Bulltalk wrote:On a positive note...awesome performance by Iwakuma.
He was lights out. Price was just as impressive save that first inning. I'm still irritated by the loss but it happens. I hate seeing Felix/Iwakuma starts spoiled because I feel like those are games we just should win almost every time. You have to win those games because, when Maurer's spot comes up in the rotation, the odds are high that the M's offense will have to score more runs in one game than they're really built to score in order to have a shot at winning.
Paxton and Walker both sound like they're on schedule to return in early to mid June, which is great news.
I don't know what to make of Rodney. Guy's got a great fastball and a great change-up. But the control problems...I know it's just who he is, but he's just tough to watch. Remember when League blew a bunch of games and there were a lot of "what-ifs" being uttered? Rodney seems like the opposite. His normal stats look fine and he's got a healthy amount of saves, but just about every one of those saves could've been a loss or a tie game because of his control problems and putting guys on base. At some point I worry he just might implode, and our margin of error doesn't really allow for that.
I know McLendon's hands are somewhat tied. Sure enough, after tonight's game Iwakuma admitted he'd asked to come out after the 8th inning because he was tiring. Lloyd has to put someone out there in the 9th to finish the game out. Rodney's probably as good a bet as any to get the job done.