Dove hits 97 on the gun today.

[cardfaninfla]

Dennis Dove turned some heads today with his heavy fastball. He was consistently in the 92 - 94 range and 97 on the gun. Since being moved to a reliever he has shot up the minor league system and pitched in the AFL this past winter. He threw 9.1 innings in the AFL with a whip under 1.00 and struck out 7.

[haltz]

03/15/2007 5:54 pm

JUPITER, Fla. — A few days ago, pitching coach Dave Duncan referred to reliever Dennis Dove as a guy to keep an eye on for “the future”. He was around big-league camp and he was getting his innings, but it was just a chance for him to mingle, learn and get exposure at the top level.

Well, the future went out and threw 97 mph on Thursday.

The future could pitch his way into the present.

On a day that saw the return of Jason Isringhausen – “Nobody in the clubhouse is more important than him,” manager Tony La Russa said — and the first appearance of reliever Russ Springer, it was Dove that had everybody talking in the postgame. The righthander who moved to the bullpen for the first time last season and skyrocketed from Single-A to Double-A … and now, likely, beyond … lit up the radar guns Thursday and even had Duncan joking that he threw too well to stick around.

His exact words were: “You can’t pitch like that in the big leagues.”

See, he was too good.

Dove, 25, fired consistently at 93 mph to 95 mph. His total range was 90 mph to, yes, 97 mph. The hitters he faced could not catch up to his two-seam sinking fastball. He does not throw a four-seamer. He struck out two batters, including Dodgers’ leadoff hitter Tony Abreu and got the third out of the ninth on a weak foul pop to first base.

He’s been put in a tight save situation against his boyhood team, the Braves, and excelled. He was put in Thursday to hold the Dodgers from extending their lead and he threw the best, nastiest fastballs of camp. Bar none. He is going to get another look.

Ninety-seven turns heads.

Ninety-seven opens opportunities.

Ninety-seven might just win a spot in the Cardinals’ bullpen.

[The Third Man]

A 97-mph two-seamer?

Sweet Enola Gay.

[Jocephus]

thats exactly what i was thinking...why doesn't he throw a 4seamer

[thrill]

Sweet fancy moses a 97 2-seamer. That is ridiculous.


If he turns into the power K guy this pen so desperately needs, I would be exceedingly happy.

[myersli]

When was the last time that ANY Cards pitcher threw 97? I actually agree with the organization's emphasis on groundball pitchers, but it's always been strange to me to see most Cards starters and relievers topping out at 90-93 when there are teams like the White Sox that have multiple relievers who can come close to 100. All I can say is hooray for speed! Bring on Dove. With Kinney out, I'd love to see a reliever in the 8th that can get a strikeout when needed.

[Fat Strat]

When was the last time that ANY Cards pitcher threw 97?

I've seen Carp hit 97 once or twice.

Morris was that high when he was relieving.

I'm also pretty sure that Izzy was throwing 97 every now and then in his first couple years with the Cards. A lot of those #'s are skewed by the guns, though.

[jagtrader]

Maybe Dove has been chatting with Troy Cate.

[skmsw]

When was the last time that ANY Cards pitcher threw 97?

I've seen Carp hit 97 once or twice.

Morris was that high when he was relieving.

I'm also pretty sure that Izzy was throwing 97 every now and then in his first couple years with the Cards. A lot of those #'s are skewed by the guns, though.

Yeah, I remember Carp hit 97 in his first start in 2004. He cranks it up there a handful of times per season.

Those days of Izzy sitting 95 and routinely hitting 97 seem so long ago . . .

[Jocephus]