Big Joe v Cal Quantrill, Lineup & Notes

Game: The finale starts at 4:10 EDT and will be carried by AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. And holy moly, it’s even raining in San Diego, although it’s supposed to pass before gametime.

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B, Melky Cabrera LF, Gregory Polanco RF, Josh Bell 1B, Bryan Reynolds CF, Colin Moran 3B, Elias Diaz C, Cole Tucker SS, Joe Musgrove P. Starling gets a blow; Cole is back in action and Cervy still isn’t after being hit in the hand with a bat while catching Wednesday at Arizona.

Pitchers: RHP Joe Musgrove (2-4/3.59) tosses against LHP Cal Quantrill (0-1/3.60). Big Joe threw a scoreless, seven-inning one-hitter against the Snakes last time out, so he looks like he’s climbed back on the barstool. Musgrove met the Friars once last year at Petco and shut them out on seven hits through seven innings. He’s another homecoming kid, out of Grossmont HS and he had a commitment to San Diego State before being drafted in 2011. Quantrill, 24, started in AAA, got a couple of spot starts earlier this month, was sent back down and just recalled again for today’s game. His peripherals are nothing special and he wasn’t lighting it up at AAA El Paso (4-1/4.80) although the PCL is not a very pitcher-friendly outfit. Cal held his own against the Mets and Braves, so we’ll see what the rookie has to offer today.

Notes:

• Long flight home, but it’s followed with a day off after 13 straight games. We’re sure the pitchers at least are looking forward to it, especially with 14 games in 13 days (twin bill in Cincy) next on the dance card. The nice part is that 10 of them will be home cookin’.
• Last night’s “opener” game is thought to be a regular season first. Jim Leyland used the ploy in 1990 against the Reds in the NLCS, per the Trib’s Jerry DiPaola. Just goes to show everything old is new again…
• Nick Margevicius had a tough outing for SD last night. He gave up four homers and then was optioned back to the minors today. Ditto for Gerardo Reyes, who hasn’t had much luck against the Bucs either.
• Larry Broadway, player development head honcho, said that the Bucs are going to try to turn OF JB Shuck into a pitcher.