M’s notebook: McClendon supportive of Walker after tough outing

HOUSTON – Saturday night we saw a game speed up on a young pitcher. After being handed a three-run lead heading into the bottom of the second, what followed was anything but a shutdown inning for Taijuan Walker.

“The error didn’t help,” said Lloyd McClendon, referring to a bad throw from shortstop Brad Miller that allowed Evan Gattis to reach. “Particularly with a young pitcher and a hot team, that’s a bad combination.”

After that, Colby Rasmus followed with a double, and both players would eventually score. Walker’s own throwing error with two outs in the third led to three more runs, and he was finally lifted in the fourth. After two reassuring, solid performances, Walker turned in another short outing. But what may have been a surprise for some was not for McClendon.

“It’s not going to happen overnight,” he said. “You see flashes of him being brilliant, almost. Then you see the youngster in him like yesterday. It’s going to take time. I think in the end he’s going to be pretty good.”

McClendon has been the first to give Walker a kick when he felt it was necessary. Last night was not one of those times.

“He’s actually throwing pretty good,” he said. “If we get the ground ball out, that inning goes a lot easier for him. Now he’s pitching out of the stretch and he’s stressed and there’s a double and second and third with nobody out. Things speed real quick. That’s how important one play is in that inning.”

Ideally Walker would buckle down and work past the error. McClendon understands that is not the easiest thing for a young pitcher with just 72 innings in the big leagues.

“We are always in a hurry with young pitchers, but they all struggle,” he said. “The point is, you got to start somewhere. He’s got to throw that first inning, that first two-run homer and everything else. And along the way he’s not going to look pretty good, but in the end it is going to be a pretty good finished product.”

We will see how he bounces back.

Lineup!

Jackson 9
Smith 9
Cano 4
Cruz DH
Seager 5
Morrison 3
Zunino 2
Ackley 7
Miller 6

Happ

Notes

• Three losses mean three days off for the closer. Fernando Rodney last pitched Wednesday in Arlington. McClendon said while he would like to use Rodney today (in a save situation) it is not absolutely necessary.

• Nelson Cruz has hit 13 home runs in his first 24 games, putting him tied for second on the list of homers through that point in the season. If Cruz homers today he will join Cy Williams, Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez atop the list for home runs in the first 25 games.

• Tom Wilhelmsen threw his second bullpen since going on the DL with a hyperextended elbow. He mixed in all of his pitches in the 25-30 pitch session and reported all felt good after. He is scheduled to throw a sim game on Wednesday in Anaheim, and if all goes well should be sent out on a short, possibly one game, rehab assignment.

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