Unknown Blue Jays prospect (John Doe?) struck out in the first Spring Training game of the season
The first day of Spring Training is a lot like the first day of school in the sense that everyone's rockin' the new clothes they copped over the break and the classroom/clubhouse is full of new faces. Neither of which makes an opposing broadcaster's job any easier.
Grapefruit League action kicked off down in Dunedin, Fla., on Tuesday when the Blue Jays hosted the Phillies for the first official Spring Training game of the year. The Jays were up, 5-3, in the top of the ninth inning with a runner on first and two outs when non-roster invitee .... um ... Somebody Somebody (John Doe?) got an opportunity to pinch-hit in the DH spot.
Phillies broadcasters Tom McCarthy and Matt Stairs weren't quite sure who was representing the Jays in the No. 71 jersey because he wasn't listed in the lineup or on the roster. To their credit, they thought on their feet, asking for verification of a name while drawing numbers on the generic scoreboard image in the meantime:
Turns out No. 71 was Rowdy Tellez (not a name you're going to forget any time soon). Tellez split time between the Class A Lansing Lugnuts and the Class A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays last season, hitting a combined .289/.347/.454 with 14 home runs. MLB.com lists the 20-year-old first baseman as the seventh best prospect in the Blue Jays organization.