Baseball notebook: Seager hot but Cano hotter
Kyle Seager is the victim of what amounts to a solar eclipse.
Robinson Cano continues to hog attention because of a 18-for-35 surge over eight games in May, which lifted his average from .226 to .305. He also has three doubles, four homers and nine RBIs in that time.
“He’s incredible,” Seager observed. “He’s incredible anyway, and when he gets in a groove like this he’s unbelievable. There’s not too many people that can do what he’s doing.”
The thing is, Seager might be one of those people. He is 16-for-37 stretch over the last nine games in boosting his average from .139 to .233. He has four doubles, two triples, three homers and nine RBIs in that span.
“I feel pretty good,” Seager admitted. “I’m able to stay more in the middle of the field. Not pulling off nearly as bad. You’re giving yourself a chance on balls that are middle of the way as opposed to only having one area you can handle.”
For his part, Cano pointed to hitting coach Edgar Martinez as the key to the club’s improving attack, which entered Sunday ranked second among American League teams with an average of 4.47 runs a game.
“We’ve got to give credit to Edgar,” said Cano, who hit a home run Sunday that accounted for the Mariners’ only run in a 5-1 loss to Houston. “He’s amazing with all the positive things he says to everyone.
“He was one of the best hitters in any situation. And that’s a guy you can go and ask questions to. He’s been so big for us.”
Call captures Colon homer: ‘The impossible has happened!’
With two outs in the second inning and a pitcher with a .089 career average at the plate, an announcer can usually start thinking about the transition to the commercial break.
When Bartolo Colon stepped into the batter’s box Saturday night in San Diego, though, Mets commentator Gary Cohen was paying close attention – if only for the possibility that the portly pitcher’s helmet could fly off yet again. But once Colon took a mighty cut with a 1-1 count, Cohen recalled Sunday morning, “it was instantaneous from the time the ball left his bat this was something incredibly special.”
His voice rising in a mix of shock, jubilance and exhilaration, Cohen roared: “He drives one! Deep left field! Back goes Upton! Back near the wall! It’s outta here! Bartolo has done it! The impossible has happened!”
It sounded more like the call of a postseason walk-off home run, but as fans watched a video clip of the two-run shot over and over Saturday night, nearly everyone seemed to agree it fit perfectly.
“The accumulation of elements here: His age, his weight, his former ineptitude at the plate and his personality all kind of tie together into an incredibly special package,” Cohen said in a phone interview about 14 hours later.
With his 43rd birthday approaching, Colon became the oldest player to hit his first major league home run, his impressive drive helping the Mets beat the Padres 6-3. By Sunday morning, Cohen had received plenty of excited text messages and emails about his call on the SNY production that aired on PIX in the New York area.
He and his colleagues had speculated before that because Colon is so strong, he could hit the ball a long way if he ever made solid contact, but they never really expected to call a home run.
Cohen, who is in his 28th season working Mets games, was speaking for the club’s fans, who adore the way Colon exudes such joy with every game, when he later proclaimed: “This is one of the great moments in the history of baseball.”
“He’s such a beloved figure,” Cohen said Sunday. “I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
Twins’ Tyler Duffey strikes out 4 batters in 7th inning
Minnesota right-hander Tyler Duffey became the first Twins pitcher in nearly four years to strike out four batters in an inning.
But a wild pitch on Avisail Garcia’s strikeout in the seventh inning allowed him to reach base and score on Dioner Navarro’s double as the host Chicago White Sox took a 3-1 lead on Sunday.
Duffey struck out Brett Lawrie swinging before getting Garcia to chase a pitch that bounced in front of catcher Juan Centeno.
After Navarro’s double, Duffey struck out Austin Jackson. He then walked Adam Eaton intentionally before striking out Jimmy Rollins for the third time.
The previous Minnesota pitcher to strike out four in an inning was Francisco Liriano on June 5, 2012, at Kansas City.
Duffey finished with nine strikeouts in seven innings.
Rangers put RHP Griffin on 15-day DL, recall Claudio
Texas Rangers right-hander A.J. Griffin has been put on the 15-day disabled list after leaving his start Saturday with stiffness in his throwing shoulder.
Griffin is expected to be examined Monday. He left Saturday’s game at Detroit in the third inning.
Texas recalled reliever Alex Claudio from Triple-A Round Rock. Claudio was optioned to Round Rock on Saturday but never left the Detroit area because of Griffin’s injury that afternoon.
Griffin is 3-0 with a 2.94 ERA in six starts this season.