in left field, Clevinger was doubled off first, and then Savage got Alfredo Amezaga to ground out on the next pitch and the inning was done, 2 pitches!.............The Indians also split their squad, and lost their 2 games by the combined score 0f 23-3. In Tempe, the Angels destroyed the Tribe, 17-2. Lou Marson had a single and a walk, and is hitting .400 so far this spring. The rest of the team lost 6-1, to Texas. Jason Donald took an 0 for 4 and has fallen to .143........In Phoenix, Oakland outscored Kansas City 10-8. Greg Golson was used as a pinch runner by the Royals, and Mike Taylor got an at bat for the Athletics. Neither of these guys has won a job yet.