Yankees/mets - Waht Am I Missing???

Daily Dish: August 18

August 18, 2006

Tyler's Clippard's tale of two seasons reached a climax on Thursday night.

The Yankees righthander threw the first no-hitter in Trenton Thunder history against Harrisburg, striking out nine while walking four.

The Thunder didn't give Clippard many anxious moments in their 9-0 loss. According to the Harrisburg Patriot-News, the only real threat to the no-hitter was Kory Casto's liner in the ninth, which center fielder Brent Gardner snagged on the run near the warning track.

It was just the latest in what has been a string of outstanding starts for Clippard, and quite a turnaround to his season. In his first taste of Double-A, Clippard seemed overmatched at times during the first couple of months of the season. He was 2-9, 5.69 in mid-June.

"Early in the season he'd miss high with his fastball a lot. (Pitching coach) Dave (Eiland) and him have worked on his mechanics to throw his fastball more on a downward plane," Trenton manager Billy Masse said. "He was getting in a lot of 2-0 and 3-1 counts early in the season. With an 88-89 mph fastball, 2-0 and 3-1 fastballs don't cut it."

Clippard now keeps the fastball down. And his newfound confidence to use his offspeed pitches in fastball counts has turned his year around.

"The big key with him is basically these last two months he's been able to throw any pitch at any count for strikes," Masse said. "His breaking ball and his changeup, he's been able to throw for strikes at any count, which has made his fastball that much better."

Clippard has gone 8-1, 1.77 with 99 strikeouts in 82 innings since mid-July. His stuff hasn't really changed over the past two months. He still sits at anywhere from 86-91 mph with his fastball, and he still features an above-average changeup, and a major league curveball, although his command may make the pitch play up a little bit.

"His curveball is a 50 (on the 20-to-80 scouting scale)," Masse said. "He knows how to locate it. When you can throw it for strikes and locate it out of the zone, all of a sudden that becomes a 60 curveball. The only other guy on our staff who can do that is Philip Hughes. The ability to throw it over the plate when he needs to and with more depth out of the zone (when he needs to) makes it an above-average pitch."

When Clippard is on, his biggest strength is his ability to keep hitters guessing. Masse said there have been times this year when he has no idea what Clippard is going to throw next.

"Sometimes he'll throw three fastballs by a guy, and the next time he'll throw three breaking balls down the middle because the guys waiting on a fastball," Masse said.

--J.J. COOPER

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whalewagerer said:

he will be out by the 4th inning...this aint the minors and the mets arent the fn Harrisburg virgins are whatever the f

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