R.A. Dickey didn’t have a scoreless outing in any of his five Grapefruit League starts, but the veteran knuckleballer was sharp Friday night in the Braves’ spring-training finale against the New York Yankees.
In the first game at the Braves’ new SunTrust Park, Dickey pitched two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with no walks and two strikeouts in an 8-5 exhibition win. The Braves’ No. 4 starter pitched the fourth and fifth innings after No. 2 starter Bartolo Colon pitched the first three innings. It was Dickey’s sharpest out of the spring.
“I accomplished exactly what I wanted to accomplish,” Dickey said, “and that was to get out there and participate and feel the blood pumping and get a snapshot of the surroundings, what the catcher looked like — it’s nice. So that you are not experiencing that the first time you step on (the field) during the year.
If the Braves’ stick to their rotation, as manager Brian Snitker has indicated, Dickey would start the March 14 home opener against the San Diego Padres in the first official game at SunTrust. He’ll make his Braves debut with a Game 4 start next Friday against the Pirates in a series opener at Pittsburgh.
“I loved it,” Dickey said of pitching at SunTrust Park. “I really took some time to take it all in. I think we will probably iron out the flickering of the lights and some things like that. But outside of that I thought it was fantastic, and so vibrant. The lighting really makes (it feel) like you are in 4k. Everything is real sharp under those LEDs. The grass is great. The stadium, they did a fantastic job. I don’t have a bad thing to say about it.”
The Braves have a day off Saturday and fly to New York for a Sunday afternoon workout at Citi Field before their Monday night season opener against the Mets.
“I’m excited to get the season started because I think we’re healthy and we’re ready,” Dickey s aid. “I know I certainly am. My hope was to build all spring to the end and feel like I was 100 percent and had all my weapons in the holster. I do feel that way.
“I just wanted to refine my knuckleball as much as I could. Today I probably had the best knuckleball I’ve had all spring which is exactly the way you want it.”
Snitker said Dickey wanted to pitch in Friday’s game, rather than a minor league game back at Braves camp. Tyler Flowers caught him for the second time all spring, his others starts handled by Kurt Suzuki.
“I was glad Tyler got another chance to catch him.” Snitker said. “Both those guys have had a good feel for him and I think he’s confident with both of those guys catching him now.”
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