WilliamTheIrish |
05-25-2009 07:02 AM |
Verlander vs Meche:
In his last 5 starts Verlander has 51 K's. His last start against Texas broke his string of double digit K's in 3 consecutive starts.
This game might be one of those 1:57 minute jobs the way the Royals are swinging the bats.
Tuesday night Zack against Edwin Jackson: JAckson is 4-2 2.55. This guy has always been a decent pitcher. This year he seems to have tamed that slider and it's been the difference. His BB/9 are down from almost 5 to just over 2. That'll make you a more effective pitcher right there.
FanGraphs write up on Jackson:
Jackson’s getting slightly more first pitch strikes and a bucket load more of hitters chasing him outside of the zone. Why? As it turns out, Jackson’s slider has experienced a metamorphosis in his short time spent in Detroit. Velocity has remained the same as the break has shifted. No longer is Jackson’s slider sweeping towards lefties, instead the break is far more subtle, and perhaps far more deceptive. Rather than breaking ~2 inches, it’s breaking 1, and the vertical movement is ‘down’ about an inch as well.
Quote:
Whether Jackson has gained control over the pitch with this change – whatever the change may be, it’s the only one in his arsenal, because he’s no longer throwing his change-up very often – or simply a deceptive trick, it bears resemblance to another slider on the Tigers staff, Armando Galarraga. Whether this is a Galarraga hand-me-down or a Rick Knapp lesson, it seems to be working. We’ll see if it continues.
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This series is going to make or break us for the next 4 weeks. Possibly the year. Soria is still 10 days out. And even then....
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