So Carlos Carrasco got roughed up pretty good in his first start. Well … he got roughed up real good. Eric Wedge said he was nervous, and Carrasco did not disagree.
This is what I wonder. Many times I recall the Indians hitters flailing away when they saw a new pitcher just up from the minors. After being shut out or scoring one run on three measly hits, the hitters always said the pitcher had a great advantage because the Indians had never seen him and didn’t know how he threw. What his stuff was like. What was his “out” pitch. His delivery. All that nonsense.
Yet the Indians guy gets treated like your teenager treats the lambie she took to bed with her when she was young.
So why does it seem that when the Indians face a new pitcher they are at a disadvantage, but when the Indians put a new pitcher on the mound he gets shelled?
Why does this happen?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Preparation, preparation, preparation… just a couple ideas.
Or was this a rhetorical question
To help identify which is phenomena normal, even star pitchers get lit up in their first few starts. Tom Glavine (3.2 innings, 6 runs) and Roger Clemens (5.2 iP, 4 runs) did it in their first start. John Smoltz, Johan Santana and Greg Maddux had one or one or two good starts– and then got blasted.
Want to check your favorite guy? Go to baseball-reference.com, click on his career record and then the Game Logs menu. Data for all games since 1954 is there
Just as Kevin Costner warned Tim Robbins in Bull Durham… The most effective way to break in a young starter is to let him pitch in long relief first.
Pat, I thought the exact same thing after that game. A rookie is unhittable when he faces the Indians. Armando Galarraga and Homer Bailey quickly came to mind.
And who can forget Bob Wolcott in the 95 playoffs.