VIERA, Fla. — To cut through the drudgery of batting practice on another steamy 96-degree day, the Yankees’ high Class-A affiliate in Tampa, Fla., turns the last round into a contest. For each swing a batter takes, the field is filled with imaginary position players who resemble the hitting coach Tom Slater, which is another of way of saying they do not cover much ground. The bases are filled with imaginary runners who all resemble Jorge Mateo, the team’s shortstop prospect, who runs the bases as if he has wings.
It is then up to Tampa Yankees Manager Patrick Osborn and Slater, leaning against the batting cage, to determine how many runners score with each hit.