Over six innings, Cliff Lee faced just 20 batters and struck out four while walking none. He scattered a couple singles, one coming off a bunt and allowed no runs. Of the 16 balls put into play, five were on the ground and seven were fly balls. There were two bunts, an infield fly and a single line drive as well.
I don't have any word on his velocity during the start*, but he certainly cruised through Salt Lake's lineup with little trouble. The only concern that I have is the low pitch count. Lee tossed just 68 pitches in his six innings, which means I would hardly be expecting him to step right into the Seattle rotation and start putting up Felix-length starts. Which, hey, maybe Jesus Colome will finally get to do something besides working on his popsicle stick scale model of Monticello.
Hey, go read Marc W's account here
0 recs | 21 comments
Am I the only one not really excited about Lee
because of the 100% chance of him being gone after this season?
I don’t want to get too excited just to watch him leave in November.
craig3410 - April 25, 2010
Why would he want to leave after becomming WS Champs?
EequalsMc2 - April 25, 2010
Stop that. Stop that right now.
sanford_and_son - April 25, 2010
100% is a little overestimative.
Mariner John - April 25, 2010
Be excited that this team is going to win more with Cliff Lee pitching.
And trust in Jack Zduriencik will make the proper decision in the offseason.
Wilder. - April 25, 2010
We get draft picks if he leaves anyway
appleshampoo - April 25, 2010
In what is considered a stacked draft.
russak - April 25, 2010
Let yourself fall for the laid back country boy.
It usually works out pretty well. Watch a romantic comedy. You’ll see.
Ballard Erik - April 26, 2010
I was at the Cliff Lee game today.
It was pretty outstanding. His velocity was hovering right around 90 mph, hitting 91 a couple times that I noticed. I only really watched the first four innings before the guys i was with wanted to get food, so I didn’t really see much more after that, but he experienced no real trouble with the batters.
Bodenhamer - April 25, 2010
I was there as well, he looked strong and didn't have any problem with the minor
league batters. I hoped he would pitch another inning as things deteriorated after he was done.
TrustBaseball - April 25, 2010
Was there as well.
Bodenhamer is right about his velocity; 90 mph consistently on the fastball.
Eyebrows - April 25, 2010
Also
Welcome, Bodenhamer! Nice early post.
Eyebrows - April 25, 2010
I had the exact same experience as you.
Watched the first four innings and then sat in line until about the bottom of the 7th inning. A third of the stadium must have been in line because the stadium was only about two thirds full the whole time.
seattle_since_81 - April 25, 2010
Poor Cheney stadium isn't built for big crowds.
marc w - April 25, 2010
Soon, though.
Link.
kentroyals5 - April 26, 2010
Divish quoted Lee as saying he felt really comfortable
Besides a little bit of control problems with his curve, btu that it still looked fine.
blueside714 - April 25, 2010
Yeah, he bounced a few curves, but his change was so good it didn't really matter.
marc w - April 25, 2010
I was at the game as well.
He didn’t throw the curve much at all. I am going to take a wild guess, as I wasn’t counting, and say he only threw five curves. While he may have been struggling with the control of that pitch, he wasn’t with the break. He has a beautiful sharp, late break to them.
He also had so pretty pathetic fielding attempts. One he didn’t cover a bunt and two he had a half ass attempt at an infield single, which I think was okay with everyone!
Rich Langford - April 25, 2010
I'd rather Cliff Lee not agitate something in his abdominals while fielding a bunt in an inconsequential Triple-A game.
… and I’m pretty okay with him not doing so at the major league level too. Let’s not break the prize acquisition.
thehemogoblin - April 26, 2010
3 hits given up.
The first hit he gave up was a bunt single, followed by a pop fly that should have been caught but Carrera in center lost it in the clouds and it was ruled a hit, and the third hit was an infield single. He looked pretty good. The thing I like about Cliff is that he is a quick worker and it keeps his defense behind him in the game.
Rainierfan - April 26, 2010
I wouldn't be surprised if the Carrera hit gets changed to an error.
Who knows; I guess the only person who’d want it changed no longer plays for the Rainiers, but whatever. You often see them changed a day or two later.
marc w - April 26, 2010
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