M's 6, Twinkies 4
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WILD CARD
We are -1.5 games back of Tampa for the last playoff spot; the Rays' elimination number is 94 for us. Granted, we're running in a big pack and chewing mud, but we're only into the second turn.
The kewl thing was this. 5 games ago, our Liddle Three handed a .500 record to our Spahn and Sain. Who promptly botched the opportunity, going 0-2. But the Liddle Three took the ball back and ... went 2-1, which hands the ball back to our ace lefties. Awrite, feebs. Pitch good this time.
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ZUUMBALL
Was leading the American League in June RBI before the game Wednesday. Promptly swatted a three-run bomb to make it 19 RBI in 14 days. Look, that's a quarter of an 80 RBI season in two weeks. Whatever else occurs, Zunino has helped the club here since his callup. He'll be voted a ring, I suspect. ...
If you don't watch the games, and why would you if you have SSI, Zunino has gone to an Edgar stance and swing. He's way upright, hands high, bat pointed up, as though he's trying to dislodge a panel in a 12-foot suspension ceiling. We've said it before: he is LIGHTNING quick to the ball. I can't tell you where his pitch recog is, but you are not going to FIND a major league player who is shorter to the ball with more power. Maybe Trout. Not Cano. Not right this second.
Brosius, the hitting coach, said Zuumball hit the Monday (?) homer 420 feet "and didn't get much of it." The double yesterday was hit about as hard, sez they. And there was an "out" line drive to 3B that measured 113 MPH exit velocity. That's with a swing that is stripped down as far as you can strip it.
Hey, this is funny - check it out. CLICK THIS LINK The last two weeks, Zunino's batted balls are 48% hard, 48% medium, and ... 3% soft. But it's funner to click the link.
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SPEAKING OF
They had a clean graphic that showed, since 2006: 1 Robinson Cano 2,119 Hits, 2 Miguel Cabrera ... Bill James used to have a stat, "Secondary Average," which counted up everything EXCEPT batting average. Robinson Cano has produced more base hits than anybody in baseball, and they ain't empty hits. Next best thing to actually having Edgar.
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LLLLLLLEEENNNNNNGGGGGGGTTTTHHHHENNNNNNINNNNNGGGG the LINEUP
So amigos were axing, "You think Haniger will still hit 2nd? Think he'll still be dangerous?" We sez, oh yeah, if they like how he's swinging it he's back in there. Mitch Haniger was no random hot streak. This kid can play. Fortunately he provided us both with the siiighhhhh-releasing assurance of these four games straight back off the DL:
- Game 1 - just a BB, but looked great
- Game 2 - 4 hits
- Game 3 - a double
- Game 4 - Home run and walk
Stare real hard at his game log and you tell ME whether you see a game where he wasn't on base. But that will happen when you walk 80 times a year ...
You've got the four acknowledged stars batting 1 and 3-5. Mitch Haniger now at 2, and if there were an expansion draft? most of us would give up at least two of the Stars before unprotecting Haniger. At #6 you've got Danny Valencia raking now (873 OPS since April 25).
So the "rest stop" at the bottom of the lineup: Mike Zunino, discussed above, and 2 of our 3 role OF's Heredia RH - Gamel LH - Dyson LH. This offense could get craizzeee.
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BEN GAMEL
Even Dr. D is getting alarmed here. It's raining base hits for this kid. And, the three he had Wednesday were versatile, adaptive... and authoritative. Looked like Stan Musial out there in that one. He also seems to be adapting to left field rather nicely.
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SAM GAVIGLIO
Did nothing to change the Mainframe's evaluation, that he could possibly have several years as a 95-ish, 100-ish ERA starter. If things break right. And it's getting tougher to visualize how they wouldn't, because his game is very simple and repeatable.
Did not have his best command on Wednesday. When he has his best command he will *strike men out* based on called, painted fastballs. That's how you know a guy is tough out there. He did that twice in the 4th inning or so, but didn't have swinging strike before that, that I noticed.
Still and all he did have the down-bite, had the wonderful mound presence and body language, had the two simple pitches so he couldn't get into much trouble with walks. The game left him at 3-1, 3.41. More Rainiers, please.
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CHRISTIAN BERGMAN
Agreed with The Suburban Guy that he had no command in the strike zone at all Tuesday. Time and again Zunino would stick the target at low and away, and get middle up. Stick the mitt on the hands and get the ball a foot inside, or out and over. Time and again.
What happens when you have an 88 fastball, an 84 slider, not much else, and it's just random in the zone? You get lit up. Bergman has two horrific starts this year to go with a handful of very competitive starts. Question for him becomes, "what do you do on an off day?" You can't just punt a game in the first.
Which is why the smart money is movin' towards a warm hug and thank you toward Mr. Bergman when Felix gets back. (Iwakuma threw a rehab start yesterday also.)
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BULLPEN
Stepped in for Gaviglio needing 11 outs. Slammed the door again to preserve a big win. As Dutton points out, Diaz' early "hiccups are receding in the distance." This is now 7 games back in the closer role for him and he's been Sugar.
Dutton also points out that it is 4 men who have been here all year: Sugar, plus Pazos, Vincent and Zip Chin. Those four were again the ones that closed out Wednesday's victory. Actually this is reminding me of the old Big Red Machine: rack up your 5, 6 runs by the fifth inning, have a no-name scrub starter avoid instant death, and then hand it over to huge battalions of relievers.
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ROTATION
Since Felix is one game away and Iwakuma perhaps two games away ... that leaves us a few weeks before Drew Smyly is set. That would leave Jerry Dipoto with the choice of Ariel Miranda or Yovani Gallardo.
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Just sayin',
Dr D