A slow motion look at Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera's swing in Lakeland. Fla., during spring training. Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press
LAKELAND, Fla. — It had been more than eight months since Casey Mize last sat in a bullpen, watching the action, readying to warm up. As Auburn’s ace in 2018, Mize made 17 appearances, all starts.
Normally, he didn't bring his spikes to the field on days he didn’t pitch, but on June 11, with his team facing an elimination game against Florida in the NCAA Super Regionals, he did.
And when the game bled into extra innings, Mize told head coach Butch Thompson he didn’t care: He might have thrown five innings two days earlier, but the right-hander — selected No.