Coach Fletcher’s Saturday Scouting Edge
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Royals, Twins Have Different Playoff Hopes
10:05 am Royals at Twins
The Twin playoff hopes are hanging by a thread, but at least the thread is still there. The Royals and Blue Jays are still tied up in the battle for home field. So this is an important game for both teams and we shouldn’t see any shenanigans. The Royals are sending Yordano Ventura to the hill. This RHP is 12-8 on the year with a 4.20 era. He has 7 quality starts in his last 10 efforts and shutout the Cubs in 7 frames last out. Tommy Milone, a LHP, goes for the Twins who have to win this to keep their playoff hopes alive. Milone is 9-5 with a 4.04 era. Milone gave up 2 runs in 5 2/3 in his last start. Tommy is 2-0 with a 3.75 era against KC this year. He’s 5-2 with a 3.90 era overall versus KC. Yordano hasn’t been that effective against the Twins. In one start this year he gave up 4 runs and 8 hits in a 6-2 loss in September. Ventura is 1-3 with a 4.70 era lifetime against the Twins.
Angels Look To Post-Season; Texas Looks to Clinch AL West
10:05 am Angels at Rangers
The Angels kept their post=season hopes alive by beating the Rangers. But they are helpless unless the Astros lose. The Rangers just need a win or Astro loss to clinch. The Angels throw Hector Santiago who had an All-Star first half and a minor league second half. He’s 9-9 on the season with a 3.52 era. Santiago has stumbled repeatedly during the second half. If he has command issues, as he has recently, he won’t last long. In his last 3 starts he’s only made it through 11 1/3 innings with an era of 7.94. Santiago has done well against Texas. He’s blanked them twice this year in 6 and 7 inning stints. In those two starts over 13 innings he’s only allowed 4 hits. He allowed 5 hits and 3 runs in 5 innings in his other start versus the Rangers this year. He’s 6-2 lifetime with a 3.27 era. The rangers will go with Colby Lewis who is 17-9 despite a 4.53 era. He hasn’t had much success against the Angels this year. In three starts totaling 16 2/3 innings Lewis has allowed 22 hits and 10 runs. He’s 6-11 lifetime versus the Halos with a 6.04 era.
Gonzalez Will Try to Be Spoiler Against Mets
10:10 am Nationals at Mets
The Nationals are a disgrace and the Mets are battling the Dodgers for home field. Gio Gonzalez will try to see that the Mets don’t get it. Gonzalez is 11-8 with a 3.93 era. He does quite well against the NY team. This season he is 2-0 versus the Mets with a 1.53 era. In his career, Gonzalez is 9-4 with a 2.83 era in 16 starts. He’ll face the Mets’ Noah Syndergaard. Noah, notorious for pitching poorly on the road and well at home, has allowed but 7 hits and 3 runs in his last 14 2/3 on the road. However, in the middle of the two excellent road shows, he got clubbed by the NYY at home for 7 hits and 5 runs in 6 innings. Overall, Syndergaard is 7-2 with a 2.57 era in 11 home starts.
Burnett Wants to Finish With A Flourish
4:05 pm Reds at Pirates
A.J. Burnett will do his best to guarantee the Pirates will play the Wild Card game at home when he faces the Reds today at PNC Park. This will be Burnett’s 430th major league start and it will certainly be his last regular season effort. Burnett has stated that he will retire this year after the Pirates play-off run. Battling injuries throughout the year, Burnett is 9-6 with a 3.15 era. Burnett is effective at PNC where the 38 year old has posted a 2.40 era in 12 starts this season. A.J. will face another Red youngster, Brandon K. Finnegan. Finnegan has made 26 appearances in MLB but only 3 as a starter. He is 4-2 this season with a 3.86 era. In his last start he held the Nats to 3 runs and 8 hits in 5 innings.
McHugh Tries to Help Secure Wild Card Role for Astros
5:10 pm Astros at Diamondbacks
Collin McHugh is doing his best to push the Astros into the Wild Card or perhaps even catch Texas. McHugh is 18-7 for the year with a 3.98 era. In his last 13 starts in this crunch time, McHugh has gone 11-2 with a 3.27 era. He’s had 15 starts on the road with 11 of them counting as quality starts. McHugh is 6-4 with a 4.26 era. Things may continue to go the Astros way as the D-Backs send Jeremy Hellickson to the hill. Hellickson is 9-11 on the year with a 4.60 era. In one career start against Houston this year, Hellickson was anything but effective. He was pounded for 7 hits, 3 which left the park, and 6 runs in 3 1/3. McHugh shut down the D-Backs on 8 hits allowing 1 run in 7 innings the last time he faced the Arizona team. Houston punctuated their win last night with 21 runs against the stunned D-Back squad.