MB'09 John Lackey

[uharchmajor]

What does everybody see in store for Lackey in 2009? I was just checking out his performance last season and was a little surprised.

May and June: 6-1, 1.44 ERA, 69 innings, 54 K
July thru Sept: 6-4, 7.37 ERA, 94 innings, 76 K

Am I forgetting or did something happen the last 2.5 months of the season?
Of course if you take out his last outing against Texas (2.2 IP, 10 ER, 1 K) his July thru Sept numbers drop to: 6-3, 6.55 ERA, 92 innings, and 75 K. The K numbers are not that bat at 7+ K/9 but any particular reason he has an ERA up at 6.55?

[Guest]

He threw pretty well in the playoffs.

I always wonder whether guys who come back from injury in a season and dont really get spring training have a tendency to fall off later in the season.

Lackey and Kazmir were both examples of this. Kaz a full run worse in the second half, Lackey was 2.50 worse using that arbitrary measure.

I think Lackey's a very good pitcher. Not a stud, not an ace, but a very good pitcher, and I'd expect it again next season.

[Todd Zola]

Since he missed some time early, his pre-and post ASB IP were nearly identical, 80.1 to 83.

pre K 66
post K 64

pre BB 15
post BB 25

Pre may have been better than career, 25 isn't really all that bad

pre HR 9
post HR 17

DING!!!

Granted, some of this could have been getting more of the plate, but some also could have been an out of whack HR/FB.

I'm with Gary, I'd look at the whole body of work and take heart he is not working in the WBC so he will get a regular spring as opposed to last season.