Derek Holland's average fastball velocity this season: 94.1 miles per hour, fifth in the American League.
Rangers vs. Tigers: Texas Chases Scherzer Early, Takes 3-2 Lead (And Counting)
Max Scherzer's average fastball velocity this season: 93.1 miles per hour, ninth in the American League.
Velocity certainly isn't everything -- you don't have to go down too far to find Brad Penny on the list, for example -- but it sure is fun to watch two young pitchers face off and do the live-arm bit. (Though it's probably past the point when we can call Scherzer a young pitcher; he is 27, after all.)
Well, it’s fun until they start getting knocked around.
Scherzer hasn't been sharp at all, throwing 34 pitches in the first two innings, with fewer than half of them for strikes. In the third, he walked Elvis Andrus with one out, which set up a bloop single from Josh Hamilton that fell in front of Delmon Young. If there was a time when Young was a five-tool prospect, it was a long time ago, before he loaned a couple of them to his neighbor who never brought them back.
With runners on first and second and one out, Michael Young doubled down the left field line to drive in both runners and tie the game at 2-2. Three pitches later, Adrian Beltre singled through the middle to score Young to give the Rangers the lead.
Mike Napoli then walked to bring up Nelson Cruz with two on and one out. Scherzer, pitching for his life, then walked Cruz to load the bases. After just 2⅓ innings, Scherzer was pulled for Daniel Schlereth. Ouch.
Watching a game like this, the only thing I can think of is what Livan Hernandez would do with the arsenal of a Scherzer or Holland. He'd probably make Roy Halladay look like Wilson Valdez.
Is it too early to start counting outs? Sure is. But I’m stupid like that, and the Rangers are 18 outs away from their second straight World Series appearance, and they’re threatening to add more.
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