Sports Lowdown

Jose Fernandez AUDIO: Jose Fernandez interview The road back from Tommy John surgery, to the Florida Marlins has been a long one for 2013 Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez. With a return to the Marlins expected July 2, after 13 months away, Fernandez made a rehab start Wednesday against the Brevard County Manatees at Space Coast Stadium. Fernandez threw 79 pitches and hit 99 MPH five times on the stadium radar gun. His only blemish in 4.2 innings of work, was a 387-foot blast to left field off the bat of Manatees left fielder Michael Ratterree. “The kid (Ratterree) put a pretty good swing on it,” Fernandez said of the homer. “It was a good change-up and he put a pretty good swing on it. That happens, that’s baseball. That’s why you gotta stay humble.” “I’m just glad it wasn’t his 97 fastball,” said Ratterree of the home run pitch from Fernandez. “Something a little slower, but I guess I just put a good swing on it and tried to be aggressive against him.” Ferna...

Javi Salas 6/17/15 On a night when the Brevard County Manatees faced one of the Major League’s best pitchers in  Jose Fernandez ,  Javi Salas  stole the show, throwing a complete game for the Manatees and earning a 2-1 victory over the Jupiter Hammerheads on Wednesday. Jose Fernandez - 6/17/15 Fernandez, who is rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery, will be back with the Marlins on July 2, but on this night he was showing the stuff that made him the 2013 Rookie of the Year. He threw 4.2 innings on Wednesday, striking out 10, walking one and allowing four hits. “When you’re facing guys like that, you’re gonna be geared up,” said Manatees manager Joe Ayrault. “You face rehabbers in this league all the time. Spring training, you’re getting ready and they love facing guys like that, big names, especially like him. You dial up your game and lock it in a little bit more.” The only mistake Fernandez made was when he threw  Michael Ratterree  a second...

Luis Severino New York Yankees right-hander  Luis Severino  made a rehab start at Space Coast Stadium Sunday, pitching three innings of two-hit baseball and helping the Tampa Yankees  toa 6-4 win  and a series sweep. Severino, who made four starts in the Florida State League back in 2014, was back for an encore performance Sunday and he did not disappoint. A sampling of his fastball included 95, 97, 98 and 99.4. Those were all in the first inning. He consistently kept it in the low-to-mid 90’s throughout his time on the mound.  Severino, who is recovering from a right-triceps strain looked good in his first outing. He is 0-6 with the Yankees so far this season and  reports out of New York  this season are that he has lost command, but he seemed well on his way to regaining it in this outing. Obviously, pitching against Advanced-A talent is much different from facing Major League hitters, but his speeds will not vary much from what he th...

Will Smith Milwaukee Brewers left-handed reliever Will Smith pitched one scoreless inning on Tuesday night, as he began his road back to the Majors with a rehab appearance in Brevard County. Smith is rehabbing a torn LCL that he suffered during spring training while taking off his shoe. Smith pitched the seventh inning of Brevard County’s 6-4 win over the Clearwater Threshers at Space Coast Stadium. “The main thing with a guy like him is his health,” said Manatees manager Joe Ayrault. “How do you feel after an outing, getting his feet back going and getting him pitching. It’s great having a guy like him… an experienced big leaguer, all the guys are gonna be watching him and it’s great for our bullpen guys to watch his routine, watching him warm up and what he does pregame. He’s had a lot of success up there, it’s great having him.” Smith did not walk a batter, struck out one and allowed one hit in his outing on Tuesday he threw 15 pitches, nine for strikes to the f...

Scooter Gennett Milwaukee Brewers second baseman  Scooter Gennett  returned to Space Coast Stadium Tuesday, as he began his two-game rehab stint with the Brevard County Manatees. Gennett last played in Viera in 2011, appearing in 134 games and hitting .300. He had nine homers that year, to go along with 51 RBIs. Gennett has been on the disabled list in Milwaukee since April 28, with an oblique strain. He was hitting .258 in 18 games for the Brewers before the injury and is looking for a quick return to the Brewers after he finishes his assignment with Brevard. The first of those games is in the books, as Gennett went 0-for-2 with a walk,  in a 2-0 loss to Daytona  on Tuesday night.  “I felt good, no pain from the oblique,” Gennett said after the game.  “I thought my at bats were pretty good, not really expecting any great results the first game back, but the good news was, I didn’t feel any pain or anything like that.” Gennett got a good ...