SCOTTSDALE — Carson Whisenhunt has felt strong all spring, and since the start of camp, he has talked about his optimism that he’ll look much sharper than he did as a rookie. But early in a simulated game Thursday, a pitch felt different coming out of his hand. It felt just a bit better than the others, and he snuck a peek at the scoreboard.“I was like, ‘I kinda want to see where I’m at,’ ” he said later. “I was not expecting to see 97.”There were a lot of 97 mph fastballs for Whisenhunt in two innings against teammates, along with plenty at 96. As a rookie last year, Whisenhunt hit 95 mph just once, topping out at 95.3 mph but averaging 92.6 in five starts. The velocity Thursday opened plenty of eyes in the seats behind home plate, where just about the entire front office was sitting. Even Whisenhunt was surprised. His velocity had been good in bullpen sessions, but he planned to be sitting around 95 mph in the simulated game. “That was a little different,” he said, smiling. “I’m feeling a lot better than I did last year. I’m moving better (and) the mechanics, especially...