Coming into the season, it looked to me as if the strength of the Suns would be the pitching staff. The Nationals Short-Season A team, the Vermont Lake Monsters, had a nice and tidy 3.81 ERA and with a rotation consisting of Colton Willems, Jordan Zimmerman, Glen Gibson, Hassan Pena and Cole Kimball it seemed the Suns would be the pitching envy of the league. Well, baseball has a funny way of fooling you, especially attempting to predict what players will start the season at a specific level. Gibson got traded and Zimmerman started with the Potomac Nationals, but Willems, Kimball and Pena all started with the Suns.
Unfortunately, the first half of the season was tough on the Suns rotation, as they ended with an ERA north of 5.00. The SAL’s best offense kept the Suns in the playoff race until late May, but in the end the Suns fell short.
However, the standings reset in the second half of the season, and perhaps the three day All Star Break was therapeutic for the Suns staff. While still early, just six games in, the Suns starting pitchers have yet to allow more than two earned runs in any start.
Willems, the staff ace, has been brilliant twice. In the second half opener, he pitched 8 2/3 and allowed just one unearned run in Delmarva and again last night was excellent: one earned in six innings of work. Kimball had one his best starts of the season as well, striking out eight in 5 2/3 to earn the win. Josh Smoker, Brad Meyers and Erik Arnesen also have done their share.
I asked Pitching Coach Paul Menhart about the difference after the four stellar outings in Delmarva. I believe my exact question was “what’s the magic elixir?” Paul’s joking answer came with arms swept wide: “Love.” For some reason I had a hunch it would be something slightly more scientific. A change in mechanics. A difference in approach. An emphasis on establishing the fastball. Evidently, I was incorrect.
Tags: Paul Menhart, Pitching
June 30, 2008 at 2:48 am |
Besides the increase in effectiveness of the starting pitchers, one constant has been the strength of our relief pitchers. Dan Leatherman continues to show consistency in his outings. I am stuck because I can’t wait to see him make his way up the system, but I also don’t want to lose him from our team.
June 30, 2008 at 3:52 am |
That is an excellent point, though I think the bullpen (along with many other things) deserves a post of its own. There will be a new post up tomorrow, though not necessarily regarding the relief core.
July 5, 2008 at 6:49 pm |
This is great, I never noticed the blog until today, great idea! The one thing I have noticed is the level of inconsistancy this year. When things go bad everything goes bad, especially fielding errors. The team has given their opponents 5 or 6 outs on multiple occasions this year. With call ups pitching will no doubt be the area in which this team will sink or swim with down the stretch.
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