4/23 vs Oakland Athletics

[redsoxbeatz]

April 23, 2013 @ 6:35 PM EST

 

Oakland Athletics (12-8) vs. Boston Red Sox (13-6)

 

Probables:

Colon (2-0, 3.32)

Aceves (1-0, 6.28)

 

Ellsbury CF,

Victorino RF,

Pedroia 2B,

Napoli 1B,

Nava LF,

Middlebrooks 3B,

Saltalamacchia C,

Gomes DH,

Drew SS

 

Worth noting

• Red Sox outfielder Jonny Gomes is 5-for-13 in his career against Colon, with two solo homers and a triple.

 

• The A's lead the American League in runs, with 106 in 20 games.

 

per Frangraphs, interesting article regarding Dempster:

Pitcher SwStk% Surgers

 

Yes, it’s still quite early, but I simply cannot help myself from analyzing my favorite advanced pitcher metric — the swinging strike percentage, or SwStk%. The majority of starting pitchers have only started three or four games, but a metric like SwStk% stabilizes relatively quickly, so the typical small sample size caveats don’t necessarily apply to the full degree. The following five pitchers have enjoyed the largest surge in SwStk% as compared to last year. Let’s see if they are doing anything differently, or if it just seems to be a good run.

 

Name.................K/9.......2012 SwStr%.......2011 SwStr%...........Diff

Ryan Dempster...12.38......14.9%.................10.4%.............4.5%

Yu Darvish..........12.83.......15.9%...................11.8%.............4.1%

A.J. Burnett.........13.13.......13.1%...................9.4%..............3.7%

Tim Hudson..........6.14.......10.6%...................7.1%..............3.5%

Adam Wainwright..8.69.......11.5%...................8.6%..............2.9%

 

Ryan Dempster is second among all Major League starters in SwStk%. Over a small sample, this isn’t so surprising though. With the exception of 2003 and 2011, his SwStk% has sat above 10.0 his entire career, which is quite impressive. The only real change in his pitch mix is that he is throwing his splitter about seven percentage points more frequently. Sure enough, that pitch has generated the highest whiff rate this season, and looking at the pitch historically, it always has. So using the pitch more often would seemingly lead to an increased strikeout rate. So far, it looks as if this is exactly the explanation. Of course, since the pitch usually dives down and out of the strike zone, it may increase a pitcher’s walk rate. What do you know — Dempster’s walk rate is up, while his Zone% is way down. If he continues to utilize the splitter at the rate he has, he may very well set a new career high in strikeout rate…but also walk four batters per nine.

 

 

There is a lot of rain headed to Boston and according to Weather.com there is a 70% chance of precipitation starting at 5:00 PM EST and stays steady at 70% through midnight. I hope the game can still be played but it doesn't look good.

 

Keep the mojo alive; GO RED SOX!

[MJantomaso]

http://mlblogsmartelli.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/bartolo-colon-hamburglar.jpg

[italstallianion]

I'd say it's worth noting that Aceves main bad outing (contributing to his 6+ ERA) was in relief. His 2 starts this season were each 5IP, one allowing 3ER and one allowing 2ER.

[wyo-sox]

Let's hope the weather let's them play this game. I will be watching tonight's game as my first post eye surgery game. Vision is fuzzy out of my left eye but the tumor is gone!!!!!!

[wyo-sox]

http://mlblogsmartelli.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/bartolo-colon-hamburglar.jpg

 

Very funny.

[jung]

Ortiz is not in the lineup again tonight. I wonder if the cold, damp weather is bothering his heel more than it would otherwise. Frankly I think this is just the way it is going to be with his heel like it is. If his Achilles goes that is an entirely different issue. At his age that might be career ending. They have never gone into any definition of the heel issue. However he seems to be able to go a few days on it depending on how much and how hard he runs and then it must start throbbing considering what happens after that. His ability to hit like he does getting into the lineup and then not is really something.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Let's hope the weather let's them play this game. I will be watching tonight's game as my first post eye surgery game. Vision is fuzzy out of my left eye but the tumor is gone!!!!!!

 

Sorry you had to go through that and glad everything is cleared up. Know it had to be scary.

 

Looks like they're going to try to get it in. Gonna be sloppy, but the A's don't get back here this year. Could be a sloppy game, like that extra inning loss to the Angels in 2011 that went on until like 2 am bc of rainouts, but they'll get it in somehow.

 

Just be sure to be winning after 5.

[redsoxbeatz]

Colon is gonna get MASHED tonight. GTFO Tubbby!!

[Station 13]

What s***** weather to play in.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Colon is gonna get MASHED tonight. GTFO Tubbby!!

 

If he doesn't, I'll be very upset. Everytime I get an update on my phone at work, it better be because we scored a run on this fat f***.

[Station 13]

If he doesn't, I'll be very upset. Everytime I get an update on my phone at work, it better be because we scored a run on this fat f***.

 

He's getting a colon cleansing after a beat down tonight.

[italstallianion]

What s***** weather to play in.

 

 

While I agree, I don't really have sympathy for the players since football plays in much worse weather whereas lots of baseball games get canceled for less. We've had dozens of games postponed all across the MLB because of weather. I doubt a single one involved lightning/tornadoes/hurricanes etc.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

He's getting a colon cleansing after a beat down tonight.

 

Lmao, well played.

[jung]

Somehow Colon's jersey does not look right without Phils Plumbing and Heating across the back....apologies to Phils that are plumbers everywhere.

[jung]

Orsillo needs to shut up now. Colon should never be in the same sentence with Pedro and Juan.

[mvp 78]

What s***** weather to play in.

 

Better than playing in Denver today.

[RedSoxNC84]

Aceves made it out of the first inning, so we're probably going to win the game now.

[jung]

Aceves background as a relief pitcher may help him in 1st innings. SPer's are often vulnerable in 1st innings. I don't think he has had a bad first inning yet. Although I don't think Miller could repeat that feat.

[jung]

Remy with a bit of a slip that he probably does not even know he made proclaims to the world "I love sheep" referring to a kid in the grandstands with a sheep hat. Really Jerry.

[MANNYHOF24]

Remy with a bit of a slip that he probably does not even know he made proclaims to the world "I love sheep" referring to a kid in the grandstands with a sheep hat. Really Jerry.

 

?

[italstallianion]

SCALABRINE!!!!

[jung]

I wonder if they would play this game tonight if it were not for the forecasts for much more rain tomorrow night.....at least the last ones I saw.

[MANNYHOF24]

I wonder if they would play this game tonight if it were not for the forecasts for much more rain tomorrow night.....at least the last ones I saw.

 

I think it's suppose to be 70 and sunny in Boston tomorrow

[italstallianion]

Plus it's not like Oakland comes back here so it'd be tough to reschedule.

[jung]

You are right...down to a 20% chance of rain Wednesday PM.

[CaliSoxFan04]

Anyone else have problems with mlb.tv damn thing wont even let me watch games!!!

[RedSoxNC84]

Looking good so far, let's get that offense going

[jung]

When you guys refer to problems getting games with mlb.tv, do you mean blackouts?

[jung]

According to NESN Ace's favorite "hobey" is cooking. Glad he has a hobey but I think he would want a hobby.

[Palodios]

Jenny to Jerry-- What is Alfredo's biggest fears?

Jerry-- Hmm, it wasn't listed here.

Jerry's head-- He's not afraid of anything.