I am in the middle of job hunting right now, and it is a very stressful time. So, I promised myself yesterday that if I found a few jobs to apply to on Tuesday, I would treat myself to Tuesday’s game. My added incentive was lower level box seats on sale for $22, so I found some job openings, completed my morning appointments, and headed to the stadium to pick up my will call ticket. 118, Row 20, Seat 12.
1. I have not yet sat this close to the action at Miller Park. While the Cleveland Indians were in town during their snow out games, my friends and I sat down the third base line off the dugout. So, those seats were technically “closer” to the field, these seats today placed my right on top of the action.
Today I really captured just how intense every at bat is. Everyone is so focused on each pitch, and after each pitch, the tension explodes, and there is an unfolding of events: the catcher sliding to smother a wild breaking ball, the batter fighting off a sinker, the umpire interacting with the batter, the pitcher following his pitch. I truly appreciate just how difficult this game is for the major leaguers, and the level at which they are playing the game.
2. Manny Parra needs to throw more strikes. And better strikes. Today he finished yet another non-quality start, although it was not an awful start. His start was plagued by nibbling around the strike zone. This disappointed me, because his stuff is clearly good, and he has a very easy time switching speeds, causing deception, and maintaining different velocity levels. Parra has the potential to be one of those quality middle of the rotation (or higher) pitchers that can get by on deception, while having the luxury of sitting on a mid-90s fastball.
Here is an example of some of his velocity sequences:
90-93 (first through second IP)
89-91 (fourth through fifth IP)
73-76 (second through fifth IP)
83-84 (first through fifth IP)
81-82 (third through fifth IP)
I basically found Parra to be working comfortably in the upper 80s and lower 90s, and by the third onward he really established his change up (which I assume to be 81-82). I believe he was also throwing a slider effectively (which I assume to be 83-85). The fact is, by the middle of his start, he was working at least two different mid-80s off speed pitches effectively.
However, his trouble started in the second, where he provided Ludwick with a lead off walk, recorded two fly outs, and then surrendered consecutive singles, including and RBI single to pitcher Kyle Lohse (who now has 3 RBI off of Parra). What could have been an efficient inning took his pitch count to 33, and the top of the order then put Parra through a long third inning, in which Parra through 30 pitches, but got a lot of defensive help from Ryan Braun (who threw out Albert Pujols).
Parra then struggled in the fourth with two outs recorded, allowing two baserunners on two suspect defensive plays (one charged an error, the other a single). He finished the inning without allowing a run, but his pitch count was further damaged.
What I like about Parra is his velocity level, and his mechanics. He has a wide variety of pitches to use, and he has the luxury of that hard fastball in his back pocket. He also seems to vary the fastball velocity at some points, notching different fastball velocity levels in most of his innings pitched. I think that if Parra was more aggressive, he would in turn limit his pitch count, and it seems to me that he needs to simply trust his ability to change speeds.
The perfect model for Parra occurred in the fifth inning, where he regularly set up his fastball with a slow curveball. I forget the particular batter, but he was unhittable when he attacked with his change up, and also when he used his slow curve to set up his blazing fastball. 93 is that much faster and harder when it follows a 74 curveball, especially when the fastball that follows the low curve is placed high in the zone.
3. Seth McClung was the perfect model of a Brewers pitcher pitching aggressively today. He was placed into a tie game in the 12th, to face Ludwick, Glaus, and La Rue. He started the inning by testing each of his breaking pitches, which come in at two different speeds. He then turned to working his fastball around the zone, and although he can get the ball up to the upper 90s and tough triple digits, he began working the fastball at slower speeds, working up to a consistent 96 by game’s end (ironically, the GameDay guns are much more consistent in reading McClung’s fastball at very high velocities from the start of the inning)..
By moving the fastball around, and focusing on placement and throwing strikes, McClung was able to strike out Ludwick and La Rue looking; La Rue’s strike out was an especially sweet inside fastball that touched 96.
Glaus was the only batter to put a ball in play during the inning, and he tried to time McClung’s fastball. His effort did not work, and he dribbled out to McClung, who threw to first to make the out.
McClung’s outing was a model for what Brewers’ pitchers need to do: change location, vary speeds, throw strikes. Change the places the batter can look in the zone for strikes, and by being aggressive, it forces the batter to beat the pitcher, rather than allowing the pitcher to defeat himself.
4. Cardinals fans are very nice people and very knowledgeable fans. I had the pleasure of sitting next to a diehard Cards fan, and was in a little pocket of Cards fans for the game. It was an enjoyable day at Miller Park from that perspective.