One of the more difficult things in baseball is to complete a series sweep. This afternoon, the Brewers try to prevent the Reds from doing just that, as Randy Wolf goes head to head with Bronson Arroyo.
Everything you've come to expect after the jump.
I don't know about everyone else, but to me it feels like Randy Wolf has been a Brewer for about three years now. He didn't have a great first season with a 4.85 FIP, but his 4.17 ERA was pretty well in line with his career numbers. Wolf both strikes out and walks a moderate amount of hitters. His best pitch last season was his slider, which was 7.9 runs above average, though in his career his fastball is the only pitch that's netted him positive runs above average. He'll look a lot better when he's the fourth starter on the team.
Bronson Arroyo was the better of the two pitchers last year, as he had a 3.88 ERA and 4.61 FIP. He strikes out and walks about one less batter than Wolf does and has been worth 1.7 fWAR each of the last two years. He throws five pitches according to fangraphs--a fastball, a slider, a curve, a cutter, and a changeup--and all were above average last season with the curveball being the most effective at over ten runs above average. That has been the case the past two years, though in his career Arroyo has been more effective with his slider.
Lineups:
Brewers:
Weeks 4
Gomez 8
Braun 7
Fielder 3
McGehee 5
Kotsay 9
Betancourt 6
Kottaras 2
Wolf 1
Kottaras gets his first start of the season and stupid Mark Kotsay is back in the lineup.
Reds:
Stubbs CF
Phillips 2B
Votto 1B
Rolen 3B
Gomes LF
Bruce RF
Hanigan C
Janish SS
Arroyo P
Go Brewers!