Early Impressions of Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett has been a Ray for two weeks and he's faced 31 batters already. That's more than Chad Bradford has faced, almost more than Jason Isringhausen, one less than Dale Thayer, and almost as many as J.P. Howell faced in April. Early returns: eh, not so great. His FIP is 6.09 with the Rays, his tRA (now on FanGraphs, holla) is 6.18, and his K/BB ratio is disgustingly 1.00. He is doing some things right, his whiff rate is slightly up, his groundball rate is near 60% (although his BABIP is actually .349 which is insanely high for a ground-pounding specialist with a good defense behind him), and his home run rate is way too high to sustain. We labeled him a right-handed specialist when he arrived, and boy, is that ever the truth:
Versus righties (18 PA): .267/.389/.267
Versus lefties (13 PA): .364/.462/.727
The numbers will change, but the pattern is going to remain the same. He's built to take on normal human beings, not "left-handed" "people".
So that's Jeff Bennett. I noticed his fastball velocity was down 0.7 ticks from his time with the Braves. Having some pitchfx data on my hands I decided to run David Price's home/away velocities and see what gives, if anything:
Road starts (356 four-seamers): 93.8 MPH
Home starts (334 four-seamers): 92.9 MPH
Same exercise, but for James Shields:
Road starts (354 four-seamers): 91.2 MPH
Home starts (387 four-seamers): 90.0 MPH
I'm going to check the other pitchers before stating anything, but you can kinda see where this may lead.
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23 comments
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Comments
You know it's a slow day when we get a Jeff Bennett post.
by rglass44 on Aug 14, 2009 2:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
So Hickey purposely slows them down at home
Gotcha.
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by Tommy Rancel on Aug 14, 2009 2:14 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
With control he can be a solid ROOGY, but do you really need a ROOGY?
As hard as we throw on the road, its amazing we don’t win more.
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by FreeZorilla on Aug 14, 2009 2:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Aren't most relievers -- middle relievers at least -- basically ROOGY?
by R.J. Anderson on Aug 14, 2009 2:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, to amn extent.
but I think most are more serviceable against lefties than Bennett.
by RaysTheRoof on Aug 14, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This
Wheeler and Balfour can face the lefties outside of the best lefties in high leverage spots. I never want to see Bennett against a lefty in a remotely meaningful situation, even a switch hitter who is weaker from the left.
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by FreeZorilla on Aug 14, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Neither Wheeler or Balfour is a middle reliever.
Both are more set-up types.
I’m literally talking the 6th/7th inning types and sometimes later in blowouts, not the guys who pitch in the 8/9th in a close game.
by R.J. Anderson on Aug 14, 2009 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
3 year LHB OPS vs
Bennett .803
Springer .792
Cormier .758
Wheeler .755
Bradford .745
Nelson .737
Balfour .596
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by FreeZorilla on Aug 14, 2009 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pretty sick # for Grant
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by FreeZorilla on Aug 14, 2009 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bennett is higher than I expected.
Nelson too.
by R.J. Anderson on Aug 14, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nelson
.582 I transposed LHB and RHB for him
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by FreeZorilla on Aug 14, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Lance cares not where batters stand
I can't help that I make some things look easier than they really are.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 14, 2009 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hope he was worth keeping over Meloan and Swindle
by Raymondo on Aug 14, 2009 3:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
All fans would
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by FreeZorilla on Aug 14, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Deep
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by FreeZorilla on Aug 14, 2009 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
My days of controversy are pretty much over
by Raymondo on Aug 14, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
boooo
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by FreeZorilla on Aug 14, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Other modmins have started swinging the banhammer his direction. He's trying to put out the fires.
I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.
by kericr on Aug 14, 2009 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What a sad site a neutered Raymondo is
How can he go back to STRONGSville now?
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by FreeZorilla on Aug 14, 2009 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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