FORT MYERS, FLA. – Pablo López wrapped up an encouraging spring camp on Saturday with a reasonably efficient four-inning start against … hmm, who was it again, Pablo?
“I’m not sure. The Boston Red Sox, but a minor league team,” López guessed. “A Class A team?”
Close. It was the Portland Sea Dogs, Boston’s Class AA team in the Eastern League. But the identity of the hitters didn’t really matter, because he knows who he will be facing next: the Kansas City Royals, on Opening Day next Thursday.
“It’s a special day. I take great pride in” opening the season for the Twins for the second year in a row, López said. “I’m just as excited as the first one. I’m also sure I’m going to be just as nervous, just as anxious as the first one. That’s something that never goes away.”
The All-Star righthander was satisfied with his camp finale, delayed a day by Friday’s thunderstorms, and said he’s “ready to throw 120 or more” pitches in Kansas City. He is in excellent health, he said, as long as his middle fingernail doesn’t act up again and prevent him from throwing his slider, as it did last week.
“I made sure to get it today because it had been awhile without the feeling for it. I wanted to make sure I mixed it in today,” López said. “It was good to have it again, and to remember that it’s a good pitch, a good pitch to get ahead with [or] put guys away.”
López threw 53 pitches Saturday and said he learned — well, relearned — an important lesson, too.
