Cuthbertson did what all good pitchers do -- he managed to have a good game without possessing his best stuff.
It was a successful start on every level. The part I was most impressed with was our pitching and defense. Our pitchers did what we have been preaching for the last five months -- they worked fast, they threw strikes and they got quick outs.
If you have that slump the best players in baseball are the ones who get out of those slumps instead of the guy who wallows in misery forever.
Our offense has a lot of potential, but it took them 12 games to finally break out and show what they can do. It was truly enjoyable to watch their approach in the fifth and sixth innings.
We are a different team with Aaron Powell healthy. He is such an outstanding hitter and having him in there really makes our lineup better, top to bottom.
When only two runners make it past first base, you know that your guys on the mound dominated.
It is early, but I feel good about the direction the team is headed thus far.
We still have some guys trying to get comfortable at the plate, so it was nice to go out and score some runs. Six extra base hits is one of our best efforts of the season.
I'm definitely surprised that he's back, but it's a pleasant surprise. This is going to be a big year for him. He's going to get a lot more innings against good competition and in big spots. It's going to be interesting to see how he responds.
