Open Thread: March 4th Camp Notes

The Yankees got back into the win column this afternoon, improving their Grapefruit League record to 8-2. Both Gary Sanchez and Aaron Hicks went deep while Greg Bird reached base three times (single, two walks). Billy McKinney laced a double as well. The third piece in last year’s Aroldis Chapman trade is 5-for-8 (.625) with two doubles and two dingers this spring. Pretty cool.

Michael Pineda, in his first start of the spring, struck out five in two scoreless innings. Dellin Betances walked one and allowed a hit in his inning of work. That was his final appearance before leaving for the World Baseball Classic. Chad Green allowed a run on three hits and a walk in 1.2 innings in his second Grapefruit League outing. That won’t help him win a rotation spot. Here’s the box score. The game wasn’t televised, so there are no video highlights. Here’s everything else that went on in Tampa:

• Sanchez threw a runner out trying to steal second with Betances on the mound today, which is kinda significant. Runners went 21-for-21 stealing bases against Dellin last year, remember. He worked on his pickoff move over the winter and threw over to first base twice before the caught stealing. “It’s something that helps. It keeps them honest and I let Gary do the rest,” said Betances. [Billy Witz]
• Bryan Hoch has the pitching assignments and hitting/fielding groups for everyone who didn’t play in today’s game. Domingo German, Jon Niese, and CC Sabathia all threw bullpen sessions. I’m pretty sure those three and James Kaprielian are the only healthy pitchers in camp who have yet to pitch in a Grapefruit League game.
• Gleyber Torres will play second base at some point in the coming days but he will not play third this spring, Joe Girardi said. He hasn’t worked out there at all as far as I know. I get the feeling it’s only a matter of time until Gleyber spends time at the hot corner though. Maybe in Instructional League this fall? [George King]
• Masahiro Tanaka will make his second start of the spring tomorrow afternoon. That’s a home game against the Pirates and there will be a YES Network broadcast. Hooray for that. Tanaka’s first spring start was not televised.

Here is the open thread for the rest of the day. MLB Network is showing games on tape delay throughout the afternoon and evening, plus the (hockey) Rangers, Devils, and Nets are all playing. There’s also a bunch of college basketball. Talk about those games or anything else here, as long as it’s not politics or religion.