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September 7, 2006
Upcoming Series: Los Angeles Dodgers Pitchers
After a 2-1 series win against the Atlanta Braves, a series win that knocked the Braves six and a half games out of the Wild Card chase, the Mets welcome their first serious opponent since the Cardinals — who, oh yeah, the Mets swept in three games. The Dodgers lead the NL West, but only by one and a half games, because they have a funny knack of building a lead and then blowing it up with a series of bad play. See: their last series against Milwaukee. This could very easily be the opponent the Mets meet in the NLCS, however, so now is as good a time as any to get a read on these guys and what they can throw at you at a nightly basis. In the first game Tom Glavine (12-6, 4.13) looks to get back on track when he takes on the NL wins leader in Brad Penny (15-7, 3.97). In tomorrow night’s game, ‘The Secret Weapon’ John Maine (5-3, 3.44) goes to the mound against the Taiwanese Sensation Hong-Chih Kuo (0-4, 5.34). In Saturday’s matinee Orlando Hernandez (7-6, 4.67) gets the ball against some guy named Greg Maddux (12-12, 4.36). And, in Sunday’s finale, the Battle of Disproportionate Records commences when Steve Trachsel (14-6, 5.02) spars with the big lefty Mark Hendrickson (5-15, 4.41). Game 1: Brad PennyWhat’s the Story? Penny came into the All-Star break as one of, if not thee, best pitchers in the National League. He was 10-2 with a 2.91 ERA, picked over Brandon Webb, Bronson Arroyo and Tom Glavine to start off the game, and promptly struck out the side (Ichiro, Jeter, Papi) in the first inning. Ever since, however, it’s been downhill. After the break, Penny has gone 5-5 with an ERA of 6.00. Yes, that’s right, he’s allowed thirty-eight runs off of sixty-six hits in his last fifty-seven innings of work. Compounding that issue is the fact that Penny hasn’t even been going deep into his starts — he’s worked past the sixth inning only once in his last ten outings. Penny’s stuff has remained the same, however. He still throws a mid-90’s fastball, a very nice sinker, and a solid curveball. He’ll also throw the occasional change and slider, though both are used sparingly. Last Year: Penny faced the Mets twice last season, and pitched fairly well against the team. Despite allowing eighteen hits in fifteen innings — as well as walking three — he only allowed five runs to score. He also struck out thirteen. What to Expect: Yes, Penny’s struggled this season, but more importantly he hasn’t given any indication that he’ll be shaking out of it. Over his last four starts, twenty and a third innings, he’s allowed seventeen runs off of twenty-six hits. That’s not even mentioning the twelve walks he allowed during that span. Penny’s always been an erratic kind of pitcher, with limited control over his nasty stuff, but now he’s just looking very hittable as well as wild. Penny loves to pitch away, but isn’t afraid to climb the ladder at any point. Especially with his fastball. Both lefties and righties get a healthy dose of the vaunted fastball/curve/sinker combination. He throws his changeup mostly to lefties, and mostly when behind in the count. Righties should keep an eye out for that 90+ MPH fastball being thrown up and in when he’s ahead. Game 2: Hong-Chih KuoWhat’s the Story? Kuo was a legendary top prospect in the Dodgers organization four or five years ago but in recent seasons was moved to the pen due to a lengthy injury history — including two Tommy John surgeries. After struggling some in the minors in a relief role (4.20 in fourteen appearances/fifteen innings), he transitioned to starter where he immediately shined. In nine starts he went thirty-eight innings allowing only eleven runs, and striking out forty-one while walking a mere thirteen. Overall he went 3-3 with a 2.61 ERA. Now, he makes the first start of his career, replacing the injured Chad Billingsley in the rotation. Kuo features a low 90’s fastball, a nasty curve and a solid changeup. This Year: The Mets have seen Kuo twice this year already out of the pen, and the results have not been pretty. In two appearances he pitched three innings, allowing a lone Carlos Beltran single. He also walked none and struck out five. Good times. What to Expect: Kuo’s control has been an issue all season long, but his stuff is ridiculous regardless of whether he can control it or not. In the three innings he’s pitched since returning he’s walked two and struck out seven. In three innings! There’s no telling how he’ll transition to a starting role, though his minor league record this season tells us it’ll be more of the same. A hard-throwing lefty could spell trouble for the Mets lineup — only, lefties have actually hit the kid well this season at the Major League level, to the tune of .263/.391/.368. So, this should either go really well, or really badly. Place you bets now! Game 3: Greg MadduxWhat’s the Story? For Maddux’s original scouting report, click here. This Year: Maddux has had two starts this year. A bad one (five runs off of eight hits in seven innings) which he lost and a worse one (seven runs off of ten hits in six innings) which he won. I’ll let you all guess which member of the Mets rotation was so bad that Maddux won a game in which he gave up seven runs. So, to add it all up for you, Maddux has given up twelve runs off eighteen hits in thirteen innings. He struck out his typical ten, and walked his typical three. And managed to not allow a homer in either of his starts! Way to go, Greg! What to Expect: Maddux started the season off on fire, going 5-0 in his first five starts with a sterling 1.35 ERA before completely falling off a cliff and winding up going 4-11 the rest of the way. Obviously, going from a hitter’s park to a pitcher’s park will make something of a difference, but this is still the guy who had a 5.02 ERA when he left Chicago. This isn’t the Maddux of old, no matter what the papers will try and sell you. And this is a guy who got lit up by the Brewers in his last start — six runs in five and a third. So, if you’re counting, Maddux has already been tagged by the Mets twice, is coming off a bad start, and the Dodgers offense has been sputtering. Your guess is as good as mine. Game 4: Mark HendricksonWhat’s the Story? Hendrickson came over to the Dodgers in a trade with Toby Hall, while the immortal Jae Seo and ‘The Catcher of the Future’ Dioner Navarro, in turn, went to the Devil Rays. Hendrickson, who was 4-8 despite a 3.81 ERA in the NL East was brought in to solidify the bottom of the Dodgers rotation and throw some quality innings on the way to the Wild Card. Well, the Dodgers now stand to take the division, but that’s through no help of Hendrickson’s. Who, since donning the Dodger blue, has gone 1-6 with a 5.24 ERA against the National League. Heck, he’s even been rumored to be on the way out of the rotation when Billingsley returns. Regardless, he’s in there now and the Mets will get their shot at him — Hendrickson throws a high-80’s/low-90’s fastball, a solid changeup, a decent cutter and an average 12-6 curveball. Last Year: This will be Hendrickson’s first start against the Mets. What to Expect: Hendrickson is a pitcher out of the Chris Young mold — he’s tall and overpowering-looking, but doesn’t throw all that hard and his gameplan revolves around getting groundball outs. Because of this Hendrickson will throw a lot of fastballs, regardless of the count. He will stick to the bottom-half of the strike-zone, but pitches to both sides of the plate regardless of the hitter. He throws mostly fastballs and curves to lefties, while he’ll also add in changeups to righthanders. Righties have killed Hendrickson throughout his career (.301 lifetime BAA), but it’s been the lefthanders who’ve done him in this season. So far, lefties have gone .319/.402/.422 in 116 at-bats against him. That may not bode well for Hendrickson in this start. Overall: The Dodgers are an up and down ballclub. At times they can look like the best team in the National League, and at other times they can look like the Chicago Cubs. They’re coming into Shea off a series with the plummeting Milwaukee Brewers where they barely avoided getting swept. Their pitching staff can look very, very good at times. Their lineup is solid, their D is even better and their bullpen is pretty decent. But the difference between them and the Mets is consistency. The Mets don’t take breaks and it shows in the record and the lead. With Willie Randolph openly admitting that he’s now resting his big names in anticipation for the playoffs, the Mets more than likely won’t be playing this Dodgers team at full strength — but don’t let that fool you into thinking that what happens here will replay itself in the playoffs. Unless, of course, the Mets win. Then you can think that all you like. Overall, I say the Mets split the series — taking Duque and Trachsel’s starts. I don’t think Brad Penny will pitch well so much as I think Glavine will pitch worse. He’ll be back to 100% before the playoffs, but something tells me he’s not quite there yet. Kuo, however, is an intriguing pitcher, and the Mets have struggled against good lefthanders this season. A 2-2 series split sounds about right. 120 Responses to “Upcoming Series: Los Angeles Dodgers Pitchers”Leave a ReplyYou must be logged in to post a comment. |
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Ramon-
That’s great. The Eternal Captain’s really taken it to the next level after the All-Star Break.
Not to mention, after his “I’m So Drunk I’m Passing The Mic To . . . MOOKIE!” Moment at the ‘86 re-union last month, there’s no way he can pretend not top be tanked half the time. So, being Keith “I’m Keith Hernandez” Hernandez, and all, might as well take it to the heights.
tonights lineup
1. J Reyes, SS
2. P Lo Duca, C
3. C Beltran, CF
4. C Delgado, 1B
5. D Wright, 3B
6. C Floyd, LF
7. S Green, RF
8. J Valentin, 2B
The funny is that I have read this exchange about 5 times and I still laugh my ass off! Keith makes every game he commentates on worth seeing because you just don’t know what he will say next!
best lineup around
Perez has more upside then our young guys. He has proven himself in the majors in 2004. I cannot believe that was a “fluke” 240ks in 190inn. Thats pretty serious numbers. I dont know why we are all jumping the gun here. 1 way or another, its a great pickup on the risk alone - which was minimal. I dont know when we had so many young arms to choose from even with the three headed monster that fell on their faces a decade ago.
I was shocked and excited when Omar made the trade. He looked like crap in Co. He looked good last night. Great. Lets hope for the best.
russo is a raving moron. i cant stress this enough. my god. is anyone listening to him right now??? his logic makes no sense!!!!!!!!!
Cliffy in there tonight!
Willie’s stacking the line-up with lefties vs Penny, I guess. 6 out of 8 coming at him southpaw. I hope Reyes bunts on Penny’s fat ass on the first pitch, then starts running.
I want one of those patented Met 1st Inning Bash-fests tonight.
clifford!
That lineup is insane Shawn Green batting 8th that is insane.
Dancran I am listening and he is a moron who is dreaming. He missed the other side where in game 1 Pedro drills Barry in the knee and Barry is done for the series.
Hey Mike….I owe you an apology. You weren’t quite as delusional from the fever as I thought you were. You had the no hitter right…just the wong name. But I’ll write that off to the medication. Hope you’re doing well.
yeah dude..like his logic makes sense at first about a short playoff series..but then he twists it and makes it ridiculous..the only thing me and him agree on is that trachsel is scary
Thanks, Sheaden. No medication believe it or not. Just my own bizarre ideas and a head full of whatever microbe’s making me feel like crap.
But tonight . . . the Mets are my Meds.
Or something like that.
Udamn. Isn’t DeShawn Verde batting 6th, and ‘Stache is 8th? Either way, not a bottom of the order a pitcher’s gotta be relishing.
Guys, you can’t pay attention to him. He makes me crazy too, but then you all yell at me and tell me to ignore him. I’m telling you the same thing.
Also Udamn….we’re toast. Russo picked the Giants to go the Super Bowl. The kiss of death.
To my absolute knowledge the only reason Perez started again was for another rest day for Glavine. Regardless of why he pitched 100 innings last year, the man needs to get innings under his belt. It is irrelevant why he did not pitch much as long as he is healthy, the point is that he did not pitch much and is nowhere near to being a potential candidate for tired arm as you argue. As far as Spring Training is concerned, my apologies for not being specific but I was referring to real game situations that he would face in March. Apologies. I mean, Omar didn’t tell me much but he did mention that real game situations are not the same as simulated side sessions.
Which brings me back to my original point. Which is that one does not need to project ANYTHING based on one successful game based on the anticipation that he will clear wavers. He has a long ways to go before such an assessment could be realistically made. Its very, very bad policy to determine such decisions on the basis of loosing a guy who has yet to prove he can regain a form he lost in 2004 when his stuff was different than it is now.
Its so funny to see how many people adore Perez after one start. My argument is simple.
1.) I don’t believe in rushing to conclusions on Perez either. I don’t think we can predict his being in the starting lineup because he has to beat out alot people who will fight and compete for the same job as he.
2.) Arguments about 2004 are not applicable. I reiterate because people seem to not want to read the hard cold fact.
This doesn’t mean he won’t succeed. But please, lets stop dredging 2004 because he doesn’t have the kind of a fastball that would allow him to be imperfect in the strikezone anymore.
My bad Mike Deshawn is batting 7th and Valentin is 8th still deep.
Shea I heard that also I think the G-men may be in trouble after that. Maybe he was doing it to attempt the kiss of death so maybe it will pan out to burn him.
The main reason he got another start was because the Jacket urged Willie to give him another one if my ears heard correctly during yesterdays game. Look on his need to pitch Winter ball I have an opinion and you have an opinion, both of us with facts to back up parts of our opinion. Innings are innings and pitches are pitches especially if you are competing in spring training. I find it interesting that ignore my suggestion of going to pitching facility Jacket loves. So lets just agree to disagree on this subject and find out when Winter ball starts.
But that is what people are doing is projecting a rotation for next year. He has done more than some other candidates for the rotation. I am just suprised you found it so distainful to have him projected into rotation since you don’t know his problems can’t be worked out. He has only lost a couple mile on said fastball at this time and who knows if he was easing up yesterday to have better control.
Chief dont label my comments that way. I liked him when he came here. I can “dredge” up his only full season in the majors all I want. I like his stuff. I like his talent. This has nothing to do with his start yesterday. ITs the topic on the board. So relax
Perhaps Peterson has instructed Perez to stay within himself and that has resulted in the drop in velocity but I have to add that if your mechanics are screwed you can also lose velocity. Anyway Perez had good movement on his fastball against Atlanta. I would rather throw in the low 90’s with good movement and command than throw a flat fastball at 99 mph. I’ve seen to many 99 mph straight fastballs crushed.