Moyer, Franklin turn game around this year
It’s no coincidence that two Mariners pitchers who struggled last year, Jamie Moyer and Ryan Franklin, have been two of the team’s best so far this season.
Umpires clearly have cut the gray area on the edges of home plate and are calling a narrower strike zone, Mariners pitching coach Bryan Price says. But they seem to be more forgiving with low ends of the zone, and Moyer and Franklin, in particular, are taking advantage.
Moyer is 4-0 with a 2.53 earned run average and Franklin is 1-2, 2.51.
“We’re not getting any swings or any calls on pitches that are off the plate inside or outside,” Price said. “So we have to be able to understand where the bottom of the strike zone is. Knowing we’re not going to get the borderline call, the smart thing for guys who are soft throwers is to go low, lower and lower than low.”
Moyer, not considered a strikeout pitcher, is tied for fourth in the American League with 23.
Price says umpires also are calling the high strike, but a soft thrower like Moyer can’t afford to pitch there.
“A guy like Gil Meche can expand the top of the strike zone, get the swing and a miss with the high fastball,” Price said. “For Jamie and Frankie, it’s not so much a matter of nailing the corners but nailing the bottom of the zone. Frankie can sink or split or throw a curveball that goes under the zone and create more urgency to swing in those pitchers’ counts, 0-1, 0-2 and 1-2.”
Moyer said the difference between his success this year and his problems last year is control of all his pitches.
“It’s execution,” he said. “It’s making better pitches, getting ahead in the count.”
And, Price adds, using what is given him by umpires. So far this year, it’s the low strike.
“He’s commanding the bottom of the strike zone again,” Price said. “He’s keeping his pitches in his lanes, the inside third of the plate, the outside third. Last year a lot of pitches to the middle ended up staying up in the zone.”
Tui stays hot
Matt Tuiasosopo extended his hitting streak to 13 games in Class A Wisconsin’s 5-4 victory over Beloit on Sunday. Tuiasosopo, an 18-year-old from Woodinville, entered Monday’s game against Beloit batting .423 with two home runs, three doubles and 12 RBI.