It’s Game 5 of the 2015 regular season. The Rockies look for their 5th straight win and best start in team history, bettering the 4-0 mark set in the early days of 1995.
Tonight, the Rockies welcome back an old friend: Jason Hammel, in his first outing at Coors since departing the Rockies before the 2012 season. We know Hammel has the mental toughness to pitch at Coors. Can he prevent a big, crooked number in the early innings, and will he get any help from his offense in his first 2015 outing?
On the Rockies’ side, Kyle Kendrick is on the mound after a solid first outing where he issued no runs and more importantly no walks in 7 innings. One big key to Coors is keeping free passes to a minimum. If Kendrick gets to the 7th, look for the new PowerPen to secure his 2nd win.
Chicago Cubs
CF: Dexter Fowler
RF: Jorge Soler
1B: Anthony Rizzo
C: Miguel Montero
SS: Starlin Castro
LF: Chris Coghlan
3B: Mike Olt
SP: Jason Hammel
2B: Arismendy Alcantara
Rockies
CF: Charlie Blackmon
RF: Carlos Gonzalez
SS: Troy Tulowitzki
1B: Justin Morneau
3B: Nolan Arenado
LF: Corey Dickerson
C: Nick Hundley
2B: DJ LeMahieu
SP: Kyle Kendrick
What we’re watching:
Will the Cubs bats warm up?
Cubs are dead last in MLB in hits and runs over first 3 games.
Make Hammel work
Charlie Blackmon (4.28), Corey Dickerson (4.11) seeing more pitches per AB.
Only 3 players have drawn BB so far: Nolan Arenado, Blackmon, Dickerson
Career against Hammel:
Nick Hundley is 7 for 15 (.467) with 1 HR, 3 doubles
Justin Morneau is 5 for 11 (.455) with 5 doubles
Career against Kendrick:
Miguel Montero is 6 for 13 (.462) with 1 HR
Kendrick in previous outing:
7.0 in, 7 hits, 0 ER, 6 K, 0 BB
93 pitches
Fastball 50%, 89.3mph
Change 28%, 81.2mph
Cutter 20%, 85.8mph
Curve 1%, 78.0mph
Fastball is right on average velocity from 2014.
Cutter has been his go-to pitch in recent seasons.
Higher % of change-ups trend to watch at Coors.
Excellent pre-game for your first write-up. Welcome to the team Don. Love the, “What we’re watching” section.
Are the Cubs really hitting Jason 8th? Guess it’s catching on. I’m sure the Cubs have done this in the past, no? Can’t see them taking a cue from us.
Great to be here, and thanks to you and Kent for welcoming me. I look forward to bringing a bit more of these statistical tidbits into conversations, there are so many great resources out there for data.
Joe Maddon is obsessed with this pitcher-hits-8-hole thing. Doesn’t matter a whole lot when the team can’t even see the Mendoza line from where they are.
Don, that is a fantastic set-up for the game. But I mean, where is the stats on Kendrick against Cubs hitter with one strike during night games in April on weekends? Where are the really important stats??? Kendrick started this role last year. He is never going to be a star, but if he can go 6 with 3 runs or less, he can show the young guys how to do it. I wrote on the wrapup for yesterday that… Read more »
One thing is for sure: Joe Maddon can’t hit for those guys. The natives are already getting restless in Chicago. Just gonna make Kris Bryant look even better.
I’m intrigued by what may be a transition for Kendrick from mostly cutters to cutter+change. Seems like Rox coaching staff may be emphasizing changeup more.
The DeaLeR will miss his next start. Won’t be ready for the Giants series.
I love Jorge but when he said after that start at AAA that he would have to pitch with it for the whole season I thought, don’t do it! We can make do with 5th starters for a month. Get right, get strong. A healthy DLR for 25 starts is better than so-so healthy DLR for 30.
Guessing that Bergman is the first man up for a while
Hey, Don, a bit late but welcome to the RWO club! Great pre-game write up. Too bad the game didn’t turn out well. If we were superstitious, that would be your last pre-game!