Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire watched right-hander Victor Alcantara make professional hitters look utterly lost in a scoreless inning of work Monday against the Cardinals.
Asked about it afterward, he said, “He’s just filthy. I saw those guys (hitters) panic. They were panicking up there.”
It’s easy to forget about Alcantara. The soon-to-be 26-year-old Dominican is a very quiet presence in the clubhouse. The only time you notice him is when he’s on a mound throwing a baseball. And then, you can’t take your eyes off him.
Using mostly a lively sinker, which he rushes up to the plate at 93-94 mph, Alcantara established himself last season, posting a 2.