Müll » on 23 minutes when Sneyds grubber

DUNEDIN, Florida – In one of his post-game scrums last summer, R.A. Dickey referred to his knuckleball as a "capricious animal," a phrase meant to describe the unpredictability, the figurative moodiness, of his strange pitch. Erik Kratz was behind the plate to start Thursdays 7-5 win over the Phillies. He was catching Dickey for the first time in game action and afterward, could attest to his pitchers apt terminology. Asked how he thought he did on Day One, Kratz turned the tables. "How did you think I did?" He was told he did fine. "Okay, well then I did fine," said Kratz. "It wasnt perfect. I had the anticipated anxiety that I thought I would." Just how anxious was he? "I caught myself not breathing a couple of times and everything like that." Armed with a first basemans glove rather than the oversized catchers mitt preferred by most knuckleball catchers, Kratz understands hell have to be a quick study in learning both the physical and mental requirements of the job. "Just the idea of trying to relax, being out there, getting a different visual but I felt like it went very well," he said. "I felt like there is plenty of room for improvement but I think a lot of things Ive seen in his bullpen sessions, it was good to see in the game. Good to see him be able to change speeds and everything like that." Dickey laboured through the first inning, giving up a lead-off dunk single to Ben Revere. One out later, Brett Lawrie airmailed a throw to second on a Bobby Abreu chopper, putting Phillies on the corners. After Darin Ruf walked to load the bases, a Dickey knuckleball to Maikel Franco eluded Kratz for a passed ball which scored Revere from third. Its not how you would think Kratz would prefer to have drawn it up. Its his first game catching Dickey, in the first inning and the first time with a runner on third and a knuckler gets by him. But he was more than happy to make a mistake in a spring game. Passed balls are going to happen. The key is to not get psyched out; dont make the same mistake twice. "You can say, okay, well, it was a passed ball, wild pitch, it was a tough one to get but you have to be ready for the next one," said Kratz. "I was proud of myself. I was happy about the way I was able to relax." Dickey limits the in-game responsibility of his catcher to receiving his pitch. He calls his own game, communicating velocity to his catcher in ways he wont describe publicly. Hes not going to tip his hand. Dickey doesnt even want Kratz to form a hard target with his glove. "Its probably better for the catcher and for me, for that matter, if hes just nice and relaxed," said Dickey. "Im far enough along in my process where I can pick out a shin guard and hit a fastball. I dont need him to give me a target. "Plus, if hes only giving a target on fastballs then everybody in the stadium is going to know that hey, if he gives you a target its going to be a fastball and if he doesnt give you a target its going to be a knuckleball so I just like him to be nice and relaxed back there, whatever gives him the best chance to consistently catch the ball." Given the uncertainty over Dioner Navarros ability to catch more than 100 games - since Navarro hasnt done so since 2009 - the Jays are looking for more offence from their second catcher. Kratz, with 18 home runs in a back-up role over the last two seasons with the Phillies, fits the bill. Josh Thole, who caught Dickey and served as the back-up catcher after Henry Blanco was released last June, appears to be the odd man out. "Hes going to play a lot," said Gibbons. "We want to make sure he gets some playing time and then well see how it develops. Kratz is going to catch (Dickey) early on, see how that develops, and then go from there." Dickeys knuckleball topped out at 73 miles per hour on Thursday. He struck out two Phillies over two innings, one on a 61-mile-per-hour knuckler and another at 63 miles per hour. He wants his hard knuckleball at 77 by opening day, his floater at 65. Dickey says hes on target to achieve those radar gun readings, adding hes feeling much stronger than he did at the end of last February, when his knuckleball was topping out in the low-70s in early Grapefruit League action. ENCARNACION HAPPY AT FIRST BASE Edwin Encarnacion chuckled at the suggestion he wants to be, or has asked to be, a full-time designated hitter. "No, whatever the manager wants to do Im ready for it," said Encarnacion. "If I have to play every day at first, Ill play. If I have to play both, Im ready for it." Encarnacion played 79 games at first base last season. He served as the designated hitter on 55 occasions. "I like to play DH sometimes because I have more time to go to the computer, watch the pitcher, watch the video," said Encarnacion. "When you play defence you dont have time to do that but for me, if I have to play first base, I dont have a problem with that." Funny, Encarnacions numbers last season were almost indistinguishable. As a first baseman, he compiled a .272/.367/.527 slash line with 19 home runs in 294 at-bats. As a DH: .270/.374/.530 and 13 home runs in 200 at-bats. ROGERS A FATHER Congratulations to Esmil Rogers, the proud father of a baby daughter. Mom and little Elaina are in Denver and doing well. Rogers was there for the birth, returned to Dunedin on Wednesday and pitched in Thursdays game, giving up two runs in one inning of work. Fake Nike Baseball Jerseys China . Berkman almost left the game last off-season before signing with the Texas Rangers. He then had another injury-plagued season and was limited to 73 games. Fake Baseball Jerseys . "I wasnt waving the pom-poms to be involved with it to start with," Carlyle said after a 5-2 win over Carolina on Sunday night. "Its been a trying time. "Specifically we havent played as well as wed like to hang our hat on. https://www.fakebaseballjerseys.com/.com) - Markus Granlund scored the game-winning goal as the Calgary Flames used an early offensive flurry to defeat the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, on Monday. Wholesale Nike Baseball Jerseys . -- Michael Frazier II scored 21 points, Dorian Finney-Smith added 11 and No. Cheap Nike Baseball Jerseys . The Sioux Falls Canaries scored two in the seventh and three more in the eighth to come back from a 3-0 deficit and defeat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 5-3 in front of 6,769 at Shaw Park on Sunday afternoon.Hull FC moved back to the top of the Super League table with a convincing 36-12 win over Hull KR that also consigned their fierce rivals to the Middle 8s. Hull FC scored six tries in all with Mark Minichiello and Steve Michaels both scoring twice and Danny Houghton and Liam Watts also crossing the whitewash.Marc Sneyd converted all six tries and had a huge influence on the game with his crossfield kicking taking control of the game for his side after a nervy start. Hull KR were poor with their sets and missed several opportunities in the first half but did get two tries late in the second half through Adam Walker and Iain Thornley which Josh Mantellato converted.After suffering surprise back-to-back defeats, Hull answered their critics in emphatic fashion to displace Wigan at the top while the other beneficiaries were Wakefield, whose place in the top eight is guaranteed ahead of their trip to Catalans Dragons on Saturday.Not even the shock re-appearance of goalkicking winger Mantellato, three weeks ahead of schedule, could help Hull KR, who must fight for survival in the Qualifiers for a second successive season. Hull FC coach Lee Radford says he is extremely pleased with his sides win over Hull KR Yet there was little hint of the one-sided nature of the game after Rovers dominated the opening exchanges and the visitors ought to have taken the lead.Winger Ken Sio dropped Albert Kellys inch-perfect kick to the corner with a try beckoning and second rower James Donaldson crossed the line only to be brought back for a forward pass.Hull were far more clinical and never looked back after scoring two tries in a five-minute spell. Marc Sneyd analyses Hull FCs 36-12 win over Hull KR Prop Liam Watts charrged over after taking a smart pass from hooker Danny Houghton, who then read Sneyds kick off the side of his boot to collect and touch down for his sides second try.ddddddddddddCentre Mahe Fonua ought to have added a third shortly afterwards when he dropped Jordan Abdulls pass with the line breached but Hull duly increased their lead on 23 minutes when Sneyds grubber kick deceived Kelly and second rower Minichiello collected the ricochet to touch down for his first try.Sneyd kicked his third conversion to make it 18-0 and, although he caused some anxiety among the home fans when he went off after taking a knock three minutes before the interval, he was back for the start of the second half. Hull KR coach James Webster says Hull FC played extremely well and are a very powerful side Hull KR lost Donaldson to a heavy knock midway through the first half and they lost their way for the rest of the game as the Black and Whites continued to dominate at will.Minichiello demonstrated a devastating combination of pace and neat footwork to go over for his second try and right winger Michaels took Fonuas pass to cross for Hulls fifth of the night. Hull FCs Danny Houghton says their 36-12 win over Hull KR was a performance his side needed Sneyd, by then switched to full-back with veteran Leon Pryce partnering Abdull in the halves, maintained his unerring accuracy with a touchline conversion to make it 30-0 before prop Adam Walker charged through a rare chink in the Hull defence for a consolation try.The impressive Fonua sent Michaels away for his second try, to which Sneyd added his sixth goal from as many attempts, but the badly-beaten Robins had the final say when centre Iain Thornley went 50 metres for a try and Mantellato kicked his second conversion. ' ' '