Photo courtesy of Lance Brozdowski
Chris Paddack Debut
Scouting Report: A big, nasty strikethrower with power and precision packed into a three-pitch mix. Heavy focus on the fastball changeup, using each to setup and compliment the other. Drops curveballs early in counts, but has shown an improved shape in the breaker this spring leading to some optimism regarding the third offering. His command and control have long been his calling card, rare for a player with spin and movement like Paddack’s. Clean mechanics lead to consistent strike throwing and efficient innings. Should be interesting to see how big league hitters attack. Unfortunately the Giants offense is as impecunious as it gets in the big leagues.
Start Breakdown
1st Inning: (Duggar, Panik,Solarte) 11 pitches
Duggar bit on a first-pitch fastball fouling out to left field. Fell behind Panik 2-0, battled back getting a groundball 5-3 force out off his first big league changeup. Tied up Solarte after getting ahead 0-2, but got squeezed on the challenge at first. Two pitches later he retired Solarte on a popup to Machado in foul territory.
Fastball was sitting 94 in the first, touching 96. Fastball heavy (10 of 11 pitches), outside of a fastball 1-2 to the Solarte he spotted all of them with finesse.
2nd Inning: (Belt, Crawford, Parra) 12 pitches
Went right after Belt with three straight fastballs, setting him up away for a swinging strike three. Goes right at Brandon Crawford with a variety of changeups, before getting a swinging strike three. Broke off an ugly breaker to Parra, follows it up with a changeup, fastball, changeup combo, getting his third consecutive swinging strike three to end the frame.
High fastballs, and changeups — that’s what Paddack does at his most deadly, and that’s what we saw here. The release point is replicated so well with the offspeed pitch that the break and 10 mph drop in velo leaves hitters naturally off-balance.
3rd Inning: (Sandoval, Kratz, Samardzija) 13 pitches
Climbed the ladder against Pablo Sandoval just attacking him with the fastball, getting a swinging strike three. Four straight batters retired via the swinging strikeout. The next at bat he got Kratz to hit a hard grounder that was played deep in the hole by Fernando Tatis Jr. The shortstop zipped a beautiful throw over to first for the 6-3 force out. The next batter was the opposing pitcher Jeff Samardzija and Paddack went right after him with the fastball, before dropping the changeup on him for another swinging strike three.
Fastball was still sitting 93-94 touching 96, spotting everything well for the most part.
4th Inning: (Duggar, Panik, Solarte) 24 pitches
Duggar took him deep into the count with a variety of changeups and fastballs, before freezing him on the changeup. Next he went deep into the count with Panik, going eight pitches before allowing the walk. Really leaned in on the changeups to Solarte, going three in a row before flashing fastball back to back then dropping a changeup middle-low that broke hard and missed the barrel. Following the strikeout, Panik dashed and Hedges popped up and made a dead on throw to second for a strike’em out throw’em out to end the 4th.
Location is off a little missing arm-side to lefties. Second time through the order, Paddack labored a bit more. Going deep into counts with Duggar, Panik, and Solarte. He’s still faced the minimum number of batters due to Austin Hedges hose of an arm.
5th Inning: (Belt, Crawford, Parra, Sandoval, Kratz) 19 pitches
Starts Belt off with a changeup, follows it up with a fastball that induced a groundball force out. Good first pitch curveball to Crawford, followed by a high changeup that Crawford pulls for a base hit to right. Goes back to back fastballs to Parra, getting a deep flyball for a flyout to the center fielder Manny Margot. Got deep into a count with Pablo Sandoval and he went out and got a bad ball and pushed it deep to center. Margot made a bad read and got crossed up, but it was a rocket regardless. RBI double. Came back at the catcher Eric Kratz and got a flyball to retire the side.
Threw first curveball deep into a count to Sandoval. The pitch to Sandoval was located perfectly and was just a case of Panda still possessing the ability to get his bat on anything. Got a good look at the pickoff move with Panik at first, very sneaky.
Start By The Numbers
Fastball: 49 (92mph-96mph)
Changeup: 25 (82mph-84mph)
Curveball: 5 (74mph-75mph)
Final Line: 5 innings, 79 pitches, 57 strikes, 11 swinging strikes, 2 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts, 3 groundouts, 2 fly outs, 2 pop outs.
Final Thoughts: Located his fastball well the first time through the order. Fastball control waned second time through the order. Labored in the 4th, and couldn’t put away Sandoval in the 5th. If he could have landed a changeup really low below the zone, or buried a curveball he might have got Panda chasing. All in all, used his fastball-changeup combo as well as could be expected. Only went 80 pitches but got out of the 5th allowing just 3 base runners on the day, and only three balls in play to leave the infield.
Other Debuts and Notables…
Corbin Burnes: Started off with a bang, striking out nine over the first three innings, then the wheels came off. Early his fastball was sitting 94-96 with nasty cut to the glove-side. His slider was an effective secondary offering but the remainder of his arsenal was show-me. Rough final line but the Cardinals are a tough lineup, and it was too much the second time through.
Sandy Alcantara: Went eight scoreless on just 92 pitches. Alcantara was the standout of the day among “rookie starters”, and possibly the most impressive starter overall. He threw first pitches for strikes to 17 of 27 batters faced, landing his offspeed and breaking ball for strikes, sitting down 14 in a row at one point. So far the Marlins rotation looks like a hidden jewel in fantasy leagues, and might be more competitive than expected this season.