Know Thine Enemy: DRaysBay
BRUNCH BASEBALL! HARD CIDERS FOR EVERYONE!
It doesn't seem like you run into a Tampa Bay starting pitcher who's simply mediocre very often. Today we do get one of their mediocre starters, and you couldn't ask for more on a day where a series split hangs in the balance.
When he gets ahead he still uses the fastball more than any other pitch, but he'll also go to the slider more than most pitchers. And it's not that his slider is even a that effective of a pitch right now, but if you're a right-handed hitter who likes to hack low-and-away or if you're a lefty who's gullible on breaking balls down and in...he could feast.
If I'm the Twins I'm sitting fastball and changeup. He throws a lot of fastballs, and there's a reason he doesn't throw many changeups: it sucks. Opponents are hitting .448 off it.
Slowey likes to work away, which is good because it keeps guys from sitting on his inside stuff and cranking it out of the park. He's allowed a lot of home runs this year, so suffice it to say it'd be good to see him put up a zero in that category today.
We've talked before about how successful Slowey can be, even this year when he's not getting as many strikeouts, when he changes speeds. Like Baker last night, if he can be effective with his off-speed pitches then he and the Twins will be in good shape. But if he's not feeling is breaking balls, and if labors to put hitters away, throw up the red flags and warm up the 'pen.
Kevin has put together back-to-back solid starts, including his eight inning no run effort against the Mariners on Saturday. Let's do it again, K-Slo.