JETHAWKS REPORT : Daniels Is Giving Away Nothing

Either John Daniels is just modest, he’s lying or he’s really going to be unhittable when he gets comfortable on the mound.

Daniels, a JetHawk right-handed reliever, pitched three more innings Monday without allowing an earned run, giving him 20 1/3 innings with an 0.00 earned-run average.

Still, Daniels said he’s not pitching as well as he can.

“Actually, I don’t feel that great,” he said. “I’m walking guys [seven] and I never walk guys.”

That aside, Daniels has done little wrong. He comes into games and uses his sinking fastball to pick the corners of the plate and get ground balls, breezing through opposing lineups.

Manager Dave Brundage has become a fan of Daniels, but only after watching him pitch for a few months. Daniels has the kind of stuff that’s not impressive on first glace.

In fact, Ray Goff, who managed Daniels with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers last season, had to convince Brundage in spring training about Daniels’ abilities.

“Goffy had to keep telling me to watch him,” Brundage said. “He has to grow on you.

“He throws strikes. He has good movement on the ball. And the best thing is right now he knows he’s going to get you out.”

Not if you ask him.

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Outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. missed his third consecutive game Tuesday because of a strained groin. He is scheduled to see the doctor today.

Cruz injured his groin in San Jose three weeks ago, but the injury didn’t keep him out of the lineup until he aggravated it last week in Lake Elsinore and again Saturday against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at home.

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In the four games before Tuesday, the JetHawks had a total of three runs and 11 hits in the first five innings of the games.

“We are making a lot of pitchers look pretty good in the early innings,” Brundage said.

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Tonight’s game:

San Bernardino (Dennis Reyes, 3-1, 0.88) at JetHawks (Marino Santana, 2-2, 4.74), 7:15.