Today should present a fun little matchup as Milwaukee gets to face another former Brewer and a knuckle baller in R.A. Dickey.
Dickey (5-11, 3.77) has really turned his career around since joining the Mets last season. Prior to 2010, his best ERA was 4.62 and his best FIP was 4.31. Last year, however, he had a shiny 2.84 ERA and a 3.65 FIP. This year, he has a 3.96 FIP. Like most knuckle ballers, Dickey isn't exactly a strikeout king--this year he has a 5.91 K/9, the second highest number of his career. The last two seasons, he has really found his control, though, walking just 2.17 per nine and 2.42 per nine in 2010 and 2011. Compare that to 2008 and 2009 when he had over a 4 BB/9 both seasons, and that helps explain why his numbers have gotten better.
This year, Dickey has been much better at home than on the Road. In Queens, he has given up an opponents line of .241/.299/.362 whereas away from Citi Field he has allowed an opponent line of .290/.339/.448. He's also much more effective against right handed hitters, allowing a .653 OPS to them as opposed to an .811 OPS for left handed hitters.
Dickey throws a number of pitches other than his knuckle ball. That number is one. He throws his 77 MPH knuckler about 3/4 of the time and an 84 MPH four seamer the other 25% of his selection.
Dickey has faced two current Brewers at least ten times. In 12 PA each, Mark Kotsay and Nyjer Morgan have .444/.583/1.111 and .091/.167/.091 lines, respectively.
For the Brewers, Yovani Gallardo (13-8, 3.55) gets the call. Gallardo's FIP matches his 3.55 ERA and his xFIP isn't far off at 3.45. He may not be quite up to his 2010 3.02 FIP level, but Gallardo has really turned it on lately. In his last six games, Gallardo has a 1.98 ERA and an opponent line of .196/.219/.264. That's pretty damn good. His numbers would have looked even better if he didn't give up four earned runs in five innings against the Cardinals a week and a half ago. In two of his last three starts, Gallardo has made it through eight innings, giving up one run in both against the Astros and the Dodgers.
Gallardo has faced just three current Mets players at least ten times. In 13 PA each, Ronny Paulino and David Wright have .167/.154/.250 (How does he have a lower OBP than BA?) and .182/.308/.455 lines, respectively, while in ten PA Angel Pagan has a .300/.300/.500 line.
Lineup:
RF Corey Hart
CF Nyjer Morgan
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
3B Casey McGehee
SS Yuniesky Betancourt
2B Jerry Hairston Jr.
C Jonathan Lucroy
RHP Yovani Gallardo
In the Bullpen:
Takashi Saito pitched 0.2 innings (15 pitches) yesterday.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched one inning (24 pitches) yesterday.
John Axford pitched one inning (16 pitches) yesterday.
Kameron Loe pitched two innings (32 pitches) Thursday and 1 inning (21 pitches) Friday.
Frankie De La Cruz pitched one inning (23 pitches) Thursday and 1 inning (17 pitches) Friday.
Tim Dillard pitched one inning (22 pitches) Thursday.
LaTroy Hawkins pitched 1 inning (18 pitches) Wednesday.