Tag Archives: Freddy Garcia

October 7, 2013

Playoffs Today

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I have to wonder about the wisdom setting up the playoffs so that Monday is a potential four-game day. It’s not exactly a day people can cut out of work early to catch a game. Today’s schedule also shows the relative importance of the games to the networks. In a fairer system, the Red Sox and Rays would lead off, with the Athletics and Tigers in the later afternoon. Cardinals and Pirates would get the east coast prime time game, as the Pirates might clinch a playoff round for the first time in over 30 years. The Red Sox, however, are the east coast draw in the group, so they get the evening game.

Jarrod Parker takes on Anibal Sanchez as the A’s and Tigers get underway at 1:07 PM EDT. Parker followed up his fine rookie season by more than doubling his home run rate, allowing 25 in 2013 compared to 11 in 2012. Eighteen of those came on the road. Sanchez led the AL in ERA with a 2.57 mark, but due to injury pitched just 182 innings. He did everything right as a pitcher during the regular season, with a high K rate, low walk rate, and very low home run rate. Oakland was able to draw walks against him in the regular season, and score a few runs as well.

The Pirates go for their first post-season series win since 1979 as Michael Wacha of the Cardinals faces Charlie Morton at 3:07 PM EDT. Wacha epitomizes the Cardinals development system. He comes out of the minors fully formed as a pitcher, striking out batters, keeping his walks down, and keeping the ball in the park. Some teams accomplish this by bringing up pitchers when they are a little older, but Wacha was born on 7/1/1991, making him the oldest 21 year old in terms of seasonal age in the majors. Morton is the type of pitch to contact type the Cardinals should kill, and indeed they gave him plenty of trouble in his two starts against them. He gave up 23 hits in 13 2/3 innings for a 7.90 ERA. The Cardinals did that without hitting a home run.

The Red Sox go for a sweep as they send Clay Buchholz against Alex Cobb in Tampa Bay. Buchholz’s long layoff did not bother him as he posted a 1.82 ERA in September, including five shutout innings against the Rays. Cobb’s drop in ERA compared to 2012 was helped by his higher strikeout rate, which helped lower his hits allowed. Also, ERA to FIP comparison went from bad luck to good luck.

Finally, the Braves try to send their NLDS back to Atlanta as Freddy Garcia takes on Ricky Nolasco in the game most likely to result in a slugfest. While Garcia pitched well for the Braves, on the year as a whole he allowed 18 home runs in 80 1/3 innings. Nolasco was better, allowing 17 homers in 199 1/3 innings. He was hit hard with runners on base, however, giving up a .296/.358/.419 slash line.

Enjoy!

June 23, 2013

Games of the Day

The Orioles try once again to stop Toronto’s win streak with Freddy Garcia facing Josh Johnson. This could be a good day for the Blue Jays home run hitters as Garcia allowed 15 home runs in 50 2/3 innings so far this year. Johnson has been on a roll since returning from the disabled list, posting a 1.86 ERA in three June starts with very good walk and strikeout numbers.

Matt Harvey takes on John Lannan as the Mets visit the Phillies. It’s not that great a game, but it’s worth it to tune in to see Harvey pitch. He owns a very cool WHIP of 0.90. Lannan pitched better than his ERA, with only three walks and one homer allowed in 19 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting .474 against him with runners in scoring position, however.

Finally, Arizona goes for a sweep of the Reds at home as Mat Latos takes on Randall Delgado. Latos has yet to lose on the road this season, but earned just two decisions in eight starts away. In one start and one relief appearance, Delgado struck out nine in nine inning without issuing a walk. He may be too much in the strike zone, however, as he allowed 12 hits.

Enjoy!

May 30, 2013

Garcia Outstanding

Freddy Garcia pitched an impressive game, shutting out the Nationals for eight innings as the Orioles win the series finale 2-0. Garcia held the Nats to three hits without issuing a walk. He struck out six batters. The Nationals fall to .500 as they lose three of four to their I-95 rivals, while the Orioles earn their 30th win. They’re right in the thick of the AL East race. Garcia has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his six starts.

May 9, 2013

Games of the Day

Reconstructed pitchers take the mound at noon in Cleveland as Bartolo Colon faces Scott Kazmir. Colon is once again showing great control of the strike zone, having walked one batter in 37 1/3 innings. After a rough first outing, Kazmir improved in each of his next two starts, walking three and striking out 11 in his last 11 innings. That’s a major step forward for the lefty.

Jeremy Guthrie battles his former team as the Royals take on Freddy Garcia and the Orioles. Guthrie’s strikeouts are up a bit from last season, but his walk and home run rates are nearly identical. His BABIP, however, is down from .294 to .240, explaining his drop in ERA. There may be less room for balls to fall for hits away from Coors. His line drive rate is down and his ground ball rate is up, which helps as well. Garcia emerged from the minors last week and immediately shut down the Angels offense. He continues to amaze.

Finally, struggling Cy Young Award winners take the mound in Tampa Bay as R.A. Dickey meets David Price. Dickey is getting hammered as his home run rate nearly doubled compared to 2012, and is much higher than his career average. Dickey is using his fastball less than in 2012. That may have kept batters off balance. Price allowed 16 home runs in 2012; he already saw 8 leave the park in 2013.

Enjoy!

May 4, 2013

Ready Freddy

Freddy Garcia just finished his sixth inning against the Angels, and LAnaheim remains hitless. Garcia only struck out two so far so the Angels are having no problem putting the ball in play. They’re just not making great contact.

Garcia walked one, but the Orioles defense removed him with a double play, so Freddy faced 18 batters through six innings. Not a bad way to debut in 2013. The Orioles lead 3-0.

September 9, 2012

Games of the Day

The Yankees go for a split with the Orioles as Freddy Garcia faces Zach Britton Sunday afternoon. It’s been a homer happy series, as the Orioles hit 12 home runs in the first three games, and the Yankees hit four. Garcia allowed 16 homers in 99 innings this year, so the O’s may add a few more to their total. Britton has not allowed a home run in his four-start hot streak, helping him to an 0.94 ERA in that stretch. The winner takes sole possession of the AL East lead.

It’s not really a game of the day, but Toronto goes for a sweep of the Red Sox, which would leave Boston buried in last place in the AL East. I wonder if the Red Sox are playing for a draft pick at this point.

Two rookies face off in Pittsburgh as Chris Rusin of the Cubs faces Jeff Locke. Rusin makes his third start, his first two being mirror images. He allowed one run in five innings against Milwaukee, then five runs in one inning against the Nationals. Locke walked one and struck out seven in 9 1/3 innings this season, a huge improvement over his 10 BB, 5 K outings in 2011. The Pirates really need a win to get back on track.

Finally, the Sunday night game features Clayton Kershaw against Barry Zito as the Dodgers and Giants play the rubber game of their series. Kershaw is suffering a frustrating season against the Giants. He’s 1-3, but with a 1.74 ERA in four starts. He hasn’t even allowed an unearned run. He walked four and struck out 32 in 31 innings. In his three losses, the Dodgers scored 1, 0, and 1 run. His only win was a 4-0 shutout. Zito is in a similar boat, 1-2 against the Dodgers in three starts with a 3.44 ERA. Barry has been wild, with eight walks and just 11 K in 18 1/3 innings. The Dodgers should win this game, and they need to do so to stay close in the NL West race. They don’t want to make up 5 1/2 games with just 21 left to play.

Enjoy!

September 4, 2012

Games of the Day

The Yankees are perilously close to losing sole possession of first place as they continue their series with the Rays. Freddy Garcia faces Alex Cobb. Freddy owns a 5.56 ERA as a starter this season, despite decent walk and strikeout numbers. I suspect the Yankees defense hurts him quite a bit. Cobb allowed zero home runs at home this season, where his ERA stands at 3.44.

Zack Greinke tries to bring the Angels a bit closer to the wild card as he faces Jarrod Parker and the Athletics. Greinke saw a number balls leave the park since he moved to the Angels, and the A’s power surge over the last three months plays into that. Parker allowed just eight home runs all season, and only two of those in 80 home innings.

Finally, Eric Stults tries to jab an adrenaline filled needle into the heart of the Dodgers as the Padres take on Clayton Kershaw. Stults is hot, with a 1.86 ERA since the start of July. What makes that more impressive is that Stults pitches to contact, with 4.9 K per 9 IP and 1.6 BB per 9 IP. He should take his defense out to dinner. Kershaw needs eight strikeouts for 200, which would give him three straight seasons reaching that milestone.

Enjoy!

August 20, 2012

Games of the Day

Four series with playoff implications open today. The Braves start off the evening with a trip to Washington to try to gain ground on the Nationals. Atlanta currently stands five games back in the NL East. Tim Hudson takes on Jordan Zimmermann. Hudson is one of those pitchers who keeps on winning. His 12-4 record this season makes him 191-101 for his career, a .654 winnings percentage. His 3.59 ERA is just above his career mark of 3.41, and he still does a great job of keeping the ball in the park. Zimmermann leads the NL in ERA with a 2.38 mark, but is just 9-7 on the season. The Nationals scored two runs or less in 10 of Zim’s 24 starts.

The Orioles travel to Texas in another potential LDS matchup. Miguel Gonzalez face Ryan Dempster. This could be a very homer happy game. Despite his 3.62 ERA as a starter, Gonzalez has allowed ten home runs in 49.2 innings in that role. Dempster allowed five homers in 17 1/3 innings since joining the Rangers. He only gave up nine in 104 innings with the Cubs.

The Yankees visit the White Sox, the latter teetering between the division lead in the AL Central and a wild card slot. Freddy Garcia battle Gavin Floyd. Garcia is doing a good job filling in for the Yankees injured lefties. He’s 3-0 in August with a 3.06 ERA, having walked just five batters in 17 2/3 innings. The Yankees can field a heavily left-handed lineup against Floyd, and he’s allowed a .306/.390/.535 slash line to them.

Finally, 1/2 game separate the Giants and the Dodgers as Madison Bumgarner and Clayton Kershaw face off in Los Angeles. They are very similar pitchers this season, Bumgarner showing better control, Kershaw doing a better job of keeping the ball in the park.

Enjoy!

July 30, 2012

Games of the Day

The Orioles trail the Yankees by 7 1/2 games as they open a three-game set at Yankee Stadium. Miguel Gonzalez takes on Freddy Garcia. Gonzalez’s walks and home runs allowed are high, which could cause problems for a right-hander at Yankee Stadium. Garcia doesn’t keep the ball in the park, either, but his lower walk rate somewhat limits the damage.

The Angels trail the Rangers by five games as the two face off in a four-game set in Arlington. Ervin Santana and Roy Oswalt open the festivities, so this could be a slugfest. Mike Napoli did quite a bit of damage against his former team this season, while Mike Trout used Texas to boost his rookie of the year credentials.

The Rays take on one of their wild card competitors as David Price faces Oakland’s A.J. Griffin. Price tries to finish an impressive July in which he posted a 1.27 ERA so far. He struck out 33 in 28 1/3 innings with just two home runs allowed. Griffin’s career is off to an equally impressive start, with 29 K and eight walks in 36 innings.

Finally, the Diamondbacks go after one of the NL West leaders as Trevor Cahill battles the Dodgers and Aaron Harang. Cahill owns a 2.91 ERA away from Arizona. It seems are less likely to fall in against him on the road. Harang’s strikeout rate recovered after two down years, and his ERA with it.

Enjoy!

July 24, 2012

Games of the Day

Zack Greinke and Cliff Lee square off as the Brewers continue their series with the Phillies. Greinke, with his outstanding three true outcomes rates may be on the trade block, or he may get signed to a long term deal. Lee is Greinke from the left side, and has a history of getting traded to contenders. This may be the last game with their teams for both pitchers. (Lee only has a limited no-trade clause. I’d love to see him back with the Indians.)

Gio Gonzalez and the Nationals take on R.A. Dickey and Mets in New York. Mets starters own a 6.24 ERA since the All-Star break, putting tons of pressure on the bullpen. Washington starters kept their excellence going, with a 2.64 ERA since the break, and as a group they are walking less than two batters per nine innings.

Finally, Felix Hernandez hosts his idol, Freddy Garcia as the Yankees continue their series in Seattle. Garica pitched better than his ERA with an FIP around 4.20. His high line drive rate is a problem, however, but his high fly ball rate should be helped with Ichiro in the outfield. Hernandez is on a roll, with a 1.36 ERA during his last seven starts. He has not allowed a home run in that time, something the Yankees will challenge.

Enjoy!

July 2, 2012

Games of the Day

Tampa Bay lost nine of their last 12 games as they host the Yankees in an effort to climb back into the AL East race. Freddy Garcia gets the start against Matt Moore. Garcia pitched well once he moved to the bullpen, striking out 12 and walking three in 17 1/3 innings. His batting average allowed dropped from .403 as a starter to .190 as a reliever. Moore suffers from control and gopher ball problems in his first full season in the majors. Matt walked batters at a high rate in the minors, but he seemed to overcome that problem in 2011. Looks like it was just a blip.

Carlos Zambrano takes on Zack Greinke in Milwaukee as the Marlins visit the Brewers. Carlos tends to keep the bases empty, as he allows a .294 OBP with the bases empty. With men on, and with men in scoring position, Carlos gives up a high number of hits and walks, but not much power. It almost seems that he is strategically pitching around the power hitters. Greinke is pitching every bit as well as in his Cy Young year of 2009. He’s been extremely tough at home with a 1.08 ERA at Miller Park.

Enjoy!

April 28, 2012

Garcia Pounded

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Freddy Garcia faces 12 batters in 1 2/3 innings, gives up two walk and five hits, including a home run and a double as the Tigers jump out to a 6-1 lead. The Yankee Stadium crowd turned on Freddy, as he hand nothing in the game, booing him savagely. By the time this inning ends, Garcia’s ERA will be well over ten. Garcia did get three of his five outs on Ks, but most of his pitches were flat and in the wheelhouse.

March 18, 2012

Andy Not Dandy

Freddy Garcia, someone who hasn’t played with Andy Pettitte, isn’t overjoyed by the signing:

Garcia, who unlike most of those around him in the clubhouse doesn’t have a history with Pettitte, was asked if he thought the signing was good for the team.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Ask the people. I guess.”

I understand why Garcia would be anxious. As the oldest of the remaining starters, you never know when he’ll decline to the point where he’s replaceable. Since he neither has a big contract nor a history with the organization, he’ll be the easiest to cut if Pettitte proves he can pitch again.

Hat tip, BBTF.

December 9, 2011

Garcia Stays a Yankee

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The Yankees signed Freddy Garcia to a new one-year deal:

The 35-year-old Garcia went 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 26 appearances in his first season with the Yankees in 2011.

He made $1.5 million in 2011, so I expect he received a nice raise.

November 24, 2011

Garcia Does Stay

The Yankees signed Freddy Garcia to a one-year deal less than a day after offering him arbitration. Seems like this deal was in the bag. Rob Neyer:

It’s been suggested that the Yankees’ rotation is now set, with Garcia, CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, and A.J. Burnett.

I’m not so sure. The Yankees went into 2011 with six starters — those five, plus Bartolo Colon — and I suspect they’ll do the same in 2012. We just don’t know whether they’ll look for another Colon-like bargain, or spend what it takes to get one of the Grade A free agents out there.

Or they might just try to work in someone from their minor league system, and maybe try to trade Burnett for a some role player. I bet A.J. would do well in San Diego, where his fly balls are less likely to leave the park.

November 24, 2011

Garcia May Stay

The Yankees offered Freddy Garcia arbitration. I suspect this means the New York front office felt Freddy’s 2011 seasons was more reproducible than Bartolo Colon‘s.

October 2, 2011

Playoffs Today

The Tigers and Yankees play game two of their best of five series a day late due to rain. Max Scherzer and Freddy Garcia take the mound in The Bronx. Scherzer came within 2/3 of an inning of his 2010 inning total, but saw both his strikeouts and walks drop. The strikeout drop and Tigers defense led to over 30 more hits allowed and nine more home runs, nullifying the drop in base on balls. Despite a rise in ERA of over a run from last year, Max managed a 15-9 record. He received the fourth highest run support in the AL at 6.42 runs per nine IP. Garcia’s big improvement versus 2010 came from keeping the ball in the park. His home runs allowed dropped from 23 to 16. He did give up six of those in September, however.

Daniel Hudson faces Zack Greinke as the Diamondbacks try to even their series with the Brewers at one game apiece. Both pitchers bring great control to the game, Hudson averaging 2.03 walks per nine IP, Greinke 2.36. Zack strikes out almost four more batters per nine innings than Daniel, but Hudson is less likely to allow a long ball. Greinke pitches on short rest, but he only threw 74 pitches in his last outing. It’s clear the Brewers wanted him to pitch at home where he is 11-0 with a 3.13 ERA in 15 starts.

Finally, the Cardinals try to get their pitching working as they face the Phillies down 1-0 in the NLDS. Chris Carpenter battles Cliff Lee. Chris came on strong in the second half to help bring St. Louis back into the playoff race. After posting a record of 4-7 with a 3.85 ERA before the All-Star break, Carpenter came back with a 7-2 record and a 2.98 ERA after. He didn’t pitch that differently, but allowed fewer home runs and hits. He pitched extremely well against the Phillies, going 2-0 with an 0.60 ERA in two starts, striking out 12 and walking two in 15 innings. Lee’s season was highlighted by two long scoreless innings steaks, resulting in three consecutive shutouts in June and a stretch of five scoreless games in six starts in August and September. The Cardinals did manage to draw seven walks off Cliff in 15 1/3 innings, but only scored three runs. Those seven represent 1/6 of Lee’s total for the year.

Enjoy!

September 23, 2011

Games of the Day

The reeling Red Sox head for New York to play under the clouds as Jon Lester faces Freddy Garcia. Lester pitched fine down the stretch, with a 3.52 ERA in four September starts, but that was only good for a 1-2 record. He’s been a bit wild, walking 11 in 23 innings, but allowed just one home run. Garcia, on the other hand, owns a 10.95 ERA in September and a 6.92 ERA against Boston this season. He walked nine and struck out seven Boston batters in 13 innings.

The reeling Braves make their way to Washington as they send Tim Hudson against Stephen Strasburg. Hudson owns the Nationals this season with a 2.16 in four starts, walking six and striking out 20 in 25 innings. Strasburg has logged 14 innings since returning from Tommy John surgery, allowing nine hits and no walks while striking out 11. It looks like the surgery was a success.

The Rangers can clinch a division title with a win and an Angels loss. Anthony Vazquez and the Mariners try to stop Matt Harrison from achieving that feat. Vazquez pitches to contact, with eight walks and 11 strikeouts in 24 innings. Unfortunately for him, many of the pitches put in play end up out of the park, as he allowed nine home runs so far. Harrison is finishing up the best season of his career, with an ERA a run lower than his career average. He did an excellent job of cutting down his home run rate.

Milwaukee can clinch the NL Central with a win and a St. Louis loss. Yovani Gallardo hosts Chris Volstad and the Marlins. Volstad got killed by left-handed batters this season, with a .313/.374/.550 slash line against the righty. Gallardo pitched great at home in 2011, 10-2 with a 3.13 ERA. He only allowed 10 of his 27 home runs at Miller Park.

Finally, the Diamondbacks clinch the NL West with a win over the Giants tonight as Matt Cain visits Joe Saunders. Cain had his best season keeping the ball in the park, with just nine home runs allowed in 214 1/3 innings. Saunders has trouble in Arizona with a 4.46 ERA there, despite giving up many more home runs on the road. He gives up a lot more singles at home.

Enjoy!

September 11, 2011

Games of the Day

Two quick notes on pitcher come backs. Dustin McGowan takes the mound for the Blue Jays against Baltimore. He has not started in the majors since 2008, and made one four inning relief appearance this season. Stephen Strasburg makes his second start of the season, at home against Houston. At least the Nationals are giving him easy opponents early.

Jon Lester tries to halt Boston’s slide as he faces James Shields in Tampa Bay. The Red Sox are 2-8 in September, and Lester owns one of those wins. He allowed two runs of less in each of his last five starts, never more than one of those runs earned. He struck out 32 in his last 31 innings. Shields can earn his 12th complete game this afternoon. He would be the first at that level since Randy Johnson in 1999. Sheilds is 1-2 against the Red Sox this season with a 3.52 ERA. He only allowed 14 hits in 23 innings against them.

The Phillies go for a sweep of the Brewers as they continue to pound their possible playoff competition. Vance Worley battles Yovani Gallardo. Vance stands at 7-0 since the All-Star break. He improved his walk rate, but allowed six of his eight home runs in that time. Gallardo is at about the same number of innings as he pitched in 2010. His walks are down, but so are his strikeouts, and he doubled the number of home runs allowed. Despite that, his ERA is 0.13 runs lower.

The Braves came into their series at St. Louis with a magic number of 12, and they might leave with that intact as Tim Hudson takes on Jake Westbrook. Hudson started getting better results after the All-Star break, with an ERA of 3.57 before, 2.50 after. He allowed a .255 BA with men in scoring position before the break, .178 after. Westbrook sports a 5.74 ERA at home this season.

Rangers ace C.J Wilson tries to keep some distance between Texas and LAnaheim as he hosts Josh Outman and the Athletics. Outman makes just his ninth start of the season, but he has held opponents to a .358 slugging percentage, despite a high fly ball percentage. Wilson improved both his strike out and walk rates versus 2010, one reason he’s going for his 16th win today, one more than last season.

Finally, Freddy Garcia tries to put the brakes on the Yankees slide as he visits Ervin Santana and the Angels. The Yankees offense is really the culprit here, as they’ve scored nine runs during the four game losing streak. Garcia pitches better away from Yankee Stadium where just three of his 12 home runs have left the park. Santana owns a 2.13 ERA since the All-Star break, giving up just four of his 17 home runs since the middle of July.

Enjoy!

August 29, 2011

Bring me the Arm of Freddy Garcia

Freddy Garcia made a successful return from the disabled list, allowing one run in six innings of work as the Yankees defeat the Orioles 3-2. Garcia kept hitters off balance with his splitter, striking out four and walking just one. His one mistake was a home run ball to Mark Reynolds, number 31 for he Orioles third baseman. Garcia allowed just three runs in 19 innings against the Orioles this year.

The win puts the Yankees 1 1/2 games back in the AL East as they go to Boston for a three-game series against the Red Sox. New York needs to win the division outright; a tie gives the Yankees the wild card, as Boston already won the season series.

August 13, 2011

Taking a Knife to the Rotation

They Yankees decision about which pitchers stayed in the rotation was made much easier by Freddy Garcia:

So all this time spent speculating about the rotation cut and there’s no decision because Freddy Garcia cuts a pitching finger. Joe Girardi revealed it after the game.

“I think it was a kitchen accident,” Girardi said. “Players shouldn’t use knives.”

Girardi said he has known about this for four or five days, which is about when it happened. Garcia got through a bullpen session without throwing his splitter. But he tried to throw splitters on flat ground today and couldn’t. Girardi said the ball was rubbing against the cut on the side of the finger, so he was scratched from Sunday’s scheduled start. A.J. Burnett is down to start instead.

I’m not surprised. Pitchers get injured often enough that any demotion to the pen probably would not last too long.

August 7, 2011

Games of the Day

Felix Hernandez and Ervin Santana face off as the Mariners try to play spoiler again to the Angels. Hernandez is simply on the wrong team, as his 2.71 ERA since the start of the 2010 season deserves a much better record than 23-21. His strikeouts exceed his hits allowed by 48 in that time. Santana goes for his eighth quality start and third complete game in a row. Including his no-hitter, Ervin sports a 1.65 ERA in that time.

Roy Oswalt returns to the Phillies rotation to face the Giants and Tim Lincecum. Roy’s back problems limited his strikeouts this season, and that helped raise his ERA over a run compared to 2010. Tim’s walk rate is up for the second consecutive year, but he compensated for that with fewer home runs allowed. With his strikeout rate still over nine per nine innings, he can afford a few more free passes.

Aces take the mound in Arizona as the Dodgers send Clayton Kershaw against the Diamondbacks and Ian Kennedy. Kershaw entered elite status among pitchers this season as he lowered with walk rate without hurting his strikeouts. He brings a 4-0 record in four starts since the All-Star Break with a 1.17 ERA into the game. Kennedy handled the Dodgers well this season, 15 K and 4 BB in 13 innings, good for a 2.08 ERA and two wins.

Finally, the AL East lead sits on the line as the Yankees and Red Sox play the rubber game of their three game series at Fenway. A Boston win also gives them the AL East/Wild Card tie breaker, so a win will actually reduce their magic number by three. (Given the huge lead both teams own in the wild card race, that’s a legitimate assumption.) Freddy Garcia battle Josh Beckett. Garcia pitched at his worst against Boston this season, allowing 10 runs, six walks and three home runs in eight innings of work. Beckett’s been at his best against the Yankees, 3-0 with an 0.86 ERA in three starts. He struck out 25 with just five walks in 21 IP against New York this year.

Enjoy!

July 20, 2011

Games of the Day

The Pirates go for a sweep of the Reds with Johnny Cueto battling Jeff Karstens. Cueto, like Ryan Vogelsong, got a late start on the season and is just starting to approach enough innings to qualify for the ERA title. His 2.01 ERA is based on a low walk rate and the best home run rate of his career, 11.2 per 200 IP. Karstens pitches to contact, and the improved Pirates defense this season helped him to a 2.34 ERA.

The Dodgers send Clayton Kershaw against Tim Lincecum this afternoon as Los Angeles tries to salvage one game of their series against the Giants. Kershaw blows away the competition with 155 K and just 37 walks in 137 2/3 IP. He does have some problems on the road, however, where his ERA is 4.31. Tim is pitching decently, but has his wild games. He’s walked seven in his last two starts, covering 12 innings, but only allowed two runs.

The Yankees try to send Tampa Bay another game back in the wild card race as Freddy Garcia takes on David Price. Garica is coming off a poor start, his second game this season in which he was really wild. Both came against Toronto. He walked nine batters in 16 1/3 innings against the Blue Jays, 22 batters in 80 2/3 innings against everyone else. Price is great at keeping batters off base, with a .249 OBP with no one on. That goes up to .338 with runners on however, with more power, which gives him an ERA worse than expected from his stats.

Enjoy!

July 15, 2011

No Country for Old Men

Canada has not been kind to the old-timers in the Yankees rotation this weekend as Toronto spanks the Yankees for the second day in row. Freddy Garcia gives up six runs, five earned in five innings as he allowed seven hits and four walks in the Blue Jays 7-1 win over the Yankees. The Blue Jays collected five doubles on the night, including two by Eric Thames and one by Travis Snider. Snider now has eight doubles in nine games since returning from the minor leagues.

The Blue Jays need to sweep the Yankees to climb back into the wild card race, and they’ve taken the first two games.

July 8, 2011

Games of the Day

The Rays try to gain on the Yankees again as they send Jeremy Hellickson against Freddy Garcia. Hellickson has a tendency to give up home runs, which might be a problem against a power hitting team like the Yankees. Garcia allowed seven of his nine home runs in Yankee Stadium, so despite their low ERAs, this game has a chance to be a slugfest. Derek Jeter also needs just two hits to reach 3000.

It’s the old against the young as Brandon Beachy faces Roy Halladay as the Braves visit the Philies. Atlanta sits 2 1/2 games back in the division, but five games up in the wild card race, so they’ll be playing for home field advantage. Beachy’s been peachy since returning from the disabled list, walking three and striking out 26 in 17 innings of work. Halladay’s 2.44 ERA exactly matches his mark from 2010, his first year with the Phillies, and his 1.03 WHIP is 0.01 better than last year.

The Orioles send Zach Britton against Josh Beckett and the Red Sox at Fenway. Britton’s ERA is 4.54 on the road, due mostly to a much higher walk rate. That’s doesn’t sound like a good matchup against a selective team like the Red Sox. Beckett has not allowed a home run at Fenway this season.

That Athletics hope they can score a run and Gio Gonzalez can pitch a shutout against the Rangers. Oakland scored two runs or less in eight of Gio’s starts, going 2-6 in those games (both 1-0 victories). C.J. Wilson takes the mound for Texas, and he is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA against Oakland this season.

Finally, Ian Kennedy takes on Kyle Lohse as the Diamondbacks battle the Cardinals. Kennedy is especially effective on the road this season with a 3.23 ERA and a 5-1 record. He did get knocked around in his only start against St. Louis this season, giving up nine runs in three innings. Lohse held opponents to a .199 BA with runners on base.

Enjoy!

June 7, 2011

Games of the Day

In a perfect world, Rubby De La Rosa and Brad Hand would be making their first major league starts against each other. Unfortunately, the Dodgers and Marlins don’t meet again this season, so we won’t see this match-up any time soon. We do have Guillermo Moscoso against Chris Jakubauskas, trying to set the record for last names with high concentrations of vowels, none of which are e or i.

On a more serious note, the Yankees host the Red Sox with Jon Lester facing Freddy Garcia. Boston trails New York by one game in the AL East, thanks in part to a 5-1 record this season against the Yankees. The are 28-25 against everyone else. Lester pitches on long rest after a streak of poor outings. His biggest problem was control walking 16 in 29 innings, but he also gave up five home runs. One might have caused the other. Garcia’s strikeout rate is back to his career average of 6.5 per nine this season, and his rate of allowing hits dropped with that rise.

The Braves and Marlins each sit four games behind the Phillies as the battle for second place in the NL East commences in Miami. Tommy Hanson takes on the aforementioned Brad Hand. Hanson’s ERA returned to his rookie year levels, as his strikeouts are back up above eight per nine innings. He’s holding opponents to a .121 BA with runners in scoring position, 7 for 58 with 23 K. Hand will be the fourth youngest player in the majors this year, four days younger than Starlin Castro. He struck out a ton of batters in the minor leagues, but was a bit wild. Of course, Hand is tough to get.

Felix Hernandez and Phil Humber own nearly identical ERAs as the Mariners and White Sox continue their series in Chicago. Hernandez gets there though a high strikeout rate that delivers a .223 opposition batting average. Humber possesses the King’s excellent control, but strikes out many fewer batters. Humber’s opposition BA sits at .206, however. I suspect that will rise as the year goes on.

Enjoy!

April 29, 2011

Games of the Day

Toronto invades New York 3 1/2 games behind the Yankees as Ricky Romero faces Freddy Garcia. The Blue Jays are coming off a big series win against the Texas Rangers. Early on, it looks like Romero improved both his walk and strike out rates, which so far has led to a big reduction in his ERA for the second year in a row. Garcia is part of the Yankees scrap heap miracle, as he allowed just one run in his first 13 innings of work. Opponents are hitting just .116 against him, and neither left-handed nor right-handed batters are hitting him well.

The Giants bring their two-time Cy Young Award winner to Washington as Tim Lincecum battles Jason Marquis and the Nationals. Despite walking a career high six in his last outing, Tim only allowed 13 walks in 33 1/3 innings this year against 38 strikeouts. Marquis keeps the ball in the park, and with 22 of the 30 hits against him going for singles, the .297 BA against him isn’t doing too much damage.

The Cardinals and Braves send two great veterans to the mound in Chris Carpenter and Tim Hudson. Carpenter’s walks and strikeouts sit at their usual fine levels, but he’s been hurt by four home runs in 30 innings, three of them with runners on base. Hudson in 2011 demonstrates once again that a high ground ball rate can make up for a lack of strikeouts. He’s over 60% ground balls for the third year in a row.

Finally, Texas visits Oakland for four games with a three-game lead over the Athletics. It’s a chance for the A’s to make a move in the AL West. C.J. Wilson and Trevor Cahill kick off the series. Wilson was effective in two starts against Oakland in 2010, holding them to four runs and 11 hits in 12 2/3 innings. He did walk five, but he also kept the ball in the park. Cahill gets a boost from his home park, with a .238/.300/.389 slash line against at the Coliseum.

Enjoy!

April 16, 2011

Pitching to Contact

Freddy Garcia did a good job of getting the Rangers to put the ball in play to the Yankees fielders as he allowed two hits during his six shutout innings of work, and the Yankees defeat the Raners 5-2. Garica made his first start of the season as the Yankees have not needed a fifth starter until today. He’s no longer the power pitcher of his youth, but with good location, he succeed in keeping the Rangers hitters off balance. I also suspect the cold, rainy weather made it tough on the hitters as well.

March 26, 2011

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, In Yankees Blue

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Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia round out the Yankees starting rotation, while Bartolo Colon gets a job in the bullpen. I like this result as the Yankees work in another young pitcher while not committing to anyone else long term. This leaves spots wide open for some of the unseasoned starters who showed off in spring training this year. Colon gives them depth if a starter gets injured and if New York decides they need to give the prospects another year in the minors.

September 1, 2010

Garcia Hurt?

Freddy Garcia left the White Sox/Indians game after four innings.

Freddy Garcia has been pulled after 4 innings. He talked with Ozzie after he pitched the 4th and said he couldn’t continue. Tony Pena is in.

Garcia showed good control this year, but otherwise hasn’t pitched that well, giving up lots of hits and home runs. He did usually pitch well into the sixth inning, however, and an innings eater at the back of the rotation is a good person on the staff. We’ll see how serious this is.

The Indians lead the White Sox 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Manny Ramirez is 0 for 2 with a strikeout, but Alex Rios hit his 20th home run.