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Ian Snell Back Just in Time
By Tom Smith
It was a wild ending in the WBC, but Puerto Rico fell to the USA tonight in the bottom of the ninth 6-5. Good Luck to John Grabow and Team USA today against Venezuela.
I will be glad to see Ian Snell back in camp. I don’t think I am alone in that very selfish sentence. Joe Kerrigan mentioned he had been taping Ian’s performances. He certainly must have been pleased with the video he watched. Despite the pleasantries, “Ian is throwing well from what I have seen,” said Kerrigan. It seemed Kerrigan was anxious to have Snell back in Spring Training.
He suffered a tough luck loss, but I will take this line from Ian every other start all season long. The Pirates need Ian Snell to have a stellar season. It looks like he is off to an exceptional start.
Snell 0-1. 2.25ERA 8IP 8H 2R 2ER 3BB 10K 1.38WHIP
Also, the need for pitching help is going around. The Royals signed Sir Sidney Ponson to a ”minor league very low risk” contract. Ponson had pitched for the Netherlands in the WBC. The Milwaukee Brewers yesterday grabbed Wes Littleton off waivers from the Red Sox. He had allowed 11 earned runs in 5.1IP this Spring. Wow. Brian Slocum there is hope.
The video link below is a sparkling defensive play Snell made against Venezuala that is worth the pain of clicking on it.