| Garrett Wilson. 18th July, 2006 - 10:39 pm
 He’s probably been the Angels best pitcher the last two years, nearly threw a perfect game, won Game Seven of the 2002 World Series, and most people have never heard of him. John Lackey is quickly developing into one of the best pitchers in baseball, and just about nobody has bothered to notice. Most fans probably wouldn’t even consider him the best pitcher on his own team.
Last year, Bartolo Colon took home the AL Cy Young, overshadowing the year turned in by Big John. A very good case could actually be made that Lackey had the better year than his award-winning teammate. Colon had a higher ERA, forty-two fewer strikeouts and gave up twice as many home runs as Lackey. Yet the voters were swayed into presenting Bartolo with the award due in large part to his twenty-one wins. Lackey, however, didn’t even get a single third-place vote.
It is going to be a lot harder for the voters to ignore Lackey this year. As of July 16th, Lackey is second in the AL in ERA, seventh is strikeouts, tied for second in quality starts, second in WHIP, first in batting average allowed and first in slugging percentage allowed. That is normally the kind of resume that gets you into an All-Star game and several mentions in the national headlines, yet Lackey continues to toil away in relative anonymity.
While the American public remains blissfully ignorant to Lackey’s existence, the American League is more than aware of just how dominant he can be. Thanks in part to consecutive complete game shutouts Lackey is currently on a twenty-seven inning shutout streak (and counting). The scoreless streak hasn’t been all luck either. The first of the two shutouts was an utterly dominant one-hitter, where the only well struck ball of the night came from the first batter Lackey faced, a hit by Mark Kotsay. After that, it was lights out.
While John Lackey was never a highly touted phenom like Francisco Liriano or even Angel teammate Jered Weaver, this kind of success should not be unexpected of the big Texan. It was only about four years ago that Lackey was given the starting assignment in the seventh game of the 2002 World Series. Lackey came out that night and showed the poise and confidence that all of the best pitchers possess. Lackey is showing that same poise now as he takes his game to the next level.
For the Angels, Lackey’s evolution could not have come at a better time either. It is no small twist of fate that Lackey’s shutout streak has coincided with Angels turning their season around and climbing back into the AL West race. The team had been flailing with their sputtering offense and with former staff ace Bartolo Colon battling injuries during the better part of the first half this season. Since then Colon has returned, but is still struggling to find his former velocity. He has also returned to find his role as staff ace filled by Lackey.
The on-field performance of Big John has been a major help, but so has his presence in the locker room. Before this season, the Angels pitching staff was led by the tough, overachieving Jarrod Washburn. However, Washburn was let go into free agency, leaving a gaping leadership void in the Angels locker room. Over the course of the last few months, Lackey’s Texas football toughness has allowed him to step into Washburn’s vacated role.
With the playoff hunt in full swing and Lackey firmly entrenched as the staff leader, it is clear that the Angels are only going to go as far as Lackey will take them, and baseball fans better take notice as the sky appears to be the limit for Big John Lackey.
Got any questions, comments or misplaced hostility? E-mail Garrett at gwilson40@gmail.com. |
