Here we are, tied with the Pirates for last place in the NL, and a sellout crowd comes to watch Troy Patton. A Lot of fans complain about Drayton’s luuuuvvvvv for homies, but hey, it seems to work.
Patton gave up 6 hits, 2 HR, 2 BB, 3 ER and 4 K over 5.2 IP – 99 pitches, 57 strikes.
I was most definitely NOT impressed with his stuff. Fastball doesn’t move well, slider is meh. He’s only 21 but he throws like an old guy on the downside of his career. His FB tops out at 86-87 and doesn’t have bite. He threw a LOT of pitches in the middle of the plate and I was surprised he didn’t get hammered. (Note – mlb.com says he has an above average curveball, but I didn’t see him throw a single one, just FB and sliders.)
But the Organization is pimping this guy, so we’ll see how he does. It’s funny because they were criticizing Gutierrez the other day because he has only a mediocre 3rd pitch, his curve. But best I can tell, Patton is a 2 pitch pitcher. He is supposed to be good at pitching inside, but he only threw 7 strikes inside and threw 15 balls inside.
They really better be careful with him because he is already at 156 innings this year and there is no reason to over stress such a young pitcher.
And I guess Carlos Lee must have read all my comments about how he’s the NL’s worst LF outside of Pat Burrell, how he has no range and ambles over to let balls fall in. I guess that made him mad (GOOD) because today he made a GREAT play on a sinking liner in the 6th – I haven’t seen him actually try to get a ball like that in several months. Way to go Carlos – I sure wish you’d try like that all the time.
And the Astros simply SUCKED at bat – 2 walks, 6 singles, and the only run scored on a GIDP. I can’t say enough bad things about the hitting.
Tags: Houston Astros
I wish they would stop selling mid-level/decent prospects as a panacea.
Thanks for your input on my blog entry. I’m in law school and have a family, so nothing new for now.
Has your thinking changed after round two of the soon to be Sir Patton
well, i STILL don’t think he has particularly good stuff. but all KINDS of guys succeed without particularly good stuff – see jamie moyer…
i’m really most interested in making sure they don’t overwork this kid this fall
just remember, he’s been an Astros fan all his life and now he’s playing for them. and he sold out the park. i didnt see him but he had to have been nervous as all get out.
brian,
he definitely looked nervous. but i don’t really hold that against him – i was just looking at his stuff, really. it’s a good thing that this is a losing year – all the rookie pitchers are getting some experience without having to do it under the gun