Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:57 pm Posts: 58740 Location: New York, NY
Quote:
His line: 8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K. He threw by my count, 77% of his pitches for strikes (68 of 88)! He did not run a three-ball count until one out in the eighth inning. Sure, he got a little help from his defense as both RF Charle Thurber and CF Gilbert Gomez made diving catches moving forward to take singles away from Greensboro hitters.
The first key for Montero, or any pitcher in a-ball, is throwing his fastball for strikes. He can do that. Generally, he’s 92-93 mph with his heater. I don’t have gun readings for Friday night yet, but I’ll check. The second reason that Montero was so effective Friday, is that he’s starting to throw his slider more and induce weak contact with his changeup. A scout told me the slider has a chance to be an average MLB offering. It’s rewarding to see Montero taking it to games, and using it to befuddle hitters. When he wants to strike a batter out he can. After giving up two soft singles to begin the seventh, one a bunt basehit, and the other a grounder to shortstop, Montero reached back to strikeout the next three batters in a row. On 0-2 pitches, he got chases on fastballs up and out of the zone twice. Then, he mixed up his sequence, beginning the third hitter with two straight sliders for strikes. It was the second time in the game (to my memory) that he doubled up with sliders for strikes. His control is good enough that after the sliders, he can come back with the fastball to freeze a hitter.
His line: 8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K. He threw by my count, 77% of his pitches for strikes (68 of 88)! He did not run a three-ball count until one out in the eighth inning. Sure, he got a little help from his defense as both RF Charle Thurber and CF Gilbert Gomez made diving catches moving forward to take singles away from Greensboro hitters.
The first key for Montero, or any pitcher in a-ball, is throwing his fastball for strikes. He can do that. Generally, he’s 92-93 mph with his heater. I don’t have gun readings for Friday night yet, but I’ll check. The second reason that Montero was so effective Friday, is that he’s starting to throw his slider more and induce weak contact with his changeup. A scout told me the slider has a chance to be an average MLB offering. It’s rewarding to see Montero taking it to games, and using it to befuddle hitters. When he wants to strike a batter out he can. After giving up two soft singles to begin the seventh, one a bunt basehit, and the other a grounder to shortstop, Montero reached back to strikeout the next three batters in a row. On 0-2 pitches, he got chases on fastballs up and out of the zone twice. Then, he mixed up his sequence, beginning the third hitter with two straight sliders for strikes. It was the second time in the game (to my memory) that he doubled up with sliders for strikes. His control is good enough that after the sliders, he can come back with the fastball to freeze a hitter.
I wonder if Fuller is going to start the nightcap. It's Goeddel's turn, but maybe they want to push the entire rotation back another day. Usually when a pitcher is added to a roster he pitches that day.
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