6/03 Pitcher Preview: Matt Garza

Tonight the Red Sox face the first place Rays of Tampa Bay and will square off against Matt Garza.

Here is his numbers:

Nice two seamer, doesn't get much bite on the changeup, ok slider and a big 12-6 curve.

Pitch type by batter hand:

stand	2FB	CB	CH	FB	SL	Grand Total
L	70	44	48	230	27	419
R	62	8	10	165	71	316
Grand Total	132	52	58	395	98	735

Looks like Garza throws the Curve and changeup to lefties and the Slider mainly to righties.

Left
	2FB	CB	CH	FB	SL	Grand Total
BABIP	0.385	0.250	0.111	0.220	0.571	0.269
Strike %	0.56	0.61	0.50	0.66	0.67	0.62
Contact %	0.86	0.75	0.85	0.86	0.82	0.85
Right
	2FB	CB	CH	FB	SL	Grand Total
BABIP	0.077	0.500	0.000	0.316	0.571	0.328
Strike %	0.60	0.50	0.30	0.63	0.63	0.61
Contact %	0.77	0.75	1.00	0.91	0.76	0.85

Take a look at the two seam fastball. This pitch is thrown around the same amount for a right handed and a left handed hitter, but the BABIP varies greatly. That should even out as the season goes on.

Looks like his curveball is his best pitch vs the lefties. A high strike percentage and the lowest contact % of all his pitches. Note the contact % is the same on the pitch to both sides, but the strike % is much lower against RHB.

A 91% contact percentage on the fastball to RHB shows he is not missing bats with that pitch. Seems like more of a get me over pitch than an out pitch.

Lastly, here is his pitch type by count:


Incredible that he uses his off speed pitches early in the count and then completely abandons them when he falls behind. If I am a hitter, I let the first pitch go and take my chances that he falls behind. If he falls behind in the count, sit dead red because your getting the fastball. As we saw above, his fastball is not a swing and miss pitch so no worries there.

With a patient team like Boston facing Garza tonight, I expect Garza might struggle as he falls behind in the count. Should be interesting to watch the Red Sox strategy versus him.