Friar Watch

I don’t have much to say about these games, they’re on the east coast so I haven’t been able to watch the game. On top of that there’s no Enhanced Gameday data so nothing to analyze.

5/29
David Wells was fine, 2 earned runs in 5 IP.
Meredith gave up a rare home run in one inning of work.
Kevin Cameron worked 2 innings and gave up his first earned run of the year. On the positive side he didn’t walk anyone, something he had struggled with previously.

5/30
Chris Young dominated, 7K, 4H, 1BB, 0ER in 7 IP.
Doug Brocail pitched a 1-2-3 9th. Nice to see him get back on track after his recent struggles.
With a 9 run lead Bud Black decided he could trust Justin Hampson with the 9th inning. Hampson gave up a hit but no runs.

5/31
Thanks to the rain delayed start I got to see a little of this one.
Greg Maddux didn’t seem to have his best stuff but for the most part he was able to wriggle out of jams. After giving up only 1 run through 6 innings I thought Bud Black should have counted his blessings and sent Bell or Meredith out to start the 7th. Instead Bud once again chose to push his luck with one of his veteran starters and sent Maddux back out. Maddux gave up a leadoff double that was just fair down the right field line. After the next batter bunted him to third Maddux got a huge strikeout for the second out. Mark Grant talked about how the strike three pitch was high and outside the zone on purpose and I believe it. Maddux used the young hitter’s aggressiveness in that situation to get the swinging strike. Unfortunately the next hitter hit a line drive that was about a half inch too high for Khalil Greene to snag so the run scored anyway and Maddux was done. At the time I thought this sealed the game. It was a run that should have never happened.

Heath Bell came in and got the final hitter on a strikeout. He was followed by Brocail, Meredith and Linebrink, none of whom gave up a run.

After a dramatic comeback Trevor came on for the save in the 11th. Considering this was a team trying to go for a walkoff win it was a heck of a performance. No one was even close to getting a hit, they looked like overmatched minor leaguers.