Since June 10, he has pitched 36 innings in 34 games. He has allowed one earned run. Of the 121 batters he has faced, he has allowed 11 hits, walked three and struck out 48. The earned run came on a solo home run.
His ERA since June 10 is 0.25, and opponents are hitting .093/.116/.144 for an OPS of .260!
For the season, Uehara's ERA is 1.19 and his WHIP is a minuscule 0.63. The only number that is mildly troublesome is his innings pitched, which stands at 60.1, only 6.1 innings away from his career high in 2009, when he was a starter. He threw 65 innings as a reliever in 2011.
I heard Buck Showalter talking about Uehara on ESPN Radio this morning. He said Baltimore wanted to keep him but was outbid by the Sox. He said he's an "ambush pitcher" -- some hitters who jump on the first pitch are called "ambush hitters". Uehara's success, according to Showalter, is that he comes in and throws his best stuff right away, overwhelming hitters. He said that the baseball he pitches revolves more times before it reaches the plate than any other pitcher, so even an 89-90, it is difficult to hit. Showalter said that health is the only issue with Uehara, and Boston has figured out the best way to use him, which is to never get him up and throwing if he's not coming in.
ReplyDeleteThese comments might be worth reposting at SoSH if they haven't been. I can't post over there.
ReplyDeleteSoSH thread: "Koji Uehara: one of the 20 best relief seasons ever?"
ReplyDeleteI can't post over there.
ReplyDeleteEven lurkers can post over there now.