10-28-2009, 06:03 PM
Linkage
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Promoted to Triple-A Iowa last May 11, Parker piled up 22 saves. He struck out 58 batters in 51 innings, had a 3.00 ERA and held hitters to a .196 average. Parker, 24, has two saves and a victory in five appearance for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.
In three years as a minor-league pitcher, Parker had given up only six home runs. And he had been nearly perfect in Arizona, logging a 0.00 ERA over 3 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and no walks in his first three games. But that changed drastically last weekend when he was victimized by back-to-back homers and blew a save against the Scottsdale Scorpions.
Parker, who works at 91 to 93 mph and tops out at 96, explains it this way:
"On the first one, I threw a two-seamer that I thought was down, but he was all over it. I threw a 2-2 breaking ball to the second guy, but I hung it, and that one should have been hit out. There are some good hitters out here."
That was reinforced Tuesday. Brought into a ninth-inning tie game against the Peoria Saguaros, Parker got the first hitter on a fly ball but then gave up a sharp double and an intentional walk before walking another batter. A subsequent sacrifice fly pinned him with the loss.
So even though Carlos Marmol might make you squirm and Kevin Gregg might make you twitch, Parker isn't necessarily ready to displace the Cubs' end-of-the-rotation guys just yet.
"I don't really care when I pitch," he said. "I just want to be up there. Your mindset shouldn't change no matter what inning you pitch.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thoughts?
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Promoted to Triple-A Iowa last May 11, Parker piled up 22 saves. He struck out 58 batters in 51 innings, had a 3.00 ERA and held hitters to a .196 average. Parker, 24, has two saves and a victory in five appearance for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.
In three years as a minor-league pitcher, Parker had given up only six home runs. And he had been nearly perfect in Arizona, logging a 0.00 ERA over 3 1/3 innings with three strikeouts and no walks in his first three games. But that changed drastically last weekend when he was victimized by back-to-back homers and blew a save against the Scottsdale Scorpions.
Parker, who works at 91 to 93 mph and tops out at 96, explains it this way:
"On the first one, I threw a two-seamer that I thought was down, but he was all over it. I threw a 2-2 breaking ball to the second guy, but I hung it, and that one should have been hit out. There are some good hitters out here."
That was reinforced Tuesday. Brought into a ninth-inning tie game against the Peoria Saguaros, Parker got the first hitter on a fly ball but then gave up a sharp double and an intentional walk before walking another batter. A subsequent sacrifice fly pinned him with the loss.
So even though Carlos Marmol might make you squirm and Kevin Gregg might make you twitch, Parker isn't necessarily ready to displace the Cubs' end-of-the-rotation guys just yet.
"I don't really care when I pitch," he said. "I just want to be up there. Your mindset shouldn't change no matter what inning you pitch.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thoughts?
I hate my pretentious sounding username too.