Highlights and interviews from the Rays-Twins preseason game 3.6.15

The Tampa Bay Rays hosted the Twins today, and while the game was not televised, the Rays were kind enough to send us a few highlights. The first truly televised game will be March 9, on YES network (mlb.tv and MLB Network delay). Check here for a full Spring Training broadcast schedule.

Here's what you'll see:

• With two men on base and one out, Jake Odorizzi produces a double-play groundball to second. The timing between Jake Elmore and Nick Franklin is off, though, so Franklin jukes back away from the bag after making the tag, and his relay throw to first is down the line. Logan Forsythe alertly comes off the bag and swipes the runner to end the inning.
• Just to reiterate, that was Frosty making a good tag at first base. If he can play the position well, I think there's a strong argument for giving him some of James Loney's plate appearances against lefties.
• The Twins double in a run off Matt Andriese with a weak liner flipped over Juan Francisco's glove. Not much of a double, but they all count. Andriese has an outside shot at the fifth starter spot to open the season.
• Steven Souza singles in a run past third base.
• An errant throw by Minnesota's Jorge Polanco scores Bobby Wilson, baserunner extraordinaire.

Oh, and while he wasn't able to get the throw there in time from deep in the hole, Hak-Ju Lee showed good range to his right. Maybe there's hope for him yet.

Interestingly, this video was immediately followed by a clip of Mikie Mahtook successfully making an incredibly routine play in center field. I've cut it out, and I'm not sure why it was included. Maybe the Rays videographer was making a point about how difficult it is to evaluate defense from play-by-play data?

Now on to the interviews.

Said Odorizzi:

• He's had worst first innings (we know, Jake).
• He only threw four offspeed pitches; just working on the fastball.
• His "mindset is completely different," because for the first time, he knows he has a spot. This means that he doesn't have to worry about results in the Spring, and can just work on things and "get ready for the first start of the year."
• "It was good to be back out there." (surprise!)

Said Souza:

• It's great to be back (I really hope someone says that it's not, just to mix things up).
• He played everywhere (in the outfield) in the minor leagues.
• He doesn't have "something to prove." He doesn't need to "show what kind of player [he is]." That would be putting pressure on himself. He's just going to "have fun."