DotF: Mateo, Andujar lead Tampa to a win on Opening Day

I hate to start the first DotF of the season with bad news, but … bad news: Jim Callis says C Luis Torrens has been shut down after experiencing discomfort in his surgically repaired shoulder during Spring Training. Bummer. He missed all of last season following labrum surgery, but was healthy enough to do some baseball work in Instructional League last fall. Hopefully this is just a minor blip and he’s back soon.

If you missed it yesterday, we posted a ton of minor league notes, so check that out if you haven’t already. And if you didn’t miss it, check it out again anyway. In honor of DotF tradition, here are the full lineups on Opening Day.

Triple-A Scranton‘s game was suspended due to rain after four innings. They’ll finish it tomorrow. CF Slade Heathcott had two hits and C Gary Sanchez threw a runner out from his knees, so says Donnie Collins. Here’s the box score.

Double-A Trenton (7-0 loss to Erie)

• SS Tyler Wade: 2-4, 1 2B, 1 K — he really struggled at this level last year … nice to see him have a good game on Opening Day
• CF Dustin Fowler: 1-3, 1 BB — nice Double-A debut for last year’s breakout prospect
• RF Lane Adams: 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K
• 1B Tyler Austin: 1-4, 1 K
• LF Jake Cave: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 E (throwing) — it’s like he never left
• 3B Dante Bichette Jr.: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
• DH Juan Silva: 1-4
• C Kyle Higashioka: 0-4, 1 E (missed catch)
• 2B Cito Culver: 1-4, 2 K, 1 E (fielding)
• RHP Brady Lail: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 4/7 GB/FB — 57 of 91 pitches were strikes (63%) … he really struggled at Triple-A last year, but I bet he’s back at that level before long
• RHP Matt Wotherspoon: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3/0 GB/FB — 24 of 39 pitches were strikes (62%)
• LHP Matt Tracy: 2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 2/2 GB/FB — 26 of 34 pitches were strikes (76%)

High-A Tampa (9-2 win over Lakeland)

• SS Jorge Mateo: 3-5, 2 R, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 SB — well he hit the ground running, eh?
• 2B Abi Avelino: 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 CS — Mateo gets all the attention and for good reason, but don’t forget Avelino stole 54 bases last year
• 3B Miguel Andujar: 1-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI — can he avoid his usual slow start this year?
• 1B Mike Ford: 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB
• DH Billy Fleming: 2-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
• CF Jake Skole: 0-5, 2 K
• LF Austin Aune: 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 K — extra-base hits and strikeouts, all season baby
• C Santiago Nessy: 2-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K — he was a minor league Rule 5 Draft pick over the winter … the minor league phase is different than the Major League phase … Nessy is Yankees’ property now, there are no roster hoops to jump through
• LF Zack Zehner: 2-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Vicente Campos: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K, 3 Balks, 1/1 GB/FB — 52 of 83 pitches were strikes (63%) … three balks? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in DotF before
• RHP Dillon McNamara: 1 IP, zeroes, 1/1 GB/FB — seven pitches, five strikes
• LHP Jacob Lindgren: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 1/0 GB/FB — eleven pitches, seven strikes … hopefully he gets his control and mechanics and whatever else back on track quickly and becomes a big league option soon
• RHP Jonathan Holder: 2 IP, zeroes, 5 K, 1/0 GB/FB — 18 of 27 pitches were strikes (67%) … Lindgren setting up and Holder closing, just like the old days as Mississippi State … I wonder if the Yankees pulled the plug on Holder as a starter, or if this is only temporary … he was pretty good as a starter last year (2.44 ERA and 2.79 FIP in 103.1 innings at High-A)

Low-A Charleston (5-4 win over Columbia, walk-off style)

•  CF Jeff Hendrix: 1-4, 1 BB, 2 K
• 2B Hoy Jun Park: 0-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP — starts the year at second, but I expect him to get plenty of time at short as well
• LF Trey Amburgey: 0-2, 2 RBI, 3 BB — threw a runner out at third … had a huge pro debut last year and now he gets a crack at full season ball
• 1B Chris Gittens: 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K — he’s been getting a lot of love lately as a sleeper prospect because of his big time power
• RF Jhalan Jackson: 1-4, 1 2B, 2 K
• SS Kyle Holder: 1-4, 1 K — basically the opposite of Park’s comment … Holder starts the year at short but will see lots of time at second
• DH Kendall Coleman: 0-2, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 K
• 3B Angel Aguilar: 0-3, 1 R, 1 B, 2 K
• C Eduardo Navas: 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 SB — capped off the four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth with a walk-off steal of home .. yep, a walk-off steal of home by the catcher
• RHP Domingo Acevedo: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 WP, 1 HB, 4/1 GB/FB — 51 of 73 pitches were strikes (70%)
• RHP Travis Hissong: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 3/1 GB/FB — 21 of 37 pitches were strikes (57%)
• LHP James Reeves: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 26 of 39 pitches were strikes (67%), plus he picked a runner off first