Lamb thrives under pressure
By JACOB SHAMES
Summer Managing Sports Editor
One of the defining features of
a closer is his entrance music, the
song that plays as he jogs out from
the bullpen in the ninth inning
looking to seal a victory. The two
greatest closers in MLB history
are nearly as famous for their
entrances as they are for their
pitching dominance — Trevor
Hoffman and his 601 career saves
are inextricably linked to AC/DC’s
“Hells Bells”, while Mariano Rive-
ra’s unhittable cut fastball and
his entrance to Metallica’s “Enter
Sandman” earned him the nick-
name of “Sandman.”
Junior
right-hander
Jackson
Lamb has a long way to go before
he nears the legacy of Rivera and
Hoffman. But Michigan’s redshirt
junior right-hander at least has the
entrance music nailed down.
It’s not just that Eminem’s “Cin-
derella Man” is an intimidating
introduction, with the rapper’s
forceful delivery and lyrics on
top of a monstrous beat. But the
song’s theme — coming back from
adversity to earn a second chance
— is almost a perfect description of
Lamb’s career.
Lamb’s first chance began wwith
terrific promise. He was a highly-
touted two-way player out of Tem-
perance Bedford High School, as he
was named the Gatorade Michigan
Player of the Year as a senior and
was selected in the 20th round of
the 2013 MLB Draft by the Texas
Rangers. Lamb displayed his vast
potential his first year at Michigan
— while he pitched only sparingly,
recording a 2.84 earned-run aver-
age in 6.1 innings, he went 3-for-3
with two doubles in his college
debut and appeared on SportsCen-
ter’s Top 10 for his diving catches in
the outfield.
But injuries quickly derailed
this initial promise. Lamb’s fresh-
man year ended with a back inju-
ry. Moving to pitcher full-time as
a sophomore, he made just five
appearances before he needed
Tommy John surgery. Last season
he appeared fully recovered —
striking out 13 in 8.1 innings — but
again, his season ended premature-
ly after he broke three ribs.
It’s not as if Lamb’s talent ever
disappeared — his 6-foot-6 frame
and mid-90s fastball enticed the
St. Louis Cardinals enough to draft
him in the 35th round last summer.
He has always been a weapon when
healthy — his 1.50 earned-run
average in 24 innings prior to 2017
attest to that. But until this season,
that wasn’t very often.
“He’s a guy who’s patiently
waited for this opportunity —
patiently or impatiently, his road
to getting here has been very
curved,” said Michigan coach Erik
Bakich. “He’s a guy who came in
with a lot of expectations and his
first three years had not gone as
expected.”
In the opening bars of “Cinder-
ella Man,” Eminem shouts, “Some
of us don’t get a second chance, but
I ain’t blowing this one.”
Fortunately for the Wolverines,
Lamb was lucky enough to get a sec-
ond chance — or to be precise, he’s
finally healthy. And he hasn’t blown
this chance, either.
This season, when “Cinder-
ella Man” begins to echo through-
out Ray Fisher Stadium, it almost
invariably results in a bitter end for
opposing hitters. In 23.2 innings
this season, Lamb has struck out 23
while holding opponents to a .188
average. He ranks second in the
Big Ten in saves with 10, and most
incredibly, hasn’t allowed an earned
run all season.
Tuesday against Central Michi-
gan was not Lamb’s most flaw-
less outing, but it may have been
his most important. He took the
mound with one out in the eighth
inning and two runners aboard,
Michigan ahead by three runs.
Lamb promptly gave up an RBI
double to left fielder Daniel Jip-
ping and walked catcher Evan
Kratt. His flawless ERA — and
more importantly, the Wolverines’
lead — hung in the balance.
Lamb calmly retired the next two
batters he faced, ending the inning
with a strikeout. And after a single
and a walk gave the Chippewas two
runners in scoring position in the
ninth inning, Lamb refocused and
induced a game-ending flyout to left
field to seal the win.
It was at this point in the season
last year — the 47th game — when
Michigan began its slide out of
postseason contention. It was this
kind of game — a low-scoring slug-
fest against a mid-major opponent
— that would test the Wolverines’
resiliency as much as anything.
In this scenario, Lamb’s per-
formance epitomized what any
team hopes for out of their closer
— someone who everyone has faith
in to calmly put a team away when
crisis could occur with any swing
of the bat.
“(Senior right-hander) Mac Lozer
and Jackson Lamb are terrific in late
innings,” said junior third baseman
Drew Lugbauer. “When you see
them on the mound, you just have
complete trust in their ability to
close the game out and get the job
done.”
Bakich — who has stressed men-
tal resolve all season long — sees
much more in Lamb than just an
overpowering four-seamer, calling
him a “fearless competitor.”
“The thing that we know about
him is that he’s got a winning mind-
set,” Bakich said. “He’s extremely
tough, he’ll fight you on the mound
and he’s not going to back down or
give in. He’s not scared of anything.
“In an extended save situation,
it’s not about the matchup, it’s not
about lefty-righty. You want that
type of makeup on the mound. You
want Jackson Lamb makeup on the
mound.”
Lamb, for his part, recognizes the
impact that adrenaline has on the
role of the closer, and emphasizes
staying in a routine as an important
part of his approach.
“If you get too amped up out there
you get a little crazy, and if you’re
too calm then maybe you sacrifice
some attack,” Lamb said. “Sticking
to a routine helps you stay in flow.”
Bakich has emphasized intan-
gibles and character more than
any strategic changes or tactics in
describing the success Michigan
has had this season. The impact of
intangibles in baseball has always
been hotly debated. It’s impos-
sible to measure intensity, fearless-
ness or makeup in the way one can
count strikeouts or saves, or mea-
sure command or velocity.
But so much of a closer’s job
description focuses on these intan-
gibles — that one needs a certain type
of personality to succeed in that role,
and record supposedly the toughest
three outs in baseball. And based on
his performance this season, it’s hard
to debate Lamb has whatever it takes
to succeed in that role.
As Eminem raps, “Technically,
I’m not even really supposed to be
here right now, so might as well
make the most of it.”
Last season, based on his overall
career trend, few could have pic-
tured Jackson Lamb where he is
right now.
But given a second chance, Lamb
has emerged as the dominating
closer he originally seemed des-
tined to be.
MIGUEL MARTINEZ/Daily
Redshirt junior right-hander Jackson Lamb has enjoyed a breakout season.
11
Thursday, May 11, 2017
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com SPORTS