Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
April 25, 2006
Games of the Day

Curt Schilling attempts to become the major's first five-game winner tonight as the Red Sox visit Cleveland and Jake Westbrook. Schilling is pitching as well as he did in 2004, and is giving up fewer hits to boot. Is it a combination of Schilling velocity and control returning plus a better defense? Batters are getting on base at a .212 clip against the old man, vs. .271 in 2004. Westbrook started strong, but his last two starts saw him hammered for 21 hits in 10 2/3 innings. They hit him so well that he didn't have time to issue a walk.

One reason the Devil Rays gave the Yankees fits last year was their ability to get on base. The Tampa Bay batters posted a .356 OBA vs. New York, well over their .329 mark for the year. They also hit .318 with 20 extra base hits against New York with runners in scoring position in 2005. Mike Mussina tries to put the Yankees back in the win column vs. Tampa as he faces Scott Kazmir. Mike is back to striking out batters, and Kazmir never lost the ability.

In the NL, Dontrelle Willis faces the Cubs and his old friend Juan Pierre.

Monday, the Marlins got their first look at him in Cubs attire. Today, he will face best friend Dontrelle Willis for the first time. The two had breakfast Monday and discussed going head-to-head. Pierre would sometimes catch Willis during the offseason, an exercise he anticipates will serve him well.

"I told him I was going to get him," Pierre said. "I said, `You think I was catching you just for your benefit? I was waiting for this day, too.' It's going to be weird, a guy you went to battle with and played behind so much, being on the other side trying to get hits off him."

Dontrelle is either very good or very bad against Chicago. In four of his six starts he's allowed 1 run or less. In the other two, he's allowed 14 runs in 6 1/3 innings.

Enjoy!


Posted by David Pinto at 01:07 PM | Matchups | TrackBack (0)
Comments

This helps to prove one point John Walsh was trying to make in his 2 lefty catchers articles: Pitchers won't find it more awkward to throw to lefties than they would righties.

Posted by: Adam B at April 25, 2006 06:52 PM
Post a comment









Remember personal info?