== and Totally e-RAM ==
Highlight reel:
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e-RAM the Electric Supercharger (yes, it’s a thing)
Erasmo Ramirez wasn’t quite electric or particularly supercharged in 2013, but he’s out to prove it was not permanent.
His specialty is the ability to throw strikes without getting hit hard. Last year, inhibited by injury, he threw fewer strikes (his walk rate doubled) and got hit harder (his HR% floating well up into the danger zone).
Looks like he’s back on track so far, even if he’s “not a No. 2 starter.”
Yesterday we saw how Felix Hernandez‘ changeup is devastating because it comes in at a similar velocity (around 90) but tails off just enough to confuse the hitter. This was Felix’ chart from Monday night:
e-RAM has the more traditional approach. His change has similar movement, but comes in several mph slower. We’ll have to show it on two charts.
First, here’s the movement. You’ll see the blue mixed in with the gray.
Now, here’s velocity, and you can see the separation:
Despite the deception of his change-of-speed game, e-RAM can’t get away with many “mistake” pitches, and, in that regard, he was nearly flawless. Here’s the chart of the pitches which determined the outcome of the plate appearance:
Only a couple of pitches centered and in the zone. The one centered pitch labeled “7” was a pop out by David Freese. The other one up in the zone labeled “4” was a strikeout pitch.
Erasmo ended with 11 ground ball outs! Plus six strikeouts and zero walks, and only Raul Ibanez inflicting any damage.
Lloyd, is he a No. 2 starter now?
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Totally Brad Miller
Miller led the Cactus League in SLG or OPS or both (it was, in fact, both), and we all knew that those numbers are meaningless.
But I’ve been pointing this out for a long time now, so keep it in your head:
| Year | Age | G | PA | AB | H | 2b | 3b | HR | BB | K | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Kyle Seager 2010 | 22 | 135 | 643 | 557 | 192 | 40 | 3 | 14 | 71 | 94 | 0.345 | 0.419 | 0.503 | 0.921 |
| Brad Miller 2012 | 22 | 137 | 643 | 557 | 186 | 40 | 7 | 15 | 74 | 105 | 0.334 | 0.410 | 0.512 | 0.922 |
The year before anyone knew who Brad Miller was, his bat was identical (freaky-identical) to Kyle Seager’s the year before anyone knew who Kyle Seager was.
Except Miller plays shortstop.
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It would be great if Joe Beimel could get outs without throwing a pitch every time.
2-0 and LAAA hoping to salvage what it can against James Paxton. We’ll take it.
