Earlier today, my friend texted me and suggested that I create a post arguing that the Twins should remove Nick Blackburn from the starting rotation and insert Brian Duensing in his place. Blackburn has been struggling all year, but he notched a W yesterday so I told my friend that I wasn't going to do the post. I still may in the future (depending on how Duensing and Blackburn do over the next few weeks), but that is not the point of this post.
The point of this post is to let everyone know that from now on I am open to suggestions. If you have an idea for a post that seems interesting or informative, then just comment on this post and let me know your idea. If I like it, it will become part of Summer's Game. If I don't think that what you have given will make a solid post, sorry.
Hopefully, some good suggestions will arise and this blog will improve greatly.
Thanks to anyone who reads or follows this,
Sosa
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
New Team, Same Old Dontrelle
The story of Dontrelle Willis has not always been as grim as it is today. There was a time in which he was very highly regarded and he actually pitched well. That was then, this is now. Now, Dontrelle Willis cannot even throw the five innings necessary to be able to earn a win. He has pitched a total of 21.1 innings in his first five starts as a Diamondback (that is a little over 4 innings per start). Those 21 innings wouldn't be terrible if he had just given up hits (21) but he added on an absurd amount of walks (27) making his WHIP over 2.00.
This brings me to my question: why is he still in a major league rotation?
Honestly, there isn't a legitimate reason why he is still allowed to go out to mound every five days and pitch like a wild high-school reliever who has never heard of command. I have two theories that may help explain this odd phenomenon.
Theory 1: There just aren't enough good pitchers these days to fill 30 five-man rotations. This theory has some truth to it, but could easily be disproved if teams weren't afraid to call up young pitchers because "they aren't ready yet." My response to that is "would you rather have a veteran who can't get through the fifth inning or a rookie who has the ability to be dominant?"
I'll take the rookie.
Thoery 2: Willis is getting paid enough money to force teams to start him so they can get a return on their investment. This theory, while flawed (I realize that these theories aren't perfect, I am just brainstorming here people), has some truth to it. A team that drops multi-million dollar contracts on a player will want to see that player succeed so that they can earn that money back (via sponsorships, endorsements, winning championships, etc.). After a while, however, a team should realize that the veteran is a lost cause and bring up a youngster.
My advice to the D'backs: Give up on Dontrelle. While everyone wants to see the underdog succeed (including me, I actually really like Dontrelle) it makes no sense to keep him in your rotation. He is taxing your bullpen way to much and not providing anything positive in his starts. Call up someone from your farm system, maybe Barry Enright?
This brings me to my question: why is he still in a major league rotation?
Honestly, there isn't a legitimate reason why he is still allowed to go out to mound every five days and pitch like a wild high-school reliever who has never heard of command. I have two theories that may help explain this odd phenomenon.
Theory 1: There just aren't enough good pitchers these days to fill 30 five-man rotations. This theory has some truth to it, but could easily be disproved if teams weren't afraid to call up young pitchers because "they aren't ready yet." My response to that is "would you rather have a veteran who can't get through the fifth inning or a rookie who has the ability to be dominant?"
I'll take the rookie.
Thoery 2: Willis is getting paid enough money to force teams to start him so they can get a return on their investment. This theory, while flawed (I realize that these theories aren't perfect, I am just brainstorming here people), has some truth to it. A team that drops multi-million dollar contracts on a player will want to see that player succeed so that they can earn that money back (via sponsorships, endorsements, winning championships, etc.). After a while, however, a team should realize that the veteran is a lost cause and bring up a youngster.
My advice to the D'backs: Give up on Dontrelle. While everyone wants to see the underdog succeed (including me, I actually really like Dontrelle) it makes no sense to keep him in your rotation. He is taxing your bullpen way to much and not providing anything positive in his starts. Call up someone from your farm system, maybe Barry Enright?
Monday, June 28, 2010
R.A.D. Is Back
To say that New York Mets' starting pitcher R.A. Dickey (initials R.A.D.) is back may be the wrong way to put it. It would be more accurate to say that R.A. Dickey has finally arrived. The 35-year old veteran has been in the majors since 2001 (spent 2002 and 2007 in the minors), but has only thrown over 100 IP three times. In each of those three seasons (2003, 2004, and 2008) he also posted an ERA over 5.00 (5.09, 5.61, and 5.21 respectively) and had a combined win-loss record of 20-23.
So why, you ask, do I even bother posting an article about him?
Well, in 2010, Dickey has been on a run that could earn him Comeback Player of the Year honors. He didn't make his first major league start until May 19th, but in his 7 starts since then he is 6-0 with a 2.33 ERA. Furthermore, he has pitched a "quality start" in 6 of 7 outings and has saved the Mets' bullpen by throwing an average of 7+ IP per game. He reached the peak of his young season in his last start against Detroit by throwing 8 innings of shutout ball and giving up only 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.
What is R.A.'s recipe for success?
The knuckleball! About 67% of the pitches he has thrown so far this season have been knucklers. His next most popular pitch, at 28% of his total pitches, is his fastball. The other 5% of his pitches are a combination of curveballs, sliders, and change-ups. However, his knuckleball is not your common knuckler, he throws it much harder than the norm. It has good sink on it though, which allows it to be his bread-and-butter pitch because he can get a quick groundout or flyout whenever he needs to.
Dickey will make his 8th start of the season later today against the Florida Marlins in Puerto Rico. His one previous start this season against Florida was, to be kind, decent (6.1 IP, 7 hits, 3 ER's, 2 walks, and 4 K's), but he still came away victorious. Today, he will oppose Marlin's hurler Ricky Nolasco as he searches for his seventh victory.
My prediction: He will be successful in obtaining his victory and bringing his season win-loss record to 7-0.
So why, you ask, do I even bother posting an article about him?
Well, in 2010, Dickey has been on a run that could earn him Comeback Player of the Year honors. He didn't make his first major league start until May 19th, but in his 7 starts since then he is 6-0 with a 2.33 ERA. Furthermore, he has pitched a "quality start" in 6 of 7 outings and has saved the Mets' bullpen by throwing an average of 7+ IP per game. He reached the peak of his young season in his last start against Detroit by throwing 8 innings of shutout ball and giving up only 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4.
What is R.A.'s recipe for success?
The knuckleball! About 67% of the pitches he has thrown so far this season have been knucklers. His next most popular pitch, at 28% of his total pitches, is his fastball. The other 5% of his pitches are a combination of curveballs, sliders, and change-ups. However, his knuckleball is not your common knuckler, he throws it much harder than the norm. It has good sink on it though, which allows it to be his bread-and-butter pitch because he can get a quick groundout or flyout whenever he needs to.
Dickey will make his 8th start of the season later today against the Florida Marlins in Puerto Rico. His one previous start this season against Florida was, to be kind, decent (6.1 IP, 7 hits, 3 ER's, 2 walks, and 4 K's), but he still came away victorious. Today, he will oppose Marlin's hurler Ricky Nolasco as he searches for his seventh victory.
My prediction: He will be successful in obtaining his victory and bringing his season win-loss record to 7-0.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Young Studs Battle in San Fran, What's up with Johan?
Saturday night's game at AT&T Park will feature two of the league's most promising young hurlers. Boston's Clay Buchholz is much more experienced and proven than his opponent, but San Fran's Madison Bumgarner is "supposed" to be a future ace. Buchholz has posted 48 career starts and is finally blossoming into the hyped player he was by pitching to the tune of an impressive 2.47 ERA. Possibly the Giants' top prospect, Bumgarner (what a rough last name to grow up with!) enters this game having only started a total of 1 game (he also made 3 relief appearances in 2009) in his career. I would expect Boston to work the youngster's pitch count and have him out of the game either before or during the sixth inning. San Fran's offense is no match for the likes of Buchholz, so he should turn in a dominating performance in another Red Sox victory.
Now on to the news of the day (there is only 1 game so far, so news is limited). Johan Santana is widely regarded as the ace of the New York Mets. But is he on a major down swing in his career?
Honestly, Johan has started 16 games this year, 7 of which he has given up 4 or more earned runs. He gave up 10 earned runs to the Phillies in a horrific start in early May. His other 6 rough starts consist of one 5-run outing to Washington and four 4-run showings against SF, SD, CLE, and NYY. His total ERA on the season is still around 3.60, so maybe his rough starts aren't enough to ring the alarm. The reason I am writing about this unusual occurance: he is getting lit up again today!
His three most recent starts all ended with 6 0r 7 IP and 4 earned runs. Today, through 4 innings against Minnesota he has given up 5 earned runs. I won't even bother to pretend I know what is wrong with him (because, to be frank, I haven't the slightest clue), but if he doesn't turn it around, the Mets are in deep trouble.
So, is he still the ace? For now, yes. However, a changing of the guard may be taking place around Citi field these days. Veterans John Maine and Oliver Perez have been walking injuries so far this year (and when they were healthy, they completely underperformed) and youngsters Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese have pitched extremely well in the first half of 2010. If these vets continue to struggle (especially Johan), we may be looking at a completely different pitching staff in 2011, headed by none other than Pelfrey himself.
Now on to the news of the day (there is only 1 game so far, so news is limited). Johan Santana is widely regarded as the ace of the New York Mets. But is he on a major down swing in his career?
Honestly, Johan has started 16 games this year, 7 of which he has given up 4 or more earned runs. He gave up 10 earned runs to the Phillies in a horrific start in early May. His other 6 rough starts consist of one 5-run outing to Washington and four 4-run showings against SF, SD, CLE, and NYY. His total ERA on the season is still around 3.60, so maybe his rough starts aren't enough to ring the alarm. The reason I am writing about this unusual occurance: he is getting lit up again today!
His three most recent starts all ended with 6 0r 7 IP and 4 earned runs. Today, through 4 innings against Minnesota he has given up 5 earned runs. I won't even bother to pretend I know what is wrong with him (because, to be frank, I haven't the slightest clue), but if he doesn't turn it around, the Mets are in deep trouble.
So, is he still the ace? For now, yes. However, a changing of the guard may be taking place around Citi field these days. Veterans John Maine and Oliver Perez have been walking injuries so far this year (and when they were healthy, they completely underperformed) and youngsters Mike Pelfrey and Jon Niese have pitched extremely well in the first half of 2010. If these vets continue to struggle (especially Johan), we may be looking at a completely different pitching staff in 2011, headed by none other than Pelfrey himself.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Two Former Aces Face Off in Windy City
Chicago is one of baseball's most prolific cities. It is home to both the Cubs (in the NL) and the White Sox (in the AL). Today will mark the start of another three game showdown between the two teams.
What does the winner get? Bragging rights until next time, of course!
Game 1 of this series at U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) features an interesting match-up on the mound. Former San Diego Padres' ace Jake Peavy takes the mound for the White Sox and up-and-down ace Carlos Zambrano gets the nod for the Cubs. Two years ago, this would've been a marque duel and many baseball fans would tune in to watch it unfold. In 2010, however, both of these pitchers have above 5.00 ERA's (Peavy is at 5.07, Zambrano is at 5.10) and Chicago's teams are struggling.
The Cubs are a lowly 32-40 on the year and there are no signs of a positive swing in momentum. The White Sox, benefactors of a recent hot-streak, are currently sitting at 37-34 on the season. They will attempt to extend their winning streak to 10 games today against the Cubs.
My Prediction: Both starters are coming off impressive starts, so this will one appears to be low scoring. The White Sox will successfully extend their streak to 10 wins with a 5-2 victory over Carlos Zambrano and the Cubs.
What does the winner get? Bragging rights until next time, of course!
Game 1 of this series at U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) features an interesting match-up on the mound. Former San Diego Padres' ace Jake Peavy takes the mound for the White Sox and up-and-down ace Carlos Zambrano gets the nod for the Cubs. Two years ago, this would've been a marque duel and many baseball fans would tune in to watch it unfold. In 2010, however, both of these pitchers have above 5.00 ERA's (Peavy is at 5.07, Zambrano is at 5.10) and Chicago's teams are struggling.
The Cubs are a lowly 32-40 on the year and there are no signs of a positive swing in momentum. The White Sox, benefactors of a recent hot-streak, are currently sitting at 37-34 on the season. They will attempt to extend their winning streak to 10 games today against the Cubs.
My Prediction: Both starters are coming off impressive starts, so this will one appears to be low scoring. The White Sox will successfully extend their streak to 10 wins with a 5-2 victory over Carlos Zambrano and the Cubs.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Will Cliff Lee ever find a permanent home?
The 2008 Cy Young Award Winner is currently on his third team in two years..soon it could be a fourth. After winning the Cy in '08, Lee came back to Cleveland to begin the 2009 season, but would be dealt before the trade deadline. Perenial World Series contender, Philadelphia, took interest in him and offered Cleveland a deal that they couldn't refuse. Philly's goal was to win the World Series right away and Lee almost helped them do that. Too bad for them, the Bronx Bombers were in full swing last year and dominated the postseason on their way to a 27th championship.
In the offseason, Philadelphia decided to make a trade and acquire possibly the best pitcher in the league, Roy Halladay. They could have kept Lee on the team and been a powerhouse all year, but instead, General Manager Ruban Amaro Jr. decided to trade him away to help replenish their depleted Minor League System. Lee was dealt to the Seattle Mariners for an array of prospects and had almost the entire baseball community viewing Seattle as the favorite to win the AL West in 2010.
The reality, however, has been a complete letdown. Lee was hurt to begin the season and Seattle got off to an extremely poor start. Add on the fact that veterans Milton Bradley and Chone Figgins are having extremely unproductive seasons and you understand why Seattle is in dead last in the AL West.
Each year a few teams who sit last in their respecive divisions and feel that they have no chance to win go into a phase called "rebuilding". Basically, they trade a few of the star veterans on their team in order to acquire young rising prospects for the future. This year, Seattle could be one of those teams. Any team would gladly add Lee to their roster if they could, the only question is: who is willing to pay the price?
In the offseason, Philadelphia decided to make a trade and acquire possibly the best pitcher in the league, Roy Halladay. They could have kept Lee on the team and been a powerhouse all year, but instead, General Manager Ruban Amaro Jr. decided to trade him away to help replenish their depleted Minor League System. Lee was dealt to the Seattle Mariners for an array of prospects and had almost the entire baseball community viewing Seattle as the favorite to win the AL West in 2010.
The reality, however, has been a complete letdown. Lee was hurt to begin the season and Seattle got off to an extremely poor start. Add on the fact that veterans Milton Bradley and Chone Figgins are having extremely unproductive seasons and you understand why Seattle is in dead last in the AL West.
Each year a few teams who sit last in their respecive divisions and feel that they have no chance to win go into a phase called "rebuilding". Basically, they trade a few of the star veterans on their team in order to acquire young rising prospects for the future. This year, Seattle could be one of those teams. Any team would gladly add Lee to their roster if they could, the only question is: who is willing to pay the price?
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Strasburg Mania
Steven Strasburg has been the center of most of the talk around the league since he was called up in early June. He set a record for most strikeouts through 3 starts (32 total K's) and has been absolutely dominant except for a pitch here and there (ask Delwyn Young or Travis Hafner what I'm talking about). So after three very nice starts, what can we expect in his fourth?
More of the same. He faces a Kansas City offense that many people tend to overlook. At first, I thought that KC's offense would be one of the weakest in the league, but further research contradicted that opinion. They have the AL's top batting average at .280 and are mid-pack in RBI, runs, and OBP. Their only real weakness is a lack of power; they sit 11th in the AL with only 52 homers on the year. It is reasonable to expect Strasburg to go about 7 IP, give up around 5-6 hits, an earned run, and strikeout at least 8 hitters.
Other news on this busy Wednesday in June: The Cardinals vs. Blue Jays match-up looks to be a pitchers duel as Chris Carpenter (8-1, 2.83 ERA) and Ricky Romero (6-3, 3.08 ERA) face off. Cinderella story R.A. Dickey will face a huge test in Detroit's slugging offense (his "wonder year" may come to an end a bit earlier than he'd like). Lastly, baseball's newest CY Young caliber pitcher, Ubaldo Jimenez, gets a tough draw in Boston's hot offense. Hopefully the dizzyness that forced him to leave the stadium on Tuesday has gone away and he will be able to duel the Red Sox' hitters all night long.
Enjoy baseball today, it should be a good one!
More of the same. He faces a Kansas City offense that many people tend to overlook. At first, I thought that KC's offense would be one of the weakest in the league, but further research contradicted that opinion. They have the AL's top batting average at .280 and are mid-pack in RBI, runs, and OBP. Their only real weakness is a lack of power; they sit 11th in the AL with only 52 homers on the year. It is reasonable to expect Strasburg to go about 7 IP, give up around 5-6 hits, an earned run, and strikeout at least 8 hitters.
Other news on this busy Wednesday in June: The Cardinals vs. Blue Jays match-up looks to be a pitchers duel as Chris Carpenter (8-1, 2.83 ERA) and Ricky Romero (6-3, 3.08 ERA) face off. Cinderella story R.A. Dickey will face a huge test in Detroit's slugging offense (his "wonder year" may come to an end a bit earlier than he'd like). Lastly, baseball's newest CY Young caliber pitcher, Ubaldo Jimenez, gets a tough draw in Boston's hot offense. Hopefully the dizzyness that forced him to leave the stadium on Tuesday has gone away and he will be able to duel the Red Sox' hitters all night long.
Enjoy baseball today, it should be a good one!
Monday, June 21, 2010
The Resurgance of Mike Aviles
Who is Mike Aviles?
Aviles is a 29-year old middle infielder who grew up and attended college at Concordia College in Manhattan, New York. He first broke out into the league in 2008 when he batted .325 over 102 games. He slugged 10 homeruns during that season and firmly took over the starting shortstop job in Kansas City. I, along with many, thought very highly of him entering the 2009 season and decided to draft him as the shortstop on my fantasy team.
Just how poorly did that decision turn out?
Aviles played a total of 36 games last year for the Royals (I dropped him long before his 36th game) and hit .183 with a single homerun. Injuries and lack of offensive production shortened his season drastically as he was forced to spend time on the disabled list and in the minor leagues.
So after one breakout season and one flop, could Aviles turn his career back in the right direction?
The answer is simply: so far, so good. He has already played in 40 games and has hit .323 with 2 homeruns. His OBP and SLG are still a bit low for his BAA but he is moving in a positive direction. If he keeps it up, he may regain his starting position on the Royals team and end up have a very successful season.
My advice for fantasy owners: Buy now. If your shortstop has been a bust so far (E. Aybar, J. Bartlett) or is currently in the midst of a offensive slide (E. Andrus), then feel free to ride Aviles' hot streak. If he completely returns to form expect .315 with 6 homers the rest of the way.
Aviles is a 29-year old middle infielder who grew up and attended college at Concordia College in Manhattan, New York. He first broke out into the league in 2008 when he batted .325 over 102 games. He slugged 10 homeruns during that season and firmly took over the starting shortstop job in Kansas City. I, along with many, thought very highly of him entering the 2009 season and decided to draft him as the shortstop on my fantasy team.
Just how poorly did that decision turn out?
Aviles played a total of 36 games last year for the Royals (I dropped him long before his 36th game) and hit .183 with a single homerun. Injuries and lack of offensive production shortened his season drastically as he was forced to spend time on the disabled list and in the minor leagues.
So after one breakout season and one flop, could Aviles turn his career back in the right direction?
The answer is simply: so far, so good. He has already played in 40 games and has hit .323 with 2 homeruns. His OBP and SLG are still a bit low for his BAA but he is moving in a positive direction. If he keeps it up, he may regain his starting position on the Royals team and end up have a very successful season.
My advice for fantasy owners: Buy now. If your shortstop has been a bust so far (E. Aybar, J. Bartlett) or is currently in the midst of a offensive slide (E. Andrus), then feel free to ride Aviles' hot streak. If he completely returns to form expect .315 with 6 homers the rest of the way.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friars Offense explodes on Father's Day
After the last out in the top of the first had been recorded the scoreboard read: BAL 4, SD 0. Sitting in the stands at Petco Park on a Sunday afternoon I could feel the overwhelming sense of exasperation. The Padres had lost the night before and imploded for 4 runs in the first inning of a game that would decide if they would remain atop the division. Normally, fans in San Diego are fairly indifferent when it comes to the Padres, but this year is not normal. An early season filled with clutch victories and extremely dominant pitching has fans arriving to the ballpark ready to root their team to victory with pride.
The Padres chipped away at the Orioles' lead with an RBI double by Adrian Gonzalez in Bot 1 and scored another run in the 2nd via an embarassing gaffe by O's first baseman Luke Scott. Now down 4-2, the Padres stepped up to the plate and promptly changed the outcome of the game. Nick Hundley started the scoring by whacking an RBI single into left field. Next up to bat was Will Venable, who had been hitting .225 with 4 homeruns on the season. He got into a hitters' count and then launched a towering homerun (389 ft.) into the right field stands. Now up 6-4, San Diego began to cruise. They tacked on one more run with a Venable RBI single in the 5th and completely separated themselves from the Orioles when Hundley stepped up to the plate in the seventh. He ripped a fastball over the fence for a 2-run blast, giving the Pads a 9-4 lead that would last until the final out.
Throughout the game the players were shown on the big screen giving Happy Father's Day wishes to their dads. Not only did they wish their fathers a happy day during the game, but they gave them something to celebrate after the game by winning convincingly.
One more thing: I would like to wish my dad, grandfather, and all the other dads out there a Happy Father's Day.
The Padres chipped away at the Orioles' lead with an RBI double by Adrian Gonzalez in Bot 1 and scored another run in the 2nd via an embarassing gaffe by O's first baseman Luke Scott. Now down 4-2, the Padres stepped up to the plate and promptly changed the outcome of the game. Nick Hundley started the scoring by whacking an RBI single into left field. Next up to bat was Will Venable, who had been hitting .225 with 4 homeruns on the season. He got into a hitters' count and then launched a towering homerun (389 ft.) into the right field stands. Now up 6-4, San Diego began to cruise. They tacked on one more run with a Venable RBI single in the 5th and completely separated themselves from the Orioles when Hundley stepped up to the plate in the seventh. He ripped a fastball over the fence for a 2-run blast, giving the Pads a 9-4 lead that would last until the final out.
Throughout the game the players were shown on the big screen giving Happy Father's Day wishes to their dads. Not only did they wish their fathers a happy day during the game, but they gave them something to celebrate after the game by winning convincingly.
One more thing: I would like to wish my dad, grandfather, and all the other dads out there a Happy Father's Day.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Rook gets first hit, Relievers have rough day
Four games and 12 at-bats after being promoted to the bigs, Pirates top prospect Pedro Alvarez finally notched his first major league hit. In the bottom of the fifth inning with a runner on base, Alvarez slugged a ground rule double to drive the run in. Alvarez, a highly touted prospect since 2009 and proven minor-league hitter, can now relax and focus on producing for the struggling Pirates on a consistent basis.
In other news around the league, today was not the day to be a relief pitcher in the major leagues. Setting the tone for the day was the relief corps of the Chicago Cubs. After their starter, Ted Lilly, got whacked for 8 runs (6 ER) they proceded to give up a total of 4 runs in 3.2 IP. Bob Howry was the main culprit, allowing 3 of the 4 runs in just a single inning of work.
Following the Cubs precedent were the relievers of the Tampa Bay Rays, Florida Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies. The Rays' pen allowed a three-run lead to vanish by giving up 3 runs in the eighth. They continued to attempt to blow the game when they gave up 3 more in the bottom of the 11th inning (luckily they had a 4-run lead). Manager Joe Maddon has Randy Choate, Lance Cormier, and Dan Wheeler to thank for almost giving the game away. The Marlins (who played the Rays) actually outdid the putrid play of the Rays by serving up 5 runs in 4 IP (including 4 R by Jorge Sosa) and ended up losing that slugfest.
To wrap things up let's discuss possibly the worst performing pen of them all: Philadelphia. Jose Contreras, who had been making a strong push for closing duties in recent weeks, began the ninth inning by getting one out and allowing 3 runs to cross. Oft-injured Brad Lidge came in to attempt the bail out, but was unsuccessful as he allowed to more runs to cross tying the game up at 9. In the 10th and 11th, Chad Durbin and Danys Baez would go on to allowed a combined 4 runs and cost the team the game. After leading 9-4 entering the ninth inning, they eventually lost 13-10 in the 11th.
Hopefully Sunday is a bit less troubling for relievers.
In other news around the league, today was not the day to be a relief pitcher in the major leagues. Setting the tone for the day was the relief corps of the Chicago Cubs. After their starter, Ted Lilly, got whacked for 8 runs (6 ER) they proceded to give up a total of 4 runs in 3.2 IP. Bob Howry was the main culprit, allowing 3 of the 4 runs in just a single inning of work.
Following the Cubs precedent were the relievers of the Tampa Bay Rays, Florida Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies. The Rays' pen allowed a three-run lead to vanish by giving up 3 runs in the eighth. They continued to attempt to blow the game when they gave up 3 more in the bottom of the 11th inning (luckily they had a 4-run lead). Manager Joe Maddon has Randy Choate, Lance Cormier, and Dan Wheeler to thank for almost giving the game away. The Marlins (who played the Rays) actually outdid the putrid play of the Rays by serving up 5 runs in 4 IP (including 4 R by Jorge Sosa) and ended up losing that slugfest.
To wrap things up let's discuss possibly the worst performing pen of them all: Philadelphia. Jose Contreras, who had been making a strong push for closing duties in recent weeks, began the ninth inning by getting one out and allowing 3 runs to cross. Oft-injured Brad Lidge came in to attempt the bail out, but was unsuccessful as he allowed to more runs to cross tying the game up at 9. In the 10th and 11th, Chad Durbin and Danys Baez would go on to allowed a combined 4 runs and cost the team the game. After leading 9-4 entering the ninth inning, they eventually lost 13-10 in the 11th.
Hopefully Sunday is a bit less troubling for relievers.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Saturday Spotlight
Friday's action was focused on the next "great one", Steven Strasburg. The man to watch on Saturday will be none other than San Diego's own Clayton Richard. He faces a weak Baltimore offense who limps into this game hitting .244 on the season against lefties. Richard will work quickly and throw plenty of strikes (60% first pitch strike rate), which should effectively keep Baltimore from getting in a groove. Couple that with Baltimore's putrid .249 batting average in June and I forsee some success in Richard's start tomorrow.
Also on the tab for tomorrow, a game that looks to be a hard-fought pitchers duel in the Bronx. The two dueling pitchers: Mike Pelfrey (9-1) and Phil Hughes (9-1). Big Pelf has been a very pleasant surprise for the Mets in the early going. He has posted a solid 2.39 ERA so far and has limited opposing hitters to a .243 batting average against. His 59 K's and only 75 hits allowed in 86 IP shows that he isn't the benefactor of too much luck and should continue his dominance in the future. Hughes has a slightly higher ERA (3.11), but his WHIP is an impressive 1.13. The up-and-coming Yankee ace has limited hitters to a .224 batting average against and has recorded 74 strikeouts in 75.1 IP. If all goes according to plan, runs will be at a premium on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.
Post #1 is officially finished. Enjoy and spread the word!
- Michael Sosa
Also on the tab for tomorrow, a game that looks to be a hard-fought pitchers duel in the Bronx. The two dueling pitchers: Mike Pelfrey (9-1) and Phil Hughes (9-1). Big Pelf has been a very pleasant surprise for the Mets in the early going. He has posted a solid 2.39 ERA so far and has limited opposing hitters to a .243 batting average against. His 59 K's and only 75 hits allowed in 86 IP shows that he isn't the benefactor of too much luck and should continue his dominance in the future. Hughes has a slightly higher ERA (3.11), but his WHIP is an impressive 1.13. The up-and-coming Yankee ace has limited hitters to a .224 batting average against and has recorded 74 strikeouts in 75.1 IP. If all goes according to plan, runs will be at a premium on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.
Post #1 is officially finished. Enjoy and spread the word!
- Michael Sosa
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