Kevin Kouzmanoff was 1- for -3 on Thursday but that one hit came in his first AB of the game extending a streak of 10 ABs in which he reached base safely. He had 8 hits and two walks during that streak. He is now 8- for his last -10 over four games, raising his average to .263. He’s reached base in 17- of his last -20 games, and since the break, Kevin is hitting .307 with 9 HRs and 26 Rbi in 179 ABs. He is slugging .520 in that span, with a 16.7% K rate after posting a 24.5% K rate in the first half.
Jeff Francis was rocked by the Phillies on Thursday, allowing 8 runs, all earned, on 8 hits and 4 walks while striking out 2. He suffers the loss falling to 15-8 on the year with a 4.35 ERA. Jeff had given up just 9 runs in 35 IP over his previous 5 starts (2.31) on 26 hits and 8 walks (0.97 WHIP) and 21 K (5.4/9). He is slated to face David Wells in the DH with the Dodgers on Tuesday and then he is set to face the Padres at
Pat Burrell was 2- for -4 yesterday making him 7- for his last -18 (.388). That includes 2 HRs and 6 Rbi, but perhaps even more impressive is his 5 walks in that span (27.7% BB rate). His walk rate this year sits at a career-high 19.5% while his K rate sits at a career-low 24.2%. He is hitting just .268 with a relatively flat .292 BHIP% but he is also slugging .525 and has topped .400 (.410) in OBP for the first time in his career.
Joey Votto was 3- for -4 on Thursday including a double as the Reds topped the Cards. The three hits raise him to .455 since his call up, and his 2 Rbi gives him 8 so far, to go along with a pair of HRs. He has gone hitless in just one of his six starts to this point and looks very much at home in the big leagues. The Canadian native drew walks at a healthy 12.4% in AAA this year, hitting .294, helped by a .341 BHIP%. He has sustained that rate in the majors (12.0%) but his K rate has slipped a little. Still, his patience after the level jump is a very good sign. Joey has his 56% of his balls in the air in the majors, which will help his power numbers if he can maintain a good rate. His is enjoying a .571 BHIP% in a scant 22 ABs but he is legit. Votto remains one of the top offensive prospects in baseball as we enter 2008. So far it looks as if he is ready to press for PT next spring.
Aaron Harang limited the Cards to 3 runs over 7 IP on Thursday to post his 15th win of the season. He allowed just 3 hits while walking two in 89 efficient pitches. Aaron struck out 5 improving his record to 15-4 with a 3.65 ERA. That makes 4 QS in his last 5 starts but there have been a couple of clunkers of late as well. He gets the Cubs at Wrigley Tuesday. His ERA goes up 67 points on the road to 4.00, and he is 2-1 with a 5.68 ERA in 4 starts against the Cubs this year, allowing 5 HRs in 19 IP (2.3/9). Four of those HRs have come in 11 IP at Wrigley (3.2/9) where he has a 8.18 ERA in two starts.
