Anderson was better vs. LH last year (see follow up post) Ryu has career reverse splits though too...
But now that I look at it... Anderson has career reverse splits too. So Kazmir, Anderson, and Ryu all have had more success vs. RH, so it's probably not a big deal.
Holy shit we did something! Good signing, he came cheaper than I imagined. Now sign maeda and send out wood plus a spec for a good reliever.
I'm left handed so I'm biased about such things, but what difference is an all lefty rotation compared to an all right handed rotation(which does happen often)? Just that players generally struggle more against LHP over RHP. Some of your biggest bats tend to be left handed and the guys that eat up LHP are generally few and hard to come by. Don't really have a problem if they stay LHP heavy, but it does seem like since they were entertaining Maeda, they are not planning to be done. Would hate to see Wood go though as he has some solid upside still.
Kazmir's numbers comparable to baseball's best left-handed starters ESPN Stats & Information — 4 minutes ago After losing one of the best right-handed starters in free agency, the Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Scott Kazmir, who by one measure was one of the best left-handed starters last season. Adjusted ERA by Left-Handed Starter The best ERA+ by left-handed starters last season. (Adjusted ERA compares a player's ERA to the league average ERA and adjusts for the effects of different ballparks; 100 is average.) - Clayton Kershaw 175 - Dallas Keuchel 162 - David Price 161 - Scott Kazmir 130 - Madison Bumgarner 129 By Adjusted ERA, Kazmir was the fourth-best left-handed starter in baseball last season. Adjusted ERA compares a player's ERA to the league average ERA and adjusts for the effects of different ballparks. The average Adjusted ERA is 100. Each of the three left-handed starters who had a better Adjusted ERA than Kazmir finished in the top three of his respective league’s Cy Young voting. Kazmir’s Adjusted ERA would have ranked second among National League left-handed starters last season. The Dodgers could start the 2016 season with a rotation comprising five left-handed starters: Kazmir, Clayton Kershaw, Brett Anderson, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Alex Wood. Right-hander Brandon McCarthy, who missed most of 2015, is also a candidate for the rotation. After injury, Kazmir has been durable After pitching in the majors for eight seasons (from 2004 to 2011), Kazmir was out of major league baseball in 2012. Scott Kazmir (2004-11, 2013-15) A look at Scott Kazmir's stats before and after his one-year hiatus from the major leagues. - ERA 4.17 3.54 - WHIP 1.41 1.23 - Opp. OPS .743 .685 - Strike pct. 62.4 65.8 - BB pct. 10.6 7.1 In the three seasons since his layoff, he has averaged more than 177 innings pitched each season. He’s 10th among left-handed starters in strikeouts the past three seasons (481). Since Kazmir returned to the majors, he has thrown strikes at a higher rate and walked batters at a lower rate, as the chart indicates. Kazmir has made at least 30 starts in back-to-back years, the first time he has had such a streak. Among left-handed starters the past three seasons: • He has a better strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.1) than Francisco Liriano • He has a lower ERA (3.54) than Gio Gonzalez • He has made more starts (92) than Chris Sale • He has allowed opponents to hit for a lower batting average (.245) than Dallas Keuchel Last season with the Athletics and the Astros, Kazmir had a career-best 3.10 ERA. He would have ranked third in ERA on the Dodgers behind Zack Greinke (who has since signed with the Diamondbacks) and Kershaw. Kazmir’s WHIP, opponent batting average and opponent OPS in 2015 all ranked as the second-best of his career. Did you know? Kazmir has never played on an NL team, despite being selected with the 15th pick in the 2002 first-year player draft by the Mets. He has a career 4.34 ERA in 166 innings against NL teams.
Is that slowed down a tad or are they all strung out. Either way its good. If Kazmir starts to lose some ability maybe he could become a real good relief pitcher in the last two years of his deal so they could play Kashmere as he jogs to the mound. He better be a slow jogger.
Gotta wonder if they sign another starter, who is the odd-man out? Most logic choice is Alex Wood given his years of control remaining (4), options remaining (3) and that he is cheap, or if they want to put him in the bullpen, he was very good against LHH in 2015 (.517 OPS).
I thought about that earlier... it seems far fetched probably, but I was wondering if Wood would accept a Bolsinger type role for 2016, making spot starts and pitching out of the bullpen, which I think he could be really successful in that role, when the rest of the rotation is healthy. Then after 2016 is over, Wood could reclaim a spot in the rotation with Anderson and or Kazmir leaving. It would help us out in the short term and long term. Now would or should Wood accept that role, probably not. 2016: Kershaw Kazmir Ryu Maeda Anderson 2017: Kershaw Ryu Maeda Wood McCarthy/Urias?/DeLeon? I'm nor sure if it's too much cooks in the kitchen or not.
