MLB Spring Training: February 26 winners and losers
By Bill Felber
It was a memorable MLB spring training day for some veteran minor leaguers. Here’s why.
The MLB spring training stars finally aligned Wednesday for a bunch of guys who have spent most or all of their careers riding minor league buses. For a couple, their deeds Wednesday will probably also turn out to be their season memories.
Winner: Myles Straw, Houston Astros outfielder
Straw is getting a look as a possible outfield backup for Houston, and so far he’s making the most of it. Leading off against the Cardinals Wednesday, Straw homered with a runner on base in the third inning for Houston’s first two runs.
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In the fifth, he got a high heater, jetted it into the gap in right, and didn’t stop running until he’d touched home plate with a second home run, this one of the inside-the-park variety.
Straw is now batting .667.
Winner: Bubba Starling, Kansas City Royals outfielder
All of Kansas City is rooting for Starling, who the Royals made a first-round draft pick out of a suburban Kansas City high school in 2011 only to watch him linger eight seasons in the team’s minor league system.
Starling finally got his shot last July, and he’s in camp this spring projected as a fourth or fifth outfielder. Off his showing Wednesday, KC fans may wonder what kept Starling in the minors for most of the decade.
He homered in the fourth inning, walked in Kansas City’s five-run sixth, and doubled in the seventh. So far this spring, Starling is batting .500.