No Sophomore Slump for Wade Miley
By Thomas Lynch
Going into this season, one of the questions many of us had concerning the Arizona Diamondbacks was could Wade Miley continue to shine in his second full Major League season? Based on his first four outings, the answer would have to be a resounding yes. The 2012 National League Rookie of the Year runner-up has started strong this month pitching to the tune of a 2-0 record with a 2.77 ERA. He has kept his team in every game and has departed each of them with a lead. Last night, he even contributed with the bat by sending a ball over the right field fence that nearly landed in McCovey Cove.
Wade Miley doing it with the bat and on the mound. Image: Kyle Terada
While he has yet to pitch seven full innings, Miley has gone at least six in every start, going 6 2/3 frames in three of them. He has walked only seven batters in 26 innings while striking out, more than a 3:1 ratio. Batters are hitting just .221 off him and have gone deep only once. Miley should be 4-0 this season but his bullpen has let him down twice. Against the New York Yankees last week, Miley held the Bombers scoreless until the seventh when he walked in a run and departed with two outs and the bases loaded. Tony Sipp gave up a single to Brett Gardner which plated two runs to tie the game at 3. Last night after the San Francisco Giants got to him for two runs in the first, the lefty got back into his groove and held the champs scoreless until Brad Ziegler lent a hand to get him through seven with the lead. The good deed went punished as David Hernandez gave up a tying, two-run homer to Buster Posey the next inning as the D’backs lost 5-4.
I love watching Wade Miley pitch. He works quickly and gets right after hitters. He sustains his low 90’s velocity throughout his starts. If the D’backs are to remain contenders, Miley will have to at least duplicate his 2012 season. The early reading indicates that a sophomore slump will not take place.
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