It sucks to come home from dinner to a loss, and this season is beginning to feel a lot like the transition year we didn't want to call it at 15-10. Helping to alleviate the disappointment, though, was the performance of Jason Vargas, whose outing you will find quickly summarized below:
73 pitches, 59% strikes
6 grounders
6 flyballs
4 line drives
86.8mph fastball
82.9mph slider
77.7mph change
72.8mph curve
Against Righties
57 pitches, 56% strikes
4 swinging strikes
26 fastballs
21 changeups
3 curves
7 sliders
Against Lefties
16 pitches, 69% strikes
2 swinging strikes
5 fastballs
1 changeup
0 curves
11 sliders
Not a spectacular outing by any means, but given the miserable conditions, Vargas did a solid job. He only threw 42% fastballs, too, making him look like something in the Ted Lilly mold. His approach against lefties, meanwhile, was Justin Thomas-esque.
Though the Mariners got lit up in the end, Vargas had nothing to do with it, as he blew away all of my pregame expectations. It'll be interesting to see how well his slop works in future starts. Vargas was a bit of a forgotten piece in the JJ trade, but he might yet turn into a capable back-of-the-rotation starter, and though we hardly need that trade to look any better for us, I'm a little bit greedy.
0 recs | 26 comments
OK I guess...
I hate to say it but I came away unimpressed. Might be because of his unsustainable HR/Fly ball rate. He gave up 1 HR, and what 4 or 5 to the warning track. If the wind was blowing out, or if it was hot and dry like it is in the summer in Arlington he gets lit up like a Christmas tree.
But still, he did OK considering the situation. I will pay attention to his next start., just becuase he is better than the other alternatives Hopefully he has a lot less balls that go to the track next start. Maybe it was just the Texas lineup, maybe it was his first MLB start back jitters, or maybe it is how he will pitch in the MLB, but he did OK against Texas.
It is funny to see his ERA of a 1.04 and a FIP of 4.24.
laxtonto - May 13, 2009
Again... NOT his first MLB start.
This was his 21st MLB start.
(Agreed, though, that he was really, really close to getting knocked out in the 2nd or 3rd, when each out was a flyout to deep center.)
marc w - May 13, 2009
can i ask what the "miserable conditions" were?
From what i could tell, it looked like there was no wind helping the hitters and actually probably knocking down hard hit fly balls. Laxtonto had a good point, there were 3-4 hard hit balls to the track that on a “normal” or no “miserable” conditions, they probably end up in the seats. So what made conditions so “miserable”
thad728 - May 13, 2009
Facing the Texas lineup is pretty miserable conditions for a pitcher
Graham MacAree - May 13, 2009
Also try capitalising and generally making more sense
Graham MacAree - May 13, 2009
Dude come on. Just asking a question to get more insight.
and if you are going to jump on me for “grammar mistakes”, try getting it correct yourself. It’s capitalizing. Thanks for playing though!!
thad728 - May 13, 2009
1) That's "spelling"
2) UK English is generally considered acceptable for a Briton.
3) You may have noticed that you agreed to the following terms of service when you registered for LL:
Graham MacAree - May 13, 2009
Ugh.
1. Graham is British, and that’s the British spelling.
2. After last night’s shenanigans, LSB commenters who joined the site five minutes ago aren’t going to find a very warm welcome. I’d tread lightly if I were you.
Teej - May 13, 2009
So because I am a Rangers fan and just politely asked a question to more understand the post
I am going to get nailed here? My apologies to Graham on the British grammar. But whats the point of knocking on someone for missing ONE capitalization? I didnt post here to cause problems. Just asked an honest questions.
What were last nights shenanigans?
thad728 - May 13, 2009
Certain LSB'ers may have flipped a tizzy about a Josh Hamilton doing cocaine joke and decided to spam us
Graham MacAree - May 13, 2009
And I realize that LSB'ers aren't regulars here
But we make fun of everyone, from Carlos Silva for being fat (well, it’s not funny anymore) to Brandon Morrow’s diabetes. Hamilton isn’t alone on it.
I mean, we even had Brandon Morrow post here himself!
Fin - May 13, 2009
Check the "chart" thread below this one for the full story
pdb - May 13, 2009
He both answered your question and asked a favor at the same time.
I saw no nailing going on.
Sec 108 - May 13, 2009
Really, really funny is what they were.
.Taylor - May 13, 2009
Heavily right-handed Texas lineup in their ballpark
Jeff Sullivan - May 13, 2009
He ran a single game tRA of 8.57
Graham MacAree - May 13, 2009
Which kinda jives with watching the game.
He was terrifying.
Graham MacAree - May 13, 2009
So it the right call to pull Vargas after 73 pitches and five innings?
And can he go 100 pitches per start regularly if in less miserable conditions for a pitcher?
Decatur - May 13, 2009
*So it was
Decatur - May 13, 2009
Don't read that much into it
All I’m saying is that Vargas didn’t look very good. And as mentioned above, although it was hot down there and Vargas was facing the Ranger lineup, the wind wasn’t doing its usual crazy Arlington thing and so Vargas was able to get away with a lot of shit. His defence also bailed him out a few times, but there are worse things than being a pitch-to-contact flyballer in front of our outfield.
Graham MacAree - May 13, 2009
Yup.
It’s the sort of game that might work every now and again in Safeco (or Cheney), but man…. elevated ’fast’balls in Texas?
marc w - May 13, 2009
I assumed nearly everything hit in the air was a home run
I was actually astonished that Kinsler didn’t get a leadoff homer off that swing on that pitch
Graham MacAree - May 13, 2009
The wind must've been stronger than I thought
I thought Branyan got one out, and it ended up a lazy fly ball to medium-deep right.
marc w - May 13, 2009
If he were anything less than terrifying I'd hand him the key to the city
it was arguably the worst matchup/environment possible for him and he was able to survive. Fly balls are fly balls. Only one of them left the yard.
Jeff Sullivan - May 13, 2009
And barely at that.
ThundaPC - May 13, 2009
Vargas is an ugly motherfucker.
Phil Hatzenbuehler - May 13, 2009
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