PORT CHARLOTTE (620 WDAE) -- For the first time this spring, pitchers got out on the bullpen mounds at Charlotte Sports Park to throw in a scheduled workout setting. Pitchers Blake Snell, Jake Faria and Brent Honeywell were among the 18 pitchers who took to the hill.
For Faria, the first workout day is not about going full out -- he told me he went at about 70 percent -- but instead making sure he gets the right and expected movement out of each pitch type.
"I threw everything today, but I'm not trying to snap anything off," the right-hander said after practice. "I'm not trying to be as dirty as I can be. It's been a week since I threw my last [bullpen session], so I'm just trying to get a feel for everything.
For manager Kevin Cash, it was about getting a first look at Yonny Chirinos, who is in his first big-league camp after a 12-5 year in Durham in 2017.
"Yonny was probably the highlight for me," Cash admitted. "We heard a lot about him last year with the success he had. Ryan Yarbrough is right there [with him], but I had seen Ryan last year and then a bunch at the Trop. He came in really early. But to see Chirinos throw, he certainly looks the part. You can understand why he had so much success in Durham.
Listen to Cash and Faria on the first day of workouts below!
ARCHER SPEAKS ON LEADING, HONEYWELL -- Pitcher Chris Archer did not throw a bullpen session Wednesday, but he did speak to the media about the start of the first Spring Training in over a decade without either Alex Cobb or Evan Longoria.
"To be quite honest, we've had so much time to digest it, we've turned the page," Archer said. "We respect everything Longo's done for us and Cobb did for us. And Longo's the best player to come through here in history. So there's some big shoes to fill on the position player side. But we have to turn the page."
Archer said despite his status on the team, he wouldn't be looking to try and lead the position players, noting that he plays only once every five days.
Meanwhile, pitcher Brent Honeywell opened up the first day of workouts displaying his independence, telling reporters that he doesn't need his hand to be held in his first big-league camp.
That didn't seem to sit too well with Archer.
"He talks a lot," Archer said. "I've already told him until he gets some dirt on his spikes, he needs to keep it down a little. And I'm excited to see him pitch, but you can't do all that talking without even throwing a Major League Baseball in your life. He knows that. I say that to his face, and I have mad love and respect for him."
Listen to the entire conversation below!
SUCRE STILL DEALING WITH VISA -- Catcher Jesus Sucre is the only pitcher or catcher to not be in camp, as he is still dealing with issues concerning his visa. Cash said Wednesday that there's no specific timeframe for him to get to Port Charlotte, but he and the team are hopeful the issue can be resolved quickly, perhaps by the end of the week.
60 of the 68 players invited to Major League Spring Training have arrived in Port Charlotte, including 17 of the 24 position players. The only players yet to arrive are SS Adeiny Hechaverria, CF Kevin Kiermaier, 1B/OF Joe McCarthy, INF Brad Miller, OF Denard Span, INF Andrew Velaquez, and OF Justin Williams.
FOR THURSDAY -- The second half of pitchers and catchers that did not throw bullpens Wednesday will get on the mound. Those include Archer, Jake Odorizzi and Nathan Eovaldi, among others. The workout is scheduled to start at 10:30 and should run about 90 minutes.