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Well, following yesterday's dramatics the Rays play their first day game of the regular season as well as their first southpaw on the mound, giving Tim Beckham and Steve Pearce their first starts of the season.
Today's Starting Pitchers:
Matt Moore vs J.A. Happ
| 2015 Season | W | L | ERA | FIP | K% | BB% | AVG | HR | GS | IP | fWAR |
| J.A. Happ | 11 | 8 | 3.61 | 3.41 | 21.1% | 6.3% | .258 | 16 | 32 | 172 | 3.3 |
| Matt Moore | 3 | 4 | 5.43 | 4.82 | 16.6% | 8.3% | .295 | 9 | 12 | 63 | 2.9 |
Matt Moore is making his season debut behind a strong spring showing and after an impressive return last September from Tommy John Surgery when he looked like the Matt Moore of old. He'll face a tough test as he goes up against the juggernaut Blue Jays lineup.
J.A. Happ Scouting Report:
Happ is entering his ninth years in the majors in a career that has handed him plenty of ups and downs, like a phenomenal rookie campaign in 2009, having been traded four times in deals that have involved 14 other players, and he also suffered one of baseball's worst injuries as we was struck in the head by a line drive.
For the better part of his career, Happ has been dependable, but not particularly great. Last off-season, the Blue Jays traded Happ to Seattle for Michael Saunders. Happ was decent for the Mariners, then was traded to the Pirates at the trade deadline and turned into one of the best pitchers in the league for the rest of the season. He became a free agent, and quickly signed a three year, $36 million deal.
His arsenal:
| PITCH | VELOCITY | FREQUENCY | vs LHB | vs RHB | ||
| Fastball | Low 90's |
62.1% vs LHB *** 52.3% vs RHB |
Keeps it low and away | Anywhere in thr zone | ||
| Sinker | Low 90's |
3.8% vs LHB *** 15.3% vs RHB |
Runs it in, off the plate | Keeps it under, or away from the zone | ||
| Cutter | Mid 80's |
22.7% vs LHB *** 10.8% vs RHB |
Low and away from the zone | Down and in, off the plate | ||
| Change-up | Mid 80's |
0.4% vs LHB *** 12.0% vs RHB |
Barely used | Stays below the zone | ||
| Curve Ball | High 70's |
11.0% vs LHB *** 9.6% vs RHB |
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His splits:
| 2015 | TBF | wOBA | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | K% | BB% |
| vs LHB | 185 | .294 | .266 | .299 | .381 | 2 | 27.6% | 4.3% |
| vs RHB | 532 | .307 | .256 | .311 | .394 | 14 | 18.8% | 7.0% |
| HOME | 346 | .292 | .248 | .307 | .358 | 4 | 19.4% | 7.5% |
| AWAY | 371 | .315 | .268 | .308 | .420 | 12 | 22.6% | 5.1% |