Rotation:
Chris Carpenter - 33 - He's really good AND Jul 28 : Carpenter, who is returning from elbow surgery, will start on Wednesday after a successful workout on Sunday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Joe Saunders - 27 - 13-5, 3.10 era, 1.14 whip
Jair Jurrjens - 22 - 10-5, 3.02 era, 1.27 whip
Oliver Perez - 26 - 6-6, 4.15 era, 1.39 whip, 107 k's - last 5 stats 1.33 era, 0.99 whip, 39 k's in 33.2 ip's
5th Spot: Greg Maddux (4.10 era, 1.27 whip), Randy Johnson (4.58 era, 1.34 whip), Rich Hill (still nasty stuff)
2009 Rotation
Moderator: Yankees
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Yankees
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Staff Update:
Chris Carpenter's first start has to be considered a success. The 33 year old righty went 4 ip's, allowing only 1 run. After two very successful starts in the minors, it looks like the Cardinals have their ace back.
Jair Jurrjens went 7 strong, allowing only 3 runs, but got the loss in that same game.
Joe Saunders, once again, shut down the mighty Red Sox lineup. The lefty gave up 2 runs in 6 innings.
Oliver Perez continued his scalding streak as well. The lefty shut down the Marlins on Tuesday, allowing just 1 run and 5 hits in 6 innings. He has allowed 6 earned runs in his last 6 starts, covering 39.2 ip's (26 h's, 44 k's).
Chris Carpenter's first start has to be considered a success. The 33 year old righty went 4 ip's, allowing only 1 run. After two very successful starts in the minors, it looks like the Cardinals have their ace back.
Jair Jurrjens went 7 strong, allowing only 3 runs, but got the loss in that same game.
Joe Saunders, once again, shut down the mighty Red Sox lineup. The lefty gave up 2 runs in 6 innings.
Oliver Perez continued his scalding streak as well. The lefty shut down the Marlins on Tuesday, allowing just 1 run and 5 hits in 6 innings. He has allowed 6 earned runs in his last 6 starts, covering 39.2 ip's (26 h's, 44 k's).
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Yankees
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It was hard for manager Jerry Manuel to take Perez out of the game, especially when he was firing the ball like Friday night. Perez's slider was starting over the middle of the plate and breaking toward the fists of the Marlins' predominantly right-handed lineup, and his 95-mph fastball didn't stop moving, either.
Credit pitching coach Dan Warthen for finding the right words to unlock Perez's potential, Manuel said, because this "Big Game Ollie" has turned into "Every Outing Ollie" since Warthen took the reins.
Since June 29, Perez is 3-2 with a 1.71 ERA in eight starts, and he is now 7-0 with a 2.28 ERA in games against above-.500 teams.
"He's performed well for a long period of time, it just so happens that all the games are big games and he does seem to rise to that," Manuel said. "When he's throwing that thing at 95 [mph], and they'll mess around every now and then and throw a changeup, a lollipop or something, Ollie's just having fun. [He had] tremendous life on his fastball tonight."
Credit pitching coach Dan Warthen for finding the right words to unlock Perez's potential, Manuel said, because this "Big Game Ollie" has turned into "Every Outing Ollie" since Warthen took the reins.
Since June 29, Perez is 3-2 with a 1.71 ERA in eight starts, and he is now 7-0 with a 2.28 ERA in games against above-.500 teams.
"He's performed well for a long period of time, it just so happens that all the games are big games and he does seem to rise to that," Manuel said. "When he's throwing that thing at 95 [mph], and they'll mess around every now and then and throw a changeup, a lollipop or something, Ollie's just having fun. [He had] tremendous life on his fastball tonight."
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Yankees
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Jair Jurrjens, Braves (11-7, 3.18 ERA)
It's been a rough year for Atlanta starters over age 30 -- not to mention 40. John Smoltz's career might be over after shoulder surgery. Tom Glavine has made the first two disabled list visits of his career with hamstring and elbow injuries. Mike Hampton's latest comeback attempt dragged on until July, and Tim Hudson just underwent Tommy John surgery.
But all is not lost. The Braves might have a keeper in Jurrjens, who has relied on a 91-94 mph fastball and effective changeup to lead rookie starters in wins, innings and ERA. It's probably not enough for him to overtake Cubs catcher Geovany Soto as the National League rookie of the year frontrunner, but you can expect his name to appear on a lot of writers' ballots.
Jurrjens' emergence has to be particularly distressing to the Tigers after they traded him for shortstop Edgar Renteria, who is looking older by the day. Jurrjens has given baseball fans in his native Curacao a reason to follow the Braves even with Andruw Jones now a Dodger.
Jurrjens isn't the only rookie success story in Atlanta. Former Mexican League mainstay Jorge Campillo, signed to a minor league deal in December by Braves director of baseball administration John Coppolella, is 7-4 with a 2.83 ERA.
Campillo is described by one baseball executive as a "very poor man's Greg Maddux" because of his fastball command, excellent changeup and 12-to-6 curveball. The Braves credit pitching coach Roger McDowell with helping Campillo succeed after he failed to cut it in a previous stop with Seattle.
It's been a rough year for Atlanta starters over age 30 -- not to mention 40. John Smoltz's career might be over after shoulder surgery. Tom Glavine has made the first two disabled list visits of his career with hamstring and elbow injuries. Mike Hampton's latest comeback attempt dragged on until July, and Tim Hudson just underwent Tommy John surgery.
But all is not lost. The Braves might have a keeper in Jurrjens, who has relied on a 91-94 mph fastball and effective changeup to lead rookie starters in wins, innings and ERA. It's probably not enough for him to overtake Cubs catcher Geovany Soto as the National League rookie of the year frontrunner, but you can expect his name to appear on a lot of writers' ballots.
Jurrjens' emergence has to be particularly distressing to the Tigers after they traded him for shortstop Edgar Renteria, who is looking older by the day. Jurrjens has given baseball fans in his native Curacao a reason to follow the Braves even with Andruw Jones now a Dodger.
Jurrjens isn't the only rookie success story in Atlanta. Former Mexican League mainstay Jorge Campillo, signed to a minor league deal in December by Braves director of baseball administration John Coppolella, is 7-4 with a 2.83 ERA.
Campillo is described by one baseball executive as a "very poor man's Greg Maddux" because of his fastball command, excellent changeup and 12-to-6 curveball. The Braves credit pitching coach Roger McDowell with helping Campillo succeed after he failed to cut it in a previous stop with Seattle.
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Yankees
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Volquez went 7 ip's, allowing 3 h's. He improved to 15-5 with a 2.73 era.
From espn.com:
Volquez didn't let it happen.
The 25-year-old pitcher looked run-down after he made his first All-Star appearance in July. In his next four starts, he gave up nearly a run per inning. His control was a little off, his pitches were a little flat and his innings were piling up.
Manager Dusty Baker gave him two extra days of rest before his last start, and it fixed the problem.
"It was great for me because I'd been struggling last month," Volquez said. "I got on my mechanics a little bit better now. I'm keeping my head straight, too."
Volquez was back in form last Tuesday at Pittsburgh, giving up only one run. He threw 96 mph fastballs and was nearly unhittable at the outset Sunday, allowing only one ball out of the infield in the first four innings. Adam Kennedy got the Cardinals' first hit, a line-drive single to center with one out in the fifth.
"Nobody goes a whole year without scuffling," Baker said. "We wonder if they're getting tired, and Volquez gets upset for us even asking about it."
From espn.com:
Volquez didn't let it happen.
The 25-year-old pitcher looked run-down after he made his first All-Star appearance in July. In his next four starts, he gave up nearly a run per inning. His control was a little off, his pitches were a little flat and his innings were piling up.
Manager Dusty Baker gave him two extra days of rest before his last start, and it fixed the problem.
"It was great for me because I'd been struggling last month," Volquez said. "I got on my mechanics a little bit better now. I'm keeping my head straight, too."
Volquez was back in form last Tuesday at Pittsburgh, giving up only one run. He threw 96 mph fastballs and was nearly unhittable at the outset Sunday, allowing only one ball out of the infield in the first four innings. Adam Kennedy got the Cardinals' first hit, a line-drive single to center with one out in the fifth.
"Nobody goes a whole year without scuffling," Baker said. "We wonder if they're getting tired, and Volquez gets upset for us even asking about it."
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Yankees
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For Bren:
8/18 Rotation Update:
1. Edinson Volquez - rhp - 25 - 15-5, 2.73 era, 1.31 whip, 151.2 ip, 150 k, 128 h
2. Joe Saunders - lhp - 27 - 14-5, 3.14 era, 1.19 whip, 157.2 ip, 78 k, 142 h
3. Jair Jurrjens - rhp - 22 - 11-8, 3.15 era, 1.31 whip, 151.1 ip, 112 k, 147 h
4. Oliver Perez - lhp - 27 - 9-7, 3.91 era, 1.35 whip, 142.2 ip, 131 k, 120 h
5. Jesse Litsch - rhp - 23 - 8-7, 4.20 era, 1.30 whip, 122 ip, 62 k, 138 h - only 21 bb
Doug Davis - lhp - 32 - 4-7, 4.79 era, 1.54 whip, 99.2 ip, 82 k, 103 h
Charlie Zink - rhp - 28 - 13-4, 2.89 era, 1.13 whip, 152.1 ip, 94 k, 129 h, @ AAA
George Kontos - rhp - 23 - 4-11, 3.78 era, 1.26 whip, 133.1 ip, 133 k, 115 h, @ AA
8/18 Rotation Update:
1. Edinson Volquez - rhp - 25 - 15-5, 2.73 era, 1.31 whip, 151.2 ip, 150 k, 128 h
2. Joe Saunders - lhp - 27 - 14-5, 3.14 era, 1.19 whip, 157.2 ip, 78 k, 142 h
3. Jair Jurrjens - rhp - 22 - 11-8, 3.15 era, 1.31 whip, 151.1 ip, 112 k, 147 h
4. Oliver Perez - lhp - 27 - 9-7, 3.91 era, 1.35 whip, 142.2 ip, 131 k, 120 h
5. Jesse Litsch - rhp - 23 - 8-7, 4.20 era, 1.30 whip, 122 ip, 62 k, 138 h - only 21 bb
Doug Davis - lhp - 32 - 4-7, 4.79 era, 1.54 whip, 99.2 ip, 82 k, 103 h
Charlie Zink - rhp - 28 - 13-4, 2.89 era, 1.13 whip, 152.1 ip, 94 k, 129 h, @ AAA
George Kontos - rhp - 23 - 4-11, 3.78 era, 1.26 whip, 133.1 ip, 133 k, 115 h, @ AA
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Yankees
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Edinson Volquez has been mediocre for the past two months, although his amazing start to the season hid his recent struggles for anyone not looking beyond the surface. Volquez began the season 10-2 with a 1.71 ERA, but came into his start Sunday afternoon with a 5.07 ERA over his last nine outings. Seven shutout innings later and Volquez is now 15-5 with a 2.73 ERA overall.
Volquez's secondary numbersóstrikeouts, walks, ground-ball rateósuggest that he's performed more like a 3.50-3.75 ERA pitcher than someone with a 2.73 ERA. In particular, his control has often been spotty, as he's walked 70 batters and hit 10 more in 151.2 innings. However, between 150 strikeouts in those 151.2 frames and 50 percent of his balls in play going on the ground those expecting the clock to strike midnight on the 25-year-old right-hander shouldn't hold their breath.
Volquez's secondary numbersóstrikeouts, walks, ground-ball rateósuggest that he's performed more like a 3.50-3.75 ERA pitcher than someone with a 2.73 ERA. In particular, his control has often been spotty, as he's walked 70 batters and hit 10 more in 151.2 innings. However, between 150 strikeouts in those 151.2 frames and 50 percent of his balls in play going on the ground those expecting the clock to strike midnight on the 25-year-old right-hander shouldn't hold their breath.
