The Astros finish out the series with the Reds with an early start against Sam LeCure before heading home for the home opener. What do you need to know about Sam LeCure?
*According to FanGraphs, LeCure throws your standard fastball, slider, curve, and change. In 2010 he threw the fastball 59.8% of the time with an average of 88.6 mph. The slider came out 16.9%; Next was the curve, which he threw 14.1% of the time, and 9.2% of his pitches were changeups, average 81.3 mph. He got batters to chase the ball out of the zone in 25.9% of the time.
*In two games against the Astros, he's 1-0, with 6H/2ER, 6K:4BB in 7IP. That said, current Astros are 5x15 (.333/.375/.533) against LeCure. Hunter Pence tagged him for a solo homer on May 28.
*He split time between the bullpen and rotation in 2010. As a starter, he's 1-4 with a 4.86 ERA/1.71 WHIP in six starts.
*In day games (four appearances, one start), he's 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA/0.94 WHIP and a K/9 rate of 2.2 K/9 lower than his night game rate.
*At Great American Ball Park, he's 2-3 with a 3.09 ERA/1.38 WHIP, and a .256 BABIP against. Three of the six homers he's allowed have come at GABP.
*Dude is either very clutch or very lucky with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. In 32 PAs under that situation, he's allowed five hits (2HRs), for a .185/.313/.481 line - and a .158 BABIP.
*His OPS-against is 321 points higher with two outs (.942) than with nobody out (.621).
*Impatient hitters can have a field day. On the first pitch (20 PAs), opponents are hitting .471/.474/.765.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
