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DUNEDIN, Florida – In one of his post-game scrums last summer, R.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. Jakub Vrana Jersey .ca NBA Power Rankings. Winners of 15 straight, with a healthy roster, the Spurs have overtaken the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder for the number one ranking. Custom Washington Capitals Jerseys . 1-9 on TSN. With more than 65 hours of exclusive live coverage, TSN delivers all the action beginning with Draw 1 on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p. http://www.officialcapitalsfanstore.com/authentic-riley-sutter-capitals-jersey/. -- Jonas Hiller is cautiously confident he has kicked his vertigo. Brooks Orpik Jersey . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. Michal Kempny Jersey . -- The Washington Redskins coaching staff distanced itself from other coaches Thursday by siding with ownership -- and not the players -- in the NFLs labour dispute. AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Phil Mickelson will be watching the final two rounds of the Masters from home for the first time in 17 years. And its no mystery why. "Its tough to overcome those big numbers," Mickelson said Friday after a 1-over 73. Mickelson made two triple bogeys at Augusta National two years ago and nearly won another green jacket. After making two of them in consecutive days this year he missed the cut for only the second time. He was at 5-over 149. Mickelson could have fired up a private jet to head home after he signed his card, except that the Masters changed its cut policy this year. The top 50 and ties -- up from the top 44 -- made the cut. "Its right on the bubble," he said before the cut was decided. "I dont want to be looking for the leaderboard, but Im always fighting to make the weekend, it seems like." Lefty came up short this time. Mickelson was chipping from about 30 feet away on No. 7 in the opening round when it rolled off the green and led to a triple bogey. And then on Friday, watching him play the par-3 12th hole was like watching a tennis match. His tee shot cleared Raes Creek -- typically the first big concern -- and found the front bunker. His next shot sailed over the green and fell into the side of the back bunker. From there, he blasted through the green and back into the same bunker where his troubles began. He got that out to about 18 feet and two-putted for a triple bogey. Throw in that double boogey on the par-5 15th in the opening round when his wedge spun back off the green and into the water, and its clear why Mickelsons bid to join Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer with a fourth Masters title dissolved rather quickly.dddddddddddd "What happened at 12 was I hit in the front bunker, and there was no sand where I was at," Mickelson said. "I caught the liner of the bunker and bladed it across the green and the same thing happened on the other side. It went back and forth, three bunkers, before I finally got it to stay on grass." Mickelson, who withdrew after two rounds at Torrey Pines because of a sore back, pulled out on the weekend of the Texas Open with a pulled muscle in his oblique. But he said injuries were not the problem this week. What concerned Mickelson was not playing enough going into the Masters. He said he was worried that he might not be sharp, and he was right. "Thats what Ive been nervous about is having a hole like 7 (Thursday), a hole like 12 today," Mickelson said. "... Instead of one sliding, two or three are going away. Thats the kind of stuff when youre playing tournament golf and youre mentally sharp you dont do." Mickelson last missed the cut at Augusta in 1997, the year Woods won by a record 12 shots. He said hell likely watch the rest if tournament on television. "Its an exciting tournament. I probably will," Mickelson said. 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