“The future is now.” That according to general manager Dan Duquette when referring to Kevin Gausman, who made his first career start versus the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday night.
After only 13 games of professional experience, the 22- year old was called up from the Bowie Baysox. Something that hardly ever happens unless you are a stud. After a great spring training, Gausman was 2-4 with 3.11 era in the minors. Those numbers may not be amazing, but his 49 strikeouts to only five walks in 46 1/3 innings shows his power and control. It speaks volumes the Orioles called him up straight from Double-A.
In the first inning the right hander gave up a lead-off single to Miguel Cabrera. That’s all the Blue Jays could do early, as the former LSU Tiger struck out Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind both looking. In the first three innings, Gausman was never threatened and cruising with three hits allowed, one walk and three strikeouts and no earned runs. The fourth inning was a little rocky with a lead-off double by Lind, who later scored on a J.P. Arencibia double to make the score 3-1. Gausman’s first career walk to Colby Rasmus would load the bases. With no outs, Emilio Bonifacio scored Arencibia on a sacrifice fly to center to bring the Blue Jays within one run. The rookie would settle down and get the next two batters out to escape the jam.
It seemed the second and third time around the lineup the Blue Jays started to figure out this rookie they have never seen wearing number 37. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Gausman mande a mistake with his fastball inside with two outs. Arencibia jacked a 2-run homer to put the home team up 4-3. The flame thrower didn’t let that rattle him as he struck out the next batter, Brett Lawrie, on five pitches. That punch out would signal the end of the day for Gausman.
His final stat line: 5 innings pitched, 7 hits, 4 runs allowed, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. This 89 pitch debut ended in a loss but nothing to be ashamed of for the youngster. Gausman’s fastball got up to 99 mph and he was able to move the ball all over the zone. Once he gets adjusted to pitching to the big boys, he will be fine. The Blue Jays are a pretty good lineup with power hitter Jose Bautista, Cabrera, Lind, and Arencibia. This was a good test for him and once he locates his fastball and mixes in his changeup and breaking ball, great things are ahead for Gausman.
LSU fans had one eye on their former pitcher and the other eye on LSU in the SEC Baseball tournament. It was a night where past and present came together. Gausman made Tiger fans proud with this performance.
It’s ironic Gausman’s first start would be against the Blue Jays. Toronto scouted him in high school outside of Denver and had a very high interest in him for a long time. Now, he will be in their division for years to come.
At LSU, he ate powdered doughnuts between innings. That tradition may be coming to an end. The Baltimore Sun reports Gausman gave up the doughnut tradition on advice of nutritionists, even though outfielder Adam Jones surprised Gausman with an abundant supply of powdered doughnuts. Most times, rookies are bringing the doughnuts and not getting them. On his twitter account he said, “Thanks to @simplyaj10 for giving me about 1,500 donuts!! I think I’m set for the whole season.”
But, there’s more superstitions. He leaps over the foul line when running out to the mound. The kid’s first warm-up pitch every inning in the minors was a rocket thrown from the back of the mound after he did a little crow-hop over the pitching rubber. The quirks don’t stop there. Gausman tells the Baltimore Sun, “I put on one sock and go get something to drink, then I put on the other sock, take it off, and go get something to drink. Then I put it back on. Then I put on the other one and go get something to drink.”
Gausman can do whatever he wants to do to keep his mojo.
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