Lueke faced the 3-through-9 hitters of the Reno lineup, and this is what he did:
- swinging strikeout
- pop out
- swinging strikeout
- line drive
- weak comebacker
- pop out
- called strikeout
- swinging strikeout
Two innings, four strikeouts, 25 pitches, 21 strikes. And he assumed a pretty high-leverage situation to begin, so it's not like this was mop-up duty. That's a hell of a way to get started. Even setting aside what he did in A-ball, Lueke has now racked up 44 strikeouts and five walks in 28 innings against advanced AA/AAA competition. And he's not doing it as some baffling junkballer. Lueke throws at least two legitimate Major League pitches, and arguably three.
I know Josh Lueke is a relief prospect, and we should all be wary of relief prospects. This guy, though, is about as good as they come, and he's got future closer written all over him. He might even be our best closer right now.
Josh Lueke. Believe it.
(Fun side note: Tacoma's starter tonight was Yoervis Medina, an emergency call-up from short-season Everett. He wasn't expected to do much more than soak up a few frames and keep it close. He wound up with 5.2 shutout innings. Baseball!)