With Bud Norris' call-up, someone on the back end of the rotation needs to step up and show they belong. Now that Ortiz is done for the day, he and Hampton are working on making this a tough decision on Who Sucks Worse. Let's take a look at their stats since June.
Mike Hampton
3-4, 44IP, 52H/28ER, 29K:20BB, 5.73 ERA/1.64 WHIP, .308/.377/.462 against
Russ Ortiz (with his line today, and since he joined the rotation in the first week of June)
0-3, 47IP, 55H/36ER, 37K:22BB, 6.89 ERA/1.64 WHIP, (don't have the updated off. line against)
Brian Moehler
5-3, 55.2IP, 58H/27ER, 34K:20BB, 4.37 ERA/1.41 WHIP, .265/.328/.479 against
Surprised? I'm not. So what do you think? Should it be blown up? Get rid of Hampton and Ortiz and replace them with Norris and Bazardo? Or just let it play out? One thing is for sure: In a crucial away series, Berkman wasn't even missed over the last two games because he can't hit 8-run homers. One of Ortiz and Hampton has hopefully pitched their way out of the rotation...
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
