Thursday, May 14, 2009

Matchup for G35 - Astros at Rockies

Here's your rubber match, folks, and I like the matchup. Wandy/Pudge. Let's just look to see the difference when Pudge catches Wandy as opposed to the rest of Wandy's career:









CatcherGamesH/RK:BBBA/OBP/SLG
Ausmus48243/116218:74.259/.411/.725
Quintero26129/7799:57.277/.364/.494
Towles944/2140:15.238/.299/.384
Pudge732/937:15.208/.285/.266


Obviously there is a sample set issue, but from the limited results so far we should be pretty encouraged by Pudge's influence on young-ish Wandy. Now, can this be chalked up to Dewey Robinson and Wandy's normal progression in his career? Sure, but some credit should be given to the guy calling the game.

Wandy's last three starts:






Date-OppIPH/ERK:BBGB/FBPit/Str
4/28 @CIN75/15:29/1099/66
5/3 @ATL56/33:38/886/55
5/8 vSD85/07:08/14116/82


This is self-explanatory. Wandy is pitching like Roy, and Roy is kind of pitching like Wandy used to, so while Roy finds his form Wandy has been lights out and a bullpen-speller. Wandy got 31 non-contact strikes (17 looking/14 swinging) against the Padres - the most since his 7 inning gem against Cincinnati where he got 37 non-contact strikes. He's 3-2, but could very easily be 5-0, giving up four total runs in his two losses (and four total runs in two NDs).

Let's do the splits:
vs Righties: 30x119, .252/.323/.319, 27K:11BB
vs Lefties: 2x35, .057/.154/.386, 10K:4BB

After First-Pitch Strikes (92): .232/.289/.280, 24K:5BB
After First-Pitch Balls (66): .125/.258/.296, 13K:10BB

RISP: 5x35, .143/.184/.143, 9K:1BB
Runners on: 14x61, .230/.294/.279, 12K:4BB
2OwRISP: 3x19, .158/.200/.158, 7K:0BB

Wandy is coming in on five days rest. That's happened only once this season, and how did that work out? 7IP, 2H/0ER, 10K:2BB.

Jason Hammel

Hammel has been a reliever and a starter for Colorado so far this season, starting the last three games in which he appeared this season. And with the exception of the middle game, it wasn't pretty....

Last three starts:






Date-OppIPH/ERK:BBGB/FBPit/Str
4/2737/52:35/1078/45
5/3 @SF66/01:212/979/48
5/8 vFLA4.18/64:18/980/51


It will be interesting to see how long Hurdle lets Hammel go in this game. The Rockies are in the midst of 16 games in 16 days and Hurdle lamented how much the bullpen has been taxed by ineffective starters (note Rusch's extended relief performance last night). Hammel was extremely efficient against the Giants, only needing 79 pitches to go six innings, but as you can see his pitch count has been right around 80, though that may have been more out of necessity due to the situation. The best possible thing for the Astros after a 24-hit night is an afternoon game.

Let's do the splits:
vs Righties: 11x36, .306/.333/.417, 8K:2BB
vs Lefties: 17x48, .354/.426/.667, 4K:6BB

After First-Pitch Strikes (44): .214/.250/.524, 9K:2BB
After First-Pitch Balls (39): .452/.526/.484, 3K:6BB

RISP: 6x17, .353/.500/.471, 2K:6BB
Runners on: 7x31, .226/.359/.290, 4K:7BB
2OwRISP: 2x15, .133/.133/.400, 1K:0BB

With 2 outs in an inning, opponents are hitting .438/.526/.750 in 32ABs with 1K:6BB. And the second time around the order, opponents are 12x30 against Hammel.