Doobie revs up

[Sprowl]

Doubront's lost velocity has been one of the recurring worries of the last two years, but not today against the Orioles. Whether it was the warm spring afternoon or Doubront finally realizing some advantage from coming to spring training already in good shape, his fastball and sinker both had some pop (~92 mph). Farrell left him in for 107 pitches, and he maintained velocity well into the 6th inning, finally dropping a bit in the 7th.
 

 
Doubront threw more strikes than he did in 2013, when his nibbling drew comparisons to DiceK. He did not hit the edges very often, but he kept the ball down and the batters off balance.
 

 

[Sandy Leon Trotsky]

Thanks Sprowl.  Obvious to say here, but this was definitely a step in the right direction and consistency of release seems to be his enemy.  If/when he can find that consistent point, I really think he can be a quality no. 2 type on any team.  I'm confident we'll see that by mid season (last season he had a 5 week stretch, IIRC in which he was our best pitcher) but hopefully he can stay sharp during the last 6 weeks too.

 

[knucklecup]

Adrian Beltre was not yet on the DL and thus Texas's offenses at the time was one of the elite ones in the league (and likely still is even in his absence). Lackey had just shut them down the night before. I really don't think you can put much weight into that one start on 4/8.

And if you take out that 2 2/3's innings he pitched in his Texas lashing, we're looking at 3 games started, 18 2/3's innings pitched, 13 K's, 18 hits, 6 walks, 8 earned runs for a 3.86 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP.

I, personally, think he's been one of the bright spots of this month of April.

Thank you for the analysis, Sprowl. Always appreciated.