DUNEDIN, Florida – In one of his post-game scrums last summer, R. Daniel Descalso Jersey .A. Dickey referred to his knuckleball as a "capricious animal," a phrase meant to describe the unpredictability, the figurative moodiness, of his strange pitch. Erik Kratz was behind the plate to start Thursdays 7-5 win over the Phillies. He was catching Dickey for the first time in game action and afterward, could attest to his pitchers apt terminology. Asked how he thought he did on Day One, Kratz turned the tables. "How did you think I did?" He was told he did fine. "Okay, well then I did fine," said Kratz. "It wasnt perfect. I had the anticipated anxiety that I thought I would." Just how anxious was he? "I caught myself not breathing a couple of times and everything like that." Armed with a first basemans glove rather than the oversized catchers mitt preferred by most knuckleball catchers, Kratz understands hell have to be a quick study in learning both the physical and mental requirements of the job. "Just the idea of trying to relax, being out there, getting a different visual but I felt like it went very well," he said. "I felt like there is plenty of room for improvement but I think a lot of things Ive seen in his bullpen sessions, it was good to see in the game. Good to see him be able to change speeds and everything like that." Dickey laboured through the first inning, giving up a lead-off dunk single to Ben Revere. One out later, Brett Lawrie airmailed a throw to second on a Bobby Abreu chopper, putting Phillies on the corners. After Darin Ruf walked to load the bases, a Dickey knuckleball to Maikel Franco eluded Kratz for a passed ball which scored Revere from third. Its not how you would think Kratz would prefer to have drawn it up. Its his first game catching Dickey, in the first inning and the first time with a runner on third and a knuckler gets by him. But he was more than happy to make a mistake in a spring game. Passed balls are going to happen. The key is to not get psyched out; dont make the same mistake twice. "You can say, okay, well, it was a passed ball, wild pitch, it was a tough one to get but you have to be ready for the next one," said Kratz. "I was proud of myself. I was happy about the way I was able to relax." Dickey limits the in-game responsibility of his catcher to receiving his pitch. He calls his own game, communicating velocity to his catcher in ways he wont describe publicly. Hes not going to tip his hand. Dickey doesnt even want Kratz to form a hard target with his glove. "Its probably better for the catcher and for me, for that matter, if hes just nice and relaxed," said Dickey. "Im far enough along in my process where I can pick out a shin guard and hit a fastball. I dont need him to give me a target. "Plus, if hes only giving a target on fastballs then everybody in the stadium is going to know that hey, if he gives you a target its going to be a fastball and if he doesnt give you a target its going to be a knuckleball so I just like him to be nice and relaxed back there, whatever gives him the best chance to consistently catch the ball." Given the uncertainty over Dioner Navarros ability to catch more than 100 games - since Navarro hasnt done so since 2009 - the Jays are looking for more offence from their second catcher. Kratz, with 18 home runs in a back-up role over the last two seasons with the Phillies, fits the bill. Josh Thole, who caught Dickey and served as the back-up catcher after Henry Blanco was released last June, appears to be the odd man out. "Hes going to play a lot," said Gibbons. "We want to make sure he gets some playing time and then well see how it develops. Kratz is going to catch (Dickey) early on, see how that develops, and then go from there." Dickeys knuckleball topped out at 73 miles per hour on Thursday. He struck out two Phillies over two innings, one on a 61-mile-per-hour knuckler and another at 63 miles per hour. He wants his hard knuckleball at 77 by opening day, his floater at 65. Dickey says hes on target to achieve those radar gun readings, adding hes feeling much stronger than he did at the end of last February, when his knuckleball was topping out in the low-70s in early Grapefruit League action. ENCARNACION HAPPY AT FIRST BASE Edwin Encarnacion chuckled at the suggestion he wants to be, or has asked to be, a full-time designated hitter. "No, whatever the manager wants to do Im ready for it," said Encarnacion. "If I have to play every day at first, Ill play. If I have to play both, Im ready for it." Encarnacion played 79 games at first base last season. He served as the designated hitter on 55 occasions. "I like to play DH sometimes because I have more time to go to the computer, watch the pitcher, watch the video," said Encarnacion. "When you play defence you dont have time to do that but for me, if I have to play first base, I dont have a problem with that." Funny, Encarnacions numbers last season were almost indistinguishable. As a first baseman, he compiled a .272/.367/.527 slash line with 19 home runs in 294 at-bats. As a DH: .270/.374/.530 and 13 home runs in 200 at-bats. ROGERS A FATHER Congratulations to Esmil Rogers, the proud father of a baby daughter. Mom and little Elaina are in Denver and doing well. Rogers was there for the birth, returned to Dunedin on Wednesday and pitched in Thursdays game, giving up two runs in one inning of work. Jerome Walton Cubs Jersey . Goergl, the 2011 world champion, started 28th after the other top contenders had already gone down but had the fastest time at each interval. Goergl finished the demanding 3-kilometre Kaelberloch course in 1 minute, 47. Ben Zobrist Jersey . -- The Sacramento Kings have signed first-round pick Nik Stauskas to his rookie contract. https://www.cheapcubs.com/1500t-kendall-graveman-jersey-cubs.html . Granato was an assistant for the Pittsburgh Penguins for the last five seasons, and he was also part of Team USAs staff at the 2014 Olympics.GUELPH, Ont. -- Jake Paterson made 39 saves as the Saginaw Spirit halted the Guelph Storms seven-game win streak with a 6-3 victory on Sunday in Ontario Hockey League action. Dylan Sadowy and Eric Locke each scored twice for the Spirit (29-26-5) while Jeremiah Addison had a goal and an assist. Nick Moutrey added a single goal for Saginaw and Kristoff Kontos tacked on two assists. Scott Kosmachuk, Zack Mitchell and Steven Trojanovic supplied the scoring for the Storm (45-10-3), who hold a four-point lead on the London Knights for top spot in the OHL standings. Guelphs Justin Nichols allowed three goals on 17 shots and was pulled at the 7:11 mark of the second period. Matthew Mancina stopped 17-of-19 shots in 33 minutes of relief. --- 67s 4 RANGERS 2 KITCHENER, Ont. -- Brendan Bell scored twice and Philippe Trudeau turned away 39 shots as Ottawa doubled up the Rangers to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Connor Brown and Brett Gustavsen also scored for the 67s (21-34-4), who are tied for eighth in the conference, and Erik Bradford had two assists. Darby Llewellyn and Frank Hora scored for Kitchener (22-34-3), which sits five points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Jordan Dekort turned aside 20-of-23 shots for the Rangers. --- STEELHEADS 2 ICEDOGS 0 MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Spencer Martin stopped 35 shots, including 15 in the third period, as the Steelheads blanked Niagara. Sean Day opened the scoring for Mississauga (22-33-4) at 11:30 of the second period and Josh Burnside added an insurance goal at 5:06 of the third. Vince Dunn was a team-worst minus-2 for the IceDogs (19-32-8), who sit ninth in the Eastern Conference. Niagaras Brent Moran kicked out 29-of-31 shots in a losing cause. --- COLTS 5 WOLVES 3 SUDBURY, Ont. -- Andrew Mangiapane scored twice as Barrie came from behind to defeat the Wolves. Brendan Lemieux, Tyson Fawcett and Aaron Ekbblad also scored for the Colts (31-24-3), who trailed by two goals twice in the game. Joe Pepitone Cubs Jersey. Nicolas Baptiste and Kevin Raine scored 10 seconds apart in the first period to give Sudbury (30-19-9) a 2-0 lead and Trevor Carrick made it 3-1 before Barrie scored four unanswered goals. Daniel Gibl stopped 29 shots for the Colts as Franky Palazzese made 32 saves for the Wolves. --- BULLS 3 PETES 2 BELLEVILLE, Ont. -- Adam Laishram broke a 2-2 deadlock at 12:01 of the third period as the Bulls edged Peterborough to move within three points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Cameron Brace and Jake Bricknell also scored for Belleville (19-35-5). The Petes (26-28-5) got goals form Nelson Armstrong and Greg Betzold. Michael Giugovaz, in his second start against his former club, made 25 saves for the Bulls. Andrew DAgostini stopped 27 shots for Peterborough. --- SPITFIRES 6 STING 2 WINDSOR, Ont. -- Eric Diodati, Brady Vail, Josh Ho-Sang and Sam Povorozniouk each had a goal and an assist as the Spitfires handed Sarnia its 12th loss in its last 13 outings. Brody Milne and Ryan Moore also scored for Windsor (35-22-3) while Ryan Foss and Ben Johnson each chipped in with two assists. Nickolas Latta and Brandon Lindberg scored for the last-place Sting (16-38-6). Dalen Kuchmey made 22 saves for the Spitfires as Sarnias Brodie Barrick turned away 30-of-36 shots in a losing cause. --- GENERALS 7 FRONTENACS 2 OSHAWA, Ont. -- Scott Laughton scored three times and set up one more as the Generals crushed Kingston. Cole Cassels, Josh Sterk, Colin Suellentrop and Stephen Desrocher also scored for Oshawa (39-16-5). Henri Ikonen and Roland McKeown scored for the Frontenacs (32-21-4) while forward Mack Lemmon was ejected 6:37 into the game for a boarding major. Daniel Althsuller made 38 saves for the Generals. Matt Mahalak allowed seven goals on 29 shots for Kingston. ' ' '