Heaverlo sent

JetHawks starter has stuff to make majors

By ED HARBOUR
Valley Press Staff Writer

Lancaster JetHawks pitcher Jeff Heaverlo never will be one of those guys.

His fastball tops out in the low 90s. His slider is solid but not overpowering.

And yet he's on the fast-track to SAFECO Field in Seattle.

This week, after racking up his third win in as many starts, Heaverlo was named Cal League Pitcher of the Week.

His 3-0 record, 0.56 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 16 innings of work have turned more than a few heads. His numbers are at or near the top of most pitching categories in the Cal League.

Heaverlo received the news while waiting in the clubhouse for word that Monday's game was canceled due to rain. The game was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader Wednesday at 6 p.m.

"It came as a total shock to me," Heaverlo said of the honor. "(Manager) Mark (Parent) called me into his office and said 'You're pitcher of the week this week.'

"It's real nice for me."

Heaverlo was the Mariners' second first-round pick in 1999 out of the University of Washington. He pitched in six games last year, splitting time between Rookie level Everett and Class-A Wisconsin. He finished with a 2-0 record and a 3.42 ERA.

As pitching goes, Heaverlo is continuing somewhat of a family tradition. His father, Dave, had a seven-year career in the big leagues 20 years ago, mostly with the Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants.

"I just talked to him (Sunday). I try to call my family after each outing, good or bad," Heaverlo said. "(My dad) is concerned about my walks (seven in 16 innings) and thinks I should be. . . pitching farther into the game.

"He knows I can do better than I am right now. I can cut down on my walks and utilize my pitch counts better."

Three starts and three wins into a league notorious for bursting pitching egos, and he thinks he can do better?

"It's been everything and nothing that I expected," Heaverlo said of the Cal League. "There are still a lot of things I need to work on.

"It's still early. I could go out and lose my next eight starts."

That's not likely with the way he's dominated his first three league opponents.

In the season opener at Bakersfield, Heaverlo threw five scoreless innings while striking out 10.

His performance against the Blaze was the most dominating of his three starts this year.

"In that first game against Bakersfield, I had pretty good control of my fastball," Heaverlo said.

In his next start, at Modesto, Heaverlo again threw five scoreless innings, this time with five strikeouts, to earn his second win.

On Sunday, Heaverlo was cruising to another scoreless start when he gave up his first earned run of the year.

Rancho Cucamonga's Graham Koonce smoked a solo home run in the sixth inning of that game.

Even without his game in top form, three walks and a wild pitch against the Quakes, Heaverlo has found a way to dominate his opponents this year.

"Jeff is a fireplug," Lancaster pitching coach Scott Budner said. "He's a competitor. He has that next level of competition in him.

"We're here, trying to develop guys to pitch in the big leagues. Jeff has that ingredient. It allows guys to take it up a notch even when they aren't at their best."

Which for Heaverlo, doesn't look to be very often. Still him and Budner have found a few things in the right-hander's game to work on.

"We've been watching video of him the last few days," Budner said. "If he can get the fastballs across for strikes and get people out with the slider it's going to help put him in business."

Uploaded April 18, 2000