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

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