This is what the Park could have looked like during 5/17's "rainout." Ridiculous. Photo: AndrewClem.com
Note: Tuesday’s “rainout” of the Nats-Pirates game allowed the team to just skip Jordan Zimmermann’s start, so we’ve only got four outings in this period’s “starter cycle.”
Good
- Livan Hernandez was out-dueled for the 2nd time in a week by Anibal Sanchez on 5/14 (box/gamer), and took a loss in a game that he pitched pretty well. line: 7ip, 6hits, 1 run. He follows up a bad performance with a good one, as is his custom.
Bad
Mediocre/Inconclusive
- Jason Marquis may officially have a quality start in the books for his 5/15 victory over the Marlins (box/gamer) but at least one of the two earned runs he gave up in in the top of the 2nd was really “earned” and not a result of the throwing error that put Sanchez on base. Its one of the many reasons that ERA is misleading in many cases. That being said: he went 6 2/3, runs (2 earned), 6 hits and a walk and 2ks. The victory makes him 5-1 on the season and should do nothing to stem the trade rumors that are sure to start dogging him now that the season is a quarter finished.
- John Lannan didn’t figure into the decision on 5/16, but he pitched decently enough (box/gamer). Line: 6 1/3 ip, 7 hits and 4 bbs, 2 runs and 4ks. It counts as a “good” quality start but he was putting guys on all day. 101 pitches but only 54 for strikes, indicated by the 4 walks. He’s got a 1.6 whip on the season right now and one has to wonder if a hot starter in AAA would jeopardize his rotation spot at some point in the future.
- Tom Gorzelanny‘s 5/18 outing was hard to judge, given the weather conditions (box/gamer). He got knocked out of the game in the 6th, having given up 8 hits and 5 walks (2 of which were intentional, but still. One of the IBBs was done because Gorzelanny threw away a pickoff attempt, the other because he gave up a leadoff single that was stranded at 2nd). Nearly a 2.00 whip on the day. But it was pouring rain most of the night and both pitchers must have been struggling with their grips and control.
Starter Trends
Lhernandez good,bad,good,good,bad,good,soso,bad,good
Marquis good,good,good,soso,great,bad,good,soso
Lannan good,soso,soso,bad,soso,good,really bad,good,soso
Zimmermann good,good,good,bad,bad,good,good,great
Gorzelanny soso,good,soso,good,great,good,bad,soso
Relievers of Note
- Cole Kimball‘s first two appearances ended with identical lines: 1ip, 1bb, 1k, nothing else. His first appearance was in a one-run game, his second in a 4-run outing so as to save Storen’s arm. Per pitch f/x, Kimball was throwing 93, maxing at 94.9 and throwing mostly fastballs. There’s a massive delta between his fastball and his curve speed. He has 4 pitches (being a former starter) but we are only really seeing 2 of them right now. The fact that Riggleman immediately put Kimball into a one-run game within 12 hours of his call-up is as clear an indictment of Henry Rodriguez‘s continued place in the bullpen as can be said.
Thoughts on the offense
- Ankiel‘s injury may prove to be somewhat of a Wally Pipp injury, if Roger Bernadina continues to perform has he has been. His slash line as of 5/15 is .321/.424/.393 and we’re seeing zero drop-off with his defense, high lighted by this amazing catch on 5/13 (a catch that I couldn’t believe he made either). Its nice to see both Bernadina and Laynce Nix making statements and taking control of positions that they both “lost” in spring training.