Lyles debuts for the Hooks

[OregonStrosFan]

Pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up 1 run in a 2-0 loss in exhibition against the Express (69 pitches, 5 hits, 3 Ks).  Story link

ETA: Rajan (Caller-times) article with box.  LINK

[moriartp]

Very impressive for a 19-year-old to show such command and efficiency against AAA hitters.

Also, tidbit: Hicks was using the actual pronunciation of CJ Lo's name (Luo Jia Ren) on the radio broadcast. Don't know if that's an official change, but I'll keep my ears open.

[Matt]

Very impressive for a 19-year-old to show such command and efficiency against AAA hitters.

Also, tidbit: Hicks was using the actual pronunciation of CJ Lo's name (Luo Jia Ren) on the radio broadcast. Don't know if that's an official change, but I'll keep my ears open.

I wonder how he handled the Ren part pronunciation wise.

[moriartp]

I wonder how he handled the Ren part pronunciation wise.

As in "Ren and Stimpy." I can't say I blame him. It's a sound I still suck at in my third year of Chinese.

[Matt]

As in "Ren and Stimpy." I can't say I blame him. It's a sound I still suck at in my third year of Chinese.

haha I figured that's what they went with. That is a hard sound that I must have spent hours on saying out loud.

[Reuben]

haha I figured that's what they went with. That is a hard sound that I must have spent hours on saying out loud.

So how should it be pronounced? Geez, as if the Jio "My-air" vs. "Meyer" quandary wasn't enough...

[Matt]

So how should it be pronounced? Geez, as if the Jio "My-air" vs. "Meyer" quandary wasn't enough...

Its almost like a Z mixed with a light R sound with the E sounding more like an uhhh sound. Hard to describe but here's a quick link I found. http://mandarin.about.com/od/pronunciation/l/blsounds.htm

[VirtualBob]

Its almost like a Z mixed with a light R sound with the E sounding more like an uhhh sound. Hard to describe but here's a quick link I found. http://mandarin.about.com/od/pronunciation/l/blsounds.htm

I don't know Chinese, but the description sounds like the Czech "ř" (which is not the same as the Polish "rz" even though it is related historically).  That is a killer sound that about 5% of native Czechs never really get right.  It does occur in a few other languages, but I do not know which ones.

[OregonStrosFan]

Also, tidbit: Hicks was using the actual pronunciation of CJ Lo's name (Luo Jia Ren) on the radio broadcast. Don't know if that's an official change, but I'll keep my ears open.

Now that his name has changed, what is his age?