Postcard from Cardinals spring training camp for Thursday, March 21, 2024
Result: Astros 9, Cardinals 1
Weather: 79 degrees, partly cloudy
By Rob Rains
JUPITER, Fla. – Zack Thompson came to spring training with a goal of showing the Cardinals that he should be in their starting rotation this year.
After his final start on Thursday, Thompson believes he has done that. Now he just needs to receive that confirmation from the Cardinals.
Thompson allowed two runs over four innings against most of the Houston regulars, not as clean as most of his starts this spring but validation in his mind of the adjustments and progress that he has made.
“At the end of the day it’s all out of my control but I just tried to do everything I can every outing this spring to show them that intent to be a starter,” Thompson said.
In his fourth start and fifth appearance of the spring, Thompson gave up hits to the first three hitters he faced, and also saw Nolan Arenado commit an error behind him, but still got out of the first inning giving up only one run.
“They had a certain approach and I kind of had to change things going into the second,” Thompson said. “They grinded a lot of pitches today and drove my pitch count up, but I thought I did a good job of staying locked in and keeping crooked numbers off the board.”
A year ago, Thompson said he might have not have been able to do that.
“I think I’m much more pitcher than thrower this year to put it bluntly,” Thompson said. “I went from 2-ish pitches to 5-ish pitches and I think that forces the hitter into a different approach.”
It was the kind of test Thompson thinks he needed.
“Last outing everything kind of went my way and I didn’t have to deal with a lot of traffic,” he said. “Today I had a lot more runners on and had to work through a few things. I think that’s a good thing to deal with now.”
Thompson finished the spring with a 2.81 ERA.
Here is how Thursday’s game broke down:
High: Brendan Donovan reached base three times with a hit and two walks, one of which came on a 13-pitch at-bat in the fifth inning.
Low: Four minor-league pitchers combined to allow seven runs over the final four innings.
At the plate: The Cardinals were held to just four hits, all singles … Paul Goldschmidt was 0-of-4 and struck out twice, dropping his spring average to .132 … Nolan Gorman also struck out twice as he was hitless in three at-bats … Ivan Herrera drove in the only run.
On the mound: Thompson walked two and struck out two as he was forced to throw 73 pitches over his four innings … Andre Pallante worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning, lowering his spring ERA to 2.00.
Worth noting: Sonny Gray’s start in a minor-league game on Friday is scheduled to last two innings, but there also is a forecast for rain in the area that may affect those plans … The Cardinals are waiting on Gray’s recovery before determining how they will lineup their starters for the first time through the rotation to begin the regular season … The Cardinals sent five more players to their minor-league complex; pitchers Kyle Leahy and Wilking Rodriguez, catchers Nick Raposo and Wade Stauss and outfielder Matt Koperniak. There are 41 players left in camp, including those still to be placed on the injured list before opening day … Only four players left in camp went to a school that has a team playing in the NCAA basketball tournament – Thompson (Kentucky), John King (Houston) and Luken Baker and Matt Carpenter (both TCU).
Up next: The Cardinals and Marlins are scheduled to play a night game Friday in Jupiter, weather permitting. It will be Miles Mikolas’ final start prior to opening day in Los Angeles.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
