Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
October 02, 2008
Playoffs Today

The Rays host their first post-season baseball game ever as the White Sox come to town to start the ALDS. Javier Vazquez kicks off the series for Chicago. I wonder how many pitchers with sub .500 records started the first game of a playoff series? Vazquez is coming off a poor September in which he went 2-4 with a 6.25 ERA. His K/BB/HR numbers weren't that different, but he gave up most of his extra-base hits with men on base.

James Shields gets the ball for the Rays. For the second year in a row, Shields pitched exactly 215 innings. He allowed more hits and walks, but four fewer home runs helped lower his ERA three tenths of a run.

The Brewers hope CC Sabathia's success on three days rest continues into the post season as they send him against Brett Myers of the Phillies. In 17 games with the Brewers, Sabathia allowed just 20 extra-base hits, none to a left-handed batter. Only five came with men on base. Myers suddenly became hittable in his last two starts, giving up 19 hits in 8 1/3 innings. He had allowed 24 hits in his previous 31 1/3 innings.

The Dodgers go for a commanding 2-0 lead over the Cubs as they send Chad Billingsley against Carlos Zambrano. The Dodgers' strikeout artist fanned 15 Cubs in eleven innings of work this season, but also allowed three home runs for a 4.91 ERA. With the exception of the no-hitter against a shell shocked Astros team, Zambrano pitched poorly over his last five starts. In the other four, he allowed 22 runs, all earned in 15 2/3 innings. Walks were the big culprit as he issued 14 in those four games.

Enjoy!


Posted by David Pinto at 11:59 AM | League Division Series | TrackBack (0)
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