i've got a guest column up today at Baseball Analysts -- something a little different. here's the link if you want to check it out.
didn't see last night's game, but after sifting through the entrails i have a few quick thoughts re mulder's performance. two numbers to consider: seven swinging strikes (which is a lot compared to last year) and zero walks. both indicators suggest that mulder pitched effectively in the strike zone -- which, if true, is encouraging. the whole conversation about "power pitchers v groundball pitchers" is really a proxy conversation about controlling the strike zone; you want guys who don't have to nibble, don't have to make a perfect pitch every time. last year mulder was a nibbler; he couldn't afford to throw a strike that got more than 3 inches of the plate, lest it get hammered. but during spring training he reportedly was throwing the ball much better. last night he apparently threw it well enough that he didn't have to be so fine. ie, had a bigger margin for error -- and that, in the end, is what you want in the postseason. power pitchers tend to give you that, but you'll take it in whatever form..
encarnacion left 9 men on base, making the last out of the 2d, 4th, 6th, and 8th innings -- which meant pujols led off the four ensuing frames. having said that, i'm not so concerned about juan'cion being up there in rbi situations; those suit his game -- you need a base knock and some power, rather than just a baserunner. so albert leading off innings is less a problem than albert hitting with nobody on and two out -- that's the problem with en'cion in the #2 hole.
oh, in case you missed it, matt morris won his debut with the giants -- one earned run in six and a third.
back in a little while with a game thread.