By MATT PIKE
Competing for his spot in the Kansas City Royals starting rotation, St. Joseph's Noah Cameron made his Spring Training debut against the defending American League runners up, the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.
Cameron, the St. Joseph Central alum, was solid in his limited outing, pitching two scoreless innings giving up just one hit, also walking one, while striking out two batters on 36 pitches, 20 of those strikes. Cameron opened the game striking out Victor Robles before giving up a single, then after forcing Josh Naylor to ground into a force out, struck out Patrick Wisdom to end the first inning.
In the second inning, Cameron got a flyout from Miles Mastrobuoni before he walked Andrew Knizner on six pitches, but then on a 2-0 count forced Cole Young to ground into an inning ending double play. Chase Jessee replaced Cameron in the third inning, surrendering a run to give up the 1-0 lead, but escaped the inning with the game tied.
Cameron says it was just a good feeling to get back out on the mound and make that first start
"I feel like every offseason we just kind of wait for that first one, you can throw as many live bullpens all that stuff in the backfields, but nothing feels real until you get out there," Cameron told reporters following the game. "So good to be out there and ready to keep going."
The plan going in for Cameron in his first game action against batters, aside from live batting practices, was to feel out the zone with his pitches.
"Which we kind of struggled with a little bit, but I was definitely around the zone, everything felt good coming out," Cameron says. "Velo is a little down, which is normal a little bit running out of camp, but just kind of feel it up, see what the hitters doing, obviously in season you're doing scouting reports, you're doing pitcher and catcher meetings stuff like that, Spring Training it's more just hey throw to your strengths and use it as a practice day, obviously your throwing in a game, but use it as a practice day and get better."
Cameron says this camp feels different after fighting to earn a spot last year, this year focusing more on not burning out early and preparing for the season while earning a spot, a difference he could feel on the mound.
"Even starting games, last year I didn't start games in Spring Training, I only had a few outings here and was kind of the later inning guy, so even that is exciting, feels more like a gameday, more like a day in Kansas City," Cameron says. "We're excited and ready to keep going."
Back-to back doubles from Bobby Witt Jr and Vinnie Pasquantino gave Cameron the 1-0 lead. The Royals did fall behind later in the game on a three run home run from former Kansas City prospect Jackson Reetz, but rallied back in the seventh inning and took the lead back on a three run home run of their own from #24 prospect Gavin Cross.
The Royals will next play the Arizona Diamondbacks in Spring Training action tomorrow. Our next game coverage on KFEQ (680AM/95.3 FM) will be on March 2nd against the Los Angeles Angels.
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