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Dateline: Goodyear, Arizona
A pair of really good Major League prospects who have at least a punchers chance of making the opening roster, exorcized some demons on Thursday against the San Diego Padres.
Both had a tastes of the bigs last season but had some bad things happen to them.
Chase Petty has a golden arm. He is a top starting pitching prospect, who had an eye opening spring a year ago but an eyes shut regular season.
The then 21-year old from New Jersey handled the Los Angeles Dodgers very well in a Cactus League game last spring. His emotions were predictably high after it and Terry Francona was effusive in his praise.
Francona is cautious about reading too much into a spring outing or even a Major League debut.
"This game will not define him whether it is good or bad," Francona has told the press repeatedly over the years. "But you always want them to do well and feel good about themselves."
The Reds brought him up three times last season because he was on the 40-man roster. He pitched against the St. Louis Cardinals in the second game of a double header and had a nightmarish outing. He lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing nine runs on seven hits and two walks. On May 11 at Houston, Petty made it through three innings but allowed four runs on six hits. He walked six batters, six batters among 20 batters faced. He returned June 21 and pitched 2/3 of an inning in the 11th inning as a reliever. Petty faced four batters, hitting one of them with a pitch. He took his third loss in as many games, allowing the winning run. Petty finished his big league season, 0-3 with an ERA like an FM radio station at 19.5.
After a solid 2024 season in the minor leagues where he made 28 starts between Double A Chattanooga and Triple A Louisville. He won 11 games, lost five and had a decent 4.60 ERA.
Last season Petty took a step back at Louisville. He was 6-13 with a 6.39 ERA. He struck out 102 batters in 112 2/3 innings but walked 58 and allowed 17 home runs in 26 starts.
"It's a clean slate," Francona said. "It is easy to forget, he's really young. Last year when he threw that game against the Dodgers, everybody was raving about Chase Petty. Then you come to the big leagues and you have some hiccups. People forget this kid is just a really good prospect. He's still learning. It's o.k. As long as he knows that and learns from what's happened he'll be fine."
Against the Padres, he pitched two hitless innings with a walk and a strikeout.
"He just needs to work on something softer. He has a big arm. He needs something to get guys off his fastball and have better command," Francona said.
The is exactly what Petty is working on this spring.
"This spring is going really well. I'm trying to be a sponge and soak up everything I can," Petty said. "I'm trying to be in the zone too much right now, so when the season comes around I'm aggressive in the zone and I can work out of it."
Petty is using last season as a tool to progress.
"I fell behind a lot. I walked some guys. I kind of just stayed in the middle of the zone," Petty said. "When I fell behind in the count and had to throw to the middle of the plate while I'm facing the best in the world, they're going to hit it."
To show something other than arm strength Petty added a change up in the off season.
"I have added a kick change. I'm trying to get more depth on the change up, get ahead and get more swing and miss with two strikes to lefties. It has been really good. I only threw it twice yesterday so I didn't get to see much of it but I'm really excited about that pitch, moving forward."
Callihan lost a full season after breaking his left arm making a diving attempt of a fly ball down the left field line hit by Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves last year. The ball fell and Callihan stayed down with a broken arm and as it was later discovered a broken wrist.
There are injuries in baseball but few this horrific. Callihan had a handful of at bats before Thursday with nothing to show for it. He hit a home run and a double in two at bats against San Diego.
"You want to go out and compete and show you can do it. The other day, I hit a ground ball to the second baseman and ran it out. I've never been so excited about a ground ball to second," Callihan said. "Just to be able to run the ball out. I came back smiling, after not playing for nine months. It is a process and I understand that. I want to do well. Sometimes you get that one at bat and you want to do something."
Callihan actually studied the play on which he was hurt.
"I was pumped after yesterday. I know my wife is really proud of me and all of my family and friends, know what I've been going through. That's what meant the most, obviously hitting the home run, getting back to the dugout and seeing my boys faces was really fun. They all understand too."
"The injury was not ideal, not ideal but it is just part of the story to this point. I'd be lying if I said a couple of days after I wasn't nervous about wondering if I was ever going to come back. But the people who mean the most to me telling me, you're going to be back. That's what meant the most to me."
"I watched the video pretty much every day for the first two weeks," Callihan said. "I was interested in what I could do different. I haven't watched it since. I don't care to watch it any more."
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