Kawakami Starts vs the Giants
So I finally got to see Kenshin Kawakami pitch in a big league game. Being three timezones away from the east coast makes it tough to catch most Braves games, but this week they’re here in California, so in between helping with dinner and the dishes, I got to watch Kenshin pitch against the Giants.
And he didn’t have one of his best games.
On the upside…
- worked out of a couple of jams
- decent velocity — hit 94 mph on the gun one time, which is harder than I would normally expect him to throw
- got a sacrifice down (I wasn’t in the room when this happened, seeing in it the box score)
- speed giveth: Benji Molina’s lack of pace saved a run for Kenshin
On the downside…
- got into trouble in every inning he pitched
- poor control — airmailed a fastball, hit Aaron Rowand, catcther had a passed ball
- couldn’t get his breaking stuff over for strikes, had a hittable fastball
- speed taketh away: Rowand stole home
Kenshin’s breaking stuff basically wasn’t working at all. I only saw him get a couple of swinging strikes, and he had a pattern of getting behind on guys and then coming back with very hittable fastballs.Â
Anyone else see the game?