Erik Bedard preview

Today the Sox face a tough lefty in the Mariners' Erik Bedard.

After posting a great season for the Orioles last year, a season in which he struck out 221 batters, Bedard has come back to Earth some.

While part of that may be an infection from the M's absolutely sucking this season, a quick look at some of his peripheral numbers indicates that he may be as much to blame as poor support or defense. Last season Bedard struck out 9.6 batters per 9 innings while walking only 2.5.

This was good for 7.3 wins above what a replacement level starter would have earned.

This year he's striking out 2.2 less batters per 9 innings while walking 2 more.
That is a recipe for a serious drop off in production and that is just what we've seen from Bedard who is currently 4-4.


Pitches thrown:
Bedard throws his fastball at around 91-92 and his cutter at about 90.
He has about 5 inches of separation between the two pitches horizontally.
He also throws a curve at about 78mph.

Here is Bedard's movement chart:
Bedard likes to throw the fastball early in the count and when he is ahead in the count.

Surprisingly, he throws the curveball most frequently when he is behind in the count.

He mixes the cutter in with his fastball to keep hitters off balance as it is a few mph slower and a few inches further in on a right-handed batter.

Here is a table of what he throws and when:

  Fastball      Curve         Cutter
Count  Total Percent Total Percent Total Percent
0-0    103   52.28   66    33.5    28    14.21
0-1    54    52.43   35    33.98   14    13.59
0-2    26    55.32   15    31.91   6     12.77
1-0    32    45.07   29    40.85   10    14.08
1-1    45    60      24    32      6     8
1-2    52    66.67   20    25.64   6     7.69
2-0    15    55.56   5     18.52   7     25.93
2-1    10    30.3    19    57.58   4     12.12
2-2    36    60      18    30      6     10
3-0    5     62.5    0     0       3     37.5
3-1    8     66.67   2     16.67   2     16.67
3-2    10    33.33   16    53.33   4     13.33