SEATTLE — The first-pitch strike is the first priority for Seattle Mariners closer Tom Wilhelmsen. It hasn’t been there of late, and neither have his results.
Wilhelmsen has gone through his biggest slump as the Mariners closer during the past two weeks. He had blown three of four save opportunities before picking up the save Monday night. He allowed a run, but struck out two to end a 4-2 Mariners win.
Last Saturday in Minnesota was particularly painful. Wilhelmsen let a two-run lead slip away, walking three batters.
He had immense trouble throwing a first-pitch strike, or any strike, really, against the Twins. That leaves Wilhelmsen in a bind. He wants to start with fastball strikes in order to get to his curveball and changeup.
Wilhelmsen says he feels fine physically and that there’s nothing in particular with his mechanics that seems out of whack.
“Some days you have it and you try to have it all the time,” Wilhelmsen said. “Some days you don’t have it. I clearly haven’t found it the last three or four outings.”
Not only was Wilhelmsen’s accuracy evasive against the Twins, but his velocity was also down. Wilhelmsen’s fastball was often about 93 mph on Saturday. It’s usually around 97.
Mariners pitching coach Carl Willis watched Wilhelmsen’s velocity dip and thought it was a byproduct of the strain to throw a strike. Willis said Wilhelmsen was aiming the ball, leading to the slower pitches.
Willis also called much of what has happened to Wilhelmsen — from dropping a throw at first base in Cleveland to picking up three of his 11 walks on the season in one outing — a fluke.
Willis talked with Wilhelmsen on Sunday night to reassure him the club’s belief in him has not wavered.
“He’s one of the best of the league,” Willis said. “That hasn’t changed. Just a matter of him getting in a relaxed frame of mind.”
The otherwise laid-back Wilhelmsen becomes intense when closing. He’s trying to mentally adapt to this recent rough run, even though he blew five saves last season when he nailed down 29 of 34 opportunities, he hasn’t dealt with a stretch like this in the past.
“Nothing like this important, to where you’re blowing games,” Wilhelmsen said.
Guti still not ready
Franklin Gutierrez’s troubles just won’t end.
After hitting the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, Gutierrez went to Tacoma for a rehabilitation assignment. He was eligible to come off the disabled list Monday, but isn’t ready because he’s still having pain in his legs.
At the start of Gutierrez’s rehab assignment, Mariners manager Eric Wedge said he needed to see Gutierrez play consistently. Gutierrez played three games in a row just once during his rehabilitation time in Tacoma. He had to be moved to designated hitter in certain games and has not played for three consecutive days.
Mariners Medical Director Dr. Edward Khalfayan was to examine Gutierrez on Monday night. After that, the Mariners are likely to formulate a new plan for Gutierrez and send him back out on a second rehabilitation assignment.
Morse getting closer
Michael Morse took batting practice Monday and, according to Wedge, is expected to be back in the lineup by the middle of the week. Morse strained his quad when rounding third May 29. He hasn’t played since.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
