HI NOTES: Gibson & Tepesch Impress

MIZZOU BASEBALL IN SPRING TRAINING

♦ Tepesch impresses in spring debut vs. hometown team (MLB.com)

Rangers rookie right-hander Nick Tepesch made his Cactus League debut on Sunday against a familiar team. Tepesch pitched at the University of Missouri and grew up in Blue Springs, Mo., which is about 15 minutes from Kauffman Stadium.

Tepesch made a pretty good impression on Sunday. He pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out three in a row in the third inning. The only hit was a bunt single in the fourth and Tepesch then got the next hitter to ground into a double play.

"He threw the ball extremely well," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He was down in the zone and had good depth on his breaking ball. He looks like a pitcher. What he did out there today was impressive."...

♦ Mauer has high praise for pitcher Gibson in Twins' loss (AP)

Joe Mauer thought the scoreboard radar reading of 96 mph on a pitch from Kyle Gibson was a little low.

"It seemed like it was 106," Mauer said Sunday. "He was throwing the ball at a good angle. It was the first time I've caught him, so it was good to see him. It's been pretty good to get to know these guys. Once we get out into a game, you start to get a better idea about the guys."
. . .
Asked to compare Gibson to another pitcher, Mauer had trouble doing so.

"It's tough to compare somebody," Mauer said. "But he's got the height. He's got a good angle. He keeps the ball down."...

SLOW START

♦ Missouri baseball gets swept, still winless (Columbia Missourian)

Following the game, head coach Tim Jamieson told KTGR's Tex Little that the defense frustrated him more than the bullpen.

“It’s more the defense, Tex, than the bullpen," Jamieson said. "We get a leadoff out, then we drop a routine ground ball, we don’t make plays on bunts. Pitchers can do a better job, but we could sure make it easier for them.”...

♦ Missouri Tiger’s Baseball Starts 2013 Season 0-6 (Zoulogy.com)

Missouri’s pitching staff hasn’t been great, but it’s been good enough to have a better record than 0-6. The Tigers have given up 35 total runs, but only 28 of those runs have been earned. Mizzou’s defense has committed 12 errors so far in the early going, which certainly doesn’t help the pitching staff...

♦ Teams Wanting a Do-Over (Perfect Game)

Missouri: The Tigers will have nightmares about Conference USA for a few weeks. They dropped all three games to Southern Mississippi opening weekend. And in an even bigger surprise, they dropped all three games at Memphis this weekend, including an 8-2 setback Sunday afternoon. MU starting pitcher Eric Anderson was lifted early in the game after allowing a run on two hits in two innings of work...

♦ Three Down (College Baseball Today)

2- Missouri’s bats: The Tigers (of Mizzou) got swept by the Tigers (of Memphis) with today’s 8-2 weekend capper. But in particular, the Missouri offense needs to be admonished for scoring just 11 runs in their 0-6 start. As a team, MU is hitting a paltry .190. But huge kudos to Dylan Kelly, who mysteriously is hitting .412