On Apr 13, 5:46 pm, thisplanetsux <thisplanet...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On Apr 13, 1:59 pm, Tonawanda Kardex <tonawandakar...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> wrote:
>
> > The A's went 3-for-29 today, with no walks and eight Ks. They pretty
> > much stunk. Sad thing is that Chad Gaudin actually pitched decently
> > enough to keep his team in the game, but the A's couldn't get anything
> > going against Cliff Lee -- a guy who had a 6.29 ERA last year.
>
> Lee is quite talented. He didn't pitch very much last year due to
> some serious injuries. He's obviously healed up nicely. Both games
> against the A's he repeatedly dropped pitch after pitch on the
> corners. Inside, outside, mix in the curve, slider and change, always
> on the black, never in the hitting zone, yet never walking anyone...
> The guy was just filthy, both starts.
I disagree with your *****sment of his talent level, etc.
His career 4.50+ ERA tells me all I need to know about his stuff, as
does the fact he's given up more hits than IP in his career, while
averaging 3.0 BB per nine innings without dominating strikeout numbers
(2.2:1 ratio). He's a mediocre lefty who has given up 105 HRs in only
750 career innings (i.e., 30+ per full season), has only three
complete games in his career and has NEVER thrown a shutout. Batters
have hit .262 against him over his career with a .324 OBP and a .434
SLG.
Sure, every pitcher gets it going every once in awhile, but Lee? Has
had way too much success against the A's considering his career
numbers. Remember that game in late May 2004 when he shut them down
for eight innings? In 2004, he went 13.1 innings against the A's,
giving ten hits and eight walks but only one run -- with 13 Ks. In
2005, he went six innings against the A's, giving up only two hits and
no runs, while walking three and striking out five. In 2006, the A's
finally raked him as they should: 5.2 innings, four hits, five walks,
two HRs, only two Ks -- for five runs. Same with 2007: 13 IP, 14 H, 5
BB, 8 Ks, 3 HRs, 7 R.
For him to go 14.2 innings and give up only six hits and one walk
against the A's this year, while striking out 12 and not surrendering
a HR, is very out of line with his career numbers. He's 29, and while
he may be on his way to a breakout season, I doubt it.
Adding it up, Lee's pitched 52.2 innings against the A's, giving up 36
hits, 14 runs, 5 HRs, 22 walks, 40 Ks. His career WHIP is 1.37 or so,
but against the A's? It's a mere 1.10 ... His career ERA is over 4.50,
but against the A's, it's 2.39. Here's a guy who gets shelled by the
rest of the league, but for some reason, he owns the A's.
Again, blind squirrels find acorns, but Lee seems to get too many of
nuts for the winter when he faces the A's.
|
