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Q.  How good was Furbush against the Red Sox on August 14th?

A.  He was a number 2-3 starter in that particular game ... a second-day-of-season starter on the Royals, a third-day starter on the Tigers or Indians.

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Q.  He had some hard-hit balls, right?

A.  During the game, I thought, wow, two balls to the warning track, a couple more line drives snared... he wasn't far away from giving up five runs, right?

But it was a normal, BABIP-style "far away from five runs."  His BIP profile was:

• 6k
• 2bb
• 0hr
• 5 line drives (on 19 balls in play; that's within typical range)
• 7 fly balls, 6 grounders -- that's exactly average (and he's LHP in Safeco, anyhow; don't matter)

So I was definitely exaggerating the "narrow escape balls in play" in my own mind, due to prejudices against Furbush.

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Q.  Sharp stuff, eh?

A.  Reaaaaalllllll sharp stuff.

As we scouted after his first game, Furbush definitely has 7-strikeout stuff.  He's 92 mph, left hand from a tough angle, with Sherrill-type deception.  He gets swingthroughs on straight heaters, that's number one.

You could divide SP's into two categories:  (1) those who get plenty of swingthroughs on fastballs inside the zone, with Brandon Morrow and Michael Pineda being the apex predators in that equatorial region, and (2) those who don't.

You could divide SP's into two categories a lot of ways, of course, but you know what I mean.  Start with the question, can he throw the ball by people.  Charlie Furbush is a clear "Yes" here.  Maybe that's part of why Zduriencik, the old-school scout, was inclined to him.

I've got nothing against that kind of starting pitcher, my ownself.

*** 

Ed. note - we ran over to Brooks to make sure it hadn't been just a foggy memory the next day, and guess how many swingthroughs on fastballs?  Seven of them.  59 fastballs, 7 swingthroughs, and a bunch of lockups, badly taken strikes, off the fastball.

That would be an excellent FB/SwStr result for Pineda or Morrow.  Here Furbush was, doing that to the Red Sox.

***

But! Furbush has two other sidearm lefty pitches and they are both quality.  Crucially, he uses them both 20% plus.  Few SP's get 20% usage on their #3 pitch.

When he's locating, he's legitimately tough.

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Q.  When he's locating?

A.  Our first take on Furbush was that his mechanics are so herky-jerky that he's going to have gopheritis -- too many pitches missing OVER the plate.

Worse, he's not naturally coordinated.  Bill James' first rule on a lefty:  he better have grace and balance.  It's not an absolute, but it's one of the most important generalizations.

***

Then Charlie Furbush came out yesterday and BOOM!  his mechanics and rhythm were ten yards down the football field.  Wowza!

Hence the stinging little 92 mph fastballs to the low-away corner, hence the 6 K and 2 BB to the Boston blinkin' Red Sox.

***

For about the 1,000th time this season -- how many games have they played so far? --  Eric Wedge came out the next day and, in Baker's column, re-stated SSI's exact plot theme.  If I didn't know better -- which I most assuredly do know better -- we'd think that Wedge had bought a subscription :- )

"I thought Furbush was very good today,'' Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. "He did a great job of repeating his delivery. And because of that he was really consistent with his fastball. He was able to move it around, hit his spots, did a good job with his breaking ball...and was very poised with good tempo. There was a lot to like out there.''

[Baker] You'll remember the Texas start, when Furbush kept missing his spots. Had no command. That's what happens when your delivery is inconsistent. Think of it like trying to throw a basketball through a hoop from the free-throw line. Once you make the net swish, what's the first thing you do? That's right, you try to throw the ball exactly the same way. It's the same thing with pitching. When you use the same mechanics in your delivery, you can keep making the ball do the things you want it to.

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Q.  So the M's are attending to this issue.

A.  And the light comes on:  you know what, Charlie Furbush is a young pitcher.  Those guys smooth out their mechanics sometimes.

If Charlie Furbush were to iron out his mechanics, C.J. Wilson would be the appropriate comp.

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Q.  You think Zduriencik was thinking this way?

A.  For sure he was thinking that way:  --- > Furbush has upside, and that upside is in improved technique.

And, it's almost for sure that --- > Zduriencik thought that Fister, while solid, was becoming overrated.  And you know about Z's fondness for left hand "swing man" RP's/starters who've been used lightly and stored in the shed when it rains -- Laffey, French, Robles, Vargas, Furbush.

I have an inkling that Capt. Jack SECRETLY preferred Charlie Furbush to Doug Fister, even steven.  And that's why the chuckling inside, poker face outside, after the deal.

I don't think he'd say that to you, even now.  But I'll bet you he did.  Bet you he thought that, by 2012, Furbush had a good shot to outpitch Fister straight up.

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Q.  Casper Wells has a 182 OPS+ in Seattle?

A.  He's .333/.415/.583 here, baby.

12 career homers, 12 career homers that would have been out, if hit in Safeco Field.

***

Furbush gave us a glimpse yesterday.  I don't care about his beating the Red Sox.  But watching him throw those pitches to spots in the strike zone, watching him repeat a "finish" once in a while, it was prettt-ay.

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Eyes slideways,

Dr D