GLENDALE, Ariz. - lf the fifth-starter competition were settled on numbers alone, Ty Blach could invite his family and new fiancée, Nikki, to Petco Park for April 7 right now.
Blach has been as good this spring as he was last summer and fall, when he established he could get big-league hitters out, and checked off a huge box when he reached 85 pitches over six innings in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the White Sox.
Matt Cain seemed to be tracking toward the final rotation spot because he had been stretched past 80 pitches and five innings while Blach had not seen the fourth inning this spring.