Stars of spring training

The games that count started on Monday but could spring training results offer a glimpse into what the 2017 season will be? Were those 30 games just a hot stretch for some players or will they carryover into the regular season? Let's have a look anyway.

Spring training is a time to see who can make the squad so how much stock you put in the results is anyone's guess. For instance, Hoboken's Clayton Kershaw made just one appearance all spring, pressed into action out of the bullpen during an extra-inning affair. Arkansas went 13-17 thanks to an 0-4 spring from Dylan Bundy, who made the team, but also a combined 0-5 from Brandon Finnegan and C.C. Sabathia, who both were cut. In Marietta, Ricky Nolasco lost all six starts and didn't make the team.

San Francisco's Yangervis Solarte won the spring training batting crown, hitting at .394 clip, followed by Tucson catcher J.T. Realmuto at .372 and Arkansas veteran Brandon Phillips, .361, who also had the league's longest hitting streak at 19 games. San Francisco's Neil Walker might have been just as impressive with two separate hitting streaks, one of 15 games and another in the last 12 games of spring training.

Allentown's Mike Trout led spring training with a .429 on-base percentage, followed by batting champ Solarte, .416, and Realmuto, .410.

If there was a spring training Mitchell Award, Freddie Freeman of Poovey Farms and Allentown 3B Manny Machado would be leading candidates. The two shared the league lead in total bases (83) while Freeman slugged a league-best .664, ahead of Machado, .629. Machado was tops in RBI (37) and extra base hits (22) and Freeman led in hits (44) and RC/27 (11.0).

Both finished tied for second in home runs with 10. Sardine City's Joc Pederson beat them out as the spring training's home run king with 11 dingers.

Hopatcong catcher Gary "Dirty" Sanchez made his case that he'll be a contender for the Listach Rookie of the Year Award. He finished third in the league in slugging (.625), including a league-high 4 intentional walks. Sanchez trailed only Freeman in RC/27 (9.9). He also was second only to Hoboken's Brad Miller (10.4) in AB per home run (10.7).

He might get some competition from Poovey's Trea Turner -- who had a league-best four triples, and was third in total bases (69) -- as well as a few rookie pitchers like El Paso's Steven Matz.

Reliever-turned-starter Tanner Roark of El Paso led the league in ERA (1.14) and WHIP (0.89). With rookie teammate Steven Matz and Marietta's Michael Pineda, he had a league-best 5-1 record. Roark also ranked 3rd in innings with 47 1/3. Livingston's Ervin Santana went 4-0. El Paso 1st rounder Michael Fulmer gave the Trojans three pitchers in the top 6 in ERA (2.61) for a formidable trio to throw in a series. Fulmer also led the league in hit batsmen with 6.

Roark was the only pitcher with two shutouts in the spring. He and Santana were the only hurlers to throw quality starts in all 6 starts. Six pitchers made 5 quality starts.

Roberto Osuna of Blue Ridge and Tucson 1st rounder Seung Hwan Oh tied for the league lead with 9 saves but only Osuna was perfect; Oh blew one save and struggled through a 4.15 ERA. Poovey's Ryan Dull had a league-high 6 holds, followed by Empire City's Will Harris and San Francisco's Corey Guerrin, who both had 5.

Max Scherzer of Hoboken led the league with 50 strikeouts, ahead of Poovey's Yu Darvish (40).

Some 1st-round picks didn't fare too well this spring. Top overall pick Aledmys Diaz of Philly hit .210/.261/.272 with 1 home run and 11 runs. Hoboken's Jameson Taillon went 1-2 with a 6.42 and astronomical 1.96 WHIP, surrendering an OPS of .945. Ryon Healy slashed just .200/.250/.333 in 15 games for Marietta.

There were others who handled the pressure of being a 1st rounder a little better, like Fulmer, who went 2-3 despite a tidy 2.61 ERA. Veteran Rich Hill of Tucson also was a bright spot among 1st-rounders, ranking 2nd in the league in ERA (1.47). Junior Guerra sported a 4-2 mark with a 2.61 ERA for San Francisco while Philly's Steven Wright logged 45 2/3 innings, going 2-3 with a 3.55 ERA. On the batting side, OF Tyler Naquin slashed .333/.390/.639 in 21 games for Blue Ridge.

Justin Verlander of Marietta led the league with 3 complete games but it was Hoboken's Rick Porcello who logged the most innings with an even 48, just 1/3 better. Verlander, now with Livingston, also finished 2nd in the league with a 0.97 WHIP.

Livingston's Chris Devenski made the most appearances, 25, in just 30 games, followed by teammate Dan Otero, who tied with Vancouver's A.J. Schlugel with 19.

Tucson had the best record of spring training (20-10), a game ahead of division rival Empire City (19-11), and two ahead of Poovey (18-12). The Piazza Division featured all four teams with sub-.500 records: Livingston (14-16), Marietta (11-19), Sardine City (11-19), and Hillsborough (8-22). The Hernandez Division was the complete opposite with all four squad above .500: Poovey, El Paso (17-13), Vancouver and Allentown (16-14).