The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers saw Logan Webb on a baseball field, he was walking toward the home dugout at Oracle Park to a standing ovation.
On Thursday night, the 24-year-old right hander will trot out from the dugout to the mound before he takes the ball in the biggest start of his life, in Game 5 of the NLDS.
“You know, it's not that I'm not nervous,” Webb told reporters Wednesday. “I think you can ask any guy in there that they're probably nervous before a game, any game, honestly, but especially for this game. I think, I don't know, I feel like I just like these types of moments. I love the crowd, I love kind of the pressure and I'm excited to throw [Thursday].”
As Sarah Langs of MLB.com noted, Webb is the youngest Giants starting pitcher ever in a winner-take-all game.
Not that Giants fans should be worried. Webb was completely masterful in his Game 2 gem, throwing 7 2/3 scoreless innings while fanning 10, allowing five hits and no walks. Webb needed just 92 pitches to get through his outing, while joining some elite company in the process.
Not bad for a guy who briefly lost his rotation spot in April before settling and turning into a second-half ace. The Giants are 22-5 in games started by Webb this season, including a 19-2 mark since May 11.
“I think the frame of mind is different mainly because he's got such a high level of confidence right now,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Wednesday. “I think it stems from having outing after outing of success. And there's been a few bumps along the way. But for the most part it's, every time he goes out to the mound, he feels like he's going to give the San Francisco Giants a chance to win that game.”
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Webb turned into a sinker-slider guy this season and his 93 mph sinker is one of the heaviest and hardest for any starter around the league. He can run it up to 95 mph if he wants. He’ll pitch to contact, mix in a changeup and let his defense do the work. And the Giants are 3-0 in games he has started against the Dodgers this year.
At times, it appears Webb has ice running through his veins. Well, ice and Red Bull.
Turns out the energy drink is his pre-game fire-upper.
“I've always loved Red Bull,” Webb said. “I honestly started drinking it when I was in travel ball, when I was really young. Don't be mad at my dad or mom or anything about that, but that was kind of me and my brother's thing. And I wouldn't say until a couple years ago. It's like right before or right when I get to the field, right before I start my stretch with the trainer, and then at the end of my warmup. So three.”
As if Giants fans needed more energy for this matchup. So grab your Red Bulls, folks, and strap in.