PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- You don't get a lot of sizzle-reel moments in spring training, so when they happen, they tend to stand out.
There was one such sequence last week, when the defending-champion Houston Astros sent Justin Verlander to the hill against New York Mets bolt thrower Noah Syndergaard in the first spring outing for both pitchers. They did not disappoint, throwing two perfect innings apiece and combining to strike out half the batters they faced. Verlander was hitting 97 on the scoreboard, while Syndergaard electrified the gathering at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches with 11 pitches that registered over 100 mph.