Twins Decide On Blackburn Over Slowey For Playoff Rotation
By Fetch
Assuming no Scott Baker comeback, the Twins are prepared to go with Nick Blackburn over Kevin Slowey for their 4th playoff starter. Oh boy. The Twins no doubt want Blackburn in there because he had a great game 163 v. the White Sox in 2008 and has pitched well in some other important games. Blackburn still isn’t the better pitcher. Let’s make a quick comparison:
FIP:
Slowey – 3.94
Blackburn – 5.04
xFIP:
Slowey – 4.48
Blackburn – 4.69
k/9
Slowey – 6.76
Blackburn – 3.53
BB/9
Slowey – 1.71
Blackburn – 2.21
About the only thing Blackburn has going in his favor is a lower LD%. Some people have said that because of the fact that Slowey is a bit inefficient with his pitches, and thus throws less innings than Blackburn. This is true, and would be a problem in the regular season, but in the postseason it is less so. There will be one more pitcher in the bullpen, and with the amount of off days the bullpen will be more rested. In the regular season it would be much more of a question, but in the playoffs Id rather have, for example, 5 IP and 1 R from Slowey than (at best) 7 IP and 3 R from Blackburn.