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Last Monday, April 20th, we got a frustrating start from Hisashi Iwakuma.  It wasn't terrible; WBC-san threw into the 6th inning with a lead.  He had 3 strikeouts and 0 walks on the day.  But the bullpen, and a couple taters, led to a 7-5 loss.  The M's dropped to 5-8 and would bottom out at 5-9 the next day.  Iwakuma hit the DL.

Had you noticed that, since then, the M's have gotten 7 consecutive kewl starts?  Here, let's enjoy them in retro:

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Apr 21, Taijuan Walker comes out driving the 96 MPH fastball deeeep and high.  The Astros start cheating at the plate, starting their bats as the ball leaves Taijuan's hand.  He comes back with changeups - low.  THIS Taijuan, is destined for many many MANY fine wins.  Eight Astros whuff in only 5.1 innings.

Leone comes in to finish out the 6th inning, and going into the 7th, the Seattle Mariners own a 3-1 lead.  (Furbush and Farquahar cough up 2 hairballs each to blow the game.)

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Apr 22 was a Happ day.  He pitched into the 8th, fanning 5 and walking 0.  ... By the way the M's are now 3-and-1 on Happ days, losing only when Gallardo shut them out.*  Not bad for your #5 starter.

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Apr 23 was off and Apr 24 was Felix Day.  This was the one where by the 5th pitch, the fielders had the yips, not wanting to blow the perfect game.  Eventually, the M's won 2-0 with Felix going nine.

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Apr 25 was Randy Johnson Day.  Paxton had a maddening start with 3 errors behind him, 2 seeing-eye RBI singles, and who knows what else.  But for me it was a cool start because K-Pax was oddly dominant, between the bungles, and on his way back.

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Apr 26 was Elias Day.  We never covered this one on SSI.  But Elias remains an AL All-Star starter with the spit and polish of a AA pitcher.  On this particular day, his curve was his best pitch.  The M's went into extras tied 2-2 ... what happened then does not relate to our topic today.

Elias is a resource and a half; the impression we got, in 100 pitches, was that Elias would have a better year in 2015 than in 2014.  Given the opportunity.

Dr. D does not see why you can't keep Roenis Elias in the 25 after Iwakuma's back, in there for (say) Tyler Olson.  The baseball people all scream "he needs the innings" but Earl Weaver would scream "he needs to learn the league and we need to get Major League stamped on his forehead."  It's not like other young pitchers haven't done some long relief.

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Apr 27 was Taijuan Day II.  In this game he continued to pitch correctly, hard stuff high and soft stuff low.  He "trusted his velocity."  Meaning what?  That we'll take the 96 MPH without location, rather than the 92 MPH with location ... that might not occur very often anyway.  

Especially since your "changeup" is 89, so it works against 96 but not against 92.

In Taijuan's 96 We Trust.  Seven full innings, 1 walk, 0 earned runs.

Therein lies a subject that deserves its own thread ... Good Taijuan and Bad Taijuan are visible even from the third deck.  But the funny thing is, they are All. Over. This. on the TV broadcast, and it seems quite likely that Taijuan is too.  Which would leave him perfectly positioned to rip off 15 straight* Ultra Quality Starts, beginning next start beginning two starts ago.

If you'd asked me which pitcher I was rooting for in April, Taijuan or K-Pax?  I'd a said Taijuan.  Paxton you know is going to get rolling.  The prospect of having Taijuan right there with him .... whew.

But here's a bonus thought:  watching Taijuan, and listening to the patter around him, will nudge K-Pax toward trusting his velocity too.  He's been nibbling wayyyyy to much for a lefty with his velocity.

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Apr 28 was Happ Day.  Our opinions and shtick proliferate, one cubicle to the left.

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Apr 29 is Felix Day.  Do we get to count this as one of the streak?  I wantcha to be honest with me.

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BABVA,

Dr D