Prospect Insider - M's Take on Dodgers

M's Take on Dodgers

By Jason A. Churchill

By 03-24-2009

Ryan Rowland-Smith faces Clayton Kershaw tonight on FSN, check it out. Kershaw has great stuff and RRS is, well, a Mariners left-hander that we like a little, right?

In the early game versus Texas, Washburn was a little luckier in previous outings - he gave up eight hits and a walk and failed to strike out a single batter, which is tough to do when you face 27 hitters in a Cactus League game.

None of the four relievers looked sharp at all; Randy Messenger, Sean White, Cesar Jimenez and Jose Lugo all allowed more base runners than innings pitched, and only White missed any bats.

Griffey doubled twice and walked, as did Shelton who went 3-for-5, and Gillies and Corona each added two hits, too.

Tonight versus LAD, we'll see Chavez, Betancourt, Lopez, Branyan, Balentien, Clement, Tui, Wilson and Woodward get the nod.

m\'s-take-on-dodgers

Comments
The following 17 comment(s) for this article are shown below:

1. By: CrustyJuggler on 03-24-2009 21:25:47
RRS throwing a hearty 86 mph fastball tonight. Not a good sign.

2. By: bodhizefa on 03-24-2009 21:32:04
Good lord, Clement just can't get the bat off his shoulders against Kershaw's fastball. Three swinging strikes, and he was visibly late on all three.

Also, when is it okay to be worried about Rowland-Smith's decline in velocity?

3. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-24-2009 21:32:19
Same as last time, too. Something is up.

4. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-24-2009 21:33:38
Right now, bodhizefa. I was worried a bit last time. Now it's a problem.

5. By: The Great Pumpkin on 03-24-2009 21:38:02
I guess their not showing the game in Portland, that sucks.

6. By: bodhizefa on 03-24-2009 21:38:53
When Brad Ausmus is taking you deep, you need to get your arm examined.

7. By: bodhizefa on 03-24-2009 21:50:14
Good golly is Kershaw good.

8. By: SvhoopsStar5 on 03-24-2009 21:50:23
Speaking of Tyson Gillies, whats your opinion on him Jason?

9. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-24-2009 22:08:07
What game, Pumpkin?

SvhoopsStar5,

I like him. Good athlete, makes okay contact, draws a walk, has gap power right now. He needs to get stronger and not settle for too many singles, but he's a good-looking player. His level of deafness may not affect him as much as you'd think it would defensively.

10. By: rocketdawg31 on 03-24-2009 22:13:03

Don't forget Gillies' got a good arm, Jason. Wasn't it rated best in the system by Baseball America?

RRS looked okay in the 4th, but I only got 88 MPH from the gun, and no doubt it's fast..which means 86, tops. But the delivery doesn't look like he's overcompensating for some hurt, and he went right after them.

Makes a man go hmmmmm...I remember he could touch 92 last year, sat at 89-90.

He looks like he's not carrying as much heft, either. Your thoughts, Jason?

11. By: The Great Pumpkin on 03-24-2009 22:21:39
They aren't showing the Mariners game in Portland. Instead I'm stuck with Tom Arnold and "The best damn sports show."

They just switched to the Mariners game, just while I was typing that. And they switch just in time for me to see Manny.

12. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-24-2009 22:30:26
I don't remember, dawg, re: Gillies' arm/BA. It's a good arm, not a great arm. Halman's is better, Saunders' is better than both.

I texted a scout at the game tonight and he had RRS at 85-87 in the first.

Yikes.

13. By: SvhoopsStar5 on 03-24-2009 22:33:45
As much as I like RRS if his fastball is maxing out at 87 we've got another Washburn on our hands...not good fellas

14. By: bodhizefa on 03-24-2009 22:48:02
Here's a question for you, Jason. Is it bad if a pitcher doesn't pitch with a wind-up and instead pitches from the stretch all the time? What are the advantages of having a wind-up as opposed to always throwing from the stretch? Morrow's throwing tonight from the stretch is what brought this on, and I am not sure I properly understand why wind-ups are a necessity. Little help?

15. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-24-2009 23:18:41
The advantages of pitching from a windup are both in deception and full velocity. Most pitchers have to leave a little bit of velo off their heaters without the windup, since there is less momentum and leg drive involved.

16. By: seattlebruin on 03-25-2009 12:30:10
Jason,

Kind of a random question, but how much of the WBC did you see and did you see any players you particularly liked that weren't already playing pro ball for an American club?

Specifically, thinking about the Japanese and Korean national teams, Japan's pitchers Hisashi Iwakuma, Toshiya Sugiuchi, and of course, Yu Darvish, OF Norichika Aoki, and Korean 1B Tae-Kyun Kim

17. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-25-2009 15:37:41
Darvish isn't worth talking about because he says he has no interest in coming to the states.

He's an ace if he does.

Iwakuma I like a little, Sugiuchi, too. Both above-average stuff, good deception.

Aoki can hit in the states, I think. Kim I did not see much. The Korean pitchers always had my attention.

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