Game 33, Mariners at Rangers – Let’s Get Some Hits
Chris Flexen vs. Mike Foltynewicz, 5:05pm
After being no-hit/near-perfecto’d by John Means, the Mariners head to Arlington to visit Globe Life Field and the Rangers. The M’s team batting average now stands at .201, lowest in the game. Even the lowly, rebuilding Rangers – whose best player is average-challenged Joey Gallo – are up at .236, which in 2021 makes them above average. Texas is no one’s idea of a *good* offense, but with a decent BABIP countering their strikeout-prone ways, they’re avoiding the trap that the M’s, Indians, and Tigers find themselves in.
Part of the reason that Texas has been able to out-hit what I would’ve expected include a rebound from Willie Calhoun, a former top prospect who nearly washed out after following up a hopeful 2019 season by cratering in 2020. New 1B Nate Lowe shook off a slow start and is hitting well, as is Nick Solak. Glove first 3B/SS/C/Whatever you need Isiah Kiner-Falefa is hitting pretty well, too. Sure, their park is a bit better for offense than T-Mobile, but a big part of this is the guys the Rangers counted on stepping up, and that includes Gallo, whose production faltered nearly as much as Calhoun’s last year.
Those awful years from Gallo, Calhoun, and Solak last year may have made the Rangers look a bit more hapless than they actually are. With each of them bouncing back, they’re a middle-of-the-road offense that just needs their pitching to come around. That hasn’t happened yet, as they traded their big stars, Lance Lynn and Mike Minor, and scooped up another batch of veteran underachievers to see if they can’t work the same magic again. Mike Foltynewicz is just such a buy-low bet. Folty was oriignally a first-round pick of the Astros back in 2010, and rose quickly thanks to serious velocity and a slider/change/curve mix. Sitting 97 at times, he still couldn’t quite put it all together, and was traded to the Braves in 2015. He pitched in Atlanta for years after the deal, underachieving a bit in 2015-17, but putting together a brilliant 2018 campaign that looked like a real breakout. As a fly-ball guy, he’s always had issues with HRs, but his best velocity coupled with a reduction in HR/FB (thanks in part to the deadened baseball) and an increase in GB% all helped to produce an ERA of 2.85 and a FIP of 3.20 in 183 IP. Sadly for Folty, it couldn’t last. Injuries and the re-juiced baseball sunk his 2019, and a dead arm and no control meant he threw less than 4 IP last year before the Braves cut him loose.
The velo’s back to 94-95 on his four-seam and sinker, and he’s still got a change/slider pair that break in different directions, but share an 85-86mph velo. His curve, which he’s using more of in the early going, is 79-80. The bouts of wildness that occasionally marred his early years haven’t shown up this year, but the old trouble with the long ball definitely has. He’s already yielded 9 in 33 1/3 IP. Lefties fare pretty well against the right-handed Foltynewicz, so this is a better match-up for Kyle Seager.
The buy-low plan seems to be working ok for Folty, but it’s doing quite well with Kyle Gibson, who came to Texas last year after seven years in Minnesota. Their other big acquisition is former White Sox prospect Dane Dunning, whom they got for Lance Lynn. The common thread of nearly everyone we’ve talked about here? They were developed elsewhere. Calhoun was a Dodger farmhand, Solak and Lowe were with the Rays. Their pitchers are often vets from other orgs who’ve hit free agency at just the wrong time. Their closer is Ian Kennedy..yes, THAT Ian Kennedy, the 36 year old former Yankee/Padre/Royal starter who switched to the pen in 2019. A team that rose to prominence with a home-grown core and relentless work in international free agency is now the team of veteran pitchers and poached prospects from other teams. Perhaps that’s why Jon Daniels turned over day-to-day management of the club to new GM Chris Young, the former M’s and Royals starter.
1: Haniger, RF
2: Lewis, CF
3: Seager, 3B
4: France, DH
5: Crawford, SS
6: Moore, 2B
7: Murphy, C
8: White, 1B
9: Trammell, LF
SP: Flexen
The story in the minors yesterday was Jarred Kelenic’s electrifying Tacoma debut in which he hit two HRs, re-igniting the debate over when he’ll be promoted. It’s never really been a question of his status as one of the best hitters on the club, a bar that’s a bit low at the moment. He would’ve been up a year ago had he signed the long-term contract the M’s put in front of him. But if the M’s average stays around .200, and if Kelenic continues this start, he’ll be up very, very quickly. One of his HRs came off of a lefty, and one off of a righty last night. Tacoma lost the game in extras, but not before Cal Raleigh hit his first AAA HR with the team down 2 and with 2 outs in the 11th.
Tonight, the Rainiers start Logan Gilbert against El Paso, and I’m going to go check him out, along with Kelenic, of course. The R’s face MacKenzie Gore, MLB’s #6 overall prospect – that’s the top pitching prospect in the game. The game starts at 7:05, and if you’re in the South Sound, this is one to catch.
Arkansas got their first win with a late comeback off of NW Arkansas. Jake Scheiner hit his second dinger of the year. Penn Murfee takes the hill for the Travs tonight against Stephen Woods Jr. of the Naturals.
High-A Everett won in a laugher yesterday, beating Hillsboro 12-1. Julio Rodriguez had two hits and two walks, Austin Shenton hit two doubles, and Zach deLoach continued his hot start with two hits as well. Emerson Hancock was untouchable for 2 IP, striking out 3, and Evan Johnson struck out 6 in 2 2/3 IP. George Kirby starts tonight for the AquaSox.
Low-A Modesto squeaked past Stockton 2-1, with 2019 draft pick Adam Macko going 4 scoreless with 7 Ks. Noelvi Marte got both RBIs. 2020 draft pick Taylor Dollard (5th round) starts tonight for the Nuts.
Comments
2 Responses to “Game 33, Mariners at Rangers – Let’s Get Some Hits”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
That lineup, though. Your career .674 OPS SS hitting 5th and your 1B hitting 8th, with an OPS of (gets out electron microscope)… oh, my.
Wish I could be at the game in Tacoma after a pitstop at Quickie Too.