M's 0, Rangers 1
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=== Pre-Game ===
Lemme keep it short and sweet so that my bleacher bum's road rage -- inflamed by the train-wrecked rally in the 7th -- won't get all over yer :- /
The good news: The M's are still 3-3, .500. The lineup and Blake Beavan look good. So does Capt. Insano. SSI had three questions before the game:
- Would the new-look hitters give Neftali Feliz any tougher a time?
- Would Blake Beavan avoid mistakes and be solid?
- Would Blake Beavan induce swings out in front, showing offspeed arm action, and leap a plateau?
That's what I was watchin' for. The answers:
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Q. Did the new-look hitters give Feliz a better struggle?
A. They did, yes. He struck out only four; the M's were 4-for-26 on balls in play and many of them were sharply-struck balls that hit leather.
I was hoping Feliz' closer's rhythm, and lack of endurance, would catch up to him. In the 1st inning, I was hopeful. But no such luck. If Neftali Feliz executed these pitches for the whole 2012 season, he would be a top-15 starter and would replace C.J. Wilson just fine.
Feliz threw 55 fastballs, and they were tough sledding.
He threw 25 changeups -- that's a Felix, not Feliz, ratio -- and you could see the frisbee action on them from the cheap seats. The changeups were tremendous, both for arm action and movement, and he threw them at will to the catcher's mitt (19 of 25 strikes). Here are the stats, if you don't believe Dr. D.
The slider was a little wild, but it bit hard, and for a #3 pitch it was a factor. Never mind the slider. That changeup was Pedro Martinez-class, the fastball was Neftali Feliz, and if he sustains those pitches he's a TOR. This year's Ogando.
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Q. Did Blake Beavan avoid mistakes?
A. Throwing 90-92 fastballs all day long, the hitters will be timing him nicely. It's on him to make MANY, MANY fewer mistakes even than other big league starters do.
Beavan, though rusty, did that. He threw 46 of 69 fastballs for strikes, exactly 2/3 -- major league average is 60%. So Beavan stayed ahead in the count all day, gave up only 1 walk, and nothing that was even close to a home run. Quality start ratio, career: 12 yes, 5 no.
Not so many big league starters can routinely throw strike one every time, and yet miss the red zones for each batter.
The fastball location was, in fact, so good that he got all* of his swinging strikes on Catfish Hunter straight fastballs just off the plate. It's tough to throw a 91 fastball by a hitter who is looking fastball. Blake Beavan did.
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Q. Did Beavan show arm action on the change, or maybe the new curve we've heard so much about?
A. No changeup. Literally he threw only 2 pitches all night that weren't fastballs or 12-6 curves. That is functionally the same as throwing zero. Blake Beavan threw two (2) pitches Tuesday, a 75 change curve and a 89-92 fastball, and he'd have shut out the Rangers except for a single wild pitch.
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Hey, gave up the big run on a WP like Hultzen and Taijuan... must be an epidemic...
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Q. How was the curve?
A. Major league average. Average in the sense of "mediocre," not in the sense of "solid."
PRO: 7x6 inch break compared to vacuum: very decent break. Threw 17 of them, 10 for strikes. The Texas Rangers, in Arlington, hit none of them for home runs. Beavan threw it with reasonable confidence. That all means that Blake Beavan threw an ML serviceable curve ball.
CON: Only one swinging strike with it all night. The eye tells you that he's throwing it because he has to throw something.
OPTIMISM: Later in the game, he got it down, it bit hard, and it started to look like it could someday become a 2-strike putaway pitch.
No matter. Last year, it was a -2.00 runs pitch. This year, it's an 0.00 to -0.50 runs pitch. That's cool. Good on yer, Blake.
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Q. Dr's Prognosis?
A. As fastball command pitchers go -- Catfish Hunter wannabes -- Beavan starts to look like he's got the goods. Really good mechanics, really good poise, a legit ability to bring it 92 mph located.
Poise? Give it up for this guy already. Did you see the game? The term "bear down" gets thrown around a lot, Homer. Beavan faced a coupla mini-rallies and he just kep' on pitchin' his game. The man is reliable.
If you want a young 100-ERA innings eater, he's that already. Nick Blackburn, Brian Moehler careers look well in reach already. Slap me silly, 12 quality starts in 17 games, this guy ain't James Paxton but he's liable to wind up banking some jack in this game.
The curve ball sharpens up much more, he could have a few Joe Blanton, Mark Clark, Jeff D'Amico type seasons.
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Not that Doug Fister is one of your top five pitchers going forward. I read it on the internet. But you could see Blake Beavan making 150 starts in the majors.
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Q. Got an uplifting finish, after two 1/4 inch deep paper cuts in Texas?
A. The games were owies, but the M's talent is becoming obvious. :- ) Stick wit' it; it makes the winning more fun.
The great thing about baseball? There's a game tomorrow. Win on Wednesday and we're back on top o' the worl'.
Cheers,
Dr D