The Process Versus the Angels

Tuesday 7:10: David Price vs Ervin Santana:

Santana has been struggling mightily early in games. He has allowed 10 of his 14 runs this season in the first three innings of games and nine of them have come in the first inning. He has faced 16 hitters in the first inning allowing seven hits, three of which have gone for extra bases, while walking three and striking out two. His slash line has been .342/.419/.632 in the first three frames while dropping to .212/.278/.485 in the next three frames. He has already allowed six home runs in 2012 and has a 12:7 strikeout to walk rate and opposing runners are a perfect three for three on the basepaths when he has been on the mound.

Wednesday 7:10: ESPN game, Jeremy Hellickson vs C.J. Wilson:

Last season's post-season events aside, Wilson has been a thorn in the Rays offense during the regular season. In 40 innings of work against the Rays, Wilson has permitted just 23 hits, 10 runs, has walked 22 while striking out 42. He dominated the team in the second game of the 2010 post-season scattering two hits over 6.1 innings while striking out seven but was blasted in Texas in Game 1 of the ALDS last season as the Rays piled up six hits, eight runs, and hit three home runs in five innings of work.

Wilson has been up to his stingy habits again this season allowing just 11 hits over 19 innings to start the season but has struggled with walks as he has allowed nine unintentional walks on the season while striking out 15. BrooksBaseball has Wilson throwing everything but the kitchen sink so far this season while getting most of his swings and misses on his breaking pitches.

Thursday 1:10: Matt Moore vs Jerome Williams:

Williams revived his career back from the dead last season after being out of baseball from 2008 to 2010. He lacks the stuff that the four guys in front of him have in the rotation, but he pounds the zone with sinkers and cutters and has double-digit whiff rates on nearly all of his pitches.

Numbers via Whelk's new regression tool (click headers to sort). What other data would you like to see in these?

The ESPN guys state their case on whether Maddon should shift Albert Pujols in this series. Given the fact that 17 of his 19 groundballs in play have been to the left side this season, the odds are pretty good that shift happens.