Game Seventeen: Indians 4, Twins 0

by Ryan on Apr 19, 2008 9:17 AM EDT in Game Recaps

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Cliff Lee	.414	Grady Sizemore	-.098
Casey Blake	.150	Franklin Gutierrez	-.079
Jason Michaels	.043	Kelly Shoppach	-.008

As unexpectedly bad CC Sabathia has been, Cliff Lee has been unexpectedly good. Through 3 starts, his line is:

22.2 IP, 0.40 ERA, 8 H, 20 SO, 2 BB

We'd be happy if either Sabathia or Fausto Carmona had a start like this, but we also wouldn't be shocked by it. But Cliff Lee starting this way? The guy who had to beat out two other pitchers just to make the team? On a personal level, Lee has been a huge blow to my analytical confidence; how has the pitcher who was banished to AAA last season pitched so dominantly so far? It's not like he's really changed the way he pitches: he's still living off his fastball (76.7%), and there's been no real change in velocity (still 89 mph). But his control is light-years better than the last couple seasons, and, more importantly, opposing hitters don't seem to see his pitches as well. Perhaps it was the sit-ups.

Francisco Liriano, who's still recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2007, had trouble staying in the strike zone, missing mostly away and up. Assuming everything's all right physically, the Indians got him at the right time; in June or July, when it will have been a season and a half since the surgery (historically when pitchers get back to 100 percent), he'll be a completely different pitcher, again throwing his devastating slider.

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i officially don’t understand anything about baseball.

by still ill on Apr 19, 2008 10:43 AM EDT reply actions

One difference, I don’t know how significant, is that Lee is getting his curve ball over for strikes. He seems to use it consistently after getting 2 strikes on a hitter.

by elsandito on Apr 19, 2008 11:16 AM EDT reply actions

You can keep that bag of balls. . .

. . . and we’ll keep Cliff. As unprecedented as his performance to date has been, it is great to see Cliff, the guy (rightfully?) at the top of everyone’s list for months to be shipped out of town for ‘a bag of balls’ , proving he can still got some gas in the tank and some fight between the ears.
I agree with elsandito . . . His breaking ball looks much sharper, he’s locating it, and has regained command of the fastball. The amount of K’s he’s racked up is unbelievable. The confidence he must have now should help him stay sharp for a while, even though the results come back to earth.

by DocNo on Apr 19, 2008 12:02 PM EDT reply actions

2.5-to-1 K to HIT ratio!

The Disabled List just called ... it was trying to unload Joe Borowski. I offered a bagel but balked at giving up a ham sandwich.

by westbrook on Apr 19, 2008 12:32 PM EDT reply actions

I think Ryan made a good point. Yes, he’s got more command of his fastball, but hitters definitely don’t seem to be picking him up as well either. Even when he misses out over the plate they seem to be late on him. That used to be a big asset of his and it disappeared over the last two years.

by TribeJay on Apr 19, 2008 10:31 PM EDT reply actions