50th-rounder pitches seven perfect innings

by wcw on Jul 11, 2008 9:37 PM PDT Comment 23 comments

Yeah, it's short-season A ball, and he's a four-year college player who's only two years younger than Matt Cain and didn't even make it out of rookie ball last year. Still, you have to give the man props. His line tonight: 7 innings, 7 strikeouts, 7 ground balls, 7 fly balls. No walks, no hits, no wild pitches, no nothing. And his season thus far looks pretty impressive: 29 innings, 27 strikeouts, 8 hits, 2 home runs, 3 runs total.

He has not walked a batter. Including last year, he has walked one (1) batter in 45 professional innings. It's like he saw wood bats and said to himself, I can just pound the strike zone against these things. (His walk rates in college are fine, but nothing like this.)

I'm a sucker for these names. 50th rounders don't usually go anywhere (Brian Horwitz, who went undrafted, has managed a cup of coffee), but after performances like tonight's, you have to give it up.

So, go Mike Loree. Tonight, you are the man.

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Loree lost a perfect game his last start too. He allowed a solo home run. It was the only hit and run he would allow in the game.

"While conservatives tell you 'leave things alone and no one will lose,' and liberals tell you 'interfere a lot and no one will lose,' baseball says 'someone will lose.' Not only says it - but insists upon it! ... Democracy is lovely, but baseball's more mature." BVCE supports SF Dugout and Manny Burriss.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jul 11, 2008 9:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He has now retired 62 of the last 63 batters he has faced.

by malarky on Jul 11, 2008 9:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Damn

Thats amazing whatever level you play at

by m34josh on Jul 12, 2008 4:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Time to move him up a level already.

by ben p on Jul 11, 2008 10:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He’ll be in the majors by tomorrow.

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Jul 12, 2008 7:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In classic Giants fashion, he got a no decision after the bullpen lost the game. He should be well prepared for the majors!

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by Natto on Jul 11, 2008 10:31 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Matt Cain was a phenom who stormed through the system.

Loree is going about it the hard way, but now in Rich Harden-fashion.

I hope the guy can be in San Jose by the end of the season.

it's always noonan somewhere

by sectionop92 on Jul 11, 2008 10:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It’d be awesome if we got another stud pitcher in a draft where pitching was our lowest priority. And he’s off to a great start, so who knows maybe…

by boonitez on Jul 12, 2008 12:29 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

ironic....

Because Loree turned out to be the lowest priority for the Giants in that draft.

it's always noonan somewhere

by sectionop92 on Jul 12, 2008 1:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Only 7 innings?

DFA Loree!!!

Fred Lewis can stand under my umbrella.

by S.F. Giangst on Jul 12, 2008 4:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

When I first saw this thread, I thought the guy was looking at last week’s boxscores, and then I see he did it again!! That’s three amazing starts in a row, and he has now struck out 27 in 29 innings and walked zero. I don’t want to do the math, but 27-0 is a pretty good K-BB ratio, isn’t it??

Brian Sabean's new dad: Firm believer in corporal punishment

by rxmeister on Jul 12, 2008 8:02 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

According to my calculator, that’s a K/B of ERROR. Sounds good.

..so allow me to present Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain as two sweet, sweet bottles of warming hooch.

by Cookyman on Jul 12, 2008 8:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

in 45 professional innings, K/BB == 47

..not 4.7, 47.

His K/H in pro ball is a merely pedestrian 1.9, though. But that’s still good.

If only he were doing this in full-season ball at age 18, instead of in short-season at 21..

But still. Mad props.

by wcw on Jul 12, 2008 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Did you just divide by zero, you asshole?

My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.

by howtheyscored on Jul 12, 2008 9:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crap the internet just blew up.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on Jul 12, 2008 9:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

45 pro innings include rookie ball

That said, I’ll divide by zero if I want to. Who’s going to stop me—you and what Math Squad?

by wcw on Jul 12, 2008 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

first lol since the game started today

thank you

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by BrianBokake on Jul 12, 2008 11:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anyone have a scouting report for Loree? I assume because he went in the 50th round he doesn’t have huge velocity, but I could be wrong.

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Jul 12, 2008 8:49 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This quote makes me think that he’s a fringy stuff control guy

“He’s been unhittable,” Trebelhorn said. “Looking at his stuff, you wouldn’t think he could pitch like that, but he’s just been throwing strikes.

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Jul 12, 2008 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

sounds like his stuff is fine, but never developed velocity

After being recruited:

Mike pitches in the upper 80’s and possesses an outstanding changeup.

http://villanova.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/112602aaa.html

In this same report, we have Kevin Mulvey in the “upper 80’s to low 90’s” out of high school. Other sources place Mulvey’s HS velocity “in the high 80-mph range in high school,” so let’s give Loree a low/mid-80s fastball in high school.

Before his senior year:

Relies on movement to get hitters out and features a dominating breaking ball … Consistently hits spots ..

http://villanova.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/loree_mike00.html

Mulvey developed his fastball until he was pitching in the low 90s at the end of his college career. Sounds like Loree didn’t get there. Even short-season A-ball hitters usually aren’t impressed by 86mph cheese. However, control and real breaking pitches usually are too much for them.

Loree is 6-6/226, so he’s not a little guy, but the fact that he didn’t gain velocity in college doesn’t give you much hope. Still, he has been lights-out, and that’s impressive.

by wcw on Jul 12, 2008 11:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Loree sounds like he’s a Greg Maddux-type.

One thing is for sure, with a stat line like that, the other teams will now take notice to get a read on if he’s a legit prospect.

it's always noonan somewhere

by sectionop92 on Jul 12, 2008 1:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

loree

clearing trying to make me regret giving him up for adoption for a player we dont even have yet

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by BrianBokake on Jul 12, 2008 9:54 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It would be an awesome story

if Loree makes it to the majors and does OK. He may never be a star, but if he can even be a serviceable middle reliever it would be a great accomplishment for a last round pick.

This just shows again that the Giants seem to have a knack for finding pitchers. All the more reason for them to use their higher picks to concentrate on replenishing the offense in their farm system.

by baseballjunkie on Jul 12, 2008 12:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs