Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Trent Richardson Interviews Fellow Brown Brandon Weeden

Kuroda, Dodgers Look To Rebound Against Marlins

Hiroki Kuroda has struggled over his last seven starts, with a 2-4 record and a 5.49 ERA.  However, I believe most of that struggling has been superficial.  Kuroda has still had excellent control, walking 1.32 batters per nine innings over that span, and his FIP is 4.19.    Opposing batters are hitting .269/.294/.444, perhaps a bit more slugging than one would like, but still relatively solid overall.  One thing to be concerned about is that Kuroda has struck out only four batters total over his last three starts.  As David Ely of MLB.com reported, it might be nothing more than a mechanical flaw:

When at his best, he gets ahead in counts and makes defensive hitters chase splitters in the dirt, but it hasn't been happening a lot lately. Manager Joe Torre believes Kuroda overthrows, causing a mechanical flaw that results in pulling his pitches as they are delivered.

Dutchman Rick VandenHurk is starting for the Marlins, making just his second start of the season after being recalled from New Orleans on Monday.  Perhaps you've heard of the "Three True Outcomes."  They are a walk, strikeout, or home run, the three outcomes that take the defense out of the equation and depend entirely on the pitcher/batter matchup.  Adam Dunn or Jack Cust are examples of 3TO players, but if there was ever an example of a three true outcomes pitcher, Rick VandenHurk is it.

In his brief career, all of 101.2 innings, VandenHurk has allowed 5.31 walks, 1.59 home runs, and has struck out 9.38 batters per nine innings.  An astonishing 38.57% of plate appearances against VandenHurk end in one of the three true outcomes.  Among  starting pitchers, only Rich Harden has had a higher such percentage from 2007-2009, at 41.32%.  The MLB three true outcome percentage from 2007-2009 is 28.73%.

For the record, I believe Rick VandenHurk would perform much better if he went by his given first name, Henricus.

Craig over at Fish Stripes takes a look at the types of pitches VandenHurk threw in his last start, and came to this amusing conclusion:

The interesting thing is when I looked on fangraphs, they had no idea what he was throwing.  Believe it or not, this is a good thing.  Neither Pitch F/X nor fangraphs has any clue as to what Nolasco is throwing when he is throwing those hard breaking pitches of his.  And believe me if the super duper technology can't identify it on the way to the plate, the hitter sure can't in less than half of a second.

The Dodger outfield starters are on fire in July:

Outfielder PA Runs RBI BA OBP SLG OPS
Manny 61 10 17 .327 .426 .712 1.138
Kemp 71 13 14 .367 .465 .583 1.048
Ethier 78 14 9 .274 .321 .548 .868
Totals 210 37 40 .319 .400 .605 1.005

Get your guesses in for today's "Clogging The Bases" here.

Game Time:  7:10pm

TV:  Prime Ticket

Baseball Reference Preview

Comment 26 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

Marlins lineup

per Clark Spencer:

Coghlan lf
Bonifacio 3b
Ramirez ss
Cantu 1b
Hermida rf
Uggla 2b
Ross cf
Baker c
VandenHurk p

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 3:35 PM PDT reply actions  

Blue Jays beat writer Jeff Blair offers this Halladay opinion via Twitter:

Not sure Doc wants the west coast. Spring training in Arizona/ Don’t think so

Is that Blair with inside information, or Blair projecting his own views on AZ to Halladay?

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 3:38 PM PDT reply actions  

Happy 36th birthday, Guillermo Mota.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 3:40 PM PDT reply actions  

Dodger lineup

per Josh Rawitch:

Furcal, SS
Hudson, 2B
Manny, LF
Ethier, RF
Blake, 3B
Loney, 1B
Martin, C
Kemp, CF
Kuroda, P

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 3:41 PM PDT reply actions  

Scott Kazmir

Dodgers might make a run at him (per Gordon Edes, who was reliable last year during the Manny trade).

I would be SHOCKED if that happens.

by silverwidow on Jul 25, 2009 4:05 PM PDT reply actions  

I’m listening to the Brewers/Braves game on radio, and Bob Uecker just noted the size of pants worn by some of the players tonight. He said Nate McLouth looks to be wearing pants the size of Prince Fielder. :)

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 4:12 PM PDT reply actions  

From today’s Dodger game notes:

The Dodgers are the only team in the Majors that has yet to lose three games in a row. Los Angeles has lost back-to-back games 10 times. By going 96 games into the season without losing three straight, the Dodgers have established a modern-day franchise record. The previous high was the 1965 squad, which finally lost three in a row in games 72-74 (June 26-28). That team went on to win the World Series.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 4:17 PM PDT reply actions  

Uecker just reported that Braves’ reliever Mike Gonzalez is OK after getting hit on his arm by a batted ball the other night. He will miss the remainder of this series with Milwaukee, but will be ready to go for the Braves’ next series. Gonzalez has a bruised left forearm.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 4:21 PM PDT reply actions  

Eric -

heyman said last week Doc has told people he doesn’t want a team that doesn’t train in florida. Not sure if it’s a deal breaker. We aren’t getting him anyways – but it could hurt the Angels.

Speaking of Anaheim – if the rumors of them offering Weaver, Wood, and 2 top prospects are true, they are nuts.

by oshea2002 on Jul 25, 2009 4:38 PM PDT reply actions  

Yeah, I’d be surprised if the Angels offered that.

I always marvel at the not wanting to train in Arizona stuff. Its only for one spring training anyway, but I respect his decision if he wants to be closer to his kids for 6 weeks or so, too.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions  

Kazmir wouldn't be a terrible gamble

they are trying to shed payroll – we’d be buying low I’m sure.

by oshea2002 on Jul 25, 2009 4:40 PM PDT reply actions  

mccourt would want tampa to pay the rest of his salary

which we know is not going to happen and mccourt wont pay for it either so i doubt that it will ever happen

by matthewmafa on Jul 25, 2009 4:58 PM PDT up reply actions  

Sadly probably true

I keep thinking of us when Riccardi said some teams are serious and others “delusional” – “ok J.P. – we’ll give you our JP, 2 prospects, and you pick up the tab on Doc’s deal.”

by oshea2002 on Jul 25, 2009 5:12 PM PDT up reply actions  

There needs to be video of Kaz Matsui singing Ice Ice Baby!

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 5:02 PM PDT reply actions  

Interesting piece on Halladay

in the LA Times…I thought this nugget was interesting about Schmidt:

The Dodgers have received $11.1 million from the insurance company already, with another $9.3 million under dispute, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 5:09 PM PDT reply actions  

I knew about the $9.3 million under dispute, but didn’t know the club already received $11.1 million from the insurance company.

by Eric Stephen on Jul 25, 2009 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions  

I can't figure out which rumors are garbage

because if this is true, the Dodgers can easily beat it without giving up everything.


7:36pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com report that the Jays countered the Angels offer by asking for a four player package that included Joe Saunders, Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, and one prospect from the group of Trevor Reckling, Peter Bourjos, and Sean O’Sullivan. They also mention that as many as five teams are talking with Toronto about Halladay.

by Chad Moriyama on Jul 25, 2009 5:57 PM PDT reply actions  

Joe Saunders is a medicore starter.

Erick Aybar is a marginal shortstop with above average ceiling.

Brandon Wood is a top prospect.

The 3 mentioned are middling prospects.

The Dodgers have all those pieces if they want it. But they are asking the Dodgers for more. That package is an absolute joke for Halladay. If all they really wanted were 3 average players and 1 high ceiling guy, it’s not very hard to match.

by Chad Moriyama on Jul 25, 2009 8:54 PM PDT up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

A place for Dodger fans to congregate without spending $10 on parking.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Cal_state_dominguez_hills_logo_small
Opposing Pitcher Preview: 5/25-5/27 Harrell, Norris, Happ
Cal_state_dominguez_hills_logo_small
Opposing Pitcher Preview: 5/21-5/23 Corbin, Cahill, Saunders
Tbj_pin_small
Memories of the past: Dodger Glory.com
Cal_state_dominguez_hills_logo_small
Opposing Pitcher Preview: 5/18-5/20 Lynn, Westbrook, Lohse
Cal_state_dominguez_hills_logo_small
Opposing Pitcher Preview: 5/14-5/15 Kennedy and Miley

Recent FanPosts

Sbn_ds_small
TBLA Challenge Week VII
Cal_state_dominguez_hills_logo_small
Opposing Pitcher Preview: 5/16-5/17 Richard and Volquez
Sbn_ds_small
TBLA Challenge Week VI
Small
Hey NYC Dodgers Fans
Dodgers_small
Dodger Need Help. ASAP!

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Pos No Player 2012 Salary
C 17 Ellis $490,000
1B 7 Loney $6,375,000
2B 37 Herrera $375,082
3B 6 Hairston $2,250,000
SS 9 Gordon $485,000
LF 23 Abreu $401,311
CF 10 Gwynn $850,000
RF 16 Ethier $10,950,000

OF/1B 33 Van Slyke $388,197
2B/3B 3 Kennedy $800,000
OF/1B 30 Sands $375,175
IF 13 DeJesus $448,992
C 18 Treanor $850,000

SP 22 Kershaw $6,000,000
SP 58 Billingsley $9,000,000
SP 29 Lilly $12,000,000
SP 44
Harang $3,000,000
SP 35 Capuano $3,000,000

CL 74
Jansen $491,000
RHP 52 Lindblom $483,000
RHP 51 Belisario $414,426
RHP 54 Guerra $488,000
RHP 28
Wright $900,000
LHP 57 Elbert $488,500
RHP 60 Coffey $1,000,000

DL 27 Kemp $10,000,000
DL 21 Rivera $4,000,000
DL 12 Sellers $481,000
DL 5 Uribe $8,000,000
DL 55 Guerrier $4,750,000
DL 14 Ellis $2,500,000
60DL 36 Hawksworth $495,000
60DL 41 De La Rosa $485,000

AA 50 Eovaldi $7,885
AAA 56 Antonini $7,869



Manny $8,087,432 deferred


Andruw $3,375,000 deferred


Pierre $3,050,000 deferred
Furcal $3,000,000 deferred
Kuroda $2,000,000 deferred
Garland $1,500,000 option buyout
Blake $1,250,000 option buyout
DFA 66 MacDougal $650,000

Totals
$115,942,869

For more detailed information, click here.

Current 40-man roster count: 42
(incl. De La Rosa & Hawksworth)

Yahoo_full_count

Manager

Eric___ned___reporters_2011_trade_deadline_small Eric Stephen

Editors

100_1427_small Phil Gurnee

Dgy_small David Young

Hanauma_bay_small Chad Moriyama

2501_small Michael White

Raptors_small Brandon Lennox

Img_0103_small CraigMinami