Game 60, Dodgers at Mariners
Kevin Millwood vs. Nate Eovaldi, 7:10pm
A few weeks ago, Nate Eovaldi was one of a group of interesting pitching prospects toiling for the Dodgers AA affiliate. He’s made a number of starts for LA in 2011 and now 2 here in 2012, but the Dodgers’ #2 prospect is still trying to find his feet in the big leagues. His ERA’s great so far and his FIP’s encouraging, but he’s given up 37 free passes to 45 Ks in his brief MLB career.
His calling card’s a live fastball, which has averaged 95 mph so far. He pairs this with a slider, a rare curve and a rarer change-up. This is a classic power pitcher arsenal, but he hasn’t been able to miss many bats – his fastball’s getting about as many whiffs as Blake Beavan’s, and his slider right about the same as his fastball. It’s easier to see generating weak contact when you’ve got good stuff (or the raw materials that can be forged into great stuff), but it’s tough to miss few bats AND walk lots of batters. Again, so far, it hasn’t hurt him, but it would be nice if the M’s could make it hurt him. I feel like I say this every time, but: make him throw strikes, M’s. His arsenal seems like he should have sizable platoon splits, though he didn’t show them in the high minors. They’re huge thus far in the majors, but the sample’s miniscule. Still – this is a day for John Jaso.
Lineup:
1: Ichiro (RF)
2: Ackley (2B)
3: Seager (3B)
4: Montero (C)
5: Smoak (1B)
6: Saunders (CF)
7: Jaso (DH)
8: Carp (LF)
9: Kawasaki (SS)
SP: Millwood
It’s not over yet as I type this, but you should check out what Danny Hultzen’s doing in Jackson. I’ve been on the record that I think Taijuan Walker is ultimately the better prospect, and I was a bit concerned about Hultzen’s control issues in April, but the roll he’s on is something to behold. He needs to move up a level, probably for his next start.
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178 Responses to “Game 60, Dodgers at Mariners”
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Sweet. 6 way no hitter!
Woo hoo!
So sweet!…I love that Montero caught the no-no.
Any scouts out there still think Montero is a bad catcher?
He just caught 6 different pitchers.
First combined no-hitter in Seattle Mariners history!
WHAT THE
No hitter baby! YEAH!!
Well, Montero didn’t have anyone tryna run on him! But yeah, he was great tonight.
I can’t remember the last time (if ever) I was so excited about a one-run game!
Montero is the player of the game, in my book!
right on, dan wilson. EDGAR MARTINEZ threw out the first pitch. 🙂 He brought the magic back to Safeco
Doesn’t quite have the feeling of a one-pitcher no-hitter but I’ll take it!
Who woulda thunk it at the beginnig of the season. Millwood the stopper and Seager the clutch hitter. And two no-hitters at the Safe at the one-third point in the season.
Anyone know how rare two no-hitters in the same park, the same year is? I know multiple pitchers have had more than one no-hitters, but the same park?
Wow… baby steps, but the M’s are making progress… Sure there was the perfect game against us, but I never expected that 2012 would include:
1) 21 runs scored in a game against the Rangers (at least NOT by the Mariners)
2) The M’s would throw a no-no (without Larry Bernandez involved)
Go M’s…
(how odd that Hultzen and Ramirez almost did it on the same night… 2 hits in 8 innings given up by each… that’s AAA-AA-Majors, 27 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, combined, on the same night…)
Loved the enthusiam Montero showed on tv after the final out. Seager is described by his college coach as a ‘gym rat.’ M’s can build a great team with players who love to play, and love to win. Saunders has made great adjustments offensively; Smoak was AL player of the week, Ichiro is still talented and motivated–If they could only find five good starters( three plus Felix and Vargas) they will contend sooner, rather than later ( I hope )
I forgot to mention in this no-hitter, Einstein’s theory that the ball will find the new guy: First Figgins sinking soft liner with runners aboard; then Ryan bang-bang play at first…
CK-
Don’t forget Furbush with his comebacker throwing error teasing Einstein…
Your theory holds true for the 7th, 8th, AND 9th innings…
You are right, MrZ; I had deleted that Furbush play from my memory once we recorded the third out of the inning…If the M’s had lost the game when the oppo did not get a hit, I might start to wonder when does football start…
OMG-just got home from the game. Amazing-I was at the perfect game, too. One blessed baseball fan.
CK-
The boy scout in me has to confess: the 9th inning started with me thinking 50-50 chance we lose 2-1 after taking a no-hitter into the 9th…
Seems we actually CAN have nice things, now and again.
For whatever reason/s; the M’s have done well in inter-league play: With many NL opponents pending, the M’s might be a .500 team on July 4th. With two wild-cards available, it would be cool to think we might have to argue if the M’s should be buyers, or sellers, for a change…
Add this (on a night of amazing pitching):
After giving up 5 runs in 4 innings in his very first minor league start in April (nerves, perhaps?)…
Hultzen has given up FIVE EARNED RUNS total in his next 66 1/3 innings. With 75 K’s over that span. Including 2 hits, 0 runs, 8 K’s tonight.
Tacoma needs to clear out a locker, and Seattle not too long after that happens…
Through all that, Pryor with his first win.
Saturday: Why is Olivo hitting ahead of Saunders? True, batting order doesn’t matter MUCH; but as Manny Acta said – bunch all your good hitters together! Putting a bad hitter in between better hitters can and will waste baserunners.
Haven’t the Nationals called yet??
On the plus side… Liddi’s back in the infield rather than in left. I’m not crazy about Figgins being out there, but I’ll take him over Liddi (in left, I mean).
Vargas doesn’t have to worry about the pressure of back to back no-hitters…
New game thread is up.
Thanks Mike!