Surprise, Ariz. — Just as in a friendly game of golf, you're allowed a mulligan in exhibition baseball.
Milwaukee Brewers reliever Michael Blazek had his Saturday, when he faced four batters in a Cactus League game against Oakland and retired none while allowing three hits and a walk. Afterward, the 27-year-old right-hander knew exactly what went wrong.
"I was just too amped up," he said.
Blazek had not pitched since the second week of August, when he was shut down for the season with a broken bone in his pitching hand. He never quite figured out how he suffered the injury but spent all winter thinking about getting back on the mound.