Halsey cool, Counsell hot as D-Backs blank Mets
'Throw-in' in Unit trade impressive
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic

Jun. 1, 2005 12:00 AM
 

NEW YORK - Unflappable. Stoic. Fearless.
 

Pick an adjective.
 

They all apply to Brad Halsey. advertisement

Whether it was two weeks ago in Houston when he calmly outdueled the Rocket, the great Roger Clemens, or Tuesday night at Shea Stadium when he shut out the New York Mets over seven innings, the Diamondbacks have found a gem in the young left-hander.

Halsey held the Mets to six hits in Arizona's surprisingly easy 7-0 victory in front of a loud crowd of 33,955. In his past three starts, Halsey has allowed two earned runs and has lowered his ERA to a team-best 2.98.

And to think, some considered him a "throw-in" when the Diamondbacks made the move to trade Randy Johnson to the Yankees for Javier Vazquez and minor-league catcher Dioner Navarro.

But Halsey (4-2) proved once again he is wise and cool beyond his years. On Tuesday, the 23-year-old was pitching slow to the plate and the Mets stole three bases on him early.

So, what does the kid do under the bright lights of the Big Apple?

He makes a series of adjustments in his slide step, quickens his time home, and doesn't lose a bit of focus in re-attacking Mets hitters. He issued only one walk and struck out six and kept the Mets from even thinking about taking any more free bases.

"We talk about his demeanor out there and how nothing bothers him, but to do something like that in the middle of a game, for a kid, is pretty impressive," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said.

Mets slugger Cliff Floyd was impressed for a different reason.

"He threw strikes. And he wasn't just throwing them right over the plate," said Floyd, who went 0 for 4, which included grounding out with the bases loaded to end the third inning.

Halsey was staked to a 2-0 lead, thanks to another leadoff hit by Craig Counsell and then a two-run homer by Jose Cruz Jr., who left the game after fouling a pitch off his foot in the seventh, but is OK. Counsell made it 4-0 with a two-out, two-run single off Mets starter Kris Benson (3-2) in the sixth.

Arizona then tagged reliever Dae-Sung Koo for three more runs in the seventh, including a single with the bases loaded by Halsey, who collected his first RBI in the majors and his first hit in 21 at-bats in the National League. He also had a sacrifice bunt in the sixth to help put an extra runner into scoring position for Counsell.

"Most of the time I come up short," Halsey said, barely cracking a smile.

That's Halsey.

Unflappable. Stoic. Fearless.

Where did he come up with such a cool, almost quietly cocksure demeanor?

"I have no idea," Melvin said. "He pitched a game in his hometown in Houston against Clemens and played it off like it was just another game. I cornered him afterward and I'm like, 'All right, c'mon. It's just you and me.' And he's like, 'No. It wouldn't have mattered if it was (Andy) Pettitte or (Roy) Oswalt or who it was. It was just another game to me.'

"Unless I'm not getting it out of him, that's just the way he is."

Asked about his composure, Halsey couldn't offer much of an explanation.

"I don't know," he said. "That's just the way I am. I think if you were to ask any of the guys in the clubhouse, I'm just a pretty calm, low-key guy and I think it carries over out there on the mound."