Vargas falls flat plus CLR lineup
Mar 19, 2012, 4:35 PM
By Shannon Drayer
Tough outing for Jason Vargas in what was to be his final tuneup before he pitches against the A’s on March 29 in Tokyo. Vargas gave up 7 runs on 8 hits (6 singles and a double) one walk an one strikeout. He wasn’t missing his spots by much and the Cubs hitters were not missing his pitches at all. Eleven batters and 2 outs into the first and Eric Wedge had to go get him.
“He didn’t have the command of his fastball that he normally does,” said Eric Wedge. “It was just one of those days, he will be fine.”
Vargas insists he is healthy and that nothing is wrong. It is not his first shakey outing of the spring as he gave up 5 runs in his last start in a minor league intrasquad game. In that game he was cruising and then in what I remember to be the fifth inning he got hit hard giving up a home run and three doubles before getting out of the inning.
Wedge is not concerned that Vargas only threw 40 pitches in his last outing before Japan saying that he has been up to 90 so he should be okay. He is scheduled to throw a simulated game in Japan to keep him on schedule for the start against Oakland.
A pair of Shawns may have benefited from the misfortune of Vargas as Camp and Kelley got extended looks with Camp throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings and Kelley giving up just one in 3. Steve Delabar struggled, giving up 3 runs in 1 2/3 innings.
“You get to see multiple innings out of guys,” Wedge said of the situation. “It is interesting to say the least. We’ve got some strong competition here, we are going to have to make some tough decisions in the next couple of days.”
On a separate note…The Cactus League Report can be heard on 710ESPN and mariners.com tonight at 7pm. Our guests will include Kevin Millwood, Blake Beavan, Brandon League, Mike Carp, John Jaso, Steve Delabar, Jeff Datz and Larry LaRue from the Tacoma News Tribune.
