Game 34, Mariners at Angels
Nick Margevicius vs. Andrew Heaney, 6:40pm
After two fairly encouraging games in San Diego, the M’s head up the road to Anaheim to take on the Angels. The M’s have been getting very good starting pitching during their hot streak, which is more meaningful to their rebuild than their bullpen. Nick Margevicius has been a very effective depth guy who filled in when the club had some injuries, and who’s given them three good starts.
Margevicius has simplified things a bit this year. He’s throwing more of his somewhat underpowered fastball and *not* throwing his breaking stuff as much. That may be wise, as he’s having a heck of a time getting strikes with his slider – it’s been a called ball over 1/2 the time he’s thrown it – that’s not good at all. It hasn’t hurt him, though, because his fastball’s been working. I’m not sure if his delivery hides it or if he’s just maximizing his sequencing of it, but nearly all of his strikeouts have come on 89-90 MPH fastballs.
When last we saw Andrew Heaney, he was coming into the game on a hot streak. His sinker had become a good strikeout pitch, and the HR problems that bedeviled him last year weren’t returning. Since then, he’s had a rough go of things in 3 starts. He’s *still* not giving up HRs, and his strikeout rate’s still pretty good, but he’s been bad with men on base. Thus, his ERA is far higher than his (good) FIP – sort of like Yusei Kikuchi.
Evan White hurt his shoulder in Game 1 yesterday, and is out of the line-up today. I know reporters are getting an update on his condition today; we’ll see what they say. Jose Marmolejos hit two HRs including a grand slam filling in for White, so hopefully he can keep it going.
1: Crawford, SS
2: Haggerty, DH
3: Lewis, CF
4: Seager, 3B
5: Nola, C
6: Marmolejos, 1B
7: Lopes, LF
8: Long, 2B
9: Bishop, RF
SP: Margevicius
It’s Jackie Robinson Day in MLB. Read this piece by Shakeia Taylor over at BP. I know the M’s will discuss Robinson’s legacy in the broadcast, and tweeted this video about him, but I think it’s worth reading Taylor’s letter to Jackie before getting to all of the self-congratulatory stuff about Robinson’s struggles.
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