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Any idea why Varvaro's strikeouts are at 15 a game?
Robles, Varvaro & Fields combine for 1-hitter w/10 K
Mauricio Robles went 6.0 IP with 1 hit (3 BB and 3 K) for the mighty D-Jaxx (maybe not so mighty, they're 8-10) as they shut down the Mobile Bay Bears last night.
Anthony Varvaro was next, going 2.0 IP with 5 more K and no hits. Then Josh Fields went the final frame and got two more K.
A strong recovery for Robles, who gave up 3 ER on 5 H and 2 BB in 3.2 IP his last start.
Varvaro has an amazing 15 K in 8.2 IP, but struggles with control (4 BB in 1.0 IP on 4/19). He's at 15.6 K/9 and 8.3 BB/9. Crazy, but last year he was 10.6 K/9 and 7.3 BB/9 in 62.0 IP, so he's not really out of line with what he's done before.
Fields is a milder case but still walking too many, with 13 K and 8 BB in 11.1 IP, or 10.3 K/9 and 6.4 BB/9 (last year: 9.7 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9).
It's worth mentioning a reliever who is having success without struggling with control, and that is Edward Paredes, a 23-year-old Dominican lefty who is on the 40-man and may be the closest to contributing in the bigs. Last year, he moved to the pen and cut his walk rate down to 2.8 BB/9 at High Desert. This year he's cut it down to ZERO.
9.1 IP, 4 ER, 0 HR, 14 K, 0 BB
Finally, on offense, golden boys Ackley and Triunfel started the year 1-2 in the order. Ackley was batting 6th last night and Triunfel 8th. Triunfel seems to be coming around, with 9 hits and 2 HR in his last 6 games. He's played at SS 17 of the 18 games, so obviously they're committed to giving him a good shot to stick there.
Ackley is just struggling, although he has 7 BB in his last 5 games to bring his OBP up to .284 (.145/.284/.210). He's still hitless against LHP as well.
Comments
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Going back and looking at his splits, he has never had less than 10.0 K/9 as a reliever since he signed. It's fair to think that he will settle back around 10 after this hot streak. Problem is he has never had less than 4.5 BB/9 and the trend has been in the wrong direction (5+ in 08; 7+ last year; 8+ so far this year).
According to scouting, he has mid-90s velocity and a good curve. He just goes through serious stretches when he can't get them over the plate. I assume MLB hitters will know when to lay off, so that has to temper the enthusiasm quite a bit.
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Paredes, on the other hand, has trends going in the right direction, and is at 13.5 K/9 his ownself (and, remember, zero walks). Plus he's LH, where we need the most pen help in the near term.
Last year he fanned 34 of the 105 lefties he faced between High D and West Tenn.
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Paredes profiles very well as a dominant LOOGY/Set-up man. He doesn't fit the rotation with his weird mechanics making health unlikely under stress...but he could carve out a Rhodes-like career as a power lefty.