Sunday, May 21, 2006
Dodgers - OWhere is Odalis?
Odails Perez pitched the first time I ever saw the Dodgers live in a Major League stadium. It was in Dodger Stadium. I had gone on a trip to LA with my family, and we took in a game Sunday night of the trip. Dodgers vs. Cardinals. The game was on July 20, 2003, and best known for being the most home runs ever hit in Dodger Stadium in one night: 9. While that was nice, the unfortunate thing was that the Dodgers 5 home runs were pretty much all solo shots, while the Cardinals got people on base and then launched the ball out of the park. So the first time I saw the Dodgers play, they lost, by a score of 10-7.
That being said, I will admit to my frustrations with Odalis Perez. His performance in the 2004 playoff series, where he lost twice, didn't make me feel any better about him. Last season was not good for him either, particularly with the injury. I figured it wasn't too much to worry about; after all, a lot of the games ended up as no-decisions, 4.5 isn't a terrible ERA when he'd get more run support this year, and he plays well in even-numbered years.
The Dodgers essentially made up their minds that after he blew the game and gave away a 6 run lead to the division rival Diamondbacks, after blowing a 5 run lead in a previous game against the Braves, and just getting off to a lousy start against the Houston Astros, that he was out of the rotation. Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt claimed that there were problems with his mechanics, although these clearly have not been effectively communicated as Odalis refuses to acknowledge any mechanical problems on his part. Looking simply at his W-L record says that he has a 4-1 record in 7 games, and a 3-1 record in his 6 starts. His ERA, though, is a whopping 6.9.
Odalis claimed that the reason for his poor performance against Arizona was because he couldn't help but think about his mother, and this is believable since he claimed a similar distraction during the 2004 playoffs. Whether that distraction caused the mechanical problems he had is uncertain, although what was certain was that he proved himself unstable, unable to hold when the Dodgers give him the run support which he has publicly criticized the team for not giving him in the past.
Odalis' last good outing came April 21, also against Arizona. He lasted 6 innings, struck out 4, walked one, and surrendered just 4 hits and one run. A stellar performance for sure. Said Grady Little after the game
And then, the next two starts for Perez were rather disasterous. Grady Little had the following to say after that one
Now after that start, Odalis went on bereavement, Aaron Sele made a replacement start, and pitched rather well. Perez was then moved to the bullpen right when he got back. For an explanation, the most logical one is this:
That would be the apparent trigger of Perez's demotion, although his number do tell a distinct story.
Odalis had never had an opponent's batting average above .290 against him after a season (2001 with Atlanta) - never above .267 as a starter (2003), and already opponents are thus far hitting .330 against him.
The teams that have gotten the most out of him are the Astros, the Diamondbacks, and the Braves.
What is most telling is the WHIP (walks + hits per inning pitched). For his career, this number is 1.26, and as a starter never exceeded 1.28 (2003), and in fact got as low as .99 (2002), but this season it is 1.71. Over 6 innings, that's more than 10 guys on base.
Perez tended more towards grounders in 2003 and 2004, having close to a 2-1 GO-AO ratio in those years, but currently that number is closer to 1.2-1. This is not completely relevant, though, with a 1.34 number in his best year, 2002, and a 1.4 number last year, which was acceptable.
While the 5 bases stolen on him already this season can also in part be blamed on Navarro, the fact is that Perez is letting baserunners on, and they are more apt to score. Last year in 108 innings, 14 were swiped off him in 19 starts compared to 5 in 6 starts and 31 innings this year.
Perez is on track for a normal season with regard to home runs allowed, as he has surrendered 4 thus far.
The
That being said, I will admit to my frustrations with Odalis Perez. His performance in the 2004 playoff series, where he lost twice, didn't make me feel any better about him. Last season was not good for him either, particularly with the injury. I figured it wasn't too much to worry about; after all, a lot of the games ended up as no-decisions, 4.5 isn't a terrible ERA when he'd get more run support this year, and he plays well in even-numbered years.
The Dodgers essentially made up their minds that after he blew the game and gave away a 6 run lead to the division rival Diamondbacks, after blowing a 5 run lead in a previous game against the Braves, and just getting off to a lousy start against the Houston Astros, that he was out of the rotation. Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt claimed that there were problems with his mechanics, although these clearly have not been effectively communicated as Odalis refuses to acknowledge any mechanical problems on his part. Looking simply at his W-L record says that he has a 4-1 record in 7 games, and a 3-1 record in his 6 starts. His ERA, though, is a whopping 6.9.
Odalis claimed that the reason for his poor performance against Arizona was because he couldn't help but think about his mother, and this is believable since he claimed a similar distraction during the 2004 playoffs. Whether that distraction caused the mechanical problems he had is uncertain, although what was certain was that he proved himself unstable, unable to hold when the Dodgers give him the run support which he has publicly criticized the team for not giving him in the past.
Odalis' last good outing came April 21, also against Arizona. He lasted 6 innings, struck out 4, walked one, and surrendered just 4 hits and one run. A stellar performance for sure. Said Grady Little after the game
Manager Grady Little said of Perez's performance, "He had a very consistent
approach to the game and gave us another strong six innings. We're happy for him
and for us."
And then, the next two starts for Perez were rather disasterous. Grady Little had the following to say after that one
"He kept firing, but they kept hitting," said Little, who lifted Perez after he
allowed a grand slam to Chad Tracy to tie the game and walked Luis Gonzalez, the
eighth batter of the inning, putting the go-ahead run on base.
"Too many
times this year we've had five-run leads, six-run leads. Today, we made great
strides with our offense, and it continued throughout the ballgame, but, [dang],
we've got to make a pitch when we've got to make a pitch."
Now after that start, Odalis went on bereavement, Aaron Sele made a replacement start, and pitched rather well. Perez was then moved to the bullpen right when he got back. For an explanation, the most logical one is this:
Owner Frank McCourt visited Colletti in his press-level suite above home plate
moments after Chad Tracy's grand slam against Odalis Perez tied the score, 6-6,
in the fifth inning.From their animated gestures, it appeared McCourt vented for
several minutes, then Colletti made a few points. Eventually both men sat back
in their chairs and chatted amiably for two innings before McCourt departed.
That would be the apparent trigger of Perez's demotion, although his number do tell a distinct story.
Odalis had never had an opponent's batting average above .290 against him after a season (2001 with Atlanta) - never above .267 as a starter (2003), and already opponents are thus far hitting .330 against him.
The teams that have gotten the most out of him are the Astros, the Diamondbacks, and the Braves.
What is most telling is the WHIP (walks + hits per inning pitched). For his career, this number is 1.26, and as a starter never exceeded 1.28 (2003), and in fact got as low as .99 (2002), but this season it is 1.71. Over 6 innings, that's more than 10 guys on base.
Perez tended more towards grounders in 2003 and 2004, having close to a 2-1 GO-AO ratio in those years, but currently that number is closer to 1.2-1. This is not completely relevant, though, with a 1.34 number in his best year, 2002, and a 1.4 number last year, which was acceptable.
While the 5 bases stolen on him already this season can also in part be blamed on Navarro, the fact is that Perez is letting baserunners on, and they are more apt to score. Last year in 108 innings, 14 were swiped off him in 19 starts compared to 5 in 6 starts and 31 innings this year.
Perez is on track for a normal season with regard to home runs allowed, as he has surrendered 4 thus far.
The
Labels: Dodgers
# posted by StolenMonkey86 @ 11:54 PM 
