Grapefruit Game 8: Phillies 4, Pirates 2

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Jon Niese clearly didn’t have his best stuff Tuesday. He fought his cutter and two-seamers and struggled with command in a three-inning start against the Philadelphia Phillies. He allowed two hits (a homer and a triple), four runs, walked two and hit a batter. 

In his first start of spring, Niese gave up five hits and four runs in two innings. So, so far he hasn’t made the greatest impression.

“Right now, I'm not really worried about the results,” he said. “Just worrying about the process, getting the volume in. It'll come. ... With stuff comes confidence, and with confidence comes executing pitches. The results will be there."

Niese had a strong third inning, however, and felt his changeup and curveball are coming along well.

The big blast of the day came from Darin Ruf, who bombed Niese’s cutter to center for a two-run homer in the first. Later, after Niese singled through the right side and met Ruf at first base. ”I told him I'm never throwing [the cutter] to him again. He's punished me every time I've thrown it to him.”

Here’s what Clint Hurdle had to say the game: "I think we're going to sit back and continue to encourage Jon to transition in. There's a lot going on for a player when he gets traded. For me, right now, he's kind of over-competing — wants to do well." The smooth third inning, he said, was more telling than the first two. "[Niese] is amped up. He's definitely got a lot of adrenaline flowing right now. I think we'll use the entire spring training to get him into a good, comfortable spot so he'll be ready come time for the season to open."

Outfielder Harold Ramirez singled home a run in his only at-bat today, bringing him to 7 for 12 on the spring. Ramirez, 21, batted .337 with 22 steals last season at Class High-A Bradenton. Hurdle said Ramirez profiles as a corner outfielder down the road and likes that the kid is aggressive at the plate, willing to take a bad swing in order to get a better read the next time. 

"He wants to hit,” Hurdle said. “He goes up there with bad intentions, which excites me."