* I’ll be in the 1–3–8 tonight, gettin’ my Correia on. A couple things to note: He’s two innings away from his career high, which he set last year. His left-right splits this year are interesting; his K/BB ratio against lefties is terrible, nearly 1/1, but his ERA against righties is nearly 1.5 runs higher, 4.50 vs. 5.97. The big culprit is home runs: 8 against righties in 57 IP, only three against lefties in 42 IP. Makes me wonder how much he’s been helped by the dimensions of Mays Field.
* Speaking of Mays Field dimensions, keep a close eye on Nate Schierholtz on this homestand. First, let’s hope that Bochy actually plays him. Second, will he lose hits to right-center? According to his hit chart, he didn’t make any fly ball outs in Death Valley last year. But ask Todd Helton or Adrian Gonzalez — a couple 410’ outs to the warning track can start messing with your head.
* And speaking of Mays Field dimensions again, Aaron Rowand told Andy Baggarly that the 404–foot mark in left-center “seems to haunt me.” Oh, that’s a swell advertisement to lure free agent hitters.
But is 404 really his problem? Let’s look at Rowand’s hit chart. 404 isn’t marked there, but it’s the triangular notch to the left of 399. Assuming these charts are accurate, Rowand has only lost one home run to the 404 notch. Right-center is a bigger power-suck; if the field were of normal proportion, he might have a few more extra base hits, if not home runs. To that we say, “No duh.” Join the club, pal.
* SMALL PRINT UPDATE: Now reading Carl Hiaasen’s Strip Tease. It’s much better without Demi Moore, but not quite as good as the best work from the master of South Florida sleaze, Elmore Leonard. Hiaasen throws in too many pop-culture references that feel like shortcuts to a mood, but let’s not quibble: he’s funny, he keeps up the breakneck pace, and he puts a lot of heart into his characters, even if they’re just a step or two beyond lazy stereotype. (The Congressman who can’t keep it in his pants; the stripper with a heart of gold; the no-good speed freak ex-husband who steals wheelchairs.) It’s a lot more fun than eating a pint of ice cream in one sitting, and better for you.
