Circle Change
04-10-05, 06:25 PM
If you're a baseball fan who enjoys watching pitching duels, you are in for a treat tonight.
It'll be Mark Beuhrle going up against Johan Santana on nationally televised Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN.
Buehrle (245.1) and Santana (228) were the American League's most durable horses in 2004, finishing 1 and 2 atop the AL's IP leaders. In his first outing of the 2005 season, Buehrle threw 8 innings of 2-hit, shutout ball against the Cleveland Indians. In Santana's opening start in Seattle, the Mariners prevented him from establishing his fastball early and smacked his low 90s four-seamer around the park, putting up 4 runs in what seemed to be the blink of an eye. After that 4th run however, Santana was reaching 94 mph on the gun and had found the magic touch on his circle change, putting up the following line: 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, retiring 14 of the final 15 batters he faced in the win.
Scouting reports from STATS, Inc. and Baseball-Reference on the starting pitchers:
MARK BUEHRLE -- LHP -- 6'2", 220 lbs
Career Numbers
Year Ag Tm Lg W L G GS CG SHO GF SV IP H R ER HR BB SO HBP WP BFP ERA *lgERA *ERA+
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
2000 21 CHW AL 4 1 28 3 0 0 6 0 51.3 55 27 24 5 19 37 3 0 225 4.21 5.17 123
2001 22 CHW AL 16 8 32 32 4 2 0 0 221.3 188 89 81 24 48 126 8 1 885 3.29 4.62 140
2002 23 CHW AL 19 12 34 34 5 2 0 0 239.0 236 102 95 25 61 134 3 6 984 3.58 4.60 129
2003 24 CHW AL 14 14 35 35 2 0 0 0 230.3 250 124 106 22 61 119 5 1 978 4.14 4.48 108
2004 25 CHW AL 16 10 35 35 4 1 0 0 245.3 257 119 106 33 51 165 8 0 1016 3.89 4.92 126
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
5 Yr WL% .605 69 45 164 139 15 5 6 0 987.3 986 461 412 109 240 581 27 8 4088 3.76 4.68 125
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
162 Game Avg 15 10 36 31 3 1 1 0 221.3 221 103 92 24 53 130 6 1 917 3.76 4.68 125
Career High 19 14 35 35 5 2 6 0 245.3 257 124 106 33 61 165 8 6 1016 3.29 5.17 140
2004 Season Review
Few major league pitchers are as consistent as White Sox ace Mark Buehrle. He may not match up with other elite pitchers in terms of pure stuff, but his durability and command make him a cornerstone for a team trying to remodel itself from a power plant to one built around pitching and defense. Buehrle not only led the American League in innings pitched-he threw 17 innings more than anyone else, in part because Ozzie Guillen skipped the No. 5 starter whenever possible. Minnesota's Johan Santana and Brad Radke were the only AL pitchers with more quality starts than Buehrle, who had 23.
Pitching
Buehrle succeeds by keeping it simple. He attacks hitters with a low-90s fastball and a plus-plus changeup, working fast and throwing strikes. He used those two primary pitches to set up a cut fastball that sometimes comes and goes, but was generally in his 2004 arsenal. Buehrle yields a lot of home runs, in part because he is based at U.S. Celluar, and gives up ringing hits against batters who know he is going to challenge them in hitter's counts. He very rarely beats himself.
Defense
Buehrle is a steady fielder with quick reactions. He sometimes wants to force the action on bunts but has developed more patience with experience. He has an excellent pickoff move and is difficult to run on.
2005 Outlook
Buerhle continues to handle a heavy workload and still hasn't shown serious signs of wear and tear. One good sign for future seasons is that he increased his ratio of strikeouts per nine innings to 6.1 last season after it had dropped the three previous years. His mind seems free after signing a long-term contract, which has allowed his leadership skills to blossom. He remains a better bet for 16-18 wins and 225-plus innings than anyone else in the American League.
JOHAN SANTANA -- LHP -- 6'0", 205 lbs
Career Numbers
Year Ag Tm Lg W L G GS CG SHO GF SV IP H R ER HR BB SO HBP WP BFP ERA *lgERA *ERA+
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
2000 21 MIN AL 2 3 30 5 0 0 9 0 86.0 102 64 62 11 54 64 2 5 398 6.49 5.27 81
2001 22 MIN AL 1 0 15 4 0 0 5 0 43.7 50 25 23 6 16 28 3 3 195 4.74 4.53 95
2002 23 MIN AL 8 6 27 14 0 0 2 1 108.3 84 41 36 7 49 137 1 15 452 2.99 4.42 148
2003 24 MIN AL 12 3 45 18 0 0 7 0 158.3 127 56 54 17 47 169 3 6 644 3.07 4.62 151
2004 25 MIN AL 20 6 34 34 1 1 0 0 228.0 156 70 66 24 54 265 9 7 881 2.61 4.73 182
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
5 Yr WL% .705 43 18 151 75 1 1 23 1 624.3 519 256 241 65 220 663 18 36 2570 3.47 4.71 136
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
162 Game Avg 12 5 45 22 0 0 6 0 187.7 156 77 72 19 66 199 5 10 773 3.47 4.71 136
Career High 20 6 45 34 1 1 9 1 228.0 156 70 66 24 54 265 9 15 881 2.61 5.27 182
2004 Season Review
Johan Santana was the American League's most dominant pitcher, overcoming early-season worries about his surgically repaired elbow to put together a four-month run that Sandy Koufax would have envied. Santana worked 21 straight quality starts, from June 9 until his final tuneup for the playoffs. He enjoyed a scoreless streak of 36.1 innings and set a team record with 13 consecutive victories. At season's end, he led the league in ERA, quality starts, opponent batting average and strikeouts while garnering his first AL Cy Young Award.
Pitching
Santana has three dominating pitches - a 94-MPH fastball, an 85-MPH slider and a 76-MPH changeup. The changeup is the most devastating, because it comes out of his hand looking just like his fastball. When it arrives 18 MPH slower than the heater, hitters swing and miss by embarrassing margins. The difference between 2003 and 2004 was his ability to locate his pitches, while in the past he relied more on changing speeds. Santana also learned how to throw his slider with different breaks at different speeds, giving him a slurve-like alternative to his other pitches.
Defense
Santana grew up playing shortstop and centerfield, so he has plenty of athletic ability. He showed more composure in dealing with grounders, bunts and baserunners in 2004, but the lefthander still committed four errors and posted a fielding percentage below .900 for the fourth straight season. While he is not a pickoff artist, Santana varies his moves to first often enough to make stealing against him difficult.
2005 Outlook
Stamina wasn't a concern in 2004, as Santana has learned to condition and maintain himself as a starting pitcher. Getting over his worries about his elbow also was important. The lone drawback to his pitching style is that he throws a lot of pitches, making complete games a rarity. He collected his first last summer. It probably won't be his last, as Santana should be one of the game's best pitchers for years to come.
MY TAKE
Mark Buehrle is one of, if not the most underrated pitcher in the entire American League. In his first four full seasons as a starter he's posted an ERA+ above 125 in three of them, thrown four or more CG's in three of them, and pitched 220+ innings in all four of them. He's a lefty, and is still only 26 years old. It wouldn't surprise me a bit to see him outpitch Santana tonight by throwing a shutout. As for Santana, he should be able to find it early because the weather won't be a problem as it was last Tuesday in Seattle. It would also be nice if the first few changeups of the night aren't bouncing in the dirt.
TONIGHT'S GAME
It's a Sunday night, the Yanks and Red Sox both fell to lesser teams and are done playing for the day, there are two of the AL's best pitchers going for their respective teams and there will actually be somewhat of an atmosphere tonight at the Metrodome as Santana makes his first home start of the year, so why not check it out? :)
It'll be Mark Beuhrle going up against Johan Santana on nationally televised Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN.
Buehrle (245.1) and Santana (228) were the American League's most durable horses in 2004, finishing 1 and 2 atop the AL's IP leaders. In his first outing of the 2005 season, Buehrle threw 8 innings of 2-hit, shutout ball against the Cleveland Indians. In Santana's opening start in Seattle, the Mariners prevented him from establishing his fastball early and smacked his low 90s four-seamer around the park, putting up 4 runs in what seemed to be the blink of an eye. After that 4th run however, Santana was reaching 94 mph on the gun and had found the magic touch on his circle change, putting up the following line: 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, retiring 14 of the final 15 batters he faced in the win.
Scouting reports from STATS, Inc. and Baseball-Reference on the starting pitchers:
MARK BUEHRLE -- LHP -- 6'2", 220 lbs
Career Numbers
Year Ag Tm Lg W L G GS CG SHO GF SV IP H R ER HR BB SO HBP WP BFP ERA *lgERA *ERA+
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
2000 21 CHW AL 4 1 28 3 0 0 6 0 51.3 55 27 24 5 19 37 3 0 225 4.21 5.17 123
2001 22 CHW AL 16 8 32 32 4 2 0 0 221.3 188 89 81 24 48 126 8 1 885 3.29 4.62 140
2002 23 CHW AL 19 12 34 34 5 2 0 0 239.0 236 102 95 25 61 134 3 6 984 3.58 4.60 129
2003 24 CHW AL 14 14 35 35 2 0 0 0 230.3 250 124 106 22 61 119 5 1 978 4.14 4.48 108
2004 25 CHW AL 16 10 35 35 4 1 0 0 245.3 257 119 106 33 51 165 8 0 1016 3.89 4.92 126
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
5 Yr WL% .605 69 45 164 139 15 5 6 0 987.3 986 461 412 109 240 581 27 8 4088 3.76 4.68 125
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
162 Game Avg 15 10 36 31 3 1 1 0 221.3 221 103 92 24 53 130 6 1 917 3.76 4.68 125
Career High 19 14 35 35 5 2 6 0 245.3 257 124 106 33 61 165 8 6 1016 3.29 5.17 140
2004 Season Review
Few major league pitchers are as consistent as White Sox ace Mark Buehrle. He may not match up with other elite pitchers in terms of pure stuff, but his durability and command make him a cornerstone for a team trying to remodel itself from a power plant to one built around pitching and defense. Buehrle not only led the American League in innings pitched-he threw 17 innings more than anyone else, in part because Ozzie Guillen skipped the No. 5 starter whenever possible. Minnesota's Johan Santana and Brad Radke were the only AL pitchers with more quality starts than Buehrle, who had 23.
Pitching
Buehrle succeeds by keeping it simple. He attacks hitters with a low-90s fastball and a plus-plus changeup, working fast and throwing strikes. He used those two primary pitches to set up a cut fastball that sometimes comes and goes, but was generally in his 2004 arsenal. Buehrle yields a lot of home runs, in part because he is based at U.S. Celluar, and gives up ringing hits against batters who know he is going to challenge them in hitter's counts. He very rarely beats himself.
Defense
Buehrle is a steady fielder with quick reactions. He sometimes wants to force the action on bunts but has developed more patience with experience. He has an excellent pickoff move and is difficult to run on.
2005 Outlook
Buerhle continues to handle a heavy workload and still hasn't shown serious signs of wear and tear. One good sign for future seasons is that he increased his ratio of strikeouts per nine innings to 6.1 last season after it had dropped the three previous years. His mind seems free after signing a long-term contract, which has allowed his leadership skills to blossom. He remains a better bet for 16-18 wins and 225-plus innings than anyone else in the American League.
JOHAN SANTANA -- LHP -- 6'0", 205 lbs
Career Numbers
Year Ag Tm Lg W L G GS CG SHO GF SV IP H R ER HR BB SO HBP WP BFP ERA *lgERA *ERA+
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
2000 21 MIN AL 2 3 30 5 0 0 9 0 86.0 102 64 62 11 54 64 2 5 398 6.49 5.27 81
2001 22 MIN AL 1 0 15 4 0 0 5 0 43.7 50 25 23 6 16 28 3 3 195 4.74 4.53 95
2002 23 MIN AL 8 6 27 14 0 0 2 1 108.3 84 41 36 7 49 137 1 15 452 2.99 4.42 148
2003 24 MIN AL 12 3 45 18 0 0 7 0 158.3 127 56 54 17 47 169 3 6 644 3.07 4.62 151
2004 25 MIN AL 20 6 34 34 1 1 0 0 228.0 156 70 66 24 54 265 9 7 881 2.61 4.73 182
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
5 Yr WL% .705 43 18 151 75 1 1 23 1 624.3 519 256 241 65 220 663 18 36 2570 3.47 4.71 136
+--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+------+----+----+----+---+----+----+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+
162 Game Avg 12 5 45 22 0 0 6 0 187.7 156 77 72 19 66 199 5 10 773 3.47 4.71 136
Career High 20 6 45 34 1 1 9 1 228.0 156 70 66 24 54 265 9 15 881 2.61 5.27 182
2004 Season Review
Johan Santana was the American League's most dominant pitcher, overcoming early-season worries about his surgically repaired elbow to put together a four-month run that Sandy Koufax would have envied. Santana worked 21 straight quality starts, from June 9 until his final tuneup for the playoffs. He enjoyed a scoreless streak of 36.1 innings and set a team record with 13 consecutive victories. At season's end, he led the league in ERA, quality starts, opponent batting average and strikeouts while garnering his first AL Cy Young Award.
Pitching
Santana has three dominating pitches - a 94-MPH fastball, an 85-MPH slider and a 76-MPH changeup. The changeup is the most devastating, because it comes out of his hand looking just like his fastball. When it arrives 18 MPH slower than the heater, hitters swing and miss by embarrassing margins. The difference between 2003 and 2004 was his ability to locate his pitches, while in the past he relied more on changing speeds. Santana also learned how to throw his slider with different breaks at different speeds, giving him a slurve-like alternative to his other pitches.
Defense
Santana grew up playing shortstop and centerfield, so he has plenty of athletic ability. He showed more composure in dealing with grounders, bunts and baserunners in 2004, but the lefthander still committed four errors and posted a fielding percentage below .900 for the fourth straight season. While he is not a pickoff artist, Santana varies his moves to first often enough to make stealing against him difficult.
2005 Outlook
Stamina wasn't a concern in 2004, as Santana has learned to condition and maintain himself as a starting pitcher. Getting over his worries about his elbow also was important. The lone drawback to his pitching style is that he throws a lot of pitches, making complete games a rarity. He collected his first last summer. It probably won't be his last, as Santana should be one of the game's best pitchers for years to come.
MY TAKE
Mark Buehrle is one of, if not the most underrated pitcher in the entire American League. In his first four full seasons as a starter he's posted an ERA+ above 125 in three of them, thrown four or more CG's in three of them, and pitched 220+ innings in all four of them. He's a lefty, and is still only 26 years old. It wouldn't surprise me a bit to see him outpitch Santana tonight by throwing a shutout. As for Santana, he should be able to find it early because the weather won't be a problem as it was last Tuesday in Seattle. It would also be nice if the first few changeups of the night aren't bouncing in the dirt.
TONIGHT'S GAME
It's a Sunday night, the Yanks and Red Sox both fell to lesser teams and are done playing for the day, there are two of the AL's best pitchers going for their respective teams and there will actually be somewhat of an atmosphere tonight at the Metrodome as Santana makes his first home start of the year, so why not check it out? :)