Game 128: Post-Game Notes

Let me pass along Manny Banuelos’ comments after his Double-A debut.  Through interpreter/actual baseball coach Vic Valencia, Banuelos addressed the media for about five minutes outside of the Thunder clubhouse last night.

BANUELOS

“I was a little nervous early in the game.  The first inning, after I got the first out, I started feeling comfortable.”

“I didn’t feel that well with my body and my arm today.  Also, the mound was wet and the ball was wet, so I couldn’t command my pitches well.”

“I didn’t have any pain in my arm, I didn’t feel any pain.  It just felt heavy.  That’s probably why the velocity was what I normally throw.  But I kept pitching.”

“This is a big difference between the Florida State League and here.  I have to work on a lot of stuff in the bullpen and mix up my pitches.  This is a tough league, and that was a tough team.”

“Everything is going to be the same in the bullpen pretty much, it was experience today to see how the hitters are in this league.”

———–

Also, Thunder manager Tony Franklin spoke about Banuelos’ outing as well…

FRANKLIN

“That’s a tough matchup for a veteran pitcher in this league, but I thought he did pretty good.  We didn’t give him much support offensively, and it was a tough night to play, no question about it.  But that being said, it really doesn’t matter.  They won the ballgame and we didn’t.  I think Manny did a nice job and battled through some tough circumstances against a very difficult club to play against.”

“You can see the stuff, it’s there.  Great changeup, no question about it.  Great motion on it.  Curveball was tight.  It lost a little bit because of the wetness.  But you could see the stuff is there.”

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com