Yardbarker: Jair Jurrjens

MLB Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 22

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:39:28 -0500

Screaming Sports' Phil Yoon goes over a week of upcoming matchups and determines who you should sit, who you should start and why. Surprisingly, there are three pretty big names that should be riding the pine this coming week.

Wagner, Church, Castillo, Tonight's Lineup, Pelfrey vs Braves!

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:17:23 -0500

On the topic of closers, the Mets are giving no timetable for a possible return of closer Billy Wagner from elbow inflammation.

His agent, however, told 1050 ESPN that after a doctor's appointment Tuesday the pitcher was "surprised it will take three weeks."

In other injury news, Ryan Church (concussion) and Luis Castillo (hip flexor) will both play tonight for Binghamton. It's the last rehab game Castillo is permitted, but that doesn't mean he rejoins the team automatically. He could return to Florida to work on his swing.

Tonight's Lineup:

1)J. Reyes SS
2)A. Reyes 2B
3)Wright 3B
4)Delgado 1B
5)Beltran CF
6)Murphy LF
7)Tatis RF
8)Schneider C
9)Pelfrey P

Mike Pelfrey Pitching VS. Atlanta Braves
Opposing Batter	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	OBP	SLG	OPS	AVG
Gregor Blanco	5	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.400	.400	.800	.400
Jeff Francoeur	5	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	.667	1.200	1.867	.600
Kelly Johnson	4	2	0	0	1	0	1	0	.500	1.250	1.750	.500
Brian McCann	4	3	2	0	0	0	2	0	.833	1.250	2.083	.750
Omar Infante	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.667	.333
Chipper Jones	3	2	0	0	1	0	3	0	.833	1.667	2.500	.667
Jair Jurrjens	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.667	.333
Casey Kotchman	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Mark Kotsay	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Martin Prado	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Matt Diaz	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.333	.000	.333	.000
Yunel Escobar	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Totals	38	14	3	1	2	0	7	0	.468	.658	1.126	.368

Mets Pitching Matchups vs Braves (8/19 - 8/21)

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:55:11 -0500

Tuesday, August 19

Shea Stadium | 7:10 PM ET

Jo-Jo Reyes, LHP (3-9, 5.33)
Braves (56-69)

Oliver Perez, LHP (9-7, 3.91)
Mets (68-57)

Scouting Report:

Braves: Reyes has proven he can be effective at the Triple-A level, having gone 1-1 with a 2.31 ERA in eight starts for Richmond this year. But when the 23-year-old southpaw is brought back up to make this start, he'll have to show the consistent control that he lacked in 15 starts for the Braves earlier this year. In his past six big league appearances (five starts), he went 0-5 with an 8.74 ERA. Opponents produced a .451 on-base percentage during that span.

Mets: Perez continued to impress with his last outing, a three-run, eight strikeout affair. The left-hander tossed 6 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball before tiring and allowing three Nationals to score, cuing his exit from the game. The New York bullpen held up, though, and Perez got more than enough run support in a 9-3 victory.

Wednesday, August 20

Shea Stadium | 7:10 PM ET

Jair Jurrjens, RHP (11-8, 3.15)
Braves (56-69)

Mike Pelfrey, RHP (11-8, 3.91)
Mets (68-57)

Scouting Report:

Braves: Despite losing four of his first six starts since the All-Star break, Jurrjens has produced a 3.57 ERA. He recorded a career-high nine strikeouts and received just one of support in Friday's loss to the Giants. The rookie right-hander says he's not fatigued, despite the fact that he's surpassed his previous career-high innings total. Some of his recent struggles have been the result of an inconsistent changeup. He is 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts against the Mets this year.

Mets: The Mets have won 11 of Pelfrey's past 13 starts, and he's won nine of them. Now, he faces the team that beat him twice in his first eight starts. His ERA in 9 1/3 innings against the Braves this season is 10.61. Pelfrey has a 6-5 record at Shea Stadium that belies his 2.81 ERA there. He has allowed three home runs in 83 1/3 innings at home, one by Kelly Johnson. Chipper Jones hit one against him in Atlanta. Brian McCann has a .545 batting average, a .615 on-base percentage and a .909 slugging percentage in 13 career plate appearances against Pelfrey.

Thursday, August 21

Shea Stadium | 7:10 PM ET

Mike Hampton, LHP (2-1, 6.92)
Braves (56-69)

Pedro Martinez, RHP (4-3, 4.96)
Mets (68-57)

Scouting Report:

Braves: Hampton will be attempting to win consecutive starts for the first time in more than three years. Since ending a three-year injury-induced absence from the mound, the 35-year-old southpaw has progressively gained confidence in his health and pitches. He had his sinker working on Saturday, when he induced 10 ground-ball outs in six innings against the Giants. Hampton is motivated by the fact that he must prove himself before his contract expires at the end of the season.

Mets: His record over .500 and his ERA lower than 5.00 for the first time this season, Martinez has a chance to accomplish something that has been beyond him since his first two starts last season -- win successive starts. He completed seven innings against the offensively challenged Pirates on Saturday night; that was a 2008 first for him. And he has allowed merely four earned runs in his past three starts (19 1/3 innings). He hasn't faced the Braves since Sept. 27, 2006, when he tore his right rotator cuff while striking out Scott Thorman.

Jurrjens Impresses In 2008

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:59:19 -0500

Jair Jurrjens was acquired by the Braves after the end of last season for Edgar Renteria, and has shone brightly in Atlanta. Nobody expected he'd be the rotation ace in August. Jurrjens' success story is just starting.

Weekly Starters - D-Backs bring their best

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:53:34 -0500

Foxsports.com tells you the top 2-start pitchers this week. Both D-Back aces are up, as well as Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano. Also, every team's rotation schedules for August 4-10.

Carp off to good start, Mather doubles, goes deep to lead offense

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:49:58 -0500

Cardinal Nation breathed a collective sigh of relief tonight as Chris Carpenter made it back to the mound after nearly two years. The Cards got some power at-bats out of a recent call-up who intends on staying with the parent club if at all possible.

Redbird Randoms ... Carp returns tonight

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:42:07 -0500

Tidbits regarding the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hot Stove Philly Week In Review

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:38:32 -0500

This past week started very poorly for the Phillies but ended on a high note. Coming off a tough series with the Florida Marlins in which the Fightin Phils lost the final two games, including a gem thrown by ace Cole Hamels, the Phillies rolled into Flushing hoping to put some distance between them and the Mets. Mission accomplished, sort of. After one of the most amazing comebacks in recent history, the Phillies failed to capitalize on the momentum built from winning the series opener and looked flat the following two games. The Phils won one inning, while the Mets won 26 innings. The Phils simply lucked out and won the right inning, avoiding a sweep. On top of their struggles on the field, the Phils have had to deal with some off the field issues as well. Reigning MVP Jimmy Rollins was late to Saturday's game and was summarily benched by manager Charlie Manuel for breaking team rules. After the debacle in New York, the Phillies came home to face the Atlanta Braves a game out of first place behind the Mets. Unfortunately, they followed up their uninspired play in New York with one of the worst games I have ever witnessed. The Phillies failed to score a run until the ninth inning, getting just three hits off young right-hander Jair Jurrjens, who had lost two of his previous three games coming into the series. Phillies' closer Brad Lidge had perhaps his worst outing of his career, giving up five runs without getting an out, including a grand slam to Brian McCann. The Phillies battled back from a week and a half of lousy play to win the final two games against the Braves to win their first series since before the All Star Break. Despite a rocky outing by Hamels on Saturday, the Phillies edged out the Braves 10-9 on Greg Dobbs' pinch hit three-run home run, his league leading 20 pinch hit of the season. It was his fifth pinch hit home run of his career, and his second of the season. Dobbs tied the Phillies franchise record for pinch hits with Doc Miller, who had 20 of his own in 1913. Dobbs is hitting .362 (34-for-94) as a pinch hitter since joining the Phillies, including a lusty .435 (20-for-46) in that role this season. The Phillies did something they have been seemingly unable to do in months on Sunday: they capitalized on the momentum built in the previous game and won another slugfest, holding off a late inning run by the Braves to win 12-10. Despite a shaky outing by Joe Blanton and a rain delay that sent both starting pitchers to the clubhouse for good, the Phillies used the long ball to bring themselves back to within a game of first place. As of Monday night the Phillies were tied with the Marlins for second place in the National League East, just a half game behind New York, who lost to Florida because of another bullpen meltdown. The Phils look to get back into first place as they set to face off with the Nationals in Washington Tuesday. As they fight their way back to first place, the Phils could have some help on the way as trade deadline fast approaches on Thursday at 4 PM EST. There has been intense speculation that Matt Holliday and Brian Fuentes could be headed to Philadelphia, as well as reports that Boston Red Sox' outfielder Manny Ramirez's top trade destination is Philly. Keep posted as we continue to bring you all the latest trade news and rumors. In other Phillies' news, embattled former starter Adam Eaton has accepted an assignment to AAA Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Pitcher J.A. Happ was recalled to the big league club, perhaps to be showcased before Thursday's trade deadline. In exciting news, the Philadelphia Soul won their first ArenaBowl Championship, winning 59-56 over the San Jose SaberCats on Sunday. The Soul's victory begs the question, and the impending debate, does this end the 20 year championship drought in Philly? In Eagles' news, star running back Brian Westbrook reports to camp despite his reported discontent with his current contract. Cornerback Asante Samuel has been diagnosed with a mild hamstring strain, but it is not considered serious. It was reported Monday that the Sixers have agreed to terms with guard Kareem Rush. He has averaged 6.8 points per game and shot 36 percent from three in five seasons with the Lakers, Bobcats and Pacers. Continue to monitor Hot Stove Philly as we bring you the latest in trade news, reports as the Phillies continue to fight their way back into first place, and from Eagles' training camp, as well as all the other sports news of the day.

Phillies - Braves Series Recap

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:58:32 -0500

In a dramatic turnaround from their previous two series, the Phillies blew the first game of their series with the Atlanta Braves, but rebounded nicely to take the final two games to remain in second place in the National League East. In one of the worst games that I have ever attended, the Phillies failed to score a run in the first eight innings of Friday night's game off of Braves' pitcher Jair Jurrjens, mustering just three hits against the young right-hander. After giving up seven runs in the ninth inning, including a grand slam to Braves' catcher Brian McCann, his second homerun of the game, the Phillies were finally able to muster a couple runs off Ryan Howard's two-run home run in the bottom of the inning. It was too little too late. Even more troubling than the Phillies inability to generate any offense was that All Star closer Brad Lidge gave up five runs without getting an out, including his first home run of the year. His ERA rose from 1.29 to 2.36. It was a disheartening and demoralizing loss that could have easily put the team into a downward spiral, but in a display of incredible grit and character, very similar to what the Mets did after their disastrous collapse last Tuesday against the Phillies, the Fightins rallied to pull out a 10-9 victory behind a pinch hit three run home run by Greg Dobbs. In a dramatic shift in what has been the normal modus operandi for the Phillies of late, staff ace Cole Hamels got shelled for nine runs in just one inning, but the offense came roaring back with seven runs in the fifth inning. Instead of laying down, the Phillies ripped victory from the jaws of defeat. The Phillies capitalized on their momentum from Saturday's win to overcome a tough start from pitcher Joe Blanton and a rain delay to win the rubber match on Sunday 12-10. Behind home runs from Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino, and Jason Werth, the Phillies were able to withstand a rocky fourth inning from Adam Eaton and an eighth inning in which relievers Rudy Seanez and Ryan Madson gave up a combined five runs. Lidge came in and got his second save in as many nights, a great sign considering his terrible outing on Friday. The Phillies had a really tough week, losing two series to division rival Florida and New York. It looked like they were going to continue their losing ways after the debacle from Friday but the Fightins displayed the Never Say Die attitude that Phils' fans have been looking for all season. Hopefully the Phillies can build on this success and build some momentum as they head to Washington to face the Nationals on Tuesday.

Saturday thread: Another listless night for the bats

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:30:59 -0500

It took 26 outs before the Phils exploded for two runs in an 8-2 loss. Fragments today instead of cohesive sentences. A game this bad deserves nothing better. It deserves primal grunting actually, but it's difficult to translate grunting to the page. Three whole hits off Jair Jurrjens through eight innings. Jurrjens (which sounds like primal grunting) is a good, young pitcher, but the "good pitcher" excuse grows tired. There's good pitching in the league, so step it up. Chase...

Game chat: Phils face tough customer in Jurrjens

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:03:15 -0500

Twenty-two-year-old right-hander Jair Jurrjens (9-5, 3.22) faces the Phillies for the second time this season when the Braves visit Citizens Bank Park for the first of three games. First pitch is 7:05 ET. Preview: Jurrjens, who allowed four runs in seven innings in his only other start against the Phils, tries to rebound from a five-run, six-inning loss to the Nationals his last time out. That's nothing compared to Kyle Kendrick (8-4, 4.87), who let up a career-high seven runs...

Phillies - Braves Series Preview

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:47:40 -0500

After two lousy series against the Florida Marlins and the New York Mets, both division rivals competing with the Phillies for first place in the National League East, the Phils hope to turn things around against the Atlanta Braves in a weekend series starting Friday. The current NL East standings have the Mets in first place, with the Phillies one game behind them in second. The Marlins are one game back of the Phils, with the Braves 6.5 games out and the Washington Nationals completely out of the mix at 17 games back. Despite a month and a half of really lousy baseball, the Phillies find themselves still in the thick of things and in a great position to take the division. One team they have not struggled against this season is Atlanta, sweeping them in each of the last two series, both at Turner Field. The Phillies look to turn their recent fortunes around and keep their hot streak against the Braves going this Friday as Kyle Kendrick(8-4, 4.87) takes the mound against Jair Jurrjens (9-5, 3.22). Jurrjens is coming off a tough outing against the lowly Nationals on Sunday in which he gave up five earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. Despite a impressive record of 9-5, Jurrjens has lost two of his last three starts, including an outing against the Phils on July 3. Unfortunately for the Phillies, Kendrick is coming off an even worse outing against the Marlins on Saturday. The sophomore right hander gave up seven earned runs in 4 /13 innings, including three home runs. Nevertheless, the Phillies tend to win with Kendrick on the mound, going 14-6 in his 20 outings this season, the best record on the staff. Kendrick has also had success against the Braves, as he is 3-0 all time with a 4.13 ERA. Saturday's matchup is a battle of the lefties, as Phillies' ace Cole Hamels (9-6, 3.11) faces off against Jo-Jo Reyes (3-9, 4.95). Reyes is 0-5 with an 7.65 ERA in his last five starts and has given up nine runs against the Phillies in two starts this season. Hamels, on the other hand, is coming off yet another gem that was wasted by the floundering Phillies' offense. Despite going eight innings and giving up only two runs on Sunday against the Marlins, the Phils were unable to pull out a win, scoring a meager two runs themselves. Hamels continues to prove why he is the unquestioned ace of this staff. Newly acquired Joe Blanton (5-12, 5.08) makes his second start for the Phillies on Sunday against Jorge Campillo (5-4, 2.83). Campillo has been a pleasant surprise for the Braves this season, and has arguably been their best pitcher. Despite his success so far this season, Campillo is 0-1 with a 5.27 ERA in four games against the Phillies this season, including two starts. Blanton got a no decision in his debut with the Phillies and while most people have complained that his first outing was a bust, Blanton really didn't pitch all that poorly. He certainly didn't pitch great, surrendering five runs in six innings, but he gave up a few untimely walks and left two breaking balls up that resulted in home runs, and that was the ballgame. Blanton will look to rebound and capitalize on the positives from his debut Sunday. This is a huge series for the Phillies, although not quite as big as the two they just went through. Lucky for the Phils, the Mets face the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend, and the Marlins square off with the National League leading Chicago Cubs, so the chances are that both teams will lose at least one game. If the Phillies can take the series and win at least two of three against the Braves, they will still be in a good position coming into their day off on Monday, perhaps even back in first place. It's a cheap way to make it back on top, but at this point, I think we can all agree we'll take what we can get.

Is there hope for Renteria?

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:28:07 -0500

Edgar Renteria has had a half season that everybody would probably like to forget. The.259 batting average looks great compared to the .301 OBP and .326 slugging percentage. Couple this with the fact that Jair Jurrjens is pitching well and the Tigers are a long shot for the playoffs at this point, and [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Is there hope for Renteria?", url: "http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/07/is-there-hope-for-renteria/" });

10 Reasons For The Braves To Pull Out The Stops

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:41:08 -0500

BravesBlast comes to you today with 10 reasons the Braves should go all the way this year - and be buyers at the trade deadline. Tomorrow comes 10 reasons to call it a season.

Yardbarker: Jair Jurrjens

MLB Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 22

Wagner, Church, Castillo, Tonight's Lineup, Pelfrey vs Braves!

Mets Pitching Matchups vs Braves (8/19 - 8/21)

Top Five Fantasy Storiesa?"Atlanta Braves

Jurrjens Impresses In 2008

Weekly Starters - D-Backs bring their best

Carp off to good start, Mather doubles, goes deep to lead offense

Redbird Randoms ... Carp returns tonight

Hot Stove Philly Week In Review

Phillies - Braves Series Recap

Saturday thread: Another listless night for the bats

Game chat: Phils face tough customer in Jurrjens

Phillies - Braves Series Preview

Is there hope for Renteria?

10 Reasons For The Braves To Pull Out The Stops