Originally posted by StevenSuarez
The Nats will start Ross Detwiler fresh off of the DL, while the Rockies will trot out erstwhile meatballer Jeff Francis. In Francis' last 25 home starts, over is 17-7-1, and his career ERA at Coors Field is 4.93. As for Detwiler, a day game at Coors Field is no time and place to come off of the DL, and this tomato can is 0-6 with a 7.09 ERA in six career road starts vs NL West opponents (8.00 ERA, .351 BAA in two career starts at Coors). The weather is expected to be in the mid-80s with a 10+ mph wind out to left-center. Giddy up.
[Note: i lifted that NL West Detwiler stat from Jeff Grant; another pearl from Jeff today: Colorado #Rockies lead the NL with a .455 slugging % in day games - 40 points higher than the next team (Braves) in that category]
a couple of other things:
- generally lean over on any day game at Coors in warm weather, similar to when wind tunnel is in effect in Arlington
- like this one even though we have under ump James Hoye behind the plate
- Detwiler will likely be on limited pitch count and is backed by a struggling and tired pen. Rocks pen also pretty used up and no Betancourt, and Francis not likely to go much more than 5 IP
- also read somewhere from someone much smarter than i that Detwiler's arm angle will make him very vulnerable at Coors (my guess as to rationale is that you don't want to be putting the ball on a flat plane at Coors unless you have filthy stuff and can miss bats)
