Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Penny's 14-K Performance: By The Numbers

Yeah, we've already talked about this. And yes, Jake Peavy struck out 16 in a game earlier this season (though unlike the Dodgers last night, the Padres lost that game). But in the spirit of giving credit where credit is due, we wanted to add a couple more commendations to the long list reflecting Brad Penny's awesome performance yesterday.

According to ESPN.com, here are some notes on Penny's pitching:

  • First Dodger to throw a 14-strikeout game since Chan Ho Park (2000).
  • First Dodger with a 14-strikeout, zero-walk game since Sandy Koufax's perfect game (1965).
  • 14 strikeouts on Monday is a career high.
  • 14 strikeouts on Monday was one fewer than he had in his first six starts combined in 2007.

Let's also break down the box score:

  • Mark Jacobs whiffed three times.
  • Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, Miguel Olivo, and Eric Reed all whiffed twice. Joe Borchard also whiffed twice, though one strikeout was (very surprisingly) with Rudy Seanez on the mound.
  • Josh Willingham struck out once. The starting pitcher, Ricky Nolasco, struck out once as well, meaning that 13 of Penny's 14 Ks were to legitimate hitters.
  • Miguel Cabrera was the only starter in the lineup to not get fanned by Penny; Cabrera ended up going 1-for-4 with a single to shortstop.

Penny struck out five of this first six batters. He struck out seven of his first nine batters, which sounds extremely Borg-esque when you say it aloud. He struck out ten of his first 13 batters, through four. He struck out 12 of his first 17 batters, through five. Penny got his last two strikeouts in the seventh, stranding a man at third.

His final line, 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 14 Ks, 0 HR. ERA for the season is 1.39. Amazing. Penny is now 4-0 on the year.

For his next start, Penny should come out with his fly unzipped again. In fact, every Dodger pitcher should follow suit.

13 comments:

Orel said...

Star Trek humor. We've hit a new low.

Steve Sax said...

I thought you had told me to "make it so"?

Alex Cora said...

Nice to be in the same catagory as Chan Ho Park - ahh, the good old days.

Eric Karros said...

Trivia: Besides the aforementioned Chan Ho Park, who are the only 2 Dodgers since Sandy Koufax to strikeout 12+ in consecutive games?

Steve Sax said...

Karl Spooner is one of them, 1954

Eric Karros said...

Since Sandy Koufax, so say after 1966.

Steve Sax said...

Nomo's gotta be one of them, right? He had 50 in four consecutive games.

Steve Sax said...

Is Ramon Martinez the other? (not the current ramon martinez, by the way) (though he may have struck out 12 times at the plate in a game, I'm not certain)

Eric Karros said...

Yes, Nomo is one, in 1995. Ramon isn't the other though (The Straw actually did once strike out 5 times in a game, which I think is a Dodger record.)

Steve Sax said...

So that leaves Valenzuela.

Eric Karros said...

Nope, not Fernando either. Happened in 1992. Think porn 'stache. I'll post answer at end of day.

Steve Sax said...

Kevin frickin' Gross? Amazing. Are you sure on that fact that these are the only two?

Eric Karros said...

Yup, KG. Porn stache gave it away. Only KG, Nomo, and CHP have done it since Koufax. Ramon had his 18K game, but not consecutive games w/ 12+.