- Halladay's curve crossing up hitters
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<!-- end story header --><!-- begin left column --> <!-- begin page tools --> Updated: June 25, 2008
<!-- end page tools --><!-- begin story body --> <!-- template inline -->Editor's note: Inside Edge is a professional scouting service that supplies reports and tools regularly used by major league teams. The following look ahead is based on its scouting data.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH: WEDNESDAY
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<!-- INLINE HEADSHOT (END) --> 1. Halladay's incomparable hook
Few pitchers rely on their curveball more than Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay, and nobody is having more success with the pitch this season. The table below lists the eight pitchers who have thrown the most curves this season, and the best numbers belong to Halladay: <!-- begin table --> <table class="tableheadFixWidth" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="450"> <tbody><tr class="stathead" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td colspan="7">Top curveball pitchers</td> </tr> <tr class="colhead" valign="top"> <td>Pitcher</td> <td>BA against</td> <td>SLG against</td> <td>Well-hit avg. against</td> <td>In-play pct. of swings</td> <td>Miss pct. of swings</td> <td>K pct. of ABs</td> </tr> <tr class="oddrow" valign="top"> <td>Roy Halladay</td> <td>.139</td> <td>.185</td> <td>.056</td> <td>29.8</td> <td>43.5</td> <td>53.7</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow" valign="top"> <td>A.J. Burnett</td> <td>.163</td> <td>.250</td> <td>.130</td> <td>32.8</td> <td>43.1</td> <td>51.1</td> </tr> <tr class="oddnrow" valign="top"> <td>Ricky Nolasco</td> <td>.183</td> <td>.269</td> <td>.108</td> <td>46.8</td> <td>20.9</td> <td>30.1</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow" valign="top"> <td>Ben Sheets</td> <td>.210</td> <td>.364</td> <td>.126</td> <td>41.28</td> <td>28.8</td> <td>35.0</td> </tr> <tr class="oddrow" valign="top"> <td>Erik Bedard</td> <td>.224</td> <td>.294</td> <td>.165</td> <td>37.4</td> <td>28.1</td> <td>25.9</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow" valign="top"> <td>Mike Mussina</td> <td>.239</td> <td>.422</td> <td>.202</td> <td>58.1</td> <td>12.5</td> <td>15.6</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow" valign="top"> <td>Bronson Arroyo</td> <td>.270</td> <td>.551</td> <td>.180</td> <td>44.5</td> <td>25.8</td> <td>25.8</td> </tr> <tr class="oddrow" valign="top"> <td>Josh Beckett</td> <td>.284</td> <td>.537</td> <td>.164</td> <td>41.8</td> <td>28.6</td> <td>36.8</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- end table --> By every measure, Halladay has the best curveball. Among all pitchers who have thrown at least 200 curves this season, Halladay ranks in the top four in each category and leads the league in miss percentage and strikeout percentage. Halladay has always had a good curve, but rarely one this good. It's no surprise then that he is having his best season since 2003, when he took the AL Cy Young award. The Reds, Halladay's opponent Wednesday, have missed 31 percent of swings at curves this season, third-worst in the majors. <!-- INLINE HEADSHOT (BEGIN) -->
<!-- INLINE HEADSHOT (END) --> 2. DeJesus hitting the first pitch hard
David DeJesus has been a bright spot for Kansas City this season after hitting a disappointing .260 last season. The center fielder is hitting .346 in June and has three home runs during his current 10-game hitting streak. DeJesus has feasted on the first pitch this season. His .625 batting average (15-for-24) against first pitches is second-best in the majors. In June, he's a perfect 6-for-6 on first pitches with three home runs and a double. <!-- begin table --> <table class="tableheadFixWidth" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="450"> <tbody><tr class="stathead" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td colspan="6">DeJesus vs. first pitch</td> </tr> <tr class="colhead" valign="top"> <td>Year</td> <td>BA</td> <td>Well-hit avg.</td> <td>Pct. in zone</td> <td>Swing pct.</td> <td>Chase pct.</td> </tr> <tr class="oddrow" valign="top"> <td>2007</td> <td>.311</td> <td>.297</td> <td>57.1</td> <td>22.3</td> <td>7.9</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow" valign="top"> <td>2008</td> <td>.625</td> <td>.458</td> <td>48.9</td> <td>16.0</td> <td>5.8</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- end table --> DeJesus, a fastball hitter, has steadily improved against off-speed pitches. He doesn't miss as often and is making harder contact: <!-- begin table --> <table class="tableheadFixWidth" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="450"> <tbody><tr class="stathead" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td colspan="4">DeJesus vs. off-speed pitches through Monday</td> </tr> <tr class="colhead" valign="top"> <td>Month</td> <td>BA</td> <td>Well-hit avg.</td> <td>Miss pct. of swings</td> </tr> <tr class="oddrow" valign="top"> <td>March/April</td> <td>.154</td> <td>.077</td> <td>27.3</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow" valign="top"> <td>May</td> <td>.184</td> <td>.158</td> <td>18.8</td> </tr> <tr class="oddrow" valign="top"> <td>June</td> <td>.321</td> <td>.250</td> <td>7.3</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- end table --> <!-- INLINE HEADSHOT (BEGIN) -->
<!-- INLINE HEADSHOT (END) --> 3. Aaron Cookin' in Colorado
With the Rockies in the NL West cellar, it's easy to overlook the season Aaron Cook is having. The righty is 10-4 with a 3.57 ERA. A ground ball pitcher on a ground ball staff, Cook's 49 percent in-play rate on swings is better than the 43 percent league average. He depends on hitters making weak contact on his sinker and slider to generate lots of ground ball outs. Cook's 16 starts this season have been equally divided between catchers Chris Iannetta and Yorvit Torrealba. His stats are almost identical with each catcher -- well, except for the important ones (BA against and ERA): <!-- begin table --> <table class="tableheadFixWidth" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="450"> <tbody><tr class="stathead" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td colspan="6">Cook by catcher</td> </tr> <tr class="colhead" valign="top"> <td>Catcher</td> <td>Games</td> <td>PA</td> <td>Pct. in zone</td> <td>BA against</td> <td>ERA</td> </tr> <tr class="oddrow" valign="top"> <td>Iannetta</td> <td>8</td> <td>229</td> <td>50.6</td> <td>.291</td> <td>3.93</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow" valign="top"> <td>Torrealba</td> <td>8</td> <td>228</td> <td>50.5</td> <td>.264</td> <td>3.21</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- end table --> In 2008, hitters have a .267 well-hit average against Cook on pitches in the strike zone, a number higher than the league average. He's posted great results, however, when he slightly misses the zone. We consider the area just off the corners and knees as "good misses" for pitchers. Cook throws a higher percentage of "good misses" and fewer balls far out of the zone when Torrealba catches. <!-- begin table --> <table class="tableheadFixWidth" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="450"> <tbody><tr class="stathead" style="background: rgb(0, 0, 0) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td colspan="3">Pitch location pct.</td> </tr> <tr class="colhead" valign="top"> <td>Catcher</td> <td>Good misses</td> <td>Non-competitive misses</td> </tr> <tr class="oddrow" valign="top"> <td>Iannetta</td> <td>17.5</td> <td>32.0</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow" valign="top"> <td>Torrealba</td> <td>24.0</td> <td>25.6</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- end table --> Although Cook improves with Torrealba, the net outcome still favors Iannetta. Cook's record is 6-1 with Iannetta, compared to 4-3 with Torrealba. Iannetta is the better hitter, and the Rockies score more runs for Cook with him in the order (5.6 runs per game) than with Torrealba (4.5 runs).