Making the leap
Spring outing could help Clayton Mortenson land in Double-A Springfield.
Kary Booher • News-Leader • March 22, 2008
Jupiter, Fla. -- He doesn't look all that imposing, his uniform nearly drowning all 180 pounds of his 6-foot-4 gangly frame and the shadow from his ballcap nearly hiding a baby face.
But if ever there was a strong hint that right-hander Clayton Mortensen will be Springfield-bound and leapfrog into Double-A baseball next week, it came over three batters in the seventh and eighth innings of an intra-squad game Friday when he struck out three Triple-A Memphis batters in a row.
Brian Barden, Rico Washington and David Freese were his victims, the first frozen on an 81 mph changeup, the next with an 81 mph changeup and the third -- take a guess -- with an 81 mph changeup.
"I had to go to my offspeed (pitches) quite a bit," Mortensen said following 2 2/3 innings of work. "My sinker was flying all over the place."
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