posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 2:24 AM
by
Jim
Midseason Review: Matt Thornton
| W-L | ERA | IP | H
| R
| ER | BB | K
| SV | SvOp |
3-1
| 3.13 | 31.2 | 24 | 11
| 11
| 14
| 34 | 1 | 2 |
Something nice: Nobody's made me look more foolish this year than Matt Thornton. When I saw him during Spring Training with the Mariners, the only part of the strike zone he could find was the center of it. A couple months with Don Cooper later, he's throwing darts. Pass me
some crow.
Must improve: Track record. He can accomplish this by staying the course.
Three best games May 22
Frank Thomas hits two homers in his return to Chicago, but this was equally a triumphant day for Thornton. He proves he's more than a LOOGY with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in which he only throws 12 pitches -- nine for strikes.
June 24Thornton pitches the last 2 1/3 innings of an extra-inning game, and only allows one baserunner via a walk. He strikes out three, uses only 29 pitches in the outing and comes away with the victory.
July 9Javier Vazquez leaves a mess -- two on, one out, and David Ortiz at the plate. No problem for Thorndog, as he induces a weak groundout from Ortiz, intentionally walks Manny Ramirez, then blows away Trot Nixon to get out of the jam.
Three worst gamesApril 7This is the Matt Thornton we thought we'd be getting, as he allows two runs (plus an inherited run), three hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.
May 21
He allows a homer to Timo F. Perez. 'Nuff said
June 1Brandon McCarthy didn't help Thornton out by allowing two of his inherited runners to score, but Thornton looked shaky the entire evening. He allows an inherited runner on his own when Jason Michaels goes deep for a two-run shot, giving Cleveland the lead back.
Grades
Arm: B+
It'd be nice if he had a complementary pitch, but as it stands right now, he doesn't really need it. If the fastball doesn't get away from him, he'll live by it more than die by it.
Head: B+If the
Mariners blog threads celebrating Thornton's departure are any indication, I don't think Seattle fans would recognize the tall, hard-throwing lefty in the Sox bullpen. Results-wise, he's been a sponge to Cooper's teachings.
Awards
Fireman of the Week,
July 2-9Fireman of the Week,
May 21-29Gas Can of the Week,
April 30-May 6